“It may yet ride again in a different guise.”

BBC One comedy The Kennedys will not be returning for a second series, creator and writer Emma Kennedy has confirmed.

Kennedy explained the BBC’s decision not to renew the comedy – loosely based on Emma’s eccentric childhood written about in her memoirs, ‘The Tent, The Bucket and Me’ – on her blog.

“BBC1 don’t want a second series of The Kennedys. Bottom line – we did pretty well for a series one comedy but not well enough as series 8 of Gogglebox and that, I’m afraid, is sort of it.

“Viewing figures are the holy grail of Channels, some more than others and we were on a channel for whom viewing figures are very important.”

Emma went on to say she felt the series was scheduled in a too competitive slot for a new comedy: “There is no doubt that the Scheduler took a massive gamble putting The Kennedys in the Friday 9.30 slot and the brutal fact is, it didn’t pay off. We had no say in where we were placed and I think it’s fair to say a shiver of fear ran through us. Audiences like to find their comedies and grow to love the characters. For the entirety of our run we were up against the Rugby World Cup and Gogglebox. To beat either of those with a first series was, I think, a tall order. We weren’t ready for it.”

The actress and writer also felt the series had not been promoted or supported enough by the BBC “The only complaint I do have is the lack of support from the two online twitter accounts that could and should have been working for us – @BBCOne and @bbccomedy”

Adding: “Lastly, a massive thank you to everyone who watched it, loved it and took the time to either email me or tweet me, which hundreds of you did. Super-special awe needs to be thrown in the direction of everyone who voted, like the clappers, for The Kennedys making us the Radio Times Comedy Champion of 2015. Your efforts were spectacular. Thank you and I’m sorry I won’t be making more for you. Good news is, several broadcasters in America are interested in the show so it may yet ride again in a different guise.”

The six-part, seventies set series, starred Katherine Parkinson, Dan Skinner, Emma Pierson, Harry Peacock, Lucy Hutchison, Shola Adewusi and Clive Rowe.