Vanessa Williams 'devastated' over axing of Ugly Betty

Actress Vanessa Williams has spoken out about the cancelling of Ugly Betty, telling journalists the cast are 'devastated'

Ugly Betty star Vanessa Williams has spoken of her devastation after hearing the award-winning show has been axed.

The 46-year-old, who plays bitchy magazine chief Wilhelmina Slater in the comedy, told journalists: 'I gotta be honest, we're devastated. We're sad, we're not ready for it to end.'

US network ABC called for the show to be cancelled last week after four series. Although Ugly Betty was a critical success when it started in 2006, there has been a drop in viewing figures recently, with ratings in America falling from 8.1m to 5.3m viewers between the third and fourth series.

Adamant that the standards of the show have not slipped, Williams attributed its dip in popularity to scheduling changes, adding that loyal viewers had lost touch with Ugly Betty after it stopped airing on a Thursday.

She said: 'Our season this year has been the best we've ever had. But numbers and ratings were a concern. A lot of people couldn't even find us.'