The BBC has cancelled Ripper Street after two seasons on the air. The cast and crew were notified this week. The show airs on BBC America here in the states.

Ripper Street begins in Whitechapel in London’s East End, six months after the infamous Jack the Ripper murders. The men of H Division had searched for the killer but didn’t catch him. When more women are murdered, they wonder if the killer has returned. The show’s cast includes Matthew Macfadyen, Jerome Flynn, Adam Rothenberg, MyAnna Buring, Charlene McKenna, David Dawson, Amanda Hale, Damien Molony, Joseph Mawle, and Frank Harper.

Flynn broke the news during an interview on radio station BBC London 94.9. The actor said, “We found out this week that the third series of Ripper Street isn’t going. We’re all in shock. It was up against I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! and that’s been cited as one of the reasons in terms of viewing figures… We’re all in absolute shock because it’s a wonderful job and we feel like it’s kind of this unfinished work. So we’re hoping it will turn around if anyone from the BBC is listening.”

He added, “There’s these wonderful storylines which Richard [Warlow] and Toby [Finlay], the writers, have marked out and it’s one of the most captivating characters I’ve played and also been part of in terms of the story, so it is suddenly like a marriage being broken”

A BBC spokesperson confirmed the news and told Digital Spy, “We are very proud of Ripper Street which has enjoyed two highly ambitious series on BBC One… However, the second series didn’t bring the audience we hoped and in order to make room for creative renewal and new ideas it won’t be returning.”

Season two of Ripper Street was expected to begin airing on BBC America on December 1st but it’s been delayed until 2014.

What do you think? Are you sorry to hear that there won’t be a third season of Ripper Street? Are you hoping that the show is revived somehow?