Ackley Bridge – why there won't be a series six
Ackley Bridge is gone but not forgotten, with the final series of the Channel 4 school drama getting some extra attention this week thanks to a release on Netflix.
The youth-focused show aired for the final time in July 2022, but made a surprise appearance in Netflix's UK top ten this week after series five was uploaded.
The first four series of Ackley Bridge had already been available to watch on Netflix for a while, but there was a one-year wait before the final set of 10 episodes were added to the streaming service.
Fans who are watching series five for the first time may be curious about the future of the show, but sadly, we don't have good news to share.
Channel 4 announced in November 2022 that it had decided not to renew Ackley Bridge for series six, citing a desire to focus on funding new and fresh ideas.
A statement released at the time explained: "We're immensely proud of Ackley Bridge, which over the last five series has received praise for the way in which it has tackled real-life situations and issues in an irreverent and insightful way.
"However, Channel 4 has a responsibility to continuously look for new and innovative ideas and we have made the difficult decision to not greenlight another series.
"We'd like to thank [production company] The Forge, the wonderful cast and all those involved in the show's success over the years and we look forward to working with them again on future projects."
Signs of Channel 4's waning commitment to Ackley Bridge had arguably been obvious for a while. The show's first three series aired as weekly hour-long episodes in a prime-time 8pm slot, providing widespread appeal across all ages, but there was a major shake-up after this.
Series four featured significant cast changes and saw Ackley Bridge reformatted as a 30-minute show, which aired in a daily "soap" format across two weeks in a 6pm slot. The drama aired just before Hollyoaks and appeared to now be focused more squarely on the younger audience.
This was also the first time that episodes were made available on Channel 4's streaming service ahead of broadcast on the main channel.
Series five kept the 30-minute format, but all ten episodes were burned off in the space of a week, with double bills airing in a surprising 10pm slot.
At the time, fans suspected that Channel 4 had lost faith in the show and the final series passed by without much buzz or attention.
Sunetra Sarker, who played fan favourite Kaneez Paracha for the entirety of the show's run, was among those who responded to the news of Ackley Bridge's axe.
She tweeted: "As Ch4 announce the end of Ackley Bridge, I want to thank @theforge_drama and all the teams and fans – for the incredible love they gave me and Mrs P. It was a privilege to laugh and cry as Kaneez."
Former EastEnders star Jo Joyner, who'd bowed out as Mandy Carter in series four, added: "Over and out! Very proud to have been a part of the fantastic #AckleyBridge. Some incredible years, fantastic memories and wonderful friends. All good things must come to an end."
Ackley Bridge is available to watch for free via Channel 4 and is also streaming on Netflix.
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