As we reported yesterday, Merlin is ending with season five. There’s some difference of opinion about whether the show was actually cancelled or whether it is coming to a natural close.

Merlin executive producers Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy have announced that they’re leaving Shine TV at the end of the year. When they leave, the company will cease to exist.

More importantly to fans, possible Merlin spin-offs are being explored by the Shine Group and Fremantle Media Enterprise (which holds the exclusive distribution rights to the Merlin series outside of the UK). New projects would take place in the Camelot timeframe but may or may not involve existing characters.

If there is a Merlin sequel project of some kind, Kudos Film and Television will produce it. Kudos is part of Shine Group.

Of their leaving, Capps and Murphy said: “It has been a wonderful five years with Merlin and ten overall with Shine, but we have always had the ambition to branch out ourselves at some point and now feels the time to take that leap. We do so with great memories, respect and best wishes for our Shine colleagues and in the knowledge that if there were to be any subsequent adventures, the world of Camelot is in safe hands.”

Shine Group chief executive, Alex Mahon said: “Merlin has been an amazing success domestically and internationally, it goes out with an epic finale worthy of this amazing series and we are excited about potential future stories that could be told about the Camelot universe. We are also understanding of Johnny and Julian wanting to try something of their own at this juncture, they do so with everybody at Shine’s best wishes after a decade of being great colleagues.”

What do you think? Woud you be interested in seeing new shows based in the Merlin universe? What should they be about?