Hit show The Originals to end after fifth season

Cult U.S. TV drama The Originals is to end after five seasons.

Creator Julie Plec shared the news on Twitter on Thursday (20Jul17) just before the show's panel at San Diego Comic-Con.

The big reveal came a year after she announced the end of her other hit show The Vampire Diaries.

"It feels only fitting to use this anniversary to make a second farewell announcement," Plec wrote."This year, we invite you to help us say goodbye to The Originals, which begins shooting its fifth and final season on Monday.

"It's both a gift and a burden to be able to control the ending of a series. Many shows are not lucky enough to have a hand in deciding when the end has come... Ending a show is always bittersweet, but for me, it's a true blessing to be a part of making that choice."

Plec thanked the cast and crew of the show before turning her attention to fans, and concluded her emotional note by suggesting the characters from the hit show may return in the future.

"Know that in a show about an immortal family who believes in 'Always and Forever,' it's never really the end of the story..." she wrote.

The Originals' final season will air in America next year (18).