Quick Takes: HBO’s ‘Girls’ said to be renewed

“Girls” has started its second season on HBO on Jan. 13, but get ready for more: The controversial but critically lauded, Golden Globe-winning show will return for a third season.

While HBO has not officially confirmed the renewal, the cast and crew of “Girls” have made it abundantly clear the show will be back.

This weekend, Lena Dunham spoke with Alec Baldwin for his podcast, “Here’s the Thing,” and inadvertently confirmed the show’s pick-up. “We’re starting Season 3 at the end of March. I’m so excited,” she said.

During the conversation, Dunham also revealed she has a six-year contract with HBO, meaning there may be lots more “Girls” to come.

Although only about 900,000 viewers tune in to watch “Girls” live when it airs Sunday nights, the audience is closer to 4 million when DVR, on-demand and repeat viewings are factored in.

—Meredith Blake

Writing award finalists named

American authors Marilynne Robinson and Lydia Davis were among 10 finalists announced Thursday for the Man Booker International Prize for fiction.

The award, an offshoot of Britain’s better-known Man Booker novel-of-the-year prize, is awarded for a lifetime’s work. It is open to authors of all nationalities whose work is available in English.

Other finalists announced at the Jaipur Literary Festival in India include Israel’s Aharon Appelfeld, China’s Yan Lianke, Pakistan’s Intizar Husain and France’s Marie Ndiaye.

Indian writer U.R. Ananthamurthy, Russia’s Vladimir Sorokin, Josip Novakovich — a Croatia-born Canadian writer — and Switzerland’s Peter Stamm round out the list.

—Associated Press

McGinniss has prostate cancer

Author-journalist Joe McGinniss says he was diagnosed in May with advanced prostate cancer but is responding well to treatment and feels “terrific.”

McGinniss, 70, is best known for controversial works such as “The Selling of the President” and “Fatal Vision.”

On Wednesday, he posted on his Facebook page that he had “inoperable, terminal, metastatic prostate cancer.”

He confirmed the diagnosis in response to an email from the Associated Press but said that he has no symptoms and is eager to write more books and magazine articles.

—Associated Press

McKellen and Stewart in plays

Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart will team up on Broadway this fall in two of the most iconic plays of the 20th century.

Producers announced Thursday that Stewart and McKellen will star in Harold Pinter’s “No Man’s Land” and Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” in repertoire under the direction of Sean Mathias.

The theater, performance dates, two supporting actors and schedule will be announced later.

Stewart and McKellen starred in a production of “Waiting for Godot” in London’s West End in 2009.

Prior to Broadway, they’ll tackle “No Man’s Land” in an as-yet-unspecified out-of-town tryout this summer.

Stewart and McKellen first worked together in 1977 in Tom Stoppard’s “Every Good Boy Deserves Favour.” They’ve also starred in the “X-Men” movie franchise as Professor Xavier and Magneto, respectively.

—Associated Press

Comics to star on radio channel

Sirius XM Radio and Comedy Central are teaming up to create a new channel on the satellite radio service devoted to showcasing the television network’s stable of stand-up comics.

The companies said that they are hoping to launch the channel this spring, preferably around April Fools’ Day.

Sirius already has eight channels devoted to comedy.

For Comedy Central, the radio channel is part of the company’s effort to spread its brand outside of TV.

Currently, there are no plans to include some of Comedy Central’s biggest names, like Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and the team behind the hit “South Park.”

—Associated Press

TV Hall of Fame inductees listed

Sportscaster Al Michaels, actor and director Ron Howard and “Law & Order” creator Dick Wolf are among those selected for induction into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences’ Hall of Fame.

Other inductees announced this week were CBS newsman Bob Schieffer, CBS Chief Executive Leslie Moonves and Philo T. Farnsworth, the late inventor who is credited as the father of television.

They’ll be feted at a ceremony at the Beverly Hilton on March 11.

—Lee Margulies