New Series Of Inside No 9 Announced

Filming has commenced on the third series of Inside No 9, BBC Two has announced.

The six standalone comedy-dramas will each be set in a different location, with a new style, tone and characters. The new settings, by creators Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, include a restaurant after closing time, an art gallery, and an alpine chalet in 1978.

The cast for this series includes Felicity Kendal (Rosemary And Thyme); Fiona Shaw (the Harry Potter movies); Jason Watkins (W1A, The Lost Honour Of Christopher Jefferies); Keeley Hawes (Line Of Duty); Jessica Raine (Wolf Hall, Call The Midwife); Mathew Baynton (The Wrong Mans); Rula Lenska (Coronation Street); Philip Glenister (Life On Mars); Sarah Hadland (Miranda); Tamzin Outhwaite (New Tricks, EastEnders); Javone Prince (The Javone Prince Show); Montserrat Lombard (Ashes To Ashes); Morgana Robinson (The Morgana Show, House Of Fools) and Alexandra Roach (The Iron Lady).

The episodes will air on BBC Two later this year.

Inside No 9 is written by Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, and has been commissioned by Shane Allen. It is executive produced by Jon Plowman, produced by Adam Tandy and directed by Guillam Morales.

Commenting on the announcement, Shane Allen, Controller, Comedy Commissioning, said: "This is British comedy at its most inventive: the powers of story-telling, superb cameo casting and jaw-dropping originality are unparalleled. Modern-day classics which surprise, terrify and delight in equal measure."

Kim Shillinglaw, Controller, BBC Two and BBC Four, added: "I'm absolutely delighted that we have attracted such a terrific cast to the next deliciously dark series of Inside no 9. Alongside the return of Boy Meets Girl, this series is another example of the renewed strength and ambition of comedy at 9pm on BBC Two."

Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton commented: "We are most thrilled to have been handed the keys to another six No. 9s, and to have attracted such a glittering array of talent. We have reassured them that this time there are lots of happy endings and everybody makes it out alive. And like fools, they believed us."

www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre

(JP/MH)