Comedian Lee Mack said he was ‘very grateful’ after it was announced that his long-running sitcom has been recommissioned for another series

The BBC’s long-running sitcom Not Going Out has been recommissioned for a 14th series – and star Lee Mack can’t quite believe it.

As the news was announced at the BBC’s comedy festival in Glasgow, Mack declared: “Once again I’m very grateful that the BBC have trusted in us to keep alive the studio sitcom. I grew up watching this genre of sitcom on the BBC, and to be part of it myself is still a dream come true, even after 18 years of doing it. Here we go again…”

The award-winning BBC1 series, which focuses on the romance between Mack as Lee and his now wife Lucy, played by Sally Bretton, will return in 2025.

BBC comedy boss Jon Petrie said: “Not Going Out remains one of the UK’s most cherished sitcoms, a true testament to the exceptional comedic talents of Lee and his team. The show’s consistent success and popularity speak volumes, and we are beyond chuffed about its return.”

The series has been recommissioned for yet another series (
Image:
BBC/Mark Johnson/Avalon)

The sitcom is the longest-running currently on air and also one of the UK’s all-time longest-running in terms of the number of series it has enjoyed, coming behind My Family, Birds of a Feather and Last of the Summer Wine.

Over the years the regular cast has also included the late Bobby Ball, Abigail Cruttenden, Hugh Dennis, Megan Dodds, Deborah Grant, Miranda Hart, Tim Vine, Timothy West, Geoffrey Whitehead and Katy Wix.

Promoted Stories

It came second only to Ghosts in the list of most watched comedies on iPlayer across the past year – with audiences continuing to watch old episodes as well as new ones.

The series 13 Christmas Special, which was also the 100th episode, averaged 4.6 million. After the last series, The Mirror ’s Sara Wallis described it as “a vehicle for a delightful barrage of one-liners from Lee Mack.” Others agreed, with one counting the gags and revealing that there were “three a minute”.