David Mitchell has confirmed that his BAFTA-nominated BBC show Upstart Crow has been axed after three seasons. The sitcom, based on the life of William Shakespeare, sees the comedian play the famous bard as he writes and stages some of his most famous plays.
Show's run and cancellation
The sitcom, written by Blackadder co-writer Ben Elton, ran for three seasons and three Christmas specials. It premiered in 2016 as part of the commemorations of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death. However, the Peep Show star has revealed that the show, last on air in 2020, will not be returning for a fourth season, calling the decision a “shame”.
Speaking to The Sun, Mitchell, 52, said: “There was a time, quite recently, when the BBC was giving serious consideration to more Upstart Crow, possibly in the form of a Christmas special. But sadly nothing has come of it, and now there are no plans for future episodes, which is a shame because it was a show of which I felt enormously proud and I know Ben - who I think is a genius - did too.”
Cast and spin-off
The comedy also featured Liza Tarbuck as Shakespeare's wife Anne Hathaway, Harry Enfield as his dad John, and Gemma Whelan and Helen Monks as his daughters Susanna and Kate. In 2017 Mitchell was nominated for Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme at the BAFTAs.
The sitcom took its name from a jab that Robert Greene, a rival of Shakespeare's, made towards the bard, calling him "an upstart Crow, beautified with our feathers” in 1592. A West-End spin-off of the show, also titled The Upstart Crow, premiered in 2020 and featured the original TV show cast. In 2022, it returned again for a 10-week reprise at the Apollo Theatre.
Mitchell's other success
Whilst the Shakespeare-based sitcom has been axed, Mitchell has been finding other success in his comedy-crime show Ludwig, which also airs on the BBC. The second season is currently airing, and in July, the broadcaster confirmed that it had been renewed for a third season.
Of the renewal, Mitchell said: "I am delighted that Ludwig will be returning to solve more of Mark Brotherhood’s brilliant mysteries. I can’t wait to get started and have renewed the subscription on my denouement-learning app."
