Cold Feet is taking a break – but will return “when the time is right”

Since its inception in 1997, Cold Feet has become synonymous with Manchester, and in the ensuing years, its cast has evolved along with the city’s skyline.

Just as the characters have aged and met mid-life’s highs and lows head on, Manchester’s changed beyond recognition, and its new glossy veneer has been showcased throughout the series.

But just as we’ve got used to seeing the cast filming on the city’s streets, it’s time to bid them adieu with the news that series nine, which concluded on Monday night, will be the last for the foreseeable future.

It’s not the first time the show’s taken a break.

After an initial five series run, the cast disbanded in 2003 before reuniting in 2016 for a further four series.

Now the show’s creator Mike Bullen has said he wants to rest the show again, allowing time to pass before exploring the characters – Adam (James Nesbitt), Karen (Hermione Norris), Jenny (Fay Ripley), Pete (John Thomson) and David (Robert Bathurst) – and their stories at a later stage.

“We feel we’ve explored to our satisfaction the issues confronting the characters at this stage of their lives and we want to give them all a little time to move on, to put clear water between the stories we’ve told thus far and the issues they’ll be exploring when they are empty nesters staring down the barrel of grandparenthood,” says Bullen.

“We’re looking forward to returning at a later date to document the agony and the ecstasy of the third age…”.

In a joint statement, Nesbitt, Norris, Bathurst, Ripley and Thomson said, “The Cold Feet team has proved that life never stops being funny, challenging and bittersweet. So, although the show will take a well-earned break, we all look forward, when the time is right, to returning to warm the nation’s hearts once again.”

Executive producer Kenton Allen, added: “We’re so proud to have brought Cold Feet back for four amazing series and are now taking a well-earned holiday and saying au-revoir and definitely not farewell to a much loved series that has defined generations of ITV viewers.”

In the final episode of series nine, we saw Adam and Karen’s relationship thrown into jeopardy when she was offered a glittering new job in London.

Although they didn’t head off on a European adventure in their camper van, it looks like they’ve come to a compromise that should see them survive the test of time.

There was more romance for David as he officially reunited with his ex-wife Robyn (Lucy Robinson) after Karen had acted as their go-between, and Jenny’s mammogram results came back clear, which allowed her and Pete to reassess what’s important in life – and it’s the simple things, not a mind-blowing bucket-list.

As always Manchester played a starring role.

The interior scenes were shot at Space Studios in Gorton, while familiar spots across the city made an appearance, including Castlefield.

There was an exterior shot of The Wharf, Adam’s son Matthew had a heart to heart with Karen on the bridge that arches over the canal, and his 18th celebrations took place inside Barca.

The lads’ favourite watering hole The Woodstock Arms in Didsbury also popped up, as did sunset scenes and nightscapes of the city’s skyline.

If it’s another 13 years before the Cold Feet cast returns, it’ll be interesting to see how Manchester’s changed, just as much as the characters.

Catch up with Cold Feet on ITV Hub.