Steve Pemberton

A Steve Pemberton-scripted adaptation of EF Benson's arch novels of small-town social snobbery. Mapp And Lucia may seem to have comedy gold written all over it, but in truth this opener takes too long to get going and, for all everyone involved seems to be having fun, at moments lacks pace and zing. Things improve, however, once busybody Elizabeth Mapp (Miranda Richardson) and regal Emmeline Lucas, AKA Lucia (Anna Chancellor), begin to battle in earnest to lead Tilling society. Continues tomorrow and New Year's Eve.

In the last in the series, Toast is knocked very much for six by the arrival of an old flame, Lorna Wynde, more than three decades after she broke his heart when the pair starred in a US soap together. But is she just using him to make her rock star husband jealous? Tormented by feelings from the past, Toast takes up with his very-much-alive chum Francis Bacon. Sterling guest appearances come from Queens Of The Stone Age's Josh Homme and The League of Gentlemen's Steve Pemberton.

Radio Times review

Steven Toast is in turmoil - the greatest love of his life, Lorna Wynde, is appearing in The Graduate on the London stage. Toast has never recovered from their break-up, after which he had an unfortunate accident in Oddbins.

The best bits of the final, typically uneven episode are the masterly pastiches of dreadful 1980s American soaps. Toast (Matt Berry) and Wynde (Morgana Robinson) starred together in one such atrocity, but it put an end to her TV career as she went cross-eyed in close-ups.

Steve Pemberton, soon to be seen in Mapp and Lucia on BBC One, plays a very effete Francis Bacon and Josh Homme, lead singer of rock band Queens of the Stone Age, guests as Lorna's jealous husband.

Can new take on Mapp and Lucia compare to 1985 series?

The BBC's new version is written by The League of Gentlemen's Steve Pemberton, who says we should expect "a genteel version of Royston Vasey".

League of Gentlemen to reunite for 20th anniversary?

Reece Shearsmith says that a collaboration with League of Gentlemen stars Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Jeremy Dyson may be on the cards.

Inside No 9: a gutsy dark comedy of misery and mayhem

Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, makers of The League of Gentlemen, return with a collection of unrelated tales of morality and mortality, and a legion of ghoulish mishaps.

Steve Pemberton's favourite TV

Steve Pemberton likes Only Connect and Whodunnit?

Inside No 9 wins at prestigious Rockie Awards

The silent episode of Inside No. 9 written by and starring Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith picked up its second award in two days at the prestigious BANFF World Media (Rockie) Awards earlier this week.

Steve Pemberton interview

"I do love those shifts of gear you get as an actor, weaving a haunting dark drama with a bit of daft sunbed acting"