Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer’s comedy House of Fools has been axed after just two series.
The sitcom, which ran for two series and a Christmas special, marked a return to mainstream television for the pair behind 1990s TV hits that included Shooting Stars.
The BBC said that while the show had been “fantastically inventive”, it would not be commissioned for a third series.
“BBC2 and BBC Comedy would like to thank Vic, Bob, [producer] Lisa Clark and everyone else involved in making House of Fools, but after two fantastically inventive series the show won’t be returning,” a BBC spokesperson told the Radio Times.
The first series got off to a promising start with well over 1 million viewers tuning in, however the show was unable to maintain the momentum with the audience falling to about 700,000 at its finish.
The show was recommissioned for a second series, perhaps in part because of a campaign by celebrities including Stephen Fry and Damien Hirst who came out in support when it was rumoured to be facing the axe.
The BBC I thought, can’t go more insane: now I hear they planning to axe Vic and Bob’s House of Fools. What? Tell them they’re mad. #saveHoF
— Stephen Fry (@stephenfry) February 19, 2014
