Russell Tovey laments Banished's axeing by the BBC

(Image credit: BBC/RSJ Films/Mark Rogers)

Russell Tovey has revealed devastating news to Banished fans – the period drama has been cancelled by the BBC.

The first series screened earlier this year, starring Russell, MyAnna Buring, Rory McCann and Julian Rhind-Tutt in a tale about 18th-century Australia and the tensions between officers and convicts shipped out there.

MyAnna Buring, Julian Rhind-Tutt and Russell Tovey will not get the chance to return to Banished (BBC)

But now, Him And Her star Russell has tweeted that Jimmy McGovern’s drama will not get a second series.

The history of Australia will have to tell it's story without us – #banished on @BBCTwo has ended it's adventure.. Sad day for drama x

— russell tovey (@russelltovey) May 5, 2015

MyAnna had previously told Digital Spy: “I think all of us would love to rejoin this story and be a part of it again. Some stories that you tell, they become very close to your heart – and this is one of those.”

Russell had added: “The natives have got to be introduced – they don’t feature in this series, because Jimmy didn’t want to just make them tokenistic, he wanted them to have their own characters.

“But that’s something I think he would absolutely be tempted to explore if it goes again. So this show can just grow and grow and grow – there’s no limit to where the story can go.”