Lee Mack’s multi award-winning hit show, and longest running sitcom on air, will return for a festive special episode on BBC One.

It is Christmas and Lee (Lee Mack) is not happy that Lucy (Sally Bretton) had booked tickets to the Pantomime. Especially given the star of the show is Lucy’s teenage crush, the ever-charming Jason Donovan. Will a bedtime argument lead to a nightmare before Christmas for Lee (…or should we say Buttons)? How might a suitably lovely Fairy Godmother (Deborah Grant), a world-weary and uptight duo of Ugly Sisters (Hugh Dennis & Abigail Cruttenden) and a magnificently pompous Baron Hardup (Geoffrey Whitehead) affect Cinderella’s chance to get to the ball and meet her Prince Charming?

Produced by Avalon, Not Going Out is directed by Nick Wood and produced by Jamie Rix. The Executive Producers are Richard Allen-Turner, Rob Aslett, Lee Mack and Jon Thoday. The Commissioning Editor for the BBC is Gregor Sharp.

What the press said about the last series…

“the first minute alone has five decent gags. That’s a rate of a joke every 12 seconds, which is going some, but par for the course for a sitcom that’s still arguably the most underrated on British TV” ★★★★
James Jackson, The Times

“very funny” ★★★★
Ian Hyland, The Daily Mirror

“Lee Mack and co are in great form”
David Butcher, Radio Times

“a brilliant finale”
John Dugdale, The Sunday Times

“one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long, long time”
Zoe Ball, BBC Radio 2

★★★★★
Sunday Mirror

★★★★★
Sunday Express

” very funny” ★★★★
Mike Mulvihill, The Daily Mail

“hilarious ” ★★★★
Rebecca Fletcher, TV Times

“hilarious to watch” ★★★★
Ian Hyland, The Daily Mirror

“my favourite TV sitcom”
Mike Ward, The Daily Express

“As always, the show is packed full of witty one-liners”
Sara Wallis, The Daily Mirror

“its winning formula of quick-fire gags … Some great lines combine with a clever plot – we’re glad Not Going Out is not going anywhere.”
Eleanor Relf, The Sun

“as usual, there are more gags in the first five minutes than most other sitcoms manage in 30.” ★★★★
Jill Pelton, TV Times

“Few sitcoms are as impatient with a punchline”
The Daily Telegraph

“works beautifully”
Gerard Gilbert, The i

★★★★
Jason Arnopp, Heat

★★★★★
Daily Star

★★★★★
The People

-ends-

For more information, images, press tickets, or interview requests, please contact:
Dan Lloyd or Perrine Davari at Avalon on DLloyd@avalonuk.com / PDavari@avalonuk.com

Notes to editors

About Avalon:
Avalon is a multi-award-winning talent management, television production and live promotion group with offices in London, Los Angeles and New York.

Avalon, Artist Rights Group (ARG) and The Agency represent a prolific roster of artists including comedians, actors, presenters, writers and directors. Avalon’s numerous ground-breaking returning television shows currently in production include: Not Going Out (BBC), the UK’s longest running sitcom on air; Taskmaster (Channel 4), the BAFTA-winning hit entertainment format showing in 100 countries; multi Emmy-winner, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO); The Russell Howard Hour (Sky), the network’s most successful entertainment show launch since 2010; Starstruck, a new sitcom from the 2018 Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Rose Matafeo (HBO Max/BBC); Everything’s Gonna Be Okay, from creator Josh Thomas (Freeform); Breeders, a sitcom starring Martin Freeman and Daisy Haggard (FX/Sky); a new series of the iconic British satirical puppet show, Spitting Image (BritBox UK); and multiple comedy specials for Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max and Netflix.

Other landmark Avalon shows include BAFTA winning and multi Emmy nominated Catastrophe (Amazon Prime Video/Channel 4), Fantasy Football League (BBC/ITV), multi BAFTA-winning TV Burp (ITV), and Workaholics (Comedy Central USA). Avalon also distributes its catalogue of programmes to over 150 countries worldwide. Avalon has produced many globally successful podcasts and is at the top of the UK iTunes chart with the multi-award-winning Shagged. Married. Annoyed by Chris and Rosie Ramsey.

As a leading promoter of live comedy, Avalon produced Newman and Baddiel: Live at Wembley, the UK’s first arena comedy show; Jerry Springer: The Opera, the first West End show to win all four UK ‘Best New Musical’ awards; and has continued to produce and promote live shows globally, as well as promoting more winners and nominees of the prestigious Edinburgh Comedy Award than any other company.

For Avalon news visit: www.avalonuk.com/press or follow @avalonent