This is the sad reason why Big Little Lies will not return for a third season

Say it isn’t so!

Say it isn’t so!

When Big Little Lies first came to our screens, it was clear from the get-go that the Sky Atlantic adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s bestselling book and its female-led cast were going to be a smash hit.

The second series, released this summer, has only raised the game, progressing the story of the ‘Monterey Five’ and bringing Meryl Streep into the already-iconic girl gang of Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern and Zoe Kravitz.

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From court cases and Nicole-Meryl slaps to terrifying Alexander Skarsgard flashback scenes, this series has been non-stop drama. It’s hardly surprising therefore that fans are already calling for confirmation of a third season, something that unfortunately it has been announced is unlikely to happen.

But it’s not down to a lack of demand, instead the opposite, with HBO President Casey Bloys revealing that making a filming schedule work around six of the busiest actresses in the world would be impossible.

‘The reality is, they are some of the busiest actresses working in Hollywood. I just think it's not realistic,’ he explained to TV Line. ‘I love this group of people - I would do anything with them.’

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He continued: ‘We have deals with some of them -- Nicole is doing her next show with us. Look, if they all came to me and said, “We worked out all of our schedules!” - then sure. But I just don't think it's realistic.’

Tell us there’s still hope!

Big Little Lies series two airs its final episode on Sky Atlantic on June 22 - see you there.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.