The Great cancelled after three seasons by Hulu

The dark comedy-drama boasts a strong main cast topped by Elle Fanning (Catherine) and Nicholas Hoult (Peter), with the pair backed up by a supporting ensemble made up of the likes of Phoebe Fox (Marial), Sacha Dhawan (Orlo), Gwilym Lee (Grigor), Jamie Demetriou (Doctor Chekhov), Blake Harrison (Colonel Svenska) and Julian Barratt (Dr Vinodel), to name but a few.

Gillian Anderson (Catherine’s mother, Joanna Elisabeth) and Jason Isaacs (Peter the Great) have also made guest appearances in the well-received series.

Thanks to Deadline, though, which originally broke the news, we now know that the show has been cancelled. There will be no season 4 of The Great and that’s, ahem, not great if you’re a fan.

Hulu has not revealed the reasons why The Great has been cancelled at the time of writing - spokespeople of the US-based streaming platform have declined to comment.

The cancellation is the latest in a long string of shows being cancelled on streaming platforms without warning - joining the likes of Sex/Life, Becoming Elizabeth and The Idol on the scrap heap.

Fans of the show, however, will be hoping that it can make a comeback just as Warrior Nun and Futurama have recently. This will have to wait, though, as news of the cancellation remains fresh.

Luckily, The Great did not end on a massive cliffhanger, unlike other famous examples of shows cancelled before their time... including My Name is Earl (that one still hurts).

Season 3, which premiered in July 2023 on Lionsgate+ here in the UK and is still available to watch, was comprised of 10 episodes and followed Catherine and Peter attempting to make their marriage work.

As per the official synopsis for season 3: "The Great sees Catherine and Peter attempt to make their marriage work after some seemingly insurmountable problems. Peter witnessed his own attempted murder at Catherine’s hands and she also imprisoned all of his friends.

"On top of this, Peter is at a loose end playing First Husband to Catherine’s reign, so he busies himself with fathering, hunting and salty culinary ventures. But they’re not enough to keep him contented as visions of his late father (played by Jason Isaacs) get in his head about his failures as Peter the Great’s son.

"Catherine the Great starts making a name for herself beyond her borders and, inspired by a visit from the US ambassador, sets up a conference where peasants, nobles and merchants can all give their input on developing a new Russia.

"She learns that even the best political leaders sometimes need to make compromises in order to progress."

The Great season 3 is available to watch on Lionsgate+.

Check out more of our Film and TV coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.