The Tower won't be returning for a new series(Image: ITV)

ITV crime drama The Tower axed after three series as broadcaster makes 'sad' announcement

by · DevonLive

ITV has made the decision to cancel the crime drama, The Tower.

The police-centric series, which ran for three captivating seasons, concluded its final season in a thrilling four-night event this past September. Based on Kate London's highly praised novel Gallowstree Lane, the programme consistently attracted three to six million viewers per episode.

Despite its initial triumph, The Tower appears to have taken its last curtain call. ITV decided not to commission any new seasons because the last series' viewership fell short of projected targets.

"The Tower was much loved by the audience who watched the drama, but the viewing figures for the last series did not reach expectations, so sadly, we won't be recommissioning," an ITV spokesperson revealed.

Though the Tower was set in London, many scenes were shot in the North of England(Image: ITV)

The series boasted a star-studded cast, including Gemma Whelan, Emmett J Scanlan, Tamzin Outhwaite, and Jimmy Akingbola. Filmed primarily in Liverpool and Manchester, the show was set in the picturesque southeast of London.

In the third series, Whelan's character, Detective Sarah Collins, investigated a teenager's stabbing, a case that intertwined her professional challenges with personal strife as she grappled with balancing her roles as a detective and mother. Despite the release of the third instalment in autumn and plans for scripting a fourth series, it now seems those scripts will remain unwritten.

Gemma Whelan played the lead character Detective Sarah Collins(Image: ITV)

Patrick Harbinson, the creator of The Tower, had been hopeful about continuing the series. During an interview with The Sun's TV Mag in August, he stated: "I'm already writing the first episode of The Tower four just to show to ITV that we're ready to go, because Kate [London] has already written a brilliant fourth novel, The Misper, on which the new series would be based. There are more brilliant stories to tell involving Gemma Whelan's character, DS Sarah Collins, and PC Lizzie Adama, played by Tahirah Sharif."

Despite Harbinson's readiness to proceed with a fourth series, it appears that ITV executives have opted not to renew the drama. The Tower made its debut in 2021 to positive critical reception, drawing commendable parallels to Line of Duty and garnering accolades for Whelan's compelling performance.