Outnumbered to return for new Christmas special

Award-winning comedy Outnumbered is making a festive comeback on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Christmas.

Fresh from the news of Gavin and Stacey’s return, the BBC is lining up another of its classic comedy’s for a fresh special.

Written and directed by the show’s creators, Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton, the one-off Christmas themed episode of will explore the chaos in the downsized home of Pete and Sue Brockman as they navigate the challenges of parenting now-adult children.

The beloved stars of the original series are all returning, including Hugh Dennis as dad Pete, Claire Skinner as mum Sue, Tyger Drew-Honey as eldest son Jake, Daniel Roche as middle child Ben, and Ramona Marquez as daughter Karen.

In this new instalment, Sue and Pete attempt to gather their offspring, including one grandchild, for a traditional family Christmas. However, fate, neighbours, hyenas, and bus replacement services conspire to disrupt their plans.

Hugh Dennis expressed 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.”

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.”

Co-creator, writer, and director Andy Hamilton commented: “It’s a very exciting prospect to be revisiting the Brockman family – older, but not necessarily wiser – as they steer a path through the perils of Christmas and the rapids of modern-day family life.”

Guy Jenkin, co-creator, writer, and director, added: “I really wanted to find out what the Brockmans were up to these days, so Andy and I had to write this special.”

Outnumbered originally ran for five series between 2007 and 2014, with the most recent episode being a Christmas special in 2016.