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The Wrap is reporting that Nickelodeon has announced the unfortunate news that the networks hit original comedy series "Sam & Cat" has officially been canceled after just one season after the shows stars Ariana Grande and Jennette McCurdy decided to leave the production to follow other career opportunities and paths. A Nickelodeon spokesperson confirmed the news in a statement released to TheWrap:
"Nickelodeon will not be producing more episodes of 'Sam & Cat.' We are very proud of the show and its very talented cast and we wish them all the best."
According to individuals with knowledge of the situation, the time was right for everyone. "They [Ariana and Jennette] are both 21 and are pursuing successful new paths in their careers," one insider told TheWrap.
Nickelodeon placed "Sam & Cat" on "permanent hiatus" in April 2014 after production came to a halt a week earlier than scheduled amid reported continuing behind-the-scenes drama and tension causing emotions to run high and the shows stars Jennette McCurdy and Ariana Grande to arrive late for filming new episodes, leaving
four episodes unproduced. Filming and production for second season (season 2) was penciled in for later this year. For the past couple of weeks, Nickelodeon USA has been promoting all-new episodes of "Sam & Cat" as the '...to-last episode of Sam & Cat'.
The series finale episode of "Sam & Cat", "#GettinWiggy", is currently scheduled to premiere on Nickelodeon USA
on Thursday 17th July 2014. "Sam & Cat" will continue to be part of Nick's schedule in repeats.
"Sam & Cat" has been a massive ratings hit for Nickelodeon USA and for Nickelodeon channels around the world. The UK premiere of the first episode of "Sam & Cat", "#Pilot", on Nickelodeon UK in October 2013 drew an average of 240,100 kids and 293,700 overall viewers and was Nickelodeon UK's best series launch ever
in Nick UK's 20 year history.
Nickelodeon hit maker Dan Schneider, the creator of "Sam & Cat", currently has a brand-new crime-fighting comedy series in the works for Nickelodeon titled "Henry Danger". Created and written by hitmaker Dan Schneider and Dana Olsen ("George of the Jungle", "Inspector Gadget"), "Henry Danger" is a brand-new crime-fighting comedy features 13-year-old Henry (Jace Norman) who lands a part-time job as Danger Boy, a sidekick-in-training to super crime fighter Captain Man (Cooper Barnes, "The Perfect Host"). Their colorful adventures throw Henry's otherwise ordinary life absurdly out of balance, yet he must keep his new job a secret from his best friends Charlotte (Riele Downs, "The Best Man Holiday") and Jasper (Sean Ryan Fox). Nick USA will premiere the pilot TV movie of "Henry Danger"
on Saturday 26th July 2014 at 8:00pm (ET/PT)
"Sam & Cat" is a spin-off of Dan Schneider's hit Nickelodeon shows "iCarly" and "VICTORiOUS".
UPDATE (7/14): Nickelodeon Star Ariana Grande, who portrays the character 'Cat Valentine' on the hit Nickelodeon sitcom "Sam & Cat", has released a heartfelt message about the cancellation of "Sam & Cat" in a
special TwitLonger post on her
official Twitter profile page,
@ArianaGrande, in which the actress and singer shares her feelings on the matter, bid farewell to the crew, talks about what she hopes the future holds for the characters of "Victorious", and to thank her fans:
So the news is out about Sam & Cat. I felt it wasn't my place to make any sort of announcement so I kept quiet until now. I want to thank Nickelodeon for making a childhood dream of mine come true, for being a family to me, for being so accommodating and supportive of my multitasking with my music career, and for of course introducing me to many of my fans however many years ago. I want to thank Dan Schneider (@DanWarp) for allowing me to play such a special, beautiful character who I hid behind for so long. What I mean by that is when I was younger, people loved Cat so much I used to pretend to be more like her. It took me a long time to be brave enough to separate myself and show people how different we actually are.... I think that's honestly because I admire her so much. Her appreciation for life and everybody she encounters. Her passion and genuine excitement for the little things that most people dread like school projects and work. She always saw negative obstacles as opportunities to make things good.
I will always hold Cat near and dear to my heart and appreciate her help in my personal growth from teenager to adult. I know she seems like a simple, daft character (and she is) but she played such a huge part in my life I just wanted to express my appreciation for her and share some of the things I love most about her. I think a lot of people could take a page out of her book...... she wouldn't judge anybody by their appearance.... she believed the best in people.... she wasn't afraid of anything or anybody.... she never let people's judgements hold her back from doing what she wanted, acting how she wanted, dressing how she wanted wanted, dying her hair however she wanted... she never held back her enthusiasm or joy for fear of appearing some sort of way or for fear of jinxing the good that is real (which is something I personally do all the time but I wish I could shake that and celebrate every little thing like she does).
One of my favorite things about Cat was that she never lost her sense of wonder. As we grow up we become more and more jaded and fearful of how we come across. We hold back a little more, protect ourselves a little more and although Cat goes through the same ridicule as anybody else does growing up, she never changed or lost her childlike wonder. To me that's the bravest, most special thing about her. She actually reminds me a lot of Frankie in that way.
So I know a lot of people will think this is a lot for some 'dumb' kids show character.... but to me she is actually a lot smarter, stronger and braver than all the rest of us.
Hopefully we'll find out one day if Cat & Robbie ever got married. If I had any say in the story from here on out I'd make sure they were happily married with sweet, eccentric, Jewish, artificially red headed babies. Cat would constantly find herself reminding Aunt Sam to leave the butter sock and other dangerous weapons out of the house. They'd live down the street from Jade and Beck, also happily married with purple and black haired, pale, grungy, beautiful, goth babies. :)
Thank you to the cast and crew who I spent almost every day with for a good 4 or 5 years. Thanks for lighting us beautifully, shooting us beautifully, making the most incredible props, yelling at us when we were running late to set, keeping us on track and most of all for making it such a positive work environment. The guys behind the scenes couldn't have been more pleasant or hard working and I appreciate them for that so much. I can't imagine that there is a more pleasant or professional crew in Hollywood.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to a true friend of mine, Dan Schneider. I will never take these memories or lessons learned for granted.
Lastly, thank you to my fans who have been with me since all of this started... you are the most loyal, dedicated and continuously loving supporters I could ever imagine. We've been through so much and you are still here... and we've got a long way to go. :)
Thank you for believing in me, accepting me and loving me. I love you forever.
UPDATE (7/13) - From
Deadline.com:
Nickelodeon's 'Sam & Cat' To End Run After One Season
After being put on a “permanent hiatus” in April following some behind-the-scene drama, Nickelodeon hit comedy series Sam & Cat has been being officially cancelled, with promos for the last produced episode, No. 36, #Getting Wiggy, calling it a series finale. “Nickelodeon will not be producing more episodes of Sam & Cat,” the network said in a statement. “We are very proud of the show and its very talented cast and we wish them all the best.”
Sam & Cat had been a runaway success by any measure. The series, from proven hitmaker Dan Schneider, brought together two popular characters from two popular Nick series – iCarly's Sam Puckett and Victorious' Cat Valentine — played by two of the network's best-known stars and best friends, Jennette McCurdy and Ariana Grande, respectively. The series has been a ratings hit, quickly becoming Nickelodeon’s highest-rated series. Last July, only a month into Sam & Cat’s run, Nick doubled its freshman order from 20 to 40 episodes. Its hourlong Jan. 18 episode drew 4.8 million total viewers.
But as production went on for Sam & Cat‘s 40-episode first season, rumors started circulating about discord on the set, with emotions running high and McCurdy and Grande sometimes showing up late. The grueling, 40-episode shoot had been taxing on everyone. Additionally, McCurdy had been going through a difficult time in her personal life for the past six months and recently had to deal with the leak of racy photos, while Grande’s music career has taken off big time. Both have been at Nickelodeon for a long time, McCurdy for more than seven years and Grande for more than four. Both are entering adulthood, and word is both were feeling constrained at kids-focused Nickelodeon and are ready to move on.
Things came to a head in late March when McCurdy publicly accused Nickelodeon of unfair treatment. She also fueled speculation about a rift with her longtime best friend Grande by un-following Grande on social media and not joining her co-star at Nickelodeon's Kids Choice Awards. A few days later, production on the series was shut down with four episodes from Season 1 left to shoot. They will not be filmed, and there will not be a second season either. Meanwhile, Nick is in production on the new comedy series from Schneider, the 20-episode Henry Danger.
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