The BBC has confirmed that long-running Scottish soap River City will come to an end in Autumn 2026 after 24 years on air.
The news marks the third serial to be dropped by the BBC in as many years, following on from the decisions to axe daytime soap Doctors and medical drama Holby City amid budgetary pressures.
Hayley Valentine, the director of BBC Scotland, said: "River City has been a wonderful adventure and of course we'll all be sad to see it go.
"The team have done a brilliant job and I know they have some big plans for the finale next year. But as viewing patterns change and competition intensifies, this is the right time to invest in the next generation of high-impact drama series from across Scotland showcasing storytelling across the UK.
"Our goal is to grow Scotland further on the global drama map – with a slate of world-class productions that set the standard not just here but internationally too."
Paul W Fleming, general secretary of the Equity union, told Broadcast: "There is simply no equivalent to a regular soap for getting your foot in the door of this notoriously cutthroat industry, especially for the many aspiring actors from working class backgrounds. The regular opportunities and wages simply do not exist in other show formats.
"Holby City, Doctors, River City, these cuts to members' jobs are being made without a long-term strategy from the BBC. Every penny from those productions should stay in producing scripted drama with significant casts, not funnelled into cheap reality or factual TV. The best way to do that is to keep River City running for the audiences who love it.
"Axing it would have a devastating effect on acting and production roles for Scottish talent."
The soap's annual budget of £9 million is expected to be diverted into a number of one-hour drama series. body check tags ::
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