28 November 2024
ITV has axed 'The Tower' because series three's viewing figures "did not reach expectations".
Gemma Whelan starred in The Tower
The crime drama, which starred Gemma Whelan, Tamzin Outhwaite and Emmett J. Scanlan, lost more than a million viewers over the course of its latest run in September and bosses at the channel have opted to pull the plug.
A spokesman for ITV told The Sun newspaper's TV Biz column: "'The Tower' was much loved by the audience who watched the drama but the viewing figures for the last series did not reach expectations so sadly we won’t be recommissioning."
Kate London's 'Metropolitan' book series was adapted for the procedural TV series, which sees Gemma, 43, play Detective Sergeant Sarah Collins investigating serious crimes in London.
The show's screenwriter and executive producer Patrick Harbinson was hoping for a fourth series and had even been in the process of writing its first episode.
He told The Sun's TV Mag in August: "I’m already writing the first episode of 'The Tower' four just to show to ITV that we’re ready to go, because Kate has already written a brilliant fourth novel, 'The Misper', on which the new series would be based.
"There are more brilliant stories to tell, involving Gemma Whelan’s character DS Sarah Collins and PC Lizzie Adama, played by Tahirah Sharif.
"Both those characters still have a long way to go.
"The world of crime in England is fast changing. Different crimes, different fears, different heroes.
"I’d love to do more about them."
Gemma had also expressed hope that more episodes would follow.
The 'Game of Thrones' star said: "I'm trying to send all the thoughts to TV and all the people to tune in, it's going to be numbers, the numbers. This has grown so beautifully as a series. We would like to do more."
English (US) ·