THOUSANDS of fans have signed a petition to save iconic TV show River City after it was announced it would be axed by the BBC.
The drama, which has been an audience favourite since 2002 and is filmed in Dumbarton, will air its final series in autumn 2026.
The BBC said it had reflected on a "significant change in audience behaviour" away from long-running series and towards shorter runs.
At the time of writing, the petition has almost 4500 signatures.
Launched by the performing arts and entertainment trade union Equity, the petition is specifically calling for the BBC to reverse the decision.
The petition states: "The £9 million annual budget is excellent value for money given the hours of programming produced throughout the year for a successful show pulling in a regular audience of 500,000 per episode.
"The Glasgow-based show is well-loved by Scottish audiences, enjoys strong ratings, and won ‘Best Drama’ at the RTS Scotland 2023 awards.
"It is the only domestic Scottish soap running on TV and outperforms other TV series by more than 2.5 times. It provides work for dozens of Scottish actors every year. River City is thriving and successful in its current format.
"There is no way that the BBC can replace the level of investment and job creation that River City provides to the Scottish economy and Scottish culture sector. Any alternative proposals the BBC offers will inevitably hurt Scottish culture workers and and TV production."
One signatory said: "River City is not simply a 'TV show' (and one of the few occasions when ordinary Scots see and hear themselves). It is a hothouse of talent encompassing every aspect of TV; a proving ground and centre of excellence, where trainees learn from experienced professionals.
"Trainees there become directors, makeup designers, and producers.
"Scottish crews are respected across the world and a lot of that is due to River City. Axing it would be a devastating blow to the industry."
The BBC has been asked for comment.
