The series was cancelled because Jack Shepherd refused to continue in the title role when the producers sacked Jimmy Yuill (Det. Insp. Doug Kersey) "for insurance reasons" after he contracted life-threatening meningitis during filming, and then would not reinstate him even though he made a full recovery. Cast and crew felt betrayed and embittered by the production company's heavy-handed attitude. The character of Doug Kersey was written out of the last two episodes of what became the final series.