Tomorrow's World axed from weekly slot

The BBC has axed Tomorrow’s World from its weekly slot after nearly 40 years, it emerged today.

Bosses decided not to produce another series of the science show following a long-term decline in ratings.

Instead they will create a number of new programmes under the Tomorrow’s World brand name over the coming year.

In the 1970s and 1980s, when it was hosted by Judith Hann and Howard Stableford, the show attracted audiences of more than 10 million.

When Peter Snow and Philippa Forester took over presenting duties in 1999, ratings were still a respectable five million, but by the last series the figure had fallen to around three million.

The show’s creative director Sarah Hargreaves said: “There is clearly popular science shows but Tomorrow’s World needed to evolve.

“Its heyday when 10 million people were tuning in is in the past. The 7pm slot is a very difficult one these days and shows have trouble getting a good audience at that time.

“We are looking to keep the time slot and fill it with different popular science shows.

“Although Tomorrow’s World will not be coming back in a weekly name it is not disappearing.”

The BBC will devote the same number of hours to popular science programming as before, Ms Hargreaves said.

Ideas being mooted for the future of the Tomorrow’s World brand include one-off live shows or week-long specials.

The production team is also planning a real-life series based in a hospital casualty department.

Ms Hargreaves said: “We are looking to cover the same subjects as the old Tomorrow’s World, new technology, but in a different format.

“Having a studio show with a line-up of presenters is the Tomorrow’s World of 20 or 30 years ago and it needed to change.”

The last series, which ended in August, was hosted by Adam Hart-Davis, Roger Black and Kate Humble.

The BBC is in discussions with each of them about the possibility of presenting some of the new programmes planned for 2003.