By Lacy Baugher for Drama on May 31st, 2016

Period Drama ‘Home Fires’ Canceled by British Network ITV; Fans Rally to Try and Save Show

The ladies of "Home Fires". (Photo: ITV for Masterpiece)

Sad news for fans of the female-led period drama Home Fires – the show was recently canceled by British network ITV after just two seasons.

The series starred Samantha Bond and Francesca Annis as the leaders of a group of Women’s Institute members in a rural Cheshire community during World War II. The second season is set during the summer of 1940, and the village of Great Paxton is caught up in the Battle of Britain. Two weeks after the defeat at Dunkirk, with the German army advancing though France, Britain braces itself for invasion.

American fans will still be able to watch Home Fires’ six-episode second season when it screens on PBS stations later this year. But, since Season 2 reportedly ends on a fairly major cliffhanger, perhaps it’s best if we all start preparing ourselves to live with the fact that the show is not going to get what we’d probably call a satisfying ending.

The cancellation news was initially confirmed by Home Fires star Dan Ryan on Twitter:

So, it is with huge sadness I must tell you that #HomeFires has been cancelled. Awful to leave stories untold and lives incomplete. Sorry.

— Dan Ryan (@_DanielRyan) May 11, 2016

“We are incredibly proud of what Home Fires has achieved,” an ITV spokesperson later told the Radio Times. “But the ITV commissioning team continues to refresh the channel's drama portfolio, hence the decision not to commission a further new series.” 

In the wake of the series’ cancellation, however, an online movement of fans has galvanized to try and save Home Fires. In just about three weeks’ time over 27,000 people from all around the world have signed an online petition urging ITV to reconsider their decision to end the show, and a group of dedicated Twitter users is promoting regular Tweetstorms (a series of targeted tweets on a particular topic) to spread the #SaveHomeFires hashtag.

Even the real life Women’s Institute has gotten in on the action, as members have apparently been sending ITV jars of jam in protest of the network’s decision. And of course, the actual Institute is also tweeting about the Save Home Fires campaign: 

Lots of WI members are disappointed #homefires has been cancelled – if you’re keen for it to return, sign here https://t.co/gKt51pwqJh

— Women's Institute (@WomensInstitute) May 13, 2016

Fingers crossed for all these motivated fans – their protest may seem to be something of a long shot, but stranger things have certainly happened!

By Lacy Baugher for Drama on May 31st, 2016
Lacy Baugher

Lacy's love of British TV is embarrassingly extensive, but primarily centers around evangelizing all things Doctor Who, and watching as many period dramas as possible.

Digital media type by day, she also has a fairly useless degree in British medieval literature, and dearly loves to talk about dream poetry, liminality, and the medieval religious vision. (Sadly, that opportunity presents itself very infrequently.) York apologist, Ninth Doctor enthusiast, and unabashed Ravenclaw. Say hi on Threads or Blue Sky at @LacyMB. 

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