Writer Graham Linehan has become increasingly vociferous on Twitter today following the news that his sitcom The Walshes has been axed. 

The sitcom, created by sketch group Diet of Worms in collaboration with Linehan, ran for three episodes first on BBC4 and then on BBC2. It will not be returning, according to the BBC.

Linehan had previously written on Twitter: "I really struggle to grasp the point of putting out a three episode series, giving it no publicity, and then pulling it. Befuddling." And he defended the BBC Head of Comedy. "I should say that Shane Allen, who brought The Walshes over to BBC2, always fought hard for it. The order to nix it came from higher up."

The news prompted a wave of support on social media from fans who had loved the short series. Gari Maccoll said: "Some days you just want to give the BBC a slap. The Walshes was a joy.” JoMoFoBro wrote: “It’s criminal that this gets canned while shit like Mrs Brown gets a movie..."

Linehan tweeted: “Ok, now we've solved the problems in the Middle east, let's talk about BBC2 cancelling The Walshes….”

He then collected all the supportive tweets and put them together. You can read them here: 

There has frequently been talk of social media having the power to get a programme axed. There was Dapper Laughs last year and some suggested that Twitter had a hand in Ben Elton's 2013 sitcom The Wright Way not being recommissioned. With a campaign growing could The Walshes be the first sitcom brought back thanks to Twitter?