Out There: ITV axe primetime drama starring Martin Clunes after just one series following ratings slump

The show, starring Martin Clunes, premiered earlier this year and told the story of Welsh farmer Nathan Williams (Clunes) as he tried to protect his son after he gets involved with drug dealers working across county lines.

When speaking about the possibility of a second series, Clune revealed that bosses had decided against it, telling The Sun: “We were keen on doing a second series but ITV aren’t, it seems. It didn’t quite pull the numbers they wanted, unfortunately.”

An ITV spokesman confirmed the news, saying: “We are really proud of Out There and would like to thank Martin and the production team for delivering a brilliant series. We do always hope to see our series return and we are sorry we didn’t get this drama to connect with a big enough audience to see that happen.”

Out There drew in 2.7 million viewers for its first episode, which premiered on January 19. The six-part series also starred Louis Ashbourne Serkis, son of actors Andy Serkis and Lorraine Ashbourne.

Critics raved over the drama, praising the tone, writing and the performances in the show. Viewers were left begging for a second series, but some remained unconvinced by Clunes’ Welsh accent. One viewer said: "I thought I'd struggle to imagine Martin Clunes as an action hero, but that's nothing compared with attempting to accept him as Welsh."

While Out There failed to get a second series, Clunes’ other popular show, Doc Martin, is now set for a US remake. Deadline reported earlier this months that Best Medicine will be “based on” the beloved ITV comedy-drama, which Clunes starred in from 2004 until 2022.

Josh Charles, best known for his roles in The Good Wife and Sports Night, will lead the cast. The show is set to premiere during the 2025-26 season on Fox.