Beloved children’s show “Arthur” will air its final episode in early 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,” the show’s executive producer, Carol Greenwald, said in a statement announcing the show’s conclusion after 25 seasons.
Of course, episodes of the fan favorite will remain available on PBS Kids for years to come, she said.
For the unacquainted, “Arthur” follows the life and adventures of its title 8-year-old aardvark, focusing especially on how he navigates relationships and obstacles among family, friends and school, NPR reported.
The program showed a particular penchant for highlighting characters from different cultures, classes and family backgrounds and even aired a 2019 episode centered on a same-sex wedding, the outlet reported.
Based on Marc Brown’s series of children’s books, “Arthur’s Adventures,” the show actually wrapped up production nearly two years ago, The New York Times reported.
According to the Times, Kathy Waugh, one of the show’s writers, said in an episode of the podcast “Finding D.W.” that the team had disbanded.
“‘Arthur’ is no longer in production,” she told Jason Szwimer, the podcast’s host. “We had our wrap party two years ago.”
Meanwhile, Greenwald said that the producer GBH and PBS Kids are “continuing to work together on additional ‘Arthur’ content, sharing the lessons of ‘Arthur’ and his friends in new ways.”
During its 25-year run, “Arthur” scored multiple Daytime Emmy Awards for “Outstanding Children’s Animated Program,” as well as a Peabody Award, the Times reported.
The show first aired on PBS in 1996, and features a theme song performed by Ziggy Marley, son of Bob Marley, the outlet reported.
