BBC Two comedy Inside No9 is coming to a fitting end – after nine series.
Creators Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith — who made comedy classic The League Of Gentlemen with Mark Gatiss and Jeremy Dyson — told me they will now focus on new projects after eight years of the cult show, in which every episode features the number nine.
Steve said: “We feel it is a good time to pause Inside No9 after we finish filming series nine next year.”
The dark comedy has featured some of the UK’s best acting talent, including Sheridan Smith, Keeley Hawes, Helen McCrory, Sir Derek Jacobi, Alison Steadman and Katherine Parkinson.
The new Christmas special, called The Bones Of St Nicholas, airs next Thursday and stars Simon Callow and ex-Coronation Street favourite Shobna Gulati.
But the good news for fans is that it might not be the end of No9.
Offering a glimmer of hope that the comedy, which has been nominated for three National Television Awards, might one day make a comeback, Steve added: “We’re not saying it’s over for good.
“After all, The League Of Gentlemen came back, but we won’t be looking to make any more episodes for the time being.”
JACK WHITEHALL has been put off filming nude scenes for life after an unfortunate accident at The Eden Project.
The funnyman was filming a scene for the Bad Education movie at the Cornwall park when he travelled down the zip wire, which is the longest in England, naked from the waist down.
But after a change in wind direction, he was left stranded just as children entered the park on a school trip.
He told the Inside Bad Education podcast: “I was trapped with my pants around my ankles because I was unable to lift them up. I could see all these families and school trips wandering in and seeing me, dangling, with my butt out.”
Jack made his final appearance as hapless teacher Alfie Wickers in the BBC3 sitcom last night, before the series carries on without him next year.
He’ll no longer be the butt of the jokes then.
MEGAN CUSACK reveals she gets plenty of family feedback about Call The Midwife.
The star, who plays nurse Nancy Corrigan, is the niece of acting couple Jeremy Irons and Sinead Cusack.
She says: “They do actually sit down and watch it. I have got notes from them before, it’s hilarious.
“They used to come and see me in my drama school plays and it was like, ‘Now, do you want notes or not?’ In a very loving way.”
Megan added that she would love to star alongside them in a movie, but adds: “It would be absolutely petrifying at the same time because they are amazing.”
Watch the Call The Midwife festive special on Christmas Day at 7.55pm on BBC One.
TELLY cook Big Zuu gives Spice Girl Mel B’s baking skills a pasting on tomorrow night’s The Jonathan Ross Christmas Show on ITV1.
Speaking about her cameo in his show Big Zuu’s Big Eats, he says: “She’s terrible. She made us soup and she put too much turmeric in it.”
MO GILLIGAN is so in demand right now, he’s the bookies favourite to present every new TV show going.
The comic, who happens to be launching his own BBC1 series called That’s My Jam, says he’s tipped so often, he “feels like a racehorse.”
The show begins on Saturday at 9.35pm.
Mo explains: “Someone told me I was the favourite for Big Brother the other day.
“But then I went on Twitter, they [fans] were like ‘no we don’t want him on there. He’s annoying.’ So maybe not.
“I’m really flattered to be linked with these types of jobs. If I’m even in that conversation, and there’s a meeting somewhere and they’ve got my name up, that is sensational.
“But I’m really comfortable with what I’ve got now, I’ve had some cool successes in this short time.”
Probably for the best, as pal AJ Odudu has nabbed the BB job.
CHANNEL 4 has launched a digital series taking a shocking look inside prisons.
The first of the three-parter features bullying, footage of inedible meals and inmates locked down for long periods.
UK Prisons: Inside Survival is streaming on Channel 4’s Documentaries YouTube page.
