BBC comedy axed after two series despite cliffhanger ending and big name cast as it fails to find audience

Credit: AFP BBC bosses have pulled the plug on comedy thriller The Power Of Parker after it failed to find an audience. The broadcaster confirmed there are no plans for a third series of the show, which featured a host of big names. BBC bosses have pulled the plug on comedy thriller The Power Of Parker after it failed to find an audience Credit: BBC Set in Stockport in the early 1990s, The Power Of Parker was written and created by Car Share’s Sian Gibson, centre, who also played the role of Kath Credit: BBC It leaves loyal fans on tenterhooks as the last season ended on two major cliffhangers. Set in Stockport in the early 1990s, The Power Of Parker was written and created by Car Share’s Sian Gibson, who also played the role of Kath. Sign up for the TV newsletter Thank you! Martin Parker was a seemingly successful electrical store owner whose perfect, flashy life was actually a facade built on debts and lies, leading the women in his life to plot his downfall. It ran for two series on BBC One in 2023 and 2025. In the very last scene, detective Ash (Navin Chowdhry) discovered a photo of Martin fleeing an armed robbery at a factory run by his corrupt former boss Mic (Ann Droid star Diane Morgan). Parker, played by Conleth Hill — Varys in Game Of Thrones — was also bracing himself for arrest on a charge of attempted murder. The Stockport entrepreneur, long-suffering wife Diane and mistress Kath thought they were in the clear after pushing their business rival Sandy (Steve Pemberton) into the back of a garbage truck. But a badly-injured Sandy pitched up in the last episode with video evidence and threatening to tell cops if they didn’t pay him mega-money. A source said: “Losing any series will feel like a crime for its fans. But for the two million who watched The Power Of Parker, its axe with so many loose ends is a major felony. “The ratings just didn’t deliver enough bang for buck and it was decided the series would be chopped to make way for new formats.” Most read in TV A spokesperson for the Beeb — which recently launched Ann Droid and will soon air another new show, The Reluctant Vampire — said: “There are no plans for a third series of The Power Of Parker. We’d like to thank Paul Coleman, Sian Gibson and the team at Boffola Pictures for bringing the show to our screens.” 4 comments4