The creator of ‘Benidorm’, Darren Litten, has laughed off reports the sun is setting on the hit sitcom.
A newspaper report claimed the show was facing the axe after 10 years on air, amid falling ratings and the departure of a number of show favourites.
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ITV
However, Darren, who dreampt up the Spanish resort-based comedy, has taken to Twitter ridicule the claims, saying similar stories had been run previously, only for the show to keep returning.
He posted on the social networking site: “Apparently The Sun are running a story tomorrow on how Benidorm has been cancelled. Don’t make me fucking laugh! (I enjoyed that story after series 6. And 7 and 8 and 9...).”
An ITV spokesperson was a bit more cryptic about the show’s future, however, saying in a statement that “no decision has been made about a further series”.
Earlier this week, ITV bosses wielded the axe on other under-performing shows, including ‘The Nightly Show’ and ‘Bigheads’, confirming they would not be returning for any further series.
‘Benidorm’ returned for its 10th series on Tuesday (28 February), pulling in 4.3million viewers - 400,000 down on last year’s launch.
During its decade on air, it has picked up two National Television Awards and two TV Choice Awards for Best Comedy.
As well as a cast that has included the likes of Sherrie Hewson, Danny Walters, Siobhan Finneran, Johnny Vegas and Jake Canuso, there have also been cameos and guest roles from the likes of Cilla Black, Denise Welch, Joan Collins and Shane Richie.
14 'Benidorm' Guest Stars You May Have Forgotten
Denise Welch(01 of12)
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Having become more known for her outrageous antics on the ‘Loose Women’ panel than her acting credentials, in 2011, Denise decided it might be time to remind people why she was famous in the first place.
Appearing alongside then-husband Tim Healy (who plays Leslie), Denise played ‘Scary Mary’, one of Madge Harvey’s most fearsome enemies, who confronts the Benidorm regular about an unpaid debt. (credit:ITV)
Wendy Richard(02 of12)
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One of the show’s first ever guest stars, the late ‘EastEnders’ legend joined the programme in its second series, playing a love rival to Madge, who competed for the affections of “Didsbury's answer to Julio Iglesias”, Mel Harvey. (credit:ITV)
Leslie Jordan(03 of12)
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Fresh from his hair-raising stint in the ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ house, ‘Will And Grace’ and ‘American Horror Story’ star Leslie starred in two episodes of the comedy show as cowboy Buck-A-Roo. (credit:ITV)
Dame Joan Collins(04 of12)
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Dame Joan’s first appearance in ‘Benidorm’ was only supposed to be a one-off, but her character, hotel-owner Crystal Hennessy-Vass, proved so popular that she’s made a handful of appearances since.
Her most memorable scenes include performing ‘Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend’ at the Pride Of Benidorm awards... and sleeping with Johnny Vegas’s Oracle character during one of her lowest moments. (credit:ITV)
Kate O'Mara(05 of12)
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Joan Collins isn’t the only ‘Dynasty’ diva to rock up to the Solana, with ‘Benidorm’ serving as Kate’s last ever acting credit in 2012.
She played novelist Barbara Simmonds, who fans may recall was repeatedly mistaken for a hotel assessor by the hapless Joyce Temple-Savage. (credit:ITV)
Sheridan Smith(06 of12)
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Yes, in the days before her Olivier and TV Bafta victories, Sheridan starred in one series of ‘Benidorm’, playing Brandy, the new girlfriend of Martin, who quickly emerged to be an untrustworthy character. (credit:ITV)
Janet Street-Porter(07 of12)
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We’d be here all day if we were to list the ‘Loose Women’ stars past and present who’ve rocked up in ‘Benidorm’ over the years, but our personal favourite was when JSP dug deep to play… a journalist. She starred in one episode, alongside her fellow panellist, Sherrie Hewson. (credit:ITV)
Ken Morley(08 of12)
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Ken’s one-off stint in ‘Benidorm’ as a rival hairdresser to the Solana’s own coiffeurs came a year before his ill-fated ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ stint.
Unsurprisingly, after leaving ‘CBB’, bosses weren’t exactly in a rush to invite him back for a repeat appearance. (credit:ITV)
Bananarama(09 of12)
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Neptune’s bar has been host to a number of musical guests over the years, but few have been as prolific as 80's girl band Bananarama, who performed hits ‘Robert DeNiro's Waiting’ and ‘Love In The First Degree’ in their episode. (credit:Twitter/Tony Maudsley)
Kevin Bishop(10 of12)
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Star of ‘The Kevin Bishop Show’, the recent ‘Porridge’ reboot and - who could forget? - ‘Muppets Treasure Island’, Kevin made a brief appearance in ‘Benidorm’ in 2016, playing a Peter Andre tribute act.
Kevin had actually played Peter Andre in a past episode of ‘Star Stories’, centred around his marriage to Katie Price. (credit:ITV)
Louie Spence(11 of12)
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Right at the beginning of his post-‘Pineapple Dance Studios’ success, Louie starred in the ‘Benidorm’ Christmas special as a member of the National Swingers Association, who shared one very memorable scene with Donald and Jacqueline. (credit:ITV)
Cilla Black(12 of12)
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Cilla got to get in touch with her diva side when she made a small cameo in ‘Benidorm’, shouting at her maid and fuming at the Garvey family when they showed up at her Spanish villa looking for Madge, the house’s previous owner. (credit:ITV)