Veep to step down from HBO

US premium cable network HBO is ending political sitcom Veep after seven seasons.

The series has been a solid performer for the Time Warner-owned channel since it launched in 2012.

British comedy writer and producer Armando Iannucci developed it as a US adaptation of The Thick of It, the BBC comedy that ran between in various formats between 2005 and 2012.

Veep star Julia Louis-Deyfus confirmed the news in a tweet, saying there was still “a whole season 7 to write and film”.

The news means HBO will soon lose two of its best performing programmes in coming years, with Game of Thrones ending after its eighth season in either 2018 or 2019.

Veep’s audience was down significantly in season six, but HBO has still happy to hand it a seventh run. It has sold extensively overseas.