Simon Mayo and Mark Kermode have announced their beloved Film Review programme on BBC 5 Live will come to an end very soon.
After more than two decades on air, the pair’s final episode will air in April, marking the end of an era after 21 years reviewing the best – and worst- movies out there.
In a message from the official Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review account on Twitter, Mayo announced the genuinely sad news with his trademark humour.
He wrote: ’21 years is a long time to be clogging up the schedules.
‘We – and no one else – have decided to step away… To withdraw… to spread out wings… to exit, pursued by a bear.’
They confirmed the last-ever show will air on BBC Radio 5 Live on April 1, just a few short weeks away.
Fans have, understandably, been left devastated by the news, with fellow film critic Linda Marric responding to the announcement with the words: ‘I fear I may never stop crying.’
Another film reviewer paid tribute to both critics for inspiring them throughout their career, writing in a genuinely heartfelt message: ‘Mark Kermode has been the person I’ve looked up to when I started writing about film.
‘Simon Mayo has been someone I’ve loved listening to over the years from when I was a child.
‘The combination of your voices and personalities have inspired me for many years. Sad to see you go.’
Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review first aired on BBC 5 in 2001, and was an immediate hit, thanks in part to Kermode’s now-infamous rants on the films he didn’t like, which includes pretty much everything from Michael Bay.
The show continued to grow in popularity over the years, and in 2014 was named BBC Radio’s second-most downloaded podcast.
While fans are devastated by the news, others are hoping against hope that all might not be as it seems, thanks to the duo’s famous humour and the date the last episode is due to air.
April Fools? We can only hope.
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