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Axed: Heartbeat

Long-running UK drama Heartbeat, which had production suspended by ITV, has now officially been given the axe by ITV.

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Long-running UK drama Heartbeat has been axed by ITV after 18 years as part of a plan to overhaul the broadcaster’s drama output.

“Heartbeat has been an important part of the television landscape over the last 18 years and we are incredibly proud of what it achieved in its heyday as one of ITV1’s top rated dramas,” said a spokesman for ITV.

“But we are overhauling our schedule to reflect the changing demands of our audience, refreshing the mix of programming we commission and broadcast.”

In early 2009 reports emerged that the show had been axed, but ITV said production had been suspended. At the time, the broadcaster said it wanted to clear a stockpile of unbroadcast episodes before filming resumed.

First broadcast in 1992, Heartbeat was based on the books of Peter Walker, who wrote under the pen name Nicholas Rhea. The story followed 1960s police constable Joe Mason, played by Joe McFadden, who patrolled the streets of Aidensfield.

The final 18th series, consisting of 24 episodes, began in Australia on 7TWO last night.

Source: Guardian, BBC

12 Responses

  1. Very sad to see this show go, I am an aussie and have just gotten into loving it, The people acting in this show are very dedicated to what they do and thats why it has come to being on my few shows i watch, The show they done in Australia recently was great and i would like to know were it was filmed please,

    Totally peed off about it getting the Axe and o are my family and friends that love it Shame on you ITV

  2. I know all good things must come to an end but it is still a shame, for a while you had to chase when Heartbeat was on and a few years ago Ch 7 showed it on Sunday afternoons along with the spin-off show The Royal and American Dreams and I really enjoyed it and became a fan. I enjoyed the story lines and of course the great music and I am not an old fogie I am in my mid 30’s, I must have lived another life during this period.

  10. Sad news to hear this extremely good British drama is going. Let’s hope it is not going to be replaced with another virtual reality show which have worn out their welcome long before they started. With the new free to air channels in Australia it was a breath of fresh air to switch over to shows like Heartbeat, Frost, etc rather than have to pick out the best of shows like the biggest loser, big brother, beauty and the geek etc etc. For the sake of viewers sanity please do what you have done with :Mash: and just keep repeating Heartbeat and The Bill as these shows will always draw an audience. If you doubt my comments just look at the success of the pay t v channel which features British Drama. Although I don’t use pay t v, I do buy a lot of the British programs on DVD and watch them when the crap takes over television and there is no advertising dollars to be had allowing viewers to do that.

  11. Hardly any surprise given ITV also axed The Bill recently.

    Although both have their fans it’s probably not a bad thing to refresh the station and create new shows and ideas.

    Would love to know when The Bill will be ending here – November/December?

  12. I want the last episode to be them discovering it’s not the 60’s anymore by realising there’s been a giant dome over the town and outside is a nuclear wasteland

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