BBC viewers were heartbroken when its gripping crime drama Hustle drew to a close in 2012 after eight seasons. But more than 14 years after it ended, the hit series could be coming back.
The acclaimed series consistently drew millions of viewers throughout its eight-year run on the BBC and has been hailed as "British TV at its best".
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, actor Adrian Lester, who played conman Michael Stone, revealed he has had "conversations" about the show's return.
© Lidia Crisafulli"I was much younger then, it finished 20 years ago," he said. "Just between us, if you don't tell anyone, there's always conversations about it possibly coming back.
"It's something that's been really well loved by the public, it was a great success for BBC and for Kudos, the producers, and we are ever hopeful that in some way, shape, or form, it might come back on our screens," added the actor, who is starring in the West End production of Cyrano De Bergerac at the Noel Coward Theatre from June.
© Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock PhotoAs a huge crime drama fan, I'd love to see the return of Hustle, which made Adrian a household name in the UK and kept audiences gripped with its engaging plot presented by a lovable group of rogues.
Keep reading to find out more…
What is Hustle about?
The series follows a gang of five expert con artists operating in London.
Adrian plays gang leader Mickey 'Bricks' Stone, who is released from prison after serving a sentence for attacking his ex-wife's lover. The smooth-talking conman turns to his old crew to pull off one last job.
© ITVRobert Glenister, Matt Di Angelo, Marc Warren and Robert Vaughn also starred in the show.
What have viewers and critics said about the show?
It's safe to say that the show has a loyal fanbase, who have praised the series as "spectacular" and one of the best crime dramas "from this century".
© Channel 5 Television / Story Films / Szymon LazewskiUpon its 2004 release, the series was hailed as a "well-acted, snappily directed drama," by The Times, while The Guardian described the show as "snappily scripted, slickly suited-and-booted and pacily edited."
How to watch Hustle
All eight seasons of Hustle are available to binge-watch on BBC iPlayer now.
