Fans react with dismay to BBC axing of The Coroner – but writer says it may live on
The daytime drama's creator Sally Abbott says she still wants to make more episodes: "The Coroner doesn't feel dead to me"
Fans of BBC1 daytime drama The Coroner have reacted with anger to the news that the BBC is cancelling the show after two series.
The BBC explained the decision by saying it wanted to "look for opportunities to bring through new programmes for the BBC1 daytime audience", but that wasn't enough for the viewers taking to Twitter to protest the news.
Another wrote:
Poldark actress Beatie Edney, who also stars in The Coroner, criticised the BBC for failing to recommission a drama with such a strong female cast:
She added:
The Coroner's writer Sally Abbott thanked the fans for their encouraging words and said she thought the show could live on: "I'm sure every writer feels this but The Coroner doesn't feel dead to me," she wrote online. "There are so many more stories and God how I love our characters."
A petition has also been launched by fans of the show urging the BBC to reconsider the decision.
Yesterday the BBC confirmed it would not be commissioning a third series of the show. “After two fantastic series, The Coroner won’t be returning as we look for opportunities to bring through new programmes for the BBC1 daytime audience," a statement explained. "We’d like to thank the brilliant cast and production team for all of their hard work.”
The hit daytime show stars Claire Goose as single mum Jane Kennedy who returns to her hometown of Lighthaven in south Devon to investigate murders alongside former childhood sweetheart Detective Sergeant Davey Higgins (Matt Bardock).
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Edney, who also plays Ross’ servant Prudie Paynter in Poldark, plays Jane’s mother Judith. Ivan Kaye also stars as local publican Mick Sturrock.
Two series of the drama have aired so far on BBC1, comprising 20 episodes in total.
The writer has said in the past that she based the characters of Jane and Davey on the unresolved sexual tension between Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracey in the 1949 film Adam’s Rib.
