British viewers prepare to say goodbye to Breaking Bad

The cast of Breaking Bad recently celebrated the Emmy award for outstanding drama series. Credit: Reuters/Lucy Nicholson

British fans of Breaking Bad will mourn the end of the hit US drama when its final episode is made available this morning on internet streaming site Netflix.

Americans tuned in last night as the fifth series of the critically-acclaimed TV show signed off.

Celebrity fans in the States tweeted their sadness as the tale of high school chemistry teacher turned meth manufacturer Walter White came to an end after 62 episodes.

While the show briefly aired on digital channel FX and Channel 5, its success with a web audience in the UK has been the result of rave reviews from America and word of mouth through social media.

Breaking Bad recently landed an Emmy award for outstanding drama series and has been cited as a masterpiece of modern television, as well as making its setting of Albuquerque, New Mexico, a TV tourist haven.

The delay for British fans for the final episode after its airing in America has meant careful negotiating of social arenas like Twitter and Facebook for fears of spoilers at the show's conclusion.

The bid to avoid key plot details from the final episode has even spawned a tribute song and YouTube video: