The IT Crowd to end with extended special

Channel FourPopular Channel Four sitcom The IT Crowd will not return for a fifth season but will instead end with a extended special.

The comedy’s creator, Graham Linehan, revealed the news during a web chat on reddit.com. Linehan said it was the right time to end the Channel Four series after its successful fourth series.  The writer said “I felt that the last series was a nice strong point to go out on, and anything further might just be running on the spot. You don’t do your best work when you’re running on the spot.”

The IT Crowd stars Chris O’Dowd, Richard Ayoade, Katherine Parkinson and Chris Morris. It has delivered strong ratings for Channel Four over the course of its four seasons and is the broadcasters second longest comedy after the Peep Show. The IT Crowd will wrap up with an expended special for 2012 though Linehan said he wouldn’t rule out further specials or even a film at a later date. An American remake was planned to air on NBC with a pilot and a several scripts for a series ordered but for unknown reasons was later cancelled.