Co-creator and writer of (British) Skins, Jamie Brittain, who launched the show in January 2007, last night confirmed his departure from the controversial teen drama. He said: “I’ve just said everything I want to say. It’s time for new writers to come forward and portray their truth about teenagers.”
Nice words but the truth is that Skins is bombing – after the fifth series saw viewing figures fall by half and fans queuing up to blast the show on internet forums it was clearly time for a change. Jamie claimed the sixth series – commissioned by E4 bosses at the same time as series five – will be “amazing” when it is screened next year.
He told a fan he was not “abandoning” the show and insisted it was “just time for me to go.” Series five, featuring a “third generation” of cast members, ended with just over 600,000 viewers – way down on series four which ended with a combined E4 and E4+1 audience of 1.1million.
Even loyal fans turned off from the show, which starred Dakota Blue Richards (Franky), Alexander Arnold (Rich), Freya Mavor (Mini), Sean Teale (Nick), Laya Lewis (Liv), Sebastian de Souza (Matty) and Jessica Sula (Grace).
One wrote online: “This series was by far the worst – dreary and predictable.” Another moaned: “The only reason it is getting a sixth series is because it was commissioned in advance.” New writers will have to be found, but insiders fear that the show is nearing the end. A source said: “It doesn’t look like there’s much life in Skins any more.”
Never fear – as long as there is big money in it producers will come up with new ways to scandalize and shock us.