BBC SHELVES COMEDY THE POWER OF PARKER AFTER TWO SERIES

The Power Of Parker will not be returning to BBC One for a third series, The Sun newspaper have revealed. A BBC spokesperson confirmed: "There are no plans for a third series of The Power Of Parker."

In the show, set in Manchester, 1990, the last days of Thatcher, we meet Martin Parker (Conleth Hill), a self-made impresario with the ambition of Alan Sugar and the swagger of Kilroy Silk. A man with a chain of electrical stores bearing his name, he seems to have it all. But the truth is, times are changing. He’s swimming in debt, his complicated private life is catching up with him and he’s starting to lose his power.

The Power Of Parker plots his downfall at the hands of all those he’s screwing over with his lust for money, sex and success. Including wife Diane (Rosie Cavaliero), father-in-law Dougie (George Costigan), mobile hairdresser Kath (Sian Gibson) and Kath’s best mate Gladys (Sheila Reid). With 90s' big hair and big laughs to match.

Later this year, the BBC will launch new comedy The Reluctant Vampire. The 6x30' series, based on the books by British comedy legend Eric Morecambe and written by Rob and Neil Gibbons, will see Lenny Rush lead the cast.

He will be joined by Tom Davis (Wonka, King Gary), Sian Clifford (Fleabag), Charlie Cooper (This Country), Asim Chaudhry (People Just Do Nothing), Joe Wilkinson (After Life), Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Ghosts), Esther Smith (Trying), Bill Bailey (Black Books), Ray Fearon (Not Going Out), Ellie May Sheridan (Dodger), Gabriel Nagy (Extra Geography), and multi-award winning stand-up comedian Ross Noble.

Raised in a conventional vampire family, Val (Lenny Rush) isn’t the most natural at the bloodthirsty rites of passage despite his best efforts. Life takes a shocking turn when he discovers — after accidentally coming across his own reflection — that he’s not a vampire after all and his Vampire mum has kept everything secret from him. Until now.

The Reluctant Vampire is set in a typical English village which happens to have a Vampire castle on the hill. The show follows Val, the “Reluctant Vampire”, who by day explores with fascination his newly discovered human side with the help of village girl Gertie (Ellie May Sheridan), but can never let his secret be known to the locals.

Yet by night there’s a coffin-load of expectations from his tradition obsessed vampire dad, Victor, (Tom Davis) his suspicious brother, Vernon, (Gabriel Nagy) and his doting mum Valeeta (Sian Clifford) who is the only one in the family who knows his true self. Val must navigate both worlds without letting his cover be staked.

The Power Of Parker is available now on BBC iPlayer.