Little Britain stars ‘furiously deny claims the show has been canned and will never return to screens’ say friends
- The BBC comedy, starring David Walliams and Matt Lucas, is set for full TV return
- Comes after they resurrected it for a ‘Little Brexit’ episode for Radio 4 in October
- Walliams and Lucas both said they would have to make a different show for today
- Sources close to iconic duo have denied rumours the BBC has dropped the show
Little Britain stars have denied claims the show has been dropped by the BBC and will never return to screens, sources have said.
Today, there was speculation the comedy would not return to screens because the BBC deemed the characters too offensive.
But, sources close to David Walliams and Matt Lucas said the rumours are untrue and the show is set to be resurrected for the first time since Christmas 2005.
The iconic duo brought the show back for a special ‘Little Brexit’ episode for Radio 4 in October.
Little Britain is coming back to the small screen after 12 years – but there are fears it may fall foul of some viewers
The BBC comedy, starring David Walliams and Matt Lucas (pictured as Lou and Andy), is set for a full TV return for the first time since Christmas 2005
However fans of the programme’s unabashed humour may be disappointed, as Walliams and Lucas both said they would have to make a different show to match the times.
Walliams, 48, told the Sun: ‘You’d definitely do it differently because it’s a different time. There’s all kinds of tolerances that change.’
Lucas has also said: ‘We made a more cruel comedy than I’d do now.’
Despite this Walliams added ‘there will definitely’ be some more Little Britain coming.
‘I can’t say when exactly but at the right time and place, he said. ‘It was fun coming back for radio because that’s where we started.’
Little Britain was first introduced to the public on Radio 4 in 2000, before it was adapted for the screen two years later.
It ran for three series and several specials and was watched by more than nine million viewers at its peak.
The sketch mocked different areas of British society and took its inspiration from the phrase Little Englander.
Fans of the programme’s unabashed humour may be disappointed, as Walliams and Lucas (pictured as Bubbles and Desiree) both said they would have to make a different show to match the times
The sketch mocked different areas of British society and took its inspiration from the phrase Little Englander. Pictured: As Emily and Florence
Characters including wheelchair-user Andy, Dudley and Ting Tong, Bubbles and Desiree, Emily and Florence and Daffyd (left) may fall foul of today’s PC police. Right Carol Beer, who may be an acceptable character for ‘woke’ viewers
Characters including wheelchair-user Andy, Dudley and Ting Tong, Bubbles and Desiree, Emily and Florence and Daffyd may fall foul of today’s PC police.
Williams was adamant it did not mock minorities, adding ‘comedy for me is celebrating things’.
The actor and children’s author said he and Lucas have faced calls to appear in more shows together.
Williams (pictured with Lucas as Dudley and Ting Tong) was adamant it did not mock minorities, adding ‘comedy for me is celebrating things’
The former comedy duo were not seen together for seven years until May 2018, when they both attended Dale Winton’s funeral.
In his autobiography, Lucas revealed how tensions boiled between the pair in 2005 during their Little Britain Live tour, leading to a spectacular backstage fight.
The pair first met in The National Youth Theatre, and broke onto the comedy scene with Little Britain.
In September, Walliams and Lucas reunited when they appeared in a photo together which was posted on Twitter.
The pair (pictured together in 2008) first met in The National Youth Theatre, and broke onto the comedy scene with Little Britain