‘Crimewatch’ has been axed after 33 years on TV.
The long-running show – presented by Jeremy Vine – will be taken off air by the BBC, who admitted they are "incredibly proud" of the programme but plan to run two series of daytime show ‘Crimewatch Roadshow’ instead.
A BBC spokesman said: "We believe the successful ‘Crimewatch Roadshow’ format in daytime is the best fit for the brand going forward and we will increase the number of episodes to make two series a year.
"We are incredibly proud of ‘Crimewatch’ and the great work it has done over the years and the work ‘Crimewatch Roadshow’ will continue to do, and this move will also allow us to create room for new innovative programmes in peak time on BBC One."
It’s not known exactly why ‘Crimewatch’ has been dropped but it’s thought a fall in ratings may have something to do with its axing after it went up against the likes of ‘Broadchurch’ and ‘Cold Feet’, despite a recent revamp which saw Jeremy and Tina Daheley take the reins.
It is thought police officers might feel particularly disappointed about the news because the show has helped solve real-life murder cases for years thanks to its crime reconstructions.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "The police are going to be furious. Everyone is really shocked. It is a massive public service programme."
One of the most high-profile cases ‘Crimewatch’ helped to solve came in 1993 when CCTV footage of James Bulger’s killers led to Jon Venables and Robert Thompson being identified and put away.
What’s more, Michael Stone was convicted of the double murder of Lin and Megan Russell after a 1997 appeal on the TV show.
‘Crimewatch’ has aired for 33 series since it began in June 1984, when it was presented by Nick Ross and Sue Cook.
In 1995, Sue was replaced by Jill Dando, who was shot dead on her doorstep in 1999. The case has never been solved.
Local man Barry George was initially convicted of the crime in July 2001 and sentence to life in prison, but he was later acquitted in August 2008 after a retrial.
Crimewatch axed after 33 years
