Showtime Renews ‘Shameless’ For 11th And Final Season

It’s time to say goodbye to the Gallaghers. Showtime announced on Monday that its John Wells drama Shameless starring William H. Macy has been renewed for an 11th and final season. It will be joining Homeland as one of Showtime’s long-running shows to end its run this year.

According to Deadline, President of Entertainment at Showtime Networks Gary Levine announced the news at the Winter TCA Press Tour. Levine shared the sentiments of many fans, however, he also promised that the shows finale season would be just as enjoyable as ever. “Airing this summer, it will be one last hurrah for the Gallaghers and their unique blend of love and lechery,” Levine said. “John Wells and his gifted cast promise to take Shameless out for a bang, and knowing Gallaghers we all as we all do, that is no idle threat.”

Based on the British show of the same title, Shameless revolves around the lives of the scrappy, feisty, and dysfunctional Gallagher family as they try to cope with the challenges around them in Chicago’s South Side. It stars Macy, Jeremy Allen White, Ethan Cutkosky, Shanola Hampton, Steve Howey, Emma Kenney, Cameron Monaghan, Christian Isaiah, Noel Fisher, and Kate Miner. It was created by Paul Abbott. And Wells is serving as executive producer alongside Nancy M. Pimental and Joe Lawson.

“I’m unbelievably thankful for all of the years of support from [Showtime Entertainment president] Gary Levine and everyone at Showtime that’s allowed us to make Shameless,” Wells said in a statement. “It’s been a fantastic experience and all of us in the cast and crew have had a wonderful time following the lives of the Gallagher family and friends. It’s been a pleasure!”

The series, which premiered in 2010, has been bringing Showtime its highest rating season after season. And back in November, lead star Macy also publicly declared that he’d love to continue doing the show as long as everyone else wants it. In an interview with EW, he said,” I’ll make this show forever as long as the cast members want to keep doing it…But you never know, at some point either the network or the cast is going to tell me that they’ve had enough and at that moment we will bid the Gallaghers goodbye. I never thought we were going to get it on the air in the first place so every bit of it has been a blessing.”

Now, the time has come indeed. With 11 seasons, Shameless equals the season length of the original British show that Wells took inspiration from. Currently, the show is inching towards the end of Season 10 with two episodes left to go. It’s 11th and final season will premiere this summer.