John Cleese angered by premature end of US sitcom
John Cleese is upset over ABC's decision to cancel his first US sitcom.
Wednesday 9.30 has been pulled after just two episodes.
He has accused network bosses of being 'scared' by the ratings wars which dominate American TV.
He told The Daily Telegraph: "At the old BBC, they made decisions on gut instinct.
"Nowadays, executives have no idea. They're all scared. They know the axe is going to fall, so the only way not to get axed is for them to try to not make a decision - or just speak at the same time as everybody else."
Cleese says the BBC's attitude over his series The Human Face had made him "depressed to discover how audience-orientated everything had become".
He added: "In the old days, you hardly bothered with that. You asked, 'Was it a good show or not?'
"I know I sound like all old farts. But I just don't think it's as good. It's not just that I'm a curmudgeon.
"It's a marketing world run by people who think they know what they are doing. But those of us in the creative community don't think they have any idea."
