“Arthur” first aired on PBS KIDS in 1996.
PBS
The beloved PBS show “Arthur” will end after its 25th season.
Rumors of the show’s cancelation surfaced earlier this month after “Arthur” writer Kathy Waugh appeared on an episode of the podcast “Finding D.W.” Waugh said the show was no longer in production and the final episode had been completed two years prior.
On Wednesday, the show’s executive producer Carol Greenwald confirmed the show would be ending in 2022.
“‘Arthur’ is the longest-running kids animated series in history and is known for teaching kindness, empathy and inclusion through many groundbreaking moments to generations of viewers,” Greenwald said in a statement.
She said the show will continue to be available on PBS Kids.
“Arthur,” which first aired in 1996, follows an eight-year-old aardvark as he navigates life with his family —including his precocious sister D.W. — friends and school. It is based on the books by Marc Brown. The show has featured characters from different cultures, classes and backgrounds and showcased boundary pushing moments like a same-sex wedding. The series has won four Emmys.
Greenwald did not address why the show was being canceled, but said producer GBH and PBS Kids were “continuing to work together on additional Arthur content, sharing the lessons of Arthur and his friends in new ways.”
