[michael21]

Say goodbye to Sam Hunter. BBC One has cancelled the Melissa George fronted spy drama Hunted after the series failed to find much of a mainstream audience. Sources inside the BBC tell me that after the middling performace of the series they had no other option but to cancel the spy drama. That said, there may still be some life left in the series. One of my sources is telling me that despite the decision from the BBC to cancel the series, Cinemax may still decide to pick up a second season by themselves. “Cinemax are very happy with the series, whether or not it continues will be based on whether they are prepared to assume the financial costs.” Representatives of Cinemax did not immediately respond to our requests for comment.

Created by Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files), Hunted followed Sam Hunter, a highly skilled operative for an elite private intelligence firm who survives an attempt on her life that may have been orchestrated by members of her own team. Once she returns to the firm, she performs her secretive duties without knowing who to trust and who wants her dead. The drama series is being produced by Big Light and Kudos Film & TV in association with HBO/Cinemax. Hunted stars Melissa George as Sam Hunter and Adam Rayner as Aidan Marsh, Sam’s colleague and potential love interest at the firm. Also starring in the series is Stephen Dillane (Game of Thrones), Morven Christie (The Sinking of the Laconia), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Lost), Lex Shrapnel (Captain America: The First Avenger), Uriel Emil (Criminal Justice), Patrick Malahide (Billy Elliot), Stephen Campbell Moore (The Bank Job, History Boys) and Oscar Kennedy (Toast).

The decision to cancel Hunted comes after the series gradual slide in the rating since its premiere on BBC One on October 4th. The show initially premiere to 4.5 million viewers and a 19% share, but continued to lose viewers week after week, with the most recent episode attracting a mere 2.6 million viewers. Both series creator Frank Spotnitz and production company Kudos Film & TV had been hopeful that a second season would be ordered and opted to beging staffing for season 2 with the hires of Ben Harris and Claire Wilson.