THE BBC has shelved one of its best crime dramas starring Martin Freeman after two series.
The Hobbit and Sherlock star Martin, 53, played a copper for the hit show, based in Liverpool.
Martin Freeman star has morally-compromised copper Chris Carson in the hit series[/caption]
Bernard Hill’s final acting gig was for the show and aired last year[/caption]
Despite hopes for a third series, The Sun can reveal The Responder has been rested.
The show, which made its debut in 2022, became a hit as Freeman played struggling and morally-compromised policemen Chris Carson who was demoted from an inspector.
Working gruelling night shifts on the beat, the first responder battled personal and work problems coupled with influences from the crime world.
The Responder returned for a second series last year, as Adelayo Adedayo joined the cast as Chris’ rookie sidekick Rachel Hargreaves.
Created by Tony Schumacher, it scooped an International Emmy Award in 2023 thanks to Martin’s performance, bagging the gong for Best Performance by an Actor.
An insider said: “The BBC are really invested in the series but due to schedules the show has had to be put on ice.
“Tony is currently working on another project but there is a hope a third series will be made at some point in the future.”
Speaking last year about a potential third series, Tony Schumacher said Chris Carson was “left in a good place”.
He told Collider: “It feels like we’ve left him in a good place. But I’d never say never, if we could come up with the right thing and if we could find the right way to do it.
“Chris is safe where he is now. I’m happy that he’s there, and I’m happy for him that he’s where he is. I don’t want to do bad things to him again.”
Martin added: “The show feels like something outside of us now. It’s something we wouldn’t want to mess up, as a separate entity from ourselves, almost.
“But as Tony said, I think if it was absolutely right and genuinely an artistically good idea to do more, then absolutely.”
Last year fans The Responder were left in tears as they watched Bernard Hill’s final performance on screen hours after his death was announced.
Emily Fairn, Josh Finan, MyAnna Buring, Warren Brown and Fay McKeever also starred in the hit.
The Responder cast
The hit BBC One show brings with it an all-star cast
Here we take you through the impressive line-up
- Martin Freeman as Chris Carson – The actor is known for The Office and The Hobbit.
- Adelayo Adedayo as Rachel Hargreaves – The actress is known for Some Girls.
- MyAnna Buring as Kate Carson – The actress is known for In The Dark.
- Warren Brown as Raymond Mullen – The actor is best known for Shameless and Luther.
- Josh Finan as Marco – The actor is known for Baby Reindeer.
- Emily Fairn as Casey – The actress is known for Black Mirror.
- Philip S McGuinness as Ian – The actor is known for The Batman.
- Faye McKeever as Jodie Sweeney – The actress is known for Little Boy Blue.
- Mark Womack as Barry – The actor is known for Emmerdale.
- Amaka Okafor as Deborah Barnes – The actress is known for Netflix’s Bodies.
