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“Empire’s” reign is coming to an end



FOX has revealed today that the previously announced sixth season of “Empire” will also be the drama’s last. The announcement comes a little less than two weeks after the veteran drama received its sixth season renewal, and less than a week after the series wrapped up its fifth season on the network.

“We are turning the final season into a large TV event,” said FOX Entertainment CEO, Charlie Collier. “We are trying to go out guns a-blazing. One of the great benefits of announcing the final season is that it actually allows fans to lean in and have the ending they deserve. Six years is a remarkable run.”

Like several other scripted shows this season, “Empire” took a noticeable ratings hit year-to-year. In its fifth season, the series averaged a 1.4 live + same day rating among adults 18-49 with a 4.52 million viewer average, down from its fourth season’s 1.8 and 5.66 million viewer averages.

However, despite that ratings decline, “Empire” remained FOX’s second-highest-rated drama of the season, behind only “9-1-1.” Its renewal was expected this season, but with this announcement, the show’s fans will now have plenty of time to prepare themselves for the show’s conclusion.