BBC thanks cast and crew of acclaimed crime drama after series axed following one season

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The BBC has expressed gratitude to everyone involved with the detective series Virdee, but has cancelled the show after its first season.

Based on the novels by AA Dhand, the series centers on detective Harry Virdee (Staz Nair), who investigates a series of murders targeting the Asian community in Bradford. The story also explores the challenges Harry faces at home as his family disapproves of his marriage to his Muslim wife, Saima (Aysha Kala).

I was really bummed to read in The Sun that the show, which originally aired its first season over February and March of 2025, has been cancelled. Apparently, not enough people were watching, and the broadcaster decided to pull the plug. It’s a shame, I was actually enjoying it!

The BBC seemingly confirmed the show’s cancellation in a recent statement, expressing gratitude to the actors and crew for creating a “brilliant” series.

We want to express our gratitude to Amit Dhand and the entire Virdee team for creating a fantastic series. We’re incredibly pleased with how the show turned out and are already discussing potential future collaborations with Amit.

Many fans will be disappointed to learn the show has been cancelled. The first season was well-received and offered a new, exciting approach to detective stories.

In a previous interview with TopMob Magazine, Nair explained that he took on the role because he believed there was a lack of South Asian representation in Western dramas, both in books and on television.

He explained that he came of age when the comedy show Goodness Gracious Me was hugely popular. While there were many successful comedians gaining international recognition, no one at that time was really exploring dramatic performance in a similar way.

I created the character Harry Virdee because I wanted to portray someone who felt like a true reflection of myself. I also wanted his personality to embody the spirit of Bradford – a place with both beauty and complexity.

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Director Nair explained that the main character’s happy marriage wasn’t accidental. She noticed that detective characters are often portrayed as divorced or having many partners. She described Virdee as a love story that also happens to be a crime thriller.

“I wanted a detective whose family life was the strongest thing in his world.”

Virdee is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.

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Molly MossTrends Writer

I’m a big fan of Molly Moss – she’s a Trends Writer over at TopMob, and she’s always on top of what’s new in TV, movies, and everything else. She’s a seriously talented journalist, too – she’s got a Master’s degree in Newspaper Journalism and has written for some huge publications like The Guardian, The Times, and The Sun Online. It’s great to see her work!

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2026-02-24 18:34