BBC's Outnumbered to return after eight years and Hugh Dennis 'can't wait'

Beloved BBC sitcom Outnumbered is set to return after an eight-year gap with a Christmas special this festive season. Reuniting for the one-off occasion will be the original cast, including Hugh Dennis as dad Pete, Claire Skinner who played mum Sue, and Tyger Drew-Honey, Daniel Roche and Ramona Marquez as their children Jake, Ben and Karen respectively.

The episode, penned by the show's creators Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton, promises to depict the Brockman family members' lives as adults, one with a child of their own. They will be drawn back together for a traditional family Christmas - albeit with some logistical challenges thrown in courtesy of fate, neighbours, hyenas, and bus replacement services....

Expressing his joy about the reunion, Hugh Dennis said: "I can't wait for the Brockmans to be back together again. Pete and Sue have downsized, the children are no longer children, but I'm sure family life will prove to be just as chaotic as ever." Echoing his sentiment, Claire Skinner added: "I'm really looking forward to being reunited with my TV family. Working on this wonderful BBC comedy doesn't feel like work and is one of the greatest joys for us all," reports the Mirror.

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Outnumbered spanned five series between 2007 and 2014 and has so far made a comeback once before with a Christmas 2016 special. A key element that set the programme apart was its unique approach where scenes involving the children were semi-improvised while still following a scripted storyline.

The BBC has just announced the much-anticipated return of the hit sitcom 'Outnumbered' during its comedy festival in Glasgow. Comedy chief Jon Petrie expressed his enthusiasm, saying: "Outnumbered is one of the crown jewels of British sitcoms. We're so grateful to Guy, Andy, Hattrick, and the cast for dusting it off and putting it back on display."

Petrie also issued a call to action for UK producers, urging them to deliver more mainstream comedy hits. He stated: "Mainstream comedy is what viewers love best. It's written right through our comedy heritage and is so close to our hearts. It can tell our stories and bring us together like nothing else. That's why audiences and critics feel so passionately about it and have such a strong sense of ownership."

He continued with a rallying cry for the future of British sitcoms: "We want producers to take risks and create the next generation of classic sitcoms and immortal characters that audiences will keep returning to for decades to come." Acknowledging the challenges faced by the genre, Petrie added: "The truth is we're still not getting pitched enough of the comedy we need to keep people happy...If our comedy eco-system is shrinking, then it's on all us to fight for the right of UK mainstream comedy to exist."

Concluding his passionate plea, Petrie remarked: "The sitcom isn't dead but it needs a couple of Berocca. And a black americano with two sugars. We're asking you to do something really ambitious and help save our sitcom. It's what audiences want to see."

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