BBC wants more League Of Gentlemen but stars are too busy
It has been revealed that the BBC have recently approached The League Of Gentlemen about reviving their enduringly popular cult comedy series.
However, the the four-part group are all too busy with separate projects to return to the BBC Two series at present.
After a successful 1997 BBC Radio 4 series, the dark and twisted The League Of Gentlemen launched on BBC Two in 1999, mixing both sitcom and sketch elements.
Featuring characters including Tubbs and Edward, Papa Lazarou, and Pauline and Mickey, the series became a notable success and ran for three series and a number of specials. The group also performed very popular live tours involving the characters and a feature film spin-off was released in 2005.
Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss and off-stage writer Jeremy Dyson met up in December to deliver some classic League Of Gentlemen sketches as part of the Royal Free Rocks With Laughter charity event.
It was this performance which sparked an offer from the BBC to make some new material to tie in with BBC Two's forthcoming 50th birthday celebrations, including five decades of ground-breaking comedy.
Speaking to British Comedy Guide, Reece Shearsmith commented: "We didn't really have time to do it."
He explained: "On the back of the interest we had when we did our little reunion for the Royal Free Hospital charity gig, there was quite a flurry of 'oh are they getting back together?'. The BBC saw that and thought 'oh, right, so people still remember that do they?'... so then we got a call saying, 'do you want to do some more of these?'. And it was like 'well, bit late now'."
However, tantalisingly for LOG fans, Shearsmith also told BCG that the group has never actually ruled out reforming, adding: "In 2019 it will be 20 years since The League Of Gentlemen launched on television... then, maybe, that might be the time to do it."
Since The League Of Gentlemen, Mark Gatiss has forged a new career in TV drama. He is particularly celebrated for his contributions to hit BBC One series Doctor Who and Sherlock. Meanwhile Jeremy Dyson co-created the hit stage show Ghost Stories and regularly works as a TV script editor, most recently on Blandings and The Wrong Mans. He also is the creator and director of hit Sky Arts sketch show Psychobitches.
Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton have continued working together, as well as enjoying separate projects. As a duo, they created the comic thriller series Psychoville and are now preparing to launch their new TV show, Inside No. 9 (pictured).
An anthology series, each episode features an entirely different premise and characters. The only linking elements are the duo's trademark dark humour, and that all the stories are set in a property or room numbered 9.
The anticipation for Inside No. 9 has been building since two episodes were screened at a preview event by the BFI in December. Reviews from those in attendance included "huge laughs and genuine fear by turns" and "the best thing I've seen all year".
The series, which it is understood BBC bosses are expecting to be a hit, starts on BBC Two on Wednesday 5th February at 10pm. A full interview with Shearsmith will appear on British Comedy Guide closer to transmission. In the meantime, below is the Inside No. 9 trailer:
Plus here is a scene from The League Of Gentlemen TV series, in which Tubbs and Edward talk to a policeman: