ɪn fˈɛbɹuːˌɛɹi tˈuː θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪt, ˌaɪtˌiːvˈiː ɐnˈaʊnst ðæt ɹᵻbjˈuːz hɐdbɪn ˈækst, ɐmˈɪd ɹᵻpˈoːɹts ðæt stˈɑːt hæd tˈoʊld pɹədˈuːsɚz hiː dɪdnˌɑːt wˈɔnt tə kəntˈɪnjuː ɪnðə ɹˈoʊl.
In February 2008, ITV announced that Rebus had been axed, amid reports that Stott had told producers he did not want to continue in the role.