THE cast and crew of ITV's Heartbeat were left devastated yesterday, with one crying 'There is no hope', when they were told at a meeting in Whitby, filming of the show will stop in May.
Around 50 crew members and stars of the long-running Goathland set drama including Derek Fowlds, Joe McFadden, Bill Simons, Rupert Ward Lewis and Steven Blakely were among those who met at Whitby Pavilion.
They quizzed ITV's chief operating officer John Cresswell who travelled in a chauffeur driven Mercedes from London along with controller of drama for ITV subsidiary Yorkshire TV, Keith Richardson, about the show's future.
Before the meeting, Brian Taylor of Goathland Post Office and Gift Shop who started a petition to save the show from the chop, handed Mr Cresswell a letter on behalf of the 15,000 people who have signed it so far.
After the hour and a quarter long question and answer session, staff left grimfaced with some in tears. One crew member proclaimed out loud, "there's no hope".
Actor Steven Blakely who plays PC Younger said: "ITV will screen nine episodes this April and will show another nine in 2010.
"I think we can say the questions that have been asked of the executives have been answered to the best of their ability, it doesn't make the situation any easier.
"We stop filming in May and the cast will then be released. I'm more upset for the crew, many of whom have dedicated their whole working lives to the show. It will be a great loss to the area."
Mr Cresswell refused to say if or when Heartbeat will be back on our screens after the production break.
Earlier yesterday, Derek Fowlds who plays Oscar Blaketon was in Whitby's historic Grape Lane filming a scene for one of the episodes.
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Heartbeat stories by clicking here.
