ITV deals killer blow to Demons

ITV has confirmed it will not commission a second series of vampire drama Demons, despite a last-minute bid by the show's producer to save it by doing a deal with a US broadcaster.

A question mark has hung over the Philip Glenister drama, which is made by Lis Murdoch's production company Shine, since ITV said it would focus its resources on post-watershed dramas and dropped another Saturday teatime series, Primeval.

ITV today confirmed it would not commission a second series. "It will not be returning," a spokesman said.

The Sun reported in February that Glenister was quitting Demons, putting a big question mark over the show's future.

It is understood that similar reasons to the cancellation of Primeval were given to Demons' producers.

Sources told MediaGuardian.co.uk that the international distributors of Demons, Sony, had held talks with the Sci Fi channel in the US, due to be renamed SyFy next month, which would have seen the US cable broadcaster contribute funding for a second series in order to make it cheaper for ITV.

Sci Fi was also in talks to buy the first series of Demons, which would complement its existing lineup of other UK shows which includes Primeval, Doctor Who and The Sarah Jane Adventures.

However, now that ITV has officially confirmed it will not commission a second series, any deal with Sci Fi looks unlikely.

Impossible Pictures, the producers of dinosaur fantasy drama Primeval, tried a similar innovative deal to finance a fourth series of their show. This would have seen a UK multichannel service, thought most likely to be Sci Fi, take first run rights and put in funding with ITV taking cheaper secondary rights.

However, on Monday ITV said it would not commission a new series of Primeval.

Sources have said that while ITV has not shut the door on all pre-watershed drama series, the ones it does commit to have to be cost effective and "work for the slot" as well as having a buzz around them.

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