ITV bosses have decided not to renew the police sitcom Piglets for a third season, following disappointing ratings and ongoing controversy over its title. The show, created by Victoria Pile of Green Wing and Smack the Pony fame, aired its second series in January 2026 to a muted response, leading to its axing.
Poor Performance and Reduced Promotion
An insider told The Sun that while ITV initially remained optimistic after mixed reactions to the first season, the second series failed to attract a large audience. The source said: "Bosses believed it deserved a follow-up... unfortunately, the second series didn't set the world alight - which made it even harder for ITV to give it another chance." The second instalment received notably less promotion than the first, hinting at internal doubts about the show's future.
Cast and Plot
Piglets is set in a chaotic police training academy, following rookie recruits as eccentric senior officers prepare them for life on the force. Comedy favourites Sarah Parish and Mark Heap played the academy supervisors. The second season introduced Maddy Smedley, known from The Traitors, but her addition failed to boost viewership.
ITV confirmed to The Mirror: "There are currently no plans for a third series of Piglets. We would like to thank all the cast and crew for their hard work in bringing these unforgettable characters and stories alive on screen. Viewers can watch the adventures from series one and two by streaming all episodes on ITVX."
Backlash Over Title
Even before its debut, Piglets sparked fierce criticism over its name, which references the slang term "pig" for police officers. The Police Federation of England and Wales called the title "highly offensive", "disgusting", and "inflammatory", warning it could increase hostility towards officers amid rising violence against police.
Acting national chair Tiffany Lynch said she found it "incredulous" that the title had been approved, stating officers deserve "respect, not humiliation." Despite the backlash, ITV comedy boss Nana Hughes defended the name: "We just wanted to have a bit of fun, we certainly didn't set out to offend anyone. Comedy is subjective so some people will like it and others won't but hopefully most will. We thought Piglets was just a funny, cute name for our bunch of trainees."
ITV also issued a statement describing the show as a fictional comedy designed to highlight the innocence and inexperience of trainee police characters, not to mock real officers.
