A sad day, by all accounts.

Yesterday, RTÉ devastated fans, both young and old, after announcing that the reboot of The Den has been cancelled. While many of us grew up with the beloved children's TV show, and its colourful array of characters - Dustin the Turkey is a national treasure after all - younger generations weren't afforded that same privilege. However, the whipper-snappers of today were offered a glimmer of hope last year, as The Den hit our screens once more with a much-needed reboot. The show's second host, Ray D'Arcy returned to his role some 30 years after his debut. The reboot saw Dustin, Zig and Zag join D'Arcy on Sunday evenings for some unscripted chaos, while an impressive line-up of guests, including Stephen Fry and Mark Hamill called in via Zoom. Unfortunately, The Den will not be returning for future seasons. In a statement issued last night, RTÉ said: "The return of The Den to our screens was a huge success on RTÉ One, however there are no plans for a new season at this time." https://twitter.com/DoubleZCreative/status/1445419207911481346?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1445419207911481346%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fevoke.ie%2F2021%2F10%2F05%2Fentertainment%2Ftv%2Fthe-den-cancelled Double Z, the script-writing company behind the show, also shared the news. They tweeted: "Well, sad news to report today. We found out from the bosses that #TheDen won't be coming back after all. Thankz to all the old fans and the new ones for tuning in! We had a blast!" The Den first hit our screens in 1986, and ran continuously until 2010, establishing itself as a staple of the Irish childhood experience. In the replies, fans shared their sadness. One wrote: "Thank you for bringing much needed light into our lives during these strange times." Another said: "Ah no. Well, it was great fun while it lasted, thanks for putting a smile on my face." Others pleaded with other networks or streaming platforms - like Virgin Media or Netflix - to pick it up. Make it happen, lads.