Shardlake: Fans gutted as Disney confirms Sean Bean murder-mystery series won't be returning for series two

The show premiered on the streaming service on May 1, 2024. The four-episode series starred Arthur Hughes in the role of Matthew Shardlake, with Sean Bean as Thomas Cromwell and Anthony Boyle as Jack Barak.

Set in the Tudor era, Shardlake followed the eponymous former barrister as he is sent by Thomas Cromwell to investigate the death of a commissioner in a remote town. It is based on the C.J. Sansom book series of the same name.

An executive for Disney+ confirmed that the show has not been picked up for a second series they told Variety: “We’d like to thank Stephen Butchard who adapted the late C.J. Sansom’s beloved novel for the screen, the entire cast – led by the outstanding Arthur Hughes – and crew, and our production partners The Forge and Runaway Fridge. We hope to work with all of our partners across these shows again in the future.”

Show star Anthony Boyle confirmed the news on his Instagram, saying: “Sadly Shardlake won’t be coming back from another season. Thanks for all the love and support on it. First season still on Disney Plus UK.”

The show was a critical success, garnering 81% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. The show also gained a 77% audience approval rating on the site, proving that the series was a hit with viewers.

One fan said on X (formerly Twitter) that they were “gutted to hear the news #shardlake won't be returning”. They added: “What a missed opportunity. Great cast and fantastic books. Disappointed @DisneyPlus”