Much loved and longest running sitcom on air will be back in 2025
Lee Mack’s much loved, multi-award-winning studio sitcom will return for a new series on the BBC in 2025. Not Going Out is the UK’s longest running UK sitcom currently on air and recently joined an elite group of sitcom centenarians when the 100th episode aired during the BBC’s 2023 Christmas schedule.
Lee Mack says: “Once again I’m very grateful that the BBC have trusted in us to keep alive the studio sitcom. I grew up watching this genre of sitcom on the BBC, and to be part of it myself is still a dream come true, even after 18 years of doing it. Here we go again….!!”
Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy at the BBC, says: “Not Going Out remains one of the UK’s most cherished sitcoms, a true testament to the exceptional comedic talents of Lee and his team. The show’s consistent success and popularity speak volumes, and we are beyond chuffed about its return.”
Jon Thoday, Executive Producer at Avalon, added: “We are delighted to see the BBC keep the fire of the studio sitcom alive and it is a privilege to work with Lee Mack, who is a true master of his craft, as well as the excellent team on the show.”
The sitcom, which is now the UK’s all-time second longest running by number of series (and fifth by number of episodes), stars Lee Mack (as Lee) and Sally Bretton (as Lucy). Over 13 series regular cast have included: Bobby Ball, Abigail Cruttenden, Hugh Dennis, Megan Dodds, Deborah Grant, Miranda Hart, Tim Vine, Timothy West, Geoffrey Whitehead and Katy Wix.
Not Going Out continues to be an important show for the BBC and was in the top two most watched comedies on iPlayer across the last 12 months alongside Ghosts, with audiences watching the back catalogue as well as new episodes. The series 13 Christmas Special (100th episode) averaged 4.6 million.
Not Going Out is produced by Avalon for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The 6 x 30-minute series was commissioned by Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy at the BBC. The producer is Jamie Rix, the director is Nick Wood and the writers are Lee Mack and Daniel Peak. The executive producers for Avalon are Richard Allen-Turner, Rob Aslett, Lee Mack and Jon Thoday. The commissioning editor for the BBC is Gregor Sharp.
ENDS
What the press said about series 13…
“I’ve watched all seven episodes of this new run and it’s in cracking form, with a couple of potential all-time greats amongst the seven… a platform for the cast to fire out the gags at a rate of almost three a minute, with Mack throwing in the odd bit of slapstick for good measure. It’s difficult to pick a favourite gag”
Ian Hyland, The Mirror
“Mack and his cast, as always, appear to be having a whale of a time and it’s infectious. Amid the mirth, there are also some sweetly affecting moments.”
Michael Hogan, The Radio Times
“As Lee Mack’s long-running sitcom Not Going Out returned, I counted 84 one-liners, sight gags and punchlines in 30 minutes. Every one was honed to a razor edge. Most comedies can’t cram that many funnies into a full series.”
Christopher Stevens, The Daily Mail
“so unapologetically old- school – harking back not just to the gag-heavy comedies of the 70s, but also to the theatrical farces of earlier decades. Indeed, each episode is a self-contained farce, the audience barely able to catch its breath between the jokes… And given the quantity of jokes, it is impressive how many of them land.”
Gerard Gilbert, The i Newspaper
“zinger-stuffed sitcom.”
Graeme Virtue, The Guardian
“Lee Mack’s brilliant sitcom ends its current run on BBC1 very shortly. But on the iPlayer you can already binge the lot (plus every other episode ever made, right back to 2006, when the show was very different but no less funny)”
Mike Ward, The Daily Star
“Perfecting the sitcom formula is no easy feat… That’s why Not Going Out is such a joy to watch, with the cast clearly at ease from working together for so long and the jokes flowing fast”
Emma Noble, The Sun
“these tiny suburban farces escalate with expert velocity”
Victoria Segal, The Sunday Times
“SMALL JOYS OF TV: Lee Mack’s gag ratio on Not Going Out.”
Gary Bushell, The Daily Star on Sunday
★★★★
Mike Mulvihill, The Daily Mail
“It’s all a vehicle for a delightful barrage of one-liners from Lee Mack.”
Sara Wallis, The Mirror
“Lee Mack’s triumphant Friday-night sitcom … Silly in the absolute best way.”
The Daily Telegraph
“Series 13 of the comedy mainstay and Lee Mack’s one-man joke machine shows no sign of spluttering in the exhaust”
James Jackson, The Times
“It has undergone cancellation, revival, change of cast and new settings, but millions of viewers have stuck with it every step of the way.”
The Daily Mail
“it’s as smartly put together as ever.”
Gabriel Tate, The Daily Telegraph
Dan Lloyd at Avalon / DLloyd@avalonuk.com
