The West Wing will end its seven-year run on NBC this May, the network announced on Sunday.

The critically acclaimed political drama has been suffering from plummeting ratings in recent years, and its cancellation was inevitable, says NBC Entertainment President Kevin Reilly.

“It’s no secret that the ratings have been tough for the last couple of seasons,” says Reilly. “There’s a point where you look at the ratings and you just say, ‘it’s time.’”

The show, which stars Martin Sheen as U.S. president Josiah ?Jed? Bartlet, holds the record for the most Emmys won by a single series, including four awards for best TV drama.

It reached its peak in the third season, averaging 17 million viewers a week. This season, it debuted with a paltry 7.6 million as it moved from Wednesday to Sunday nights.

The series finale will be preceded by a one-hour look back the show, which includes a tribute to John Spencer, who was playing a Democratic vice-presidential candidate when he unexpectedly died last month.






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