TheBBChas canceled one of their longest-running series after 23 years on the air. Established in 1922, the British Broadcasting Company is one of the oldest and largest broadcasting companies in history. Over the years, the network has been home to several long-running shows, including thesci-fi seriesDoctor Who, which originally debuted in 1963 and ran until 1989 before being relaunched in 2005 and is still running to this day.
In addition toDoctor Who, there are several other long-running BBC series.Coronation StreetandEastEndersare two long-running British soap operas, which began in 1960 and 1985, respectively.Causalityis a medical drama that has been a staple of British television since 1986, whileSilent Witnessis a police procedural drama that has been broadcast since 1996. However,another one of their long-running soap operas, which has aired on BBC Scotland since 2002, has now been canceled.
The BBC Has Canceled River City
The Soap Opera Debuted in 2002
River Cityhas been canceled. Created by Stephen Greenhorn, the soap opera debuted on BBC One Scotland in 2002. The show takes place in the fictional district of Shieldinch, located in Glasgow’s West End, andfollows the lives of local residents and their families as they navigate daily life. Over the years, the show’s cast has includedOutlanderstar Sam Heughan, Barbara Rafferty, Joyce Falconer, Lorraine McIntosh, Stefan Dennis, Gordon McCorkell, Finlay MacMillan, Ewan Stewart, Kari Corbett, Colin McCredie, and many more actors.
25 Best BBC Dramas Ranked
UK public broadcast service the BBC has produced some of the highest quality dramas of all time, narrowing down to the best BBC dramas is a tall task.
Now, after 23 years on the air, the BBC has axed one of their longest-running series. According toDeadline,the BBC has officially canceledRiver City, and it will end next fall. BBC Scotland executive Hayley Valentine shared the following statement:
River Cityhas been a wonderful adventure and of course we’ll all be sad to see it go. The team have done a brilliant job and I know they have some big plans for the finale next year. But as viewing patterns change and competition intensifies, this is the right time to invest in the next generation of high-impact drama series from across Scotland showcasing storytelling across the UK.
What River City’s Cancelation Means For Scottish Television
It’s “A Disaster For Scottish Television”
River City’s cancelation comes after the recent axing of other long-running BBC dramas,Holby CityandDoctors.River Cityhas long been recognized for its role in providing employment opportunities for Scottish actorsand crew in the television industry. As a result, industry groups such as the Equity actors' union and Directors UK have strongly opposedRiver City’s cancelation. For instance, Equity General Secretary Paul Fleming condemned the cancelation as “short-sighted” and “a disaster for Scottish television.”
Despite the loss of one of Scotland’s longest-running shows, the BBC plans to invest nearly $130 million in drama production in the country over the next three years, marking a roughly 25% increase. BBC Scotland’s content head, Louise Thornton, has already announced three new dramas –Grams,The Young Team, andCounsels— which will hopefully help fill the void left byRiver City’s cancelation.
