The BBC has renewed two of its hit sitcoms giving a 2nd Season to ‘The Power of Parker‘, and a 14th Season to ‘Not Going Out‘.
Lee Mack’s much loved, multi-award-winning studio sitcom ‘Not Going Out’ is the UK’s longest-running UK sitcom currently on air, and was in the top two most-watched comedies on iPlayer across the last 12 months (alongside ‘Ghosts’), with audiences watching the back catalogue as well as new episodes.
“Once again I’m very grateful that the BBC have trusted in us to keep alive the studio sitcom,” commented Mack. “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 sitcom, which is now the UK’s all-time second-longest-running by number of series (and fifth by number of episodes), stars Lee Mack (as Lee) and Sally Bretton (as Lucy). Over 13 series regular cast have included: Bobby Ball, Abigail Cruttenden, Hugh Dennis, Megan Dodds, Deborah Grant, Miranda Hart, Tim Vine, Timothy West, Geoffrey Whitehead and Katy Wix.
‘Not Going Out’ is produced by Avalon for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The 6 x 30-minute series was commissioned by Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy at the BBC. The producer is Jamie Rix, the director is Nick Wood and the writers are Lee Mack and Daniel Peak. The executive producers for Avalon are Richard Allen-Turner, Rob Aslett, Lee Mack and Jon Thoday. The commissioning editor for the BBC is Gregor Sharp.
‘The Power of Parker’, from the creative minds of BAFTA award-winning writers Paul Coleman and Sian Gibson, and starring Conleth Hill, averaged 2.2M for the first series across 28 days making it the biggest new scripted comedy of the year across the market in 2023.
The comedy, set in the early 90s, stars Hill as Martin Parker, a self-made impresario of electrical stores, who seems to have it all, but in reality, is swimming in debt and his personal life is falling apart. As we return for season two, it’s 1992, the Queen is in the midst of her annus horribilis, John Major is the new PM, and Whitney’s I Will Always Love You is stuck at number one. Up in Stockport, Kath (Sian Gibson), Martin (Conleth Hill) and Diane (Rosie Cavaliero) are just trying their best to get along.
Martin Parker has hit rock bottom and is desperate to get his reputation back, Diane is adjusting to single life and running a business, while Kath is getting her happily ever after with her man by her side and is working on rekindling a relationship with her sister. She’s on a mission to sort things out for her sister and her man, but her interfering does the opposite and jeopardises everything. They will need to depend on each other now more than ever, but who do they trust?
“We have been overwhelmed by the lovely response to the first series, and so excited to be back with the dysfunctional Parker family and turn their lives upside down again, with bigger problems and bigger hair,” said Sian Gibson.
‘The Power of Parker’ has been commissioned for BBC One and BBC iPlayer by Jon Petrie, Director of Comedy at the BBC. It is co-created and written by Paul Coleman and Sian Gibson, produced by Gill Isles, executive produced by Kate Daughton for Boffola Pictures and Tanya Qureshi, Head of Comedy at the BBC. BBC Studios, who have a minority investment stake in Boffola Pictures, are handling international distribution.
‘The Power of Parker‘ Season 2 and ‘Not Going Out‘ Season 14 do not yet have premiere dates on the BBC (although the latter will definitely be in 2025.) If you want to keep track of this or any other show, you can add it via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date.
