BBC drops Rough Diamond

The BBC will not be commissioning a second series of the horseracing drama Rough Diamond.

The programme, which was broadcast on Sunday evenings in February and March, was filmed on location in Ireland. The six-part family drama concerned the attempts of struggling trainer Aidan Doherty to hang on to his yard with the help of Ben, the teenage son he didn’t know he had.

The programme’s maker World Productions said it was “disappointed” by BBC Northern Ireland’s decision.

The series attracted an audience of 4.9m for the opening episode, but only 3.9m people watched the final instalment.

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