AceShowbiz -

"Louie" will be absent again from FX, CEO John Landgraf announces at the TCA press tour. After previously taking a break from the show for nearly two years between the third and fourth seasons, Louis C.K. is going on an extended hiatus this year.

"After writing, directing, starring in and mostly editing 61 episodes of television," Landgraf explained, "he's anxious to take a break from the show and work on other things."

The executive compares the situation to that of HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm". He said as quoted by Entertainment Weekly, "I think Curb is the right analogy. So, the truth is, I really don't know [when the show will return]. He's made 61 magnificent episodes of television, and we did an overall deal with him a couple of years ago and that has proven incredibly productive."

"There's actually a third [C.K.-produced] series in the hopper that'll get announced pretty soon that I think is also equally compelling. It's really going ot be his choice. He could decide to take as long as a six-month hiatus ... he could decide to take a two-year hiatus and we could be where HBO is with Larry David, announcing periodically that subsequent seasons will air."

Without "Louie", Louis C.K. will remain busy as ever. He is producing a show called "Baskets" starring Zach Galifianakis. His pilot, "Better Things", starring "Louie" actress Pamela Adlon has just got a 10-episode order from FX. It's dubbed as an unofficial "Louie" companion series. Louis is also working on a feature film.