Star attacks TV show axe

Waking the Dead star Sue Johnston has hit out at the BBC’s decision to axe the long-running TV drama.

The police drama starring Trevor Eve has been given the chop after nine series despite pulling in up to 9.5 million viewers at its height on BBC1.

Johnston, 67, told TV Times: “I feel robbed. I’m very sad about it. It was a lovely job. The show gets great audiences, it’s sold all over the world and I don’t quite get why it’s going.”

The ex-Royle Family actress blamed BBC budget cuts, saying: “You’d have to talk to the powers-that-be. They say it’s too expensive to make in these austere days.”

BBC controller of drama commissioning Ben Stephenson said: “It’s always hard bringing successful series to a close, but like Ashes to Ashes and Mistresses, we want to end on a high.”