ITV's gritty crime drama starring Martin Clunes, Out There, has been cancelled after just one season. The six-part series, penned by Ed Whitmore (Steeltown Murders, Grace, Manhunt), sees the Doc Martin star in the role of farmer Nathan Williams, whose son Johnny (Louis Ashbourne Serkis) becomes involved in a dangerous county lines drug-dealing gang.
Despite the series receiving positive reviews and concluding with loose ends to be tied up, ITV said that the show didn't "connect with a big enough audience" to warrant a second outing.
© ITVWhat did the statement from ITV say?
The statement read: "We are really proud of Out There and would like to thank Martin and the production team for delivering a brilliant series.
"We do always hope to see our series return and we are sorry we didn’t get this drama to connect with a big enough audience to see that happen."
Leading star Martin told The Sun: "We were keen on doing a second series but ITV aren't, it seems. It didn't quite pull the numbers they wanted, unfortunately."
© ITVWhat is Out There about?
The series, which premiered in January and was hailed as "gripping" by viewers, saw Nathan stop at nothing to protect his son and livelihood as "dark forces" seeped into his rural community.
The synopsis continued: "Consequently, he embarks on a personal journey that will take him ever further out of his comfort zone into a dark alternative world as he fights to protect his family, his homestead and his legacy. He’s missed all the clues that the country idyll around him has been fatally compromised, contaminated by waves of criminality spreading and mutating virus-like from the city."
It concluded: "Now Nathan must accept that the rustic atmosphere of his childhood is long gone, replaced by something altogether more perilous. And the only way for Nathan to survive in this brave new world is to learn the rules and fight back."
© ITVMartin's connection to Out There's creative team
Writer Ed Whitmore and director Marc Evans both worked on the ITV crime drama Manhunt, in which Martin starred.
Meanwhile, Martin's production company, Buffalo Pictures, which he co-owns with his wife, Philippa Braithwaite, produced the series.
© ITVWhat have fans said about the show's cancellation?
Fans reacted to the disappointing news on social media, with one person writing: "Huge shame as
@ITV could have at least given #OutThere a two-parter if financially possible, just to tie up the loose ends," while another penned: "Wrong move."
Out There is available to stream on ITVX.
