ITV cancels beloved police drama The Tower due to declining ratings
- The police drama series The Tower, which aired for three seasons on ITV, has been canceled due to disappointing ratings.
- Despite a strong start, viewership declined significantly for the third season, with a loss of over a million viewers.
- The cancellation has surprised both fans and cast members, as early scenes for a potential fourth season had already been written.
In the United Kingdom, ITV has decided to cancel the police drama series The Tower after three successful seasons. The series, which starred actors Gemma Whelan, Emmett J Scanlan, and Tamzin Outhwaite, premiered in 2021 with impressive ratings, attracting over five and a half million viewers. It revolved around detectives investigating serious crimes in central London, drawing inspiration from Kate London's book series based on her experiences in the Metropolitan Police. Despite a promising start, viewer engagement dwindled significantly as the third season progressed, with over a million viewers lost across four episodes. The final season failed to meet ITV's expectations, prompting the network to pull the plug on the show, leaving fans and cast members surprised. Patrick Harbinson, the show’s adapter, had already begun work on a fourth season, believing that there was still much to explore in the characters and their narratives. The discontinuation has been met with both disappointment and confusion from audiences, illustrating the challenges of maintaining consistent viewer engagement in a competitive market. Some fans had compared the series to the highly successful Line of Duty, praising its character development and gripping storytelling. However, others expressed confusion about the plot, indicating a divided reception among the audience towards the final season.