The Simpsons producer Al Jean has announced a first for the long-running TV show: Bart will meet his end by the hands of arch-enemy Sideshow Bob.

But it won't be the end of Bart, as the episode will be one of its Halloween-themed specials - and so the death will not be canon. 

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Jean said he was tired of the cat-and-mouse chase between the two, saying he "hated frustration comedy so we’ll scratch that itch."

The animosity began in a 1990 episode when Bart foiled Sideshow Bob's plan to frame Krusty the Clown for armed robbery. Since his prison stint, various episodes have shown Bob - voiced by Kelsey Grammar - running for mayor, singing the entirety of HMS Pinafore, and attempting to destroy Springfield with a nuclear bomb - all with the aim of killing Bart.

Jean suggested that the killing might not be as cathartic as Bob thinks, and he may be left with nothing when his life's purpose is fulfilled.

As an aside, he also confirmed that the popular Spider-pig first seen in The Simpsons Movie will make a return in the show's upcoming season.