Sheridan Smith's BBC drama The Cage is axed after just one series despite her 'superb' performance and 3million viewers

Sheridan Smith's BBC drama The Cage has been axed after just one series.

The five-part crime drama hit screens on BBC One on April 26 and was met with great acclaim from audiences, drawing in three million viewers as they branded her performance 'superb'. 

However, it has now been revealed that the show will not return for a second series. 

A source said: 'Viewers had become invested in the storyline and Sheridan was brilliant as always, as were the rest of the cast. It was a fun plot and it felt like there could have been more.

'But the BBC has to make way for new and returning dramas and not everything can become a long-runner.'

Written by Tony Schumacher, who also wrote police drama The Responder, the plot followed two Liverpool casino workers Leanne (Sheridan) and Matty (Michael Socha) who discovered they were both robbing from the same safe. 

A source confirmed to The Sun that viewers can still get a helping of Tony's upcoming work. 

They added: 'There is more to come from Tony Schumacher. And there will also be more from The Cage’s production team Element Pictures, including series two of Nightsleeper and new David Nicholls series You Are Here.'

A BBC spokesman told the Daily Mail: 'We loved bringing Leanne and Matty’s story to viewers and send our heartfelt thanks to Tony Schumacher, Element Pictures and all the cast and crew who worked on this powerful and poignant series.'

It isn't the first time Sheridan has had a series axed, with her former series' The 7:39, Cleaning Up and The Castaways all failing to return after just one series. 

Meanwhile back in 2024 Sheridan's problem-plagued West End musical, Opening Night, was cancelled two months early after it was blasted by critics and audience members.

The show ended its run at the Gielgud Theatre in London on May 18, two months earlier than originally planned on July 27 – as producers blamed a 'challenging financial landscape' for the shock decision.

Announcing the news, the production team said that the play 'may not have had the life we had hoped for'.

Sheridan had implored people to come and see the show after it was slammed by theatregoers who claimed it was 'boring' and walked out halfway through.

However, it seems her plea wasn't enough to mobilise audiences for the poorly reviewed play – directed by Ivo Van Hove and with music by Rufus Wainwright – which producers have now admitted was 'always a risk'.