Saturday, April 21, 2012

Upstairs Downstairs axed as BBC admits defeat in battle of the Sunday night dramas MAIL ON-LINE

(Buh - Bye)

Upstairs Downstairs was revived in 2010 after 40 years off screen The second six-part series drew 6.5 million viewers when it began in January But within a week 700,000 had switched off and by the time the series ended last month, just 4.45 million were watching. By LAURA GOULD and CHRIS HASTINGS



It was billed as the BBC’s big-budget fightback in television’s Sunday night ratings battle. The Corporation hoped its lavish new version of Upstairs Downstairs would serve up the same sort of success enjoyed by ITV’s country house saga Downton Abbey. But after two series it seems the BBC has admitted defeat – axeing the revived period drama because of falling ratings.



Turn-off: Keeley Hawes and Ed Stoppard as aristocratic Hollands 


 Yesterday it was confirmed that there would not be a third series after more than two million viewers turned off between the first episode and the last. The decision comes despite attempts to ‘sex up’ the plot with the introduction of lesbian archaeologist Dr Blanche Mottershead, played by ER and Moll Flanders star Alex Kingston. She was seen in bed with her bisexual lover, played by Emilia Fox.


READ MORE:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2133318/Upstairs-Downstairs-axed-BBC-admits-defeat-battle-Sunday-night-dramas.html?ito=feeds-newsxml


No comments: