River City becomes second soap axed in 2025 already

BBC Scotland has announced that its flagship soap, River City, will be coming to an end next year after more than 20 years on screen.

The drama, which has entertained audiences since September 2002, will air its final series in Autumn 2026.

The end of the show, which has been a fan-favourite for more than two decades, comes as the BBC plans to invest instead in other major dramas set across Scotland, starting with three new series – Counsels, Grams and The Young Team.

The news comes with an official announcement from the BBC that states the soap's end 'reflects a significant change in audience behaviour away from long-running series and towards shorter runs'.

This is the second blow for soap fans in a matter of weeks after Amazon announced that Aussie soap Neighbours would be coming to another end, just two years after it was revived by the streamer.

Neighbours was first canceled by Channel 5, before being revived by Amazon Freevee. However, it was recently revealed that the soap will be 'resting' in December 2025.

The BBC statement about River City reminded fans that there are still great things to come from Scotland-based series, including Granite Harbour season 3, Shetland season 10 and Vigil season 3 all on the cards for the coming months.

Hayley Valentine, Director, BBC Scotland says: “River City has been a wonderful adventure and of course, we’ll all be sad to see it go. The team has done a brilliant job and I know they have some big plans for the finale next year.

"But as viewing patterns change and competition intensifies, this is the right time to invest in the next generation of high-impact drama series from across Scotland showcasing storytelling across the UK. Our goal is to grow Scotland further on the global drama map – with a slate of world-class productions that set the standard not just here but internationally too.”

Louise Thornton Head of Commissioning at BBC Scotland added: “We are incredibly proud of River City and it is with great sadness that we have come to this difficult decision. I want to thank the River City team in front of and behind the cameras for their dedication to the show over the years, past and present. For more than two decades, River City has brought drama to life on screen as well as offering industry training at a grassroots level, and we know that fans of the programme will be really sad to see it go. The show leaves a tremendous legacy behind and the new productions we’ve announced will offer further opportunities."

Plans are underway to ensure River City goes out on a high next year, celebrating the show’s legacy - but how the much-loved soap will come to an end is still being kept tightly under wraps.