The series finished because Southern Television lost its franchise. Much to Jon Pertwee's bemusement, no other company would take it despite its ratings success.
This series had a long journey to the screen. Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall intended to make it as a movie and wrote a script. They asked Jon Pertwee to play the role but were unable to raise the money or the distribution. Pertwee asked them to write a pilot for television but the BBC and Thames Television turned it down before Southern Television picked it up.
The series spawned a hit single for Jon Pertwee called "Worzel's Song", which reached number 33 on the UK Singles Chart in 1980. Pertwee had previously failed to chart with a Doctor Who (1963)-related single.
Although it was primarily a children's series, Jon Pertwee said in an interview that 65% of the viewers were adults.