ABC pulls plug on 'Ugly Betty'

"Ugly Betty" got bopped Wednesday. ABC officially pulled the plug on the show, saying the last episode will air in April on a still-to-be-determined date.

A disappointment? Absolutely, to devoted fans who followed the show from Thursdays to Fridays and then over to Wednesdays, and to the New York production community; "Betty" films at Silvercup Studios East in Long Island City.

MORE: Click here to see photos from "Ugly Betty"

But a surprise? Not with the numbers "Betty" pulled in the show's Friday time period; it moved to Wednesdays on Jan. 6 to get some lead-in action from ABC's strong new comedy lineup on that night. To not much avail: "Betty" has been averaging under 5 million viewers, which would make it a huge hit on the CW, but not on ABC.

"Ugly Betty" stars America Ferrera as an ambitious, but sartorially challenged employee of Mode, a cutthroat Manhattan fashion magazine. Based on "Betty La Fea," a popular Colombian telenovela, the show was a "Glee"-like buzz magnet for ABC when it bowed in 2006, averaging around 11 million viewers. Ferrara snagged an Emmy for outstanding lead actress in its sophomore year. (She was nominated again the following year, but did not win.)

"We've mutually come to the difficult decision to make this 'Ugly Betty's' final season, and are announcing now as we want to allow the show ample time to write a satisfying conclusion," executive producer Silvio Horta and ABC president Steve McPherson said in a joint statement.

"We are extremely proud of this groundbreaking series, and felt it was important to give the fans a proper farewell."

MORE: Click here to see photos from "Ugly Betty"