The White Queen will not be returning for a second series, the BBC has confirmed.
The historical drama's broadcaster denied that it had turned down an option for a second instalment of the lavish drama, set against the backdrop of the War Of The Roses, and said that it was 'never actually conceived as a returnable series'.
The White Queen, reported to have cost £25 million, was based on some of the novels in Philippa Gregory's historical series The Cousins' War.
Starring Max Irons, the son of Jeremy Irons, as Edward IV and Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson as Elizabeth Woodville, it launched with over six million viewers but fell to around four million.
BBC Controller of Drama Ben Stephenson called the drama, which was filmed in Belgium, 'one of the most ambitious series the BBC has made'.
But it was criticised for its historical inaccuracies, with viewers pointing out that the characters 'had access to Persil' and the presence of 'zips and buttons on the dresses' and 'handrails and concrete steps'.
A BBC spokeswoman said: "The White Queen will not be returning, but it is important to note that it was never actually conceived as a returnable series but a 10 part series."
