Channel 4’s new boss has permanently axed The Jump after it racked up a shocking tally of celebrity injuries.
The winter sports contest was off air last year, although C4 previously insisted it had only been ‘rested’ due to the Winter Paralympics.
Announcing the decision, a spokesperson said: “With such a huge amount of winter sport on screen at the start of 2018 we have decided to rest the show for the year.”
However, nothing had been said about its future since then – even though a new series would have been due to begin next month.
Now Ian Katz, who became C4’s director of programming last year, has finally put The Jump out of its misery.
Speaking to the Mirror, he confirmed that the show will not be returning to our screens.
“You can never say never, but we’ve got no plans,” he said.
The news is unsurprising, given that The Jump frequently attracted controversy due to its injury record.
A whopping 34 celebrity contestants suffered varying levels of damage across The Jump’s four-series run.
The third series, broadcast in 2016, was the hardest hit, with seven stars having to withdraw from the competition.
Katz’s comments come after series four participant Beth Tweddle announced plans to take legal action against The Jump’s producers.
The former Olympic athlete, who retired in 2013, fractured her vertebrae in a horror crash.
“It’s been a long journey and my recovery is still ongoing,” she said in a statement. “I’m not sure I’ll ever be 100% again.
“The effects of my accident still interrupt my daily life.”
Production company TwoFour responded: “This matter is being dealt with by our insurers and we are unable to comment as the claim is ongoing.”
The Jump had been commissioned and defended by Katz’s predecessor, Jay Hunt.
A report in The Sun two years ago predicted that Hunt’s exit would result in the show’s cancellation.
“By 2019, Channel 4 will have a brand new chief. Bringing back an expensive format green-lit by their predecessor us unlikely to be on their agenda,” the newspaper’s source said.
