Royal Bodyguard set for the chop? (From Surrey Comet)

Royal Bodyguard set for the chop?

11:32am Wednesday 15th February 2012 in National Entertainment News © Press Association 2011

Sir David Jason's new drama The Royal Bodyguard is likely to be axed, according to reports.

The Sun said that there was little possibility of TV bosses bringing back the BBC One show after the first series was heavily panned by critics and suffered a dramatic fall in the ratings.

An insider was quoted as saying: "Unfortunately the show just did not work out. Ratings fell and it got a mauling in the press. It is highly unlikely that it will return."

Sir David recently admitted his first comedy project since Only Fools And Horses wasn't up to expectations.

"You can't get it right all the time. We tried, we had a good go, we enjoyed doing it and, yeah, perhaps I think we didn't quite bring it off," he was quoted as saying.

The Royal Bodyguard, which starred Sir David as the Queen's bungling royal protection officer, attracted more than seven million viewers on its Boxing Day debut but dropped to 2.9 million two weeks later.

A BBC spokesman told The Sun that no decision had yet been made on the show's future.