‘Live P.D.’ Canceled By A&E Amid Ongoing Protests Against Police Brutality – Deadline
EXCLUSIVE: A&E has canceled its flagship series and one of the highest-rated shows on basic cable. A week after Live P.D. was pulled in the wake of George Floyd’s death, the reality series’ hiatus has been made permanent.
The decision was made jointly by A&E and MGM’s Big Fish Entertainment, which produces the show.
“This is a critical time in our nation’s history and we have made the decision to cease production on Live PD,” the network said in a statement to Deadline. “Going forward, we will determine if there is a clear pathway to tell the stories of both the community and the police officers whose role it is to serve them. And with that, we will be meeting with community and civil rights leaders as well as police departments.”
Related Story
'Cops' Canceled By Paramount Network; 'Live PD' Return Evaluated By A&E
The cancelation of Live P.D.comes a day after Paramount Network pulled the plug on another docuseries featuring the police, the long-running Cops. At the time, A&E was still evaluating whether the show could come back at the right time. Last night, Live P.D. host Dan Abrams addressed the show’s viewers on Twitter.
“To all of you asking whether #LivePD coming back. . .The answer is yes,” he wrote. “All of us associated with the show are as committed to it as ever. We are still discussing some specifics but I want to assure the #LivePDNation that we are not abandoning you.”
Ultimately, both the network and the production company on Wednesday came to the conclusion that there was currently no path forward for the show in its current form as protesters and politicians are calling for a police reform following the death of Floyd while restrained by a cop during arrest.
The cancelation comes a month after A&E renewed Live PD for an additional 160 episodes.
Live P.D. was ad-supported cable’s #1 show on Fridays and Saturdays in 2019 and has helped A&E become a leading cable network. The series had risen to the top spots in all cable during the pandemic when live sports were suspended, drawing a total of about 3 million viewers per weekend.
Airing Friday and Saturday nights from 9 PM-12 AM, Live P.D. was hosted by Dan Abrams with analysis from Tom Morris Jr. and Sgt. Sean ‘Sticks’ Larkin. It followed police departments from across the country in real time as they patrol their towns. Executive producers for Big Fish Entertainment were Dan Cesareo, Lucilla D’Agostino and John Zito.
EXCLUSIVE: A&E has canceled its flagship series and one of the highest-rated shows on basic cable. A week after Live P.D. was pulled in the wake of George Floyd’s death, the reality series’ hiatus has been made permanent.
The decision was made jointly by A&E and MGM’s Big Fish Entertainment, which produces the show.
“This is a critical time in our nation’s history and we have made the decision to cease production on Live PD,” the network said in a statement to Deadline. “Going forward, we will determine if there is a clear pathway to tell the stories of both the community and the police officers whose role it is to serve them. And with that, we will be meeting with community and civil rights leaders as well as police departments.”
Related Story
'Cops' Canceled By Paramount Network; 'Live PD' Return Evaluated By A&E
The cancelation of Live P.D.comes a day after Paramount Network pulled the plug on another docuseries featuring the police, the long-running Cops. At the time, A&E was still evaluating whether the show could come back at the right time. Last night, Live P.D. host Dan Abrams addressed the show’s viewers on Twitter.
“To all of you asking whether #LivePD coming back. . .The answer is yes,” he wrote. “All of us associated with the show are as committed to it as ever. We are still discussing some specifics but I want to assure the #LivePDNation that we are not abandoning you.”
Ultimately, both the network and the production company on Wednesday came to the conclusion that there was currently no path forward for the show in its current form as protesters and politicians are calling for a police reform following the death of Floyd while restrained by a cop during arrest.
The cancelation comes a month after A&E renewed Live PD for an additional 160 episodes.
Live P.D. was ad-supported cable’s #1 show on Fridays and Saturdays in 2019 and has helped A&E become a leading cable network. The series had risen to the top spots in all cable during the pandemic when live sports were suspended, drawing a total of about 3 million viewers per weekend.
Airing Friday and Saturday nights from 9 PM-12 AM, Live P.D. was hosted by Dan Abrams with analysis from Tom Morris Jr. and Sgt. Sean ‘Sticks’ Larkin. It followed police departments from across the country in real time as they patrol their towns. Executive producers for Big Fish Entertainment were Dan Cesareo, Lucilla D’Agostino and John Zito.
