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Axed: Merlin

The Arthurian fantasy drama will wrap in the UK next month after 5 seasons.

The BBC has announced that the current series of Merlin will be its last.

The Arthurian fantasy drama will wrap with a two-part finale in the UK next month.

Co-creators and executive producers, Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy, said, “This is the series where the storylines truly reach their apex. We always felt the story of the legend was best told across five series, leading to a spectacular finale that draws on the best known elements of this much-loved story and brings to a conclusion the battle for Camelot.

“We’d like to thank the amazing cast and crew for their professionalism and dedication, the BBC, FME and all of our partners globally for their incredible support and encouragement across the last five series.

“But chiefly, our thanks go to Merlin’s remarkable and loyal audience around the world for their enthusiasm for the characters and Camelot universe.”

The series starring Colin Morgan, Bradley James, Katie McGrath, Angel Coulby, Anthony Head, Richard Wilson and the voice of John Hurt began in 2008.

Colin Morgan said: “From the beginning this was always going to be a five year journey that we embarked on and I think the show has run its natural course. The show has grown and grown each year and now we’ve arrived at its strongest point and we’ve achieved what we set out to do… I know this is the end, and I know this is goodbye, but thank you for being there on the journey with us because it has been a lot of fun!”

The series has performed well in Australia for Network TEN, with the fifth season currently screening just a week behind the UK.

TEN had already announced the series for 2013 and as continuing across summer, but it won’t be able to do both now.

26 Responses

  1. The show was not axed. The party line is ” it was always a 5 year plan…” But when the 2 main actors are not prepared to sign a new contract (all main cast were signed on for the possibility of 5 yrs) then the producers etc don’t have much of a choice but to end it. Can you imagine a 6 th series without Colin Morgan (Merlin) or Bradley James ( Arthur) ? Yes they could replace the actors but …

  2. How can you end merlin? OMG 5 years only, it would of lasted 15 years at least. Get new directors if they run out of episode ideas.

    With the media and money / market problems going on around the world now, you would think the BBC would want to make some money. I was thinking you just fired mass people that worked for the BBC, but yet cut this show off leading to a full in income on a top rated show WTF

    Lets just hope share holders don’t think about that, BBC shares / market not good, and the people running the BBC axe a best rated TV Show that brings in $$$$$$$$.

    The way the BBC runs in a crashed market, firing workers, but ending a top rated show that bring in big bucks, is disgraceful. I would not buy shares in the BBC with there ways. I can see why people lost there jobs.

  3. They have pretty much done everything except for Merlin revealing his powers and the confrontation with Mordred — which will effectively end the story.

    How many time can they do someone tries to kill Arthur while Merlin tries to stop them whist hiding his powers episodes can they really do?

    All done in the same castle and Welsh valley?

    They have picked the right time to wind it up and it is rare a show gets to do that.

  4. David my comment wasn’t directed at you it was at how everywhere & everyone keeps implying that its been axed when really it’s more like its ending when it was planed to end 😉

    I agree about the consistency – rare treat from Ten. Even if I hated the timeslot, it was great that it was consistent. Hopefully Ten now plays the final episodes & doesn’t screw around with it or hold episodes over.

  5. Producers will be making Merlin movies(at least two), great show we will miss it, hopefully the movies will focus Merlin middle age and then as the legendry old wizard he became

  6. Bummer. Have enjoyed this. I wonder how long it was known this was to be the final?

    Because I would have expected Arthur to know about Merlin being able to do magic already if this is meant to be the last series.

  7. It was a great family show to watch on Sundays. They’ve made 5 seasons and Arthur still doesn’t know Merlin has magic lol. I hope he finds out before the show ends.

  8. Yeah I hate the use of ‘axed’ unless a show comes to a sudden end mid season or without being picked up for the back 9 in it’s first year. Maybe it’s like to add “Ending” to the list of words David?

  9. Josh777, you’re exactly right and it is remiss of me not to mention that also. The fact that 10 kept the timeslot made it easy to watch. It is the primary reason we have watched the whole series.
    Great family telly at the right time.

  10. Well I hope that means that in the remaining episodes left to screen merlin reveals his magic to arthur and arthur accepts him etc, they don’t have much time left to explore this part of the story line. I don’t know that this was as planned as they claim if they don’t manage to address this in a proper way.

  11. How can something be “axed” if it is coming to a natural end? They planned 5 seasons, the cast was contracted for the 5 years… To me that’s just the show coming to a natural end, not dragging things out just because its popular. This is a good thing, even if its sad to see this show go. I’d rather see it end when they planned, not dragged out & go stupid just because the network wants to keep something popular around for longer.

  12. This is a real shame with it being one of my family’s favourite shows on TV =(
    If TEN are reading these comments, thanks for screening every season in the same timeslot since the beginning! This is what viewers want – consistency.

  13. @Jake

    The British public doesn’t agree with you. Series 5 is getting among the highest ratings for the series in the UK, despite increasing competition from multi-channels which are huge in the UK now.

    Anyway it is unusual for a British series to last more then 3-4 seasons. The standard British series is 6-8 episodes per season over 3 seasons, often with a year or 2 break between them. Merlin will have a total of 65 episodes in the end.

  14. An expected axing then. I watch Merlin every week – not a Great show, but pretty good TV when compared with a lot of the bollocks that’s out there right now. 5 seasons did seem like it might be pushing the boundaries a bit, but they’ve made it!

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