‘Crimewatch’ has been axed after 33 years on air, the BBC has confirmed.
The crime-solving show has been pulled despite a recent relaunch with Radio 2 presenter, Jeremy Vine, at the helm.
But ratings suffered after it went up against ‘Broadchurch’ and ‘Cold Feet’ in the TV schedules.
The BBC said it would now focus on two series a year of the daytime show, ‘Crimewatch Roadshow’.
A spokesperson said: “We believe the successful Crimewatch Roadshow format in daytime is the best fit for the brand going forward and we will increase the number of episodes to make two series a year.
“We are incredibly proud of Crimewatch and the great work it has done over the years and the work Crimewatch Roadshow will continue to do, and this move will also allow us to create room for new innovative programmes in peak time on BBC One.”
‘Crimewatch’ was launched in 1984, fronted by Sue Cook and Nick Ross, who used to famously sign off each show with the phrase: “Don’t have nightmares”.
It has helped solve some of the UK’s biggest crime cases over the years, using photofits, CCTV footage and reconstructions.
In 1993, the BBC One show helped identify James Bulger’s killers, Jon Venables and Robert Thompson.
And a 1997 appeal on the murders of mother and daughter, Lin and Megan Russell, helped catch their killer, Michael Stone.
In 1999, presenter Jill Dando was shot dead on her doorstep. Her killer has never been caught.