'Xena' fights on out West

By Keith Perry

Xena goes from strength to strength, but the muscle-bound Hercules will soon hang up his sword and sandals for the last time.

A fall in ratings and rising production costs are blamed for the decision to axe the show, which is filmed in West Auckland.

Its sister series, Xena: Warrior Princess, will continue, thanks to a surge in popularity.

There are no plans to switch Xena's production to the United States.

A new television series is planned to take Hercules' place and will also be filmed in the Waitakere area, although a spokeswoman for producers Pacific Renaissance Pictures declined to give details.

American actor Kevin Sorbo, who took on the Hercules role in 1993 and made five two-hour Hercules movies before the series started in 1995, said he also wanted to pursue other film roles.

"I am sad the show is over and I am actively pursuing more work," he told an American publication.

"From what I understand they're writing a great finale. I've told them, `Whatever you do, don't kill me off.'

"Our final wrap party will be quite emotional," Sorbo said.

A spinoff series, Young Hercules, has also been axed.

News of the new production was welcomed in West Auckland as Hercules is estimated to have been worth $2.5 million annually to the local economy.

Hercules has been filmed mainly at Bethells Beach and a studio in Henderson since 1994.

The producers' spokeswoman, Sue May, said: "Hercules has been enormously popular but it has run its course."

But she said Xena's future was assured. Rumours that the production would switch to the United States were nonsense.

By the time production on the sixth and final series ended in July, Hercules would have filmed 111 episodes and spent an estimated $150 million in New Zealand, said Sue May.

More than 10,000 local extras were hired during filming.

The show averaged six million viewers each week in the United States and is shown in more than 50 countries.

The chief executive of Enterprise Waitakere, Clyde Rogers, said last night that he was delighted a replacement series was planned.

In addition, American production company Spelling Television is shooting a pilot series, Forbidden Island, in the area. It is described as a cross between The X Files and Fantasy Island.

The New Zealand film industry is also looking forward to the boost from the Lord of the Rings trilogy being filmed by Peter Jackson.