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Channel 4 axes Ackley Bridge after five series

Broadcasting

Channel 4 axes Ackley Bridge after five series

Channel 4 axes Ackley Bridge after five series

Channel 4 has pulled the plug on the programme.

Channel 4 has decided not to renew Ackley Bridge for a sixth series in order to make way for new ideas.

A statement from the broadcaster read:

“We’re immensely proud of Ackley Bridge, which over the last five series has received praise for the way in which it has tackled real-life situations and issues in an irreverent and insightful way,’

“However, Channel 4 has a responsibility to continuously look for new and innovative ideas and we have made the difficult decision to not greenlight another series.

“We’d like to thank The Forge, the wonderful cast and all those involved in the show’s success over the years and we look forward to working with them again on future projects.”

Created by Ayub Khan Din, Kevin Erlis and Malcolm Campbell, the drama was set in and around a multicultural academic facility in Yorkshire. It has been praised for its irreverence, wit and punchy storytelling.

Jo Joyner took to Twitter following the cancellation news to note that she is “very proud” of her time on the show. The actress played headteacher Mandy Carter in the first four series.

In 2017, viewers found Ackley Bridge to be a welcome replacement for BBC school drama Waterloo Road, which was cancelled in 2015.

A recent BBC decision to bring back Waterloo Road was criticised by Channel 4 boss Ian Katz as evidence of television’s overdependence on revivals. The Beeb’s chief content officer Charlotte Moore noted that “it actually takes a lot of creativity” to bring back a show and make it successful once again.

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