David Farnor | On 17, Aug 2024

Amazon has cancelled My Lady Jane after one season.

The series, created by Gemma Burgess, is inspired by the best-selling book and presents a radical retelling of English royal history. In a similar vein to The Great, it reimagines the past to show us a world in which King Henry VIII’s son Edward does not die of tuberculosis, Lady Jane Grey is not beheaded by Bloody Mary, and neither is her rascal of a husband, Guildford. At the centre of this rollicking new series is the headstrong Jane, who is unexpectedly crowned queen overnight and finds herself the target of nefarious villains coming for the crown.

Throwing in some shape-shifting fantastical elements to boot, the result was an unexpected romp – with a star cast that includes Emily Bader, Edward Bluemel, Rob Brydon, Anna Chancellor, Dominic Cooper, Kate O’Flynn, Kevin Eldon and Jordan Peters.

The epic tale of true love and high adventure – where the damsel in distress saves herself, her true love, and then the Kingdom – premiered on Amazon Prime Video in June, to a rave reception.

“This sparkling period fantasy is a playful, revisionist romp that looks at history with a magical wink,” we wrote in our review.

Nonetheless, Amazon has taken the surprise decision not to renew the show for a second season, as it – like other streamers – prioritises projects that can capture what it deems to be a wide enough audience to reward its spending.

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