What does our last trip Inside No. 9 have in store?

By David Craig

Published: Thursday, 25 May 2023 at 12:00 am


Inside No. 9 season 8 has only just come to its unforgettable end with The Last Weekend, but already some fans are wondering when they can expect new episodes of the anthology series.

Fortunately, creators Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton are already hard at work on their final set of scripts for the acclaimed show, which will return for its last hurrah next year.

Over the past nine years, we’ve seen the duo morph into dozens of larger-than-life characters for stories that have often left our jaws on the floor, so anticipation is high for what they might have saved for last.

Here’s everything we know so far about Inside No. 9 season 9 on BBC Two and iPlayer.

Inside No. 9 season 9 release date speculation

"Reece
Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton in Inside No. 9.
BBC/James Stack

There’s no confirmed release date for Inside No. 9 just yet, but it’s quite likely that the show will return to the late spring/early summer slot it has occupied for the last two years.

If so, it would point to a premiere date some time around April/May 2024, although that’s just an educated guess for now. We’ll update this page when the BBC offers more details about the show’s return.

Is Inside No. 9 ending?

Yes, Inside No. 9 is coming to an end with its ninth season, naturally.

Co-creator Steve Pemberton was first to announce the news in December 2022, just prior to the broadcast of Christmas special The Bones of St Nicholas.

“We feel it is a good time to pause Inside No. 9 after we finish filming season 9 next year,” he told The Sun.

“We’re not saying it’s over for good. After all, The League of Gentlemen came back [for anniversary specials], but we won’t be looking to make any more episodes for the time being.”

The writer echoed this sentiment at a later fan screening, saying that the door to Inside No. 9. is ajar, not closed.

Inside No. 9 season 9 episodes

There’s no word yet on what settings and premises could be explored in the final season of Inside No. 9, but co-creator Steve Pemberton did reveal that crafting the last batch of episodes has been a major challenge.

“Generally speaking, we like to keep moving forwards,” he said at the BFI. “We’re not looking back at stuff that we’ve written because we think we can keep doing better, although it’s hard now.

“We’re writing series 9 at the moment and, of course, it’s hard because we have done so many ways of telling a story, and so many ways of turning a story on its head – and we don’t want to repeat those.”

Pemberton added: “We just want to give the audience the biggest surprises and enjoyable half-hour stories. That’s the thing that’s tricky, because by the time we finish we’ll have done 55 [episodes].”

Inside No. 9 cast speculation

"Steve
Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith of Inside No. 9.
BBC/Richard Ansett

The cast of Inside No. 9 season 9 is also a mystery for now, with Shearsmith and Pemberton refusing to be drawn into conversations of actors they’d like to work with on the show.

The duo say that they never have anyone specific in mind when writing scripts as to do so risks disappointment in the event that the individual is not available.

The golden rule of the anthology show has always been that no actor can appear on-screen more than once, meaning that the Inside No. 9 season 8 cast can probably be ruled out of contention for future roles.

That said, if they were ever tempted to break that rule, the best time to do so would be the final season.

Is there a trailer for Inside No. 9 season 9?

Not yet. We’ll update this page when new footage emerges from Inside No. 9.

Inside No. 9 is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.

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