STEVE COOGAN is probably wishing he had stuck to Alan Partridge after another of his TV projects hit the skids.
BBC2 sitcom The Witchfinder, which aired last March with Daisy May Cooper and Timy Key in leading roles, has been axed after just one series.
Steve, who co-produced the show, has already seen his BBC1 drama, The Reckoning, pushed back months due to the sensitivities of him playing sex monster Jimmy Savile.
A TV insider said: “The Witchfinder kicked off with decent ratings but quickly plunged to a level where execs just couldn’t justify giving it a second season.
“It’s fair to say the concept was fairly niche so it was always going to be tricky finding an audience, even on BBC2.
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"But although it won’t be coming back, its departure does make way for new comedy projects on the Beeb.”
The Witchfinder was set in 1645 during the English Civil War and featured This Country star Daisy as a suspected sorceress being dragged across East Anglia for a trial.
Tim Key, who is best known for playing Simon, Alan Partridge’ sidekick, took the role of witchfinder Gideon Bannister.
The six-parter also starred Jessica Hynes who fronted Channel 4 sitcom Spaced with Simon Pegg, plus Royle Family legend Ricky Tomlinson.
It was written by brothers Neil and Rob Gibbons who also created and directed Steve’s show, This Time with Alan Partridge.
But even with such a stellar cast and creative team, The Witchfinder failed to capture viewers’ imagination.
A BBC spokeswoman said: “Sometimes we have to make difficult choices and sadly The Witchfinder won’t be returning.
"We thank everyone involved in the show.”
’CHELLE SET TO SOAR
MICHELLE KEEGAN’s acting career is taking off once again.
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The ex Corrie favourite was snapped filming Netflix series Fool Me Once in Cheshire.
She was dressed in flight gear enjoying a cuppa as her character prepares to head skywards.
Based on Harlan Coben’s best-seller, the thriller sees Michelle star as Maya Stern, a mum left grief-stricken following the murder of her husband Joe (Richard Armitage).
Absolutely Fabulous icon Joanna Lumley plays her mother-in-law.
I doubt they’ll be dishing out the Bolly on that plane.
A FLYING START BY ANNEKA
ANNEKA RICE says her Treasure Hunt series was a landmark moment for women.
The presenter, who followed clues in the show’s helicopter from 1982 to 1988, said: “Up till then, when you saw women on television, they were mostly draped over cars on The Golden Shot or in a bikini being chased by Benny Hill.
"Or they were newsreaders behind a desk.
“Suddenly, there I was, calling the shots.”
And many women were behind the cameras of her Nineties show, Challenge Anneka, which she is reviving for Channel 5.
She told Radio Times: “It was mostly women. It was ground-breaking stuff.
“Many of them have gone on to practically run television.
PATRICK: LAND ME IN LASSO
STAR TREK great Sir Patrick Stewart wants to boldly go and join another team . . . Ted Lasso.
The screen veteran, who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard, is a huge fan of the AppleTV+ football comedy, which returns tomorrow.
Toheeb Jimoh, who plays AFC Richmond’s Sam Obisanya, revealed Patrick begged him for a part.
It prompted the young star to ask show writer Brett Goldstein, who is also one of its leading actors.
He said: “I was at an event and Sir Patrick said, ‘I love the show and I want to be in it’.
“I was like, ‘Why are you asking me because I have no power?’.
"But I took him to Brett and said, ‘Brett, he wants to be in the show’.
“So Patrick Stewart is a fan of the show – he’s also a big football fan – and he wants to be in the show, so I’m trying to get him in there.”
VORDERS STICKS BY CEMENT
CAROL VORDERMAN’s five boyfriends don’t need to splash out on expensive perfume.
They just need to pop to B&Q, after Vorders let slip her favourite scent is Cement.
Carol, who recently revealed she has five fellas on rotation, said: “I never wear perfume.
"Do you know what really does it for me – the smell of cement powder. I’d dab it behind my ears if it was in liquid form.”
Her love of the smell started after she graduated and worked on building sites.
On the Full Disclosure podcast, she said: “I worked with 2,000 blokes.
"They were fights about ‘should she be there, shouldn’t she be there’ – which was hilarious.”