ITV Midsomer Murders faces 'axe' concerns following viewer backlash to new long-running series

The current series returned last week, but received a mixed reception from viewers.

With the second episode of the series pulled from this week's schedule, rumours the programme could be coming to an end have been doing the rounds.

According to betting company betideas.com, current odds for the drama to end soon are at 8/11, which isn't good news for fans.

Lee Astley, spokesperson for the company, stated: "The new series of Midsomer Murders was met with a mixed reception and with no confirmed date for its second episode, it appears ITV could be losing patience with its long-running drama.

The new series' debut left some viewers disappointed

ITV

"Series 23, whenever it does resume, could well be the last one to hit our screens, with the show now just 8/11 to be canned after the latest season is aired.

"Meanwhile, ITV bosses could look to keep hold of the show but instead give it a major revamp to appeal to new viewers, including a new cast, with Midsomer Murders 6/4 to receive a significant rebrand."

Last week, many fans called for Vera to return to the slot allocated to Midsomer Murders.

Season 23 returned with an episode titled The Blacktrees Prophecy, with the synopsis reading: “Deep in the Blacktrees forest is a bombproof shelter built by a man names Warren Kaine.

The drama returned last week for its 23rd series

ITV

“His extreme paranoia has drawn other survivalists to the village, and now a doomsday prepper group meets weekly.

“When Warren is found murdered, Barnaby unravels a dark conspiracy to reveal how far people will go to escape the end of the world.”

Whilst many were excited about the show's return, others were left let down and begged for ITV’s other popular crime series Vera to return.

Despite the mixed reception of the series debut, it seems a spin-off project of the show is currently in the works.

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It's believed the series might be axed after being on screens for more than two decades 

ITV

It's been reported the first interactive novel is going to be released, allowing readers the chance to find out if they could survive Britain's most murderous village.

The forthcoming interactive novel reads: “All is not well in the beautiful county of Midsomer. On the eve of its first Villages In Bloom competition, a man lies dead, smelling of damson jam. Who could have done it? Well, that's where you come in.

“Step into the shoes of Midsomer CID's newest recruit, choose your own path and decide which way the story goes.

“Will you get to the bottom of the mystery? Will you bring the perpetrator to justice? And perhaps most importantly of all, could you avoid an untimely, and possibly bizarre, death... will YOU survive Midsomer?"