Benidorm creator ‘slams decision to axe show after ten years’

Benidorm’s creator has reportedly hit out at ITV for axing the show.

The new series of Benidorm kicked off in March this year. The landmark tenth run saw legendary comedy duo Hale & Pace join the cast as undercover detectives investigating Tim Healy’s character Les/Lesley, who returned to the series full time.

The nine-episode series also saw Shane Richie back, reprising his role as lively entertainer Sammy Valentino and John Challis become a series regular with his character Monty Staines.

It turned out to the last ever series, with show creator Derren Litten tweeting at the time: “Crazy to think Wednesday will be the last episode of Benidorm! I created the series over 11 years ago, wrote it, guest starred in it and ended up directing it.

“It’s difficult to think what else there is to do! Thank you for watching! #MuchasGracias ?”

This week however the show picked up the award for Best Comedy at the TV Choice awards.

According to The Sun newspaper, in accepting the gong Litten compared it to “being named employee of the month after you’ve been sacked”.

He’s quoted as saying: “I’ve got huge respect for ITV – any channel that can have a show with 5.5million ­viewers and picking up awards and still cancels it… they’ve got ­bigger balls than me.”

There may be some good news for fans of the show.

Reports have claimed that a potential ‘spin-off’ could be in the works, set in Scarborough.

A source remarked previously: “It’s like the first casualty of Brexit — Benidorm has relocated to Scarborough.”