BBC Three comedy Crims has been axed in the continued drive to save money at the troubled channel, it has been revealed.

The show aired in January and February this year, and starred Ellis James, Kadiff Kirwan, Theo Barklem Biggs, Cariad Lloyd, Ricky Champ and Tracy Ann Oberman. Set in a young offenders institution, Crims focused on put upon accidental criminal Luke (James) and his idiotic best friend Jason (Kirwan), who got the pair two years after a bungled robbery.

Written and created by Mongrels writer Adam Kay and Grandma’s House writer Dan Swimer, the series also featured a notable guest appearance from former Doctor Who star Sylvester McCoy, and developed a small but devoted fanbase over the course of its six episode run. It was a riotously silly slice of fun, with the Twilight musical episode our particular favourite, and something we’d hoped would run and run.

Sadly, like many great shows before it, a lack of promotion following the initial buzz led to declining viewing figures, and in these times of austerity, with BBC Three’s proposed move online slashing budgets left, right and centre, that can only mean one thing: cancellation.

The news was initially broken by comic John Robins on the XFM show he co-presents with Ellis James, and picked up on by Chortle, who got confirmation from the BBC that the series would nto be returning.

TVO would like to express our thanks to the whole Crims team for their efforts, which we genuinely adored, and wish them all the very best for the future. Fans of the show can console themselves with the fact that the entire series is available to buy digitally via iTunes and Amazon.