Is Popstar to Operastar facing axe?

Popstar to Operastar is reportedly going to be axed by ITV after just one series.

Bosses are said to be unhappy with how the show performed in the ratings, with just 4.6 million tuning in to see Darius Campbell crowned the show's winner on Friday night.

An insider told The Sun: "Ratings did pick up towards the end, but the reality is it just didn't capture the public's interest.

"We thought it would be like Soapstar Superstar, which bagged seven million. But it just proved that people weren't fussed about it."

It's also thought that bosses had hoped to attract much bigger names onto the show, which saw pop singers learn to perform opera songs.

The source said: "Last year, there was talk of getting massive names like Kimberley Walsh from Girls Aloud as a contestant and Charlotte Church as a judge. But in the end the 'stars' were of a much lower calibre."

Darius, who found fame on Pop Idol in 2002, beat singer turned actress Bernie Nolan on Friday night.

Other stars who took part in the show included Coronation Street's Kym Marsh, McFly's Danny Jones, singer Jimmy Osmond and Vanessa White from The Saturdays.

A decision on whether the show will get a second series is expected within weeks.

A spokesman for ITV said: "In a competitive schedule, Popstar to Operastar performed well and built its audience over the series.

"As the run has only just finished, no decision has yet been made on a re-commission."