Critically-acclaimed and hugely popular comedy is axed by the BBC amid broadcaster's drive to slash 100 hours of TV to try and save money

A critically-acclaimed and hugely popular comedy has been axed by the BBC as the broadcaster plans to slash 100 hours of TV in a bid to save money.

Motherland has been axed after three seasons despite winning the BAFTA award for Best Scripted Comedy in 2022.

Diana Morgan, one of the shows leading women who plays single mother Liz, revealed that BBC bosses have decided to drop the show.

The 48-year-old told RadioTimes: 'I hate to say it, because I still get women running up to me with prams in the street asking me when it’s coming back.'

However she did drop hints that a spin-off featuring Lucy Punch's character Amanda is in the works.

She said: 'It'll live on through her. The ladies with the prams will be pleased, hopefully.'

Fans of the show are 'gutted' to see it leave especially as last year Ms Morgan said there had 'been conversations' about a fourth season.

One said: 'Awwww shame was a good series! Need more comedy on TV in these challenging times not less'.

Another said: 'Shame because it's so funny'.

It comes amid original dramas and entertainment bear the brunt of the broadcasters drive to slash 100 hours of tv to try and save money.

The corporation's Annual Plan shows that in the next 12 months viewers will be getting fewer new shows, due to 'ongoing pressure on the BBC's finances and the increasing cost of programming'.

The Annual Plan for 2024/25, released on Wednesday, revealed that the 'commitment' to 'first-run original drama' will dip by 13 per cent to 350 hours, in part reflecting the broadcaster's decision to axe BBC1 daytime soap Doctors.

Entertainment and factual entertainment shows, there will be an even bigger drop of 15 per cent fewer hours, down to 850 hours in the financial year from April.

Added to this there will be ten fewer hours committed to new content across CBBC and CBeebies.

It is understood that the reductions mean that overall there will be 105 hours less of original TV programming in the year ahead.

The Annual Plan confirmed that dramas including Silent Witness, Call The Midwife, Death In Paradise, Shetland and Beyond Paradise would return, as well as entertainment shows Gladiators, Claudia Winkleman-fronted The Traitors and RuPaul's Drag Race UK.

It also revealed Andrew Flintoff is set to return to our screens for the first time since his horrendous Top Gear accident in December 2022.

The former England cricketer will front a new series of his BBC1 cricket documentary Field of Dreams.