Dino fans, there’s not long to wait now. The fourth series of Primeval will begin New Year’s Day in the UK on ITV1!

The news comes from BBC America who issued a press release to announce that it will air the same day in the US. They have also provided a story overview. Check it out below.

New Year’s Day marks a new beginning for acclaimed sci-fi series Primeval, when it premieres in the U.S. on BBC AMERICA, the same day as its UK broadcast. Returning to screens thanks to a unique international collaboration, including new co-producer BBC AMERICA, the series delivers ambitious adventures and opens the franchise to new audiences. From the creators of Walking With Dinosaurs and Survivors, Primeval sees the arrival of new faces and headquarters, along with the surprise return of some notable guest stars from earlier seasons. 

When rips in time called anomalies started opening across the UK, dangerous creatures from the past and future began appearing in the most unexpected places, endangering lives and putting the whole of humanity at risk. A crack team of specialists were appointed by the government to deal with these “creature incursions.”  This job has proven deadly for multiple team members and threats continue to escalate.

Ciarán McMenamin(Jericho, Demons), Alexander Siddig (Clash of the Titans, 24, Syriana, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) and young Irish actress Ruth Kearney join the team at the Anomaly Research Center (ARC)after the government loses faith in Home Office official Lester’s (Ben Miller) ability to run such a dangerous and expensive operation on his own.  The anomaly operation is now a public/private partnership, part-owned by the government, and partly by charismatic scientist Philip Burton (Siddig).

With Connor (Andrew-Lee Potts, Alice), Abby (Hannah Spearritt) and Danny (Jason Flemyng, X-Men: First Class, Snatch) trapped in the past at the end of season three, the ARC has found new recruits to take their place: Matt (McMenamin), the new field leader, who’s more than just an ex-soldier. He’s a zoologist, with an uncanny ability to understand animals. A private man, Matt carefully guards the secrets of his past and the real reason he joined the team. Unconventional Jess (Kearney) now runs operations from the ARC Control Centre. She is highly efficient and her work ethic is second to none, though she is human enough to nurse an unrequited crush on Captain Becker (Ben Mansfield).

The new season picks up approximately one year after the last season ended – Abby and Connor finally escape from the Cretaceous period, only to be followed by a giant Spinosaurus, the largest of all known carnivorous dinosaurs.  A new ARC team springs into action, leaving Abby and Connor’s place within the team in jeopardy while their former leader Danny is still missing.

Primeval premieres Saturday, January 1, 9:00pm ET/PT in the US (UK time to be confirmed).