Ideal axed by BBC Three
Ideal, the cult sitcom about a Manchester drug-dealer, has been cancelled, its writer has confirmed.
The BBC Three comedy recently finished broadcasting its seventh series, having started on the channel in 2005. It starred comedian Johnny Vegas (right) as the central character Moz, an unemployed small-time drugs dealer operating from a grotty, run-down flat.
The move follows the axing of nearly every existing BBC Three comedy by Zai Bennett, who took over the role of channel controller when previous incumbent Danny Cohen moved to BBC One in late 2010. Other titles to have been notified of cancellation include Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps, Lunch Monkeys, How Not To Live Your Life, and Coming Of Age.
Although How Not To Live Your Life will return for a final special, only Mongrels and Russell Howard's Good News now remain on the channel's comedy slate from before Bennett's tenure.
As was the case with many of the other series, Ideal's recent run had proved its most successful to date, achieving average ratings of more than 540,000 viewers in its mid-week 10:30pm slot. It also attracted numerous big-name guest stars from both sides of the Atlantic, and consistently glowing reviews.
Writer and creator Graham Duff (below right), who also played Brian in the series, wrote to fans: "As some of you may have heard, the BBC have decided against commissioning an 8th series of Ideal. The reason given was that the new channel controller wanted to make a clean sweep.
"It is a source of both pride and frustration that, at the point of cancellation, Ideal was attracting its biggest ever audiences, its highest profile guest stars and its best ever reviews. And the show is now being screened in more countries than ever before - from America to Finland and beyond."
In May, Bennett announced the first batch of his comedy commissions for the channel. The sitcom White Van Man, which began in March, was also confirmed to return for a second series.
Fans of Ideal have already launched a petition and Facebook Group dedicated to saving the show.