Inside No. 9

Inside No. 9 is magnificent. It is the latest series to emerge from the dark imaginations of Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, the pair who were also responsible for Psychoville & The League of Gentlemen (with Mark Gatiss and Jeremy Dyson).

Their new series consists of six self-contained, bleakly comic dramas set in six very different No 9s, ranging from a suburban home to a country pile. Like all the best short stories or one-act plays, tonight's episode works with a deceptive and outrageous simplicity. A group of characters are playing a game of sardines. One after the other, they squeeze into a cupboard. Some are partners. Some are engaged. Some are work colleagues. Some have ugly histories in common, and one is a stranger to hygiene. Between them, they cover a wide variety of social backgrounds, sexual orientations and age groups. If a bomb dropped on the cupboard where they were hiding, a good portion of the acting talent in this country would be wiped out.

The high quality ensemble includes Anne Reid, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Katherine Parkinson, Anna Chancellor and Timothy West, all of whom squeeze in alongside Pemberton and Shearsmith. However, this isn't just an inspired set-up performed by a stellar cast, it builds to a macabre and horribly imagined climax.

Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton interview

"When Gemma Arterton said yes, we were quite surprised, because she's a big movie star. She just said, 'Well I don't read scripts like this' and that made us feel very excited."

Reece Shearsmith interview

As his new collaboration with Steve Pemberton - Inside No. 9 - comes to our screens, Reece Shearsmith talks about his inspirations, so-called 'dark comedy' and a possible League Of Gentlemen reunion...

Inside No. 9 review

Inside No. 9 played with familiar themes Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith have dealt with in the past, but it had a sustained air of maturity about it that's felt only fleeting in their previous work.

Inside No. 9 Episode 1: 'Sardines' review

It demands the audience's intelligence and respect, and pays back in interest. We're already looking forward to the rest of the series.

TV Preview: Inside No. 9

Fans of Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith's previous work will know they like to combine the hilarious with the genuinely unsettling, and this series is no exception. Causing huge laughs and genuine fear by turns, Inside No. 9 will certainly be one to watch.

A local talk for local people

"In one of the episodes of Inside No. 9, it actually all takes place inside a single wardrobe! It's during a game of sardines: one by one, 12 people end up in there."

Online extras planned for Inside No. 9

Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith are keen to explore how the series can make the most of digital media so we're going to invite the audience into an extra No. 9 by creating a special digital storytelling experience.