Sky axes paramedic sitcom

Sky has axed its paramedics comedy Bloods, even though work had already started on a third series.

The series was devised by comedy actor Samson Kayo, who starred alongside Absolutely Fabulous' Jane Horrocks. It featured an ensemble cast of well-known comedy names including Julian Barratt, Lucy Punch, Sam Campbell and Adrian Scarborough.

The show was generally well-received by critics, with a five-star review in The Independent for its 2021 opening episode, and a three-and-a-half star review from Chortle. And it has been was nominated for three Bafta Awards, two Royal Television Society awards and the international Rose D'or award.

Bloods co-creator Nathan Bryon has recently become a feature film director, with his debut – the South London based romcom Rye Lane – winning critical acclaim.

He mentioned its cancellation as long ago as November, when he told a comedy writing blog he was ‘gutted’ by the news – although the news has just been reported by the wider media.

In that interview, Bryonwas philosophical about the cancellation, saying: ‘Getting a show cancelled ain’t personal, it’s just business. Not enough people watched and that’s that, simple.  My friend said to me it’s a rite of passage to have a show cancelled, just be happy you had one to cancel.’

Chortle has approached Sky for comment about the future of the show, which was made by Roughcut and co-written by Paul Doolan.

Published: 22 May 2023