London, Feb 07 : The classic kids drama 'Grange Hill', which was launched in 1978, has been axed after 30 years, BBC announced.

The East London school drama, which had quickly became a must-watch show for British kids, is out of date and will be replaced with newer shows, the bosses stated.

The BBC execs decided to stop the show, as it no longer reflected the way the kids are living. The last series of the cult kids show - which made household names of stars such Todd Carty - will air later this year.

"Part of CBBC's reputation for reflecting contemporary Britain back to UK children has been built upon [Grange Hill] and of course it's sad to say goodbye to such a much loved institution," the Sun quoted boss Anne Gilchrist as saying.

"The lives of children have changed a great deal since Grange Hill began and we owe it to our audience to reflect this," she said.

"We're actively seeking out new and exciting ways of bringing social realism to the CBBC audience through drama and other genres," she added. range Hill's producers Lime Pictures are already making a new show, set in the north east and written by author Jeanette Winterson.

"For 30 years, Grange Hill has become a byword for realistic and contemporary children's drama," BBC drama head Jon East said.

"It's now time to apply what we've learned over the years to some of the new ideas we're exploring," he added.

"It has been a privilege to be involved with one of the great titles in the history of British television," Tony Wood, Creative Director of Lime Pictures, added.

'Grange Hill' had gained critical acclaim for never shying away from difficult storylines, including teenage pregnancy and drug addiction.

ANI