Enough's enough: Some things should be put out of their misery much sooner

Isner (left) and Mahut (right) during their epic contest at Wimbledon this week (GETTY IMAGES)

It lasted 11 hours and five minutes, a total of 138 games and 112 aces served. The epic Wimbledon match between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut was the longest game of tennis ever played. Their showdown was just one of many things to have gone on too long. Here are some others that went on way after they should have been put out of their misery.

Big Brother The first series was annoying enough. But 1,000 episodes and 21 series later, the British public voted with their remotes: it's not been commissioned for another series.

We Will Rock You Ben Elton and Queen collaborating in a musical should have been enough to put most people off. Sadly not. It is still touring after its 2002 launch and ticket sales are showing little signs of slowing.

Robert Mugabe Zimbabwe's tyrannical leader since 1980, Robert Mugabe just refuses to step down. At 86, he's still showing no signs of weakening.

Countdown It must have looked dated even when it first aired in 1982. But after more than 5,000 episodes and 78 series, it is antique. The death of the presenter Richard Whiteley in 2005 would have been a good excuse to put it out of its misery.

The Rolling Stones There's nothing surprising in the idea that this group of pensioners "Can't Get No Satisfaction" any more. The real question is why they keep dragging themselves out on stage.

Molecular gastronomy It was fun when Heston Blumenthal first messed around with bacon-and-egg ice-cream, but now every restaurant is trying out mushroom trifle and it's got boring.

The 100 Years' War Lasting more than a 100 years, it pitted the French House of Valois against the English Plantagenets for the French throne in the 14th and 15th centuries. Things could have been solved 116 years earlier if England hadn't stuck its nose in.