Giri/Haji cancelled after one season as writer laments scrapped plans
The series debuted on BBC Two last winter.
BBC Two drama Giri/Haji has been cancelled after one season, RadioTimes.com can confirm.
The series followed Tokyo detective Kenzo Mori (Takehiro Hira) as he searched for his missing brother in London, meeting Rodney Yamaguchi (Will Sharpe) and Met Police detective Sarah Weitzmann (Kelly Macdonald) during his investigation.
The show impressed critics, earning strong reviews and three nominations at this year's Television BAFTAs, with Sharpe ultimately taking home the prize for Best Supporting Actor.
However, the BBC and Netflix have made the joint decision not to continue the show with a second series.
A BBC spokesperson said: “We are incredibly proud of Giri/Haji and the recognition that it achieved, however in order to create room for new dramas it will not be returning. We are very grateful to Joe [Barton] and the cast and crew for all their hard work on it."
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The series was created by Joe Barton, produced in collaboration with Sister Pictures and distributed internationally by Netflix.
A Sister spokesperson said: “We’re obviously very disappointed to not be going again with the BBC and Netflix as Joe Barton had so much planned for the characters.
"Everyone at SISTER is enormously proud of Giri/Haji and would like to thank our brilliant directors Julian Farino and Ben Chessell, Joe of course and the entire cast and crew who together have created something very special.
"We hope audiences will continue to find Giri/Haji and enjoy watching it as much as we enjoyed making it.”
A Netflix spokesperson added: "Giri/Haji is a show of huge ambition and style, crossing cultures and continents in a way rarely seen on television, and we are so proud to have worked with creator Joe Barton and the amazingly talented team at Sister to bring the series to a global audience."
In a recent Twitter interaction, A Christmas Carol director Nick Murphy criticised Netflix for not offering Giri/Haji more support prior to its release.
Series writer-creator Barton responded: "Sometimes I think they forgot they'd made it."
He went on to admit he had a "really cool" idea for a second series of Giri/Haji, lamenting the fact it won't go ahead due to the series being dropped.
"Trying not be one of those writers that can't let their dead shows go. But will probably still be muttering 'Rodney and Taki Japanese road trip' on my death bed," he said, referencing a potential storyline for series two.
While not destined to continue, the series does still function as a one-off drama, with RadioTimes.com's five-star Giri/Haji review naming it one of the best shows of 2019.
Giri/Haji is available to stream on Netflix. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our guide to the best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix, or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
