McDonald and Dodds star reveals he’s ‘dumbfounded and devastated’ as he hits out at ITV show’s axing
ACTOR Jason Watkins has broken his silence after it was revealed that his TV show McDonald and Dodds had been binned.
The TV star took to social media to reveal he was “dumbfounded” by the decision after insisting that the show was still a ratings hit.
It was confirmed last week that ITV had opted to axe the show after they insisted that the ratings were too poor to continue on further – despite Jason stating otherwise.
On social media, Jason shared a series of photo’s from the set of the crime drama as he penned a message to reveal his sadness at the cancellation.
He wrote: “I’ve known about this for months. We are dumfounded and devastated.
“I still can’t find the words.
“And technically, we were not ‘cancelled’.
“Our viewing numbers were better than shows around us. Enjoy these – more to follow.
“Thank you for loving the show!!”
Despite Jason stating that the ratings were “better” than other shows, an ITV spokesperson confessed that plummeting ratings were the cause of the show’s demise in a statement to RadioTimes.
McDonald and Dodds starred Tala Gouveia and Jason Watkins in the title roles.
The premise paired two mismatched Detectives in Bath, where the show was filmed.
At the end of series four, McDonald had seemingly accepted her partner’s marriage proposal – but fans won’t see what happens next.
Upon hearing the news, viewers took to social media to share their reactions.
One wrote on X: “That’s a shame. I really enjoyed it – and the locations in and around Bath were lovely.”
Another added: “Cancelled? Good grief. A first rate pair of actors, playful scripts and a great location. I despair at times, I really do.”
A third penned: “Real shame! Enjoyed this and good shows never last these days!”
McDonald and Dodds is available to watch on ITVX.
Crime dramas on ITVX
Crime drama buffs have a wide selection of choices on ITVX - here is a selection of some of the programmes available to binge.
- Professor T: Based on a Belgian TV series of the same name, former Death in Paradise lead Ben Miller plays the title character. Professor Jasper Tempest is a criminologist with OCD who helps the police solve crimes. The cast also includes Emma Naomi, Barney White and Andy Gathergood.
- The Beast Must Die: This series follows a mother’s grief for her son, who was killed in an accident. Nicholas Blake’s novel of the same name has been adapted for the programme. Stars include Cush Jumbo, Jared Harris, Billy Howle and Geraldine James.
- Red Eye: Starring Richard Armitage, Jing Lusi and Lesley Sharp star in this six-part thriller, which mostly takes place during an all-night flight between London and Beijing. With dead bodies piling up and a mystery to unravel, the heroes must work fast to get to the truth.
- The Twelve: This Australian drama originally aired as a miniseries in 2022, with the episodes dropping in the UK in February 2023. Four months later, the show was renewed for a second season. Jurassic Park star Sam Neill stars in the leading role of barrister Brett Colby.
- Manhunt: Martin Clunes stars in this drama based on true murder investigations. Series one focused on the death of Amélie Delagrange, which took place in 2004, while the second depicted the search for serial rapist Delroy Grant.