Mammoth gets Series 2 from BBC Wales
- Mammoth, the sitcom starring Mike Bubbins as a 1970s PE teacher living in the present day, has been recommissioned
- Bubbins says: "It's been amazing to see how audiences have got behind this show"
- The Welsh comedy is expected to air later in 2025
New sitcom Mammoth has been recommissioned.
Starring Mike Bubbins as a PE teacher from the 1970s getting a second chance at life after having been frozen by an avalanche for the last 45 years, it will return for a second series on BBC Two, BBC One Wales and BBC iPlayer.
Written by Bubbins and Paul Doolan, Mammoth started as a pilot in 2021. The first series, which aired in April, saw Tony Mammoth, a PE teacher believed to have perished during a school skiing trip in 1979, attempting to rebuild his life after miraculously returning from the dead when his body is discovered in the melting snow.
The BBC explain: "In the seventies he was a carefree Cardiff bachelor, teaching PE and generally living la vida loca. In 2024, he thought the world would still be his oyster, but Mammoth never really liked oysters, he was more of a pint and a packet of crisps sort of bloke. All he wanted was his old life back; the same job, the same clothes, the same car and the same soundtrack."
The comedy also features Sian Gibson as his daughter Mel, Joel Davison as Mel's son Theo, and The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air star Joseph Marcell as Mammoth's long-suffering best friend, Roger.
The BBC notes: "The first two episodes of Mammoth have so far seen an average 7-day audience of 1.2m, above the average for BBC Two comedy and with strong performance for Welsh audiences. Mammoth has the strongest Welsh skew of any BBC comedy over the last 12 months."
Writer and performer, Mike Bubbins, says: "It's been amazing to see how audiences have got behind this show. They've clearly got great taste! So, it's a no-brainer to get Mammoth, the big character with the even bigger moustache back to create more laughs. I've got some massive moments up my sleeve for Series 2."
Sian Gibson, says: "I had so much fun working with Mike and the team and I'm so excited that we get to go again. Much love to our audience for watching and to the BBC for their support."
Jon Petrie, Director of BBC Comedy, says: "It's been thrilling to see audiences tune in in impressive numbers and quickly embrace Tony Mammoth's timeless charm. Mike Bubbins, Paul Doolan and the BBC Studios team delivered a fantastic sitcom packed with laughs, and we can't wait to see more of Mammoth's retro antics."
Paul Forde, Commissioning Editor for Comedy at BBC Wales, says: "We're thrilled that another series of Mammoth is coming to our screens. The audience have been asking if there will be another series and we're hugely excited to be able to say 'yes there will!'"
Steven Canny, executive producer for BBC Studios Comedy Productions, says: "From the very start, making Mammoth has been a total pleasure and privilege. We're delighted to be returning for another series and we're also delighted to have the chance to see how much of Mike's wardrobe and belongings we can cram in next time."
Production on Series 2 is set to get underway in 2025 and further casting will be announced in due course.
This news was announced at the BBC Comedy Festival in Glasgow. The BBC also confirmed Outnumbered is to return for a new festival special, Series 14 of Not Going Out will be broadcast in 2025, The Power Of Parker Series 2, LGBTQ+ chosen family sitcom Smoggie Queens and a series for Funboys, a former BBC Comedy Short Film.
In a speech to producers, Jon Petrie called for the TV industry to "save our sitcoms" with a focus on "protecting homegrown storytelling and creating the next generation of classics". He added: "Mainstream comedy is what viewers love best. It's written right through our comedy heritage and is so close to our hearts. It can tell our stories and bring us together like nothing else. That's why audiences and critics feel so passionately about it and have such a strong sense of ownership. We want producers to take risks and create the next generation of classic sitcoms and immortal characters that audiences will keep returning to for decades to come."