LOWE JOINS 24

Actor Chad Lowe has joined the cast of FOX's action-packed blockbuster series "24" for the drama's sixth season which, as reported last week, will once again premiere in January over two nights with two back-to-back two-hour episodes. The drama will then run non-stop through the end of May 2007 without repeats and pre-emptions, as it did in 2005 and 2006.

Lowe who is known for his Emmy award-winning role on "Life Goes On" will play a savvy Whote House politician Reed Pollock. Peter McNichol, Regina King, James Cromwell and Rena Sofer have already joined the all-star cast of the ticking drama once again led by the star Kiefer Sutherland as agent Jack Bauer.

In the season five finale, Jack was seen beaten up and bloodied, captured by the Chinese agents. The drama will pick up 20 months after the fifth season finale. FOX will premiere an exclusive online trailer for the new season of "24" on Tuesday, October 24 at 3 p.m. ET at www.24trailer.com

The new season will feature many familiar faces from the show's five-year run, including Wayne Palmer, the strong-minded brother of the late President David Palmer; presidential advisor Karen Hayes (Jayne Atkinson); and CTU colleagues Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub), Curtis Manning (Roger Cross) and Bill Buchanan (James Morrison).

Eric Balfour and Carlo Rota will reprise their respective roles as CTU contractors Milo Pressman and Morris O'Brian.