Thou know'st 'tis common; all that lives must die

It’s been almost three years since the last episode, and now David Mitchell has confirmed the BBC has dropped Upstart Crow.

However the actor said he would love to make more episodes, and hoped another broadcaster might step up to save the show. 

‘We lack a broadcast partner,’ he told Lorraine Kelly on her ITV morning show. ‘At the moment, no one's saying they'll pay to make it so we can make some more. I'm not pointing the finger at the BBC, there are other broadcasters. They could all get in touch.’

Mitchell  has starred as William Shakespeare in all three series of Ben Elton's BBC Two comedy about the playwright as well as its stage spin-off.

The play – which also starred Gemma Whelan as would-be actress Kate ran briefly in London’s West End in early 2020 before being shut down by the Covid pandemic, then ran again for ten weeks last winter.

The TV series also stars Liza Tarbuck, Harry Enfield, Gemma Whelan, Rob Rouse, Tim Downie, Helen Monks, Mark Heap and Spencer Jones.

In the final episode, which aired in December 2020, Shakespeare announced that his father – played by Enfield – had died. 

A BBC spokesperson confirmed to the British Comedy Guide that it would not be recommissioning Upstart Crow for a fourth series.

Mitchell previously told The Independent that he and  Elton were keen to make another series, saying: 'I think Ben said from the start that he has enough ideas for four series.'

Mitchell was appearing on Lorraine to promote his latest book, Unruly: A History Of England's Kings And Queens.

Published: 2 Oct 2023