Downton Abbey star dealt devastating blow as BBC show 'cancelled' after one series

The BBC has appeared to cancel a programme from an Oscar-nominated writer and creator after merely one series in a devastating setback for Downton Abbey favourite Michelle Dockery.

The actress is well known for portraying Lady Mary in the ITV drama and is set to appear on cinema screens in the third film version of the programme.

Nevertheless, her television ventures are proving less fruitful as her latest project, This Town, the 1980s-based musical series from Peaky Blinders mastermind Steven Knight, will reportedly not return for a second run.

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The six-episode drama debuted on BBC One on March 31 last year and featured Michelle as troubled vocalist Estella.

Before the inaugural episode aired, Michelle spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk and other publications about the part, reports the Express.

"She's an amazing character, I just loved her. When I read the script for the first time, I just fell in love with all of the characters in this; it's just so beautiful and relatable," she said.

She was virtually unidentifiable in the part, displaying a voluminous backcombed hairstyle and dramatic eye cosmetics alongside period-appropriate clothing.

Her refined Downton pronunciation was substituted with a Birmingham dialect.

She also demonstrated her remarkable vocal abilities when she delivered a stirring performance of Somewhere Over The Rainbow during a memorial service sequence.

Similar to her fellow performers, she handled all her own vocals in the production, which served as Steven's tribute to the musical culture of the West Midlands during the 1980s. The programme kicked off with a robust 3.2 million viewers, but had shed a million by the end of its run.

Despite this, it bagged the Royal Television Society Award for Limited Series and Single Drama earlier this year. At the glitzy launch at the BFI in London, creator Steven expressed his high hopes that the show would continue for many seasons.

"I certainly have enough ideas for more episodes going forward. I hope we are with these characters for a long time to come," he said.

However, the BBC did not share his enthusiasm for the project, and they have appeared to confirm there will be no future episodes.

A spokesperson stated: "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.

"We look forward to working with him on new projects in the future, and we're in talks about what's next."

The Daily Mirror has reached out to the BBC for comment.