Bizarre reason why BBC cancelled gritty police drama 'like Line of Duty' after just one season

Crime series lovers were sure to be devastated after the cancellation of this highly-rated police drama.

The gritty series first aired on BBC in February 2023, boasting an impressive score of 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, clearly ranking favourably among viewers.

BBC

Following in the same vein as popular crime series' Kin and Line of Duty, the crime thriller follows DI Lou Slack, played by Leila Farzad, who is a successful officer in the force.

But 19 years prior, a deal made with Col McHugh, played by Andrew Buchan, a newcomer to the underground world of crime in Leeds, changed both of their lives forever.

Back then, Slack was a young police officer who was at a low point, but the deal turned both of their fortunes around, with Col becoming very rich and powerful in the underworld, and Lou becoming a high-ranking officer.

The two become closer in the near two decades after their deal, as Lou progressively becomes more corrupt.

However, when her family is in trouble, she attempts to right her wrongs and take the moral high ground, to Col's dismay.

The series is called Better, and you can view the trailer here:

Better was highly rated by fans, with one in particular highlighting the 'obvious chemistry' between the leads.

However, it looks like this 'chemistry' has continued off-screen, leading to the downfall of the show, according to The Sun.

It has been reported that Leila Farzad and Andrew Buchan were having an affair, despite the latter being married with two children.

The Irish actor was married to Emmerdale and Downton Abbey actress, Amy Nuttall, having dated for years before their 2012 wedding, which took place near their childhood homes.

News of the affair reportedly left the 41-year-old devastated.

A TV insider revealed: “Better did good business, averaging almost four million viewers an episode, and there was an appetite to learn more about the tangled lives of McHugh and Slack.

"But the BBC is keen to bring a slew of new shows which means that, unfortunately, some popular dramas have to make way.”

BBC

It was also alleged that Buchan was struggling to make home life work, as The Sun previously revealed that him and Nuttall attempted to work through the rough patch, but the actor had now moved out of the family home.

This was reported just six months after it was revealed in early 2023 that he had separated from his wife for Farzad.

LADbible have reached out to Andrew Buchan's representatives for comment.