BBC viewers lament ‘worst news' after cancellation of ‘much-loved' chat show
The former Radio 1 DJ has presented the book-centric show since 2020, but it has now been pulled from the schedules in what has been branded a 'difficult decision'.
'After eight series, we have made the difficult decision to bring Between the Covers to an end to enable us to prioritise high-impact content that drives viewers to iPlayer,' a BBC spokesperson said.
'We would like to thank Sara Cox and all the team at Cactus TV for their hard work bringing Between the Covers to our screens,' the BBC spokesperson continued.
The series saw celebrity guests pick and discuss their favourite books, with guests in the last 50 episodes including The One Show host Alex Jones and broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald.
Other stars to have appeared on the show include Richard Osman, Stephen Mangan, Graham Norton, Adrian Edmondson and Ranvir Singh.
Between the Covers was praised by viewers for placing newly published books in the spotlight.
'This is the worst news,' one upset fan wrote on X/Twitter in response to the announcement. 'How sad, it is much loved!' another added.
'Oh, no! I loved #BetweenTheCovers,' an additional viewer said. 'The @BBC have made some very odd decisions of late, but why axe such an engaging show which must be comparatively cheap to make? It's nuts! And disappointing.'
Cox is a novelist herself, having written two best-selling novels: Thrown (2022) and Way Back (2024).
In 2024, she told The Independent of her writing style: 'I just want to tell a good story and I always wanted to tell quite a human story.
'I just quite like everyday people and their struggles and their challenges, and also the lighter side of life, and love, relationships and friendship.'
Another BBC series that received the axe this month is the critically acclaimed BBC drama This Town.
Created by Peaky Blinders writer Steven Knight, the drama is set in the West Midlands during the 1980s and focuses on a group of young people who immerse themselves in the region's burgeoning music scene amid a backdrop of social unrest.
However, despite strong reviews and winning Best Single Drama or Limited Series at the Royal Television Society Programme Awards in March, the show's run has been cut short after just one series.
In a statement given to The Independent, a BBC spokesperson said: 'We're hugely grateful to Steven Knight and the cast and crew for bringing This Town to life – in no small part due to Steven's passion for the West Midlands.'
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