Fox renews Touch, axes Alcatraz

Kiefer Sutherland's latest TV drama Touch has been recommissioned for a second series in the US, but JJ Abrams' Alcatraz has been axed.

Fox has given the go ahead for a new season of sci fi drama Touch, which stars 24's Kiefer as a father whose mute, autistic son had visions of the past and future, despite viewing figures dropping from its original 12 million in recent weeks.

The show, from Heroes creator Tim Kring, launched globally in January and Kiefer admitted he felt a sense of "panic" because he wanted the show to do well.

He said: "The pilot script for Touch was beautiful, but if it isn't fully realised as a series, I'll feel culpable. So there's a kind of panic I had forgotten about since we started 24."

But JJ Abrams' drama Alcatraz, starring Sarah Jones and Lost's Jorge Garcia, set in San Francisco's infamous prison and featuring its mysterious former inmates will not get a second season.

It originally attracted 10 million viewers but ended its 10-week run with just 4.7 million people tuning in.

Fox has given the green light to Abrams' series Fringe for a fifth and final season of 13 episodes.

Bones spin-off The Finder has also been axed after just one series due to low viewing figures.

Fox has previously renewed American Dad, Bones, The Cleveland Show, Fringe, Glee, Kitchen Nightmares, New Girl, Raising Hope and The Simpsons.