FX holds 'Louie' til June

 Louis C.K. of FX's 'Louie'

Credit: FX

FX has postponed the premiere of comic Louis C.K.'s new series "Louie" until June.

The cable network announced on Tuesday (Feb. 16) that the comedy, previously scheduled for an April launch, will now roll out in June, using "Rescue Me" as a lead-in.

"'Louie' is a brilliantly funny and original series, and we are excited by the critical response to the show," states John Landgraf, President and General Manager, FX Networks. "Even though it is a drama, 'Rescue Me' has always been regarded as one of the funniest shows on television and it will provide an outstanding, compatible lead-in for 'Louie.' We successfully used 'Rescue Me' as a lead-in for the majority of the first season of 'It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.' We believe in 'Louie' and want to provide it with the best possible platform for success."

Also contributing to the delay is the extensive involvement of Louis C.K., who serves as writer, director and executive producer on the series, which has a 13 episode order and is currently shot in New York City.

"Louie" is a single-camera comedy mixing new Louis C.K. standup material with vignettes based on his life as a recently divorced single father.

Louis C.K., whose previous series credits include "Lucky Louie" and a recent guest spot on "Parks and Recreation," earned rave reviews at last month's Sundance Film Festival for his concert documentary "Louis C.K.: Hilarious."