Gritty cop drama THE SHIELD is to end after one more season.

The show, which stars Michael Chiklis as a no-nonsense cop, has been critically acclaimed throughout its six-season run in America, and that success has materialised abroad, where the show has become a cult hit in Europe.

Movie stars Glenn Close and Forest Whitaker have both been past regulars on the show.

The entire seventh season of the drama, including the finale, has already been shot. It will air this autumn (08) in America.