Australian actor Liam McIntyre is to succeed Andy Whitfield as Spartacus in the upcoming TV series 'Spartacus: Blood and Sand'.
Whitfield was forced to drop out of the series after suffering a setback in his treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
Commenting, Chris Albrecht, President of the Starz network which shows the series in the US, said: "Since no one can really replace Andy, we realised that we should instead find an actor who can truly lead 'Spartacus' forward.
"It was important to us to have Andy endorse the idea of recasting this part, which he did in the same heroic manner that he's dealt with his whole ordeal. And that, coupled with our fortune in finding a young actor with the gladiator credentials and the acting ability of Liam, makes it easier for us to keep this hit franchise going."
McIntyre's other credits include appearances in 'The Pacific' and 'Neighbours'.
