A brand new series of the hit Scottish sitcom Two Doors Down has been greenlit by the BBC - months before the cast appear in the first live version of the show.
The eighth series has been commissioned months after a Christmas special reuniting the cast was broadcast.
It will be the first six-part run of episodes to be made since the death of Two Doors Down co-creator Simon Carlyle in 2023, shortly after filming had finished on the seventh series.
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Gregor Sharp, who co-created and co-wrote Two Doors Down with Mr Carlyle, is penning the six-part series, which is expected to be broadcast next year.
Stars Arabelle Weir, Elaine C Smith, Alex Norton, Doon Mackichan, Jonathan Watson, Graeme Stevely, Joy McAvoy, Jamie Quinn and Kieran Hodgson will all be returning to the fictional Latimer Crescent for the new series.
Two Doors Down which started life as a one-off Hogmanay programme in 2013, was launched as a series in 2016 and has run to nearly 50 episodes to date.
The Glasgow-set show would go on to become one of BBC Scotland’s most successful comedies, with the show eventually being shown across the UK network on BBC One.
Previous series of the show and its stars have been recognised with Royal Television Society and BAFTA Scotland honours.
It is the latest in a series of made-in-Scotland comedies to be given new runs. Others have included The Chief, Only Child and Dinosaur.
Fans of Two Doors Down expected the seventh series of Two Doors Down, which was shown in the autumn of 2023, to be the last following the death of Mr Carlyle a few months earlier.
However a reunion of the Latimer Crescent residents for a Christmas special was announced last July.
Around three months later it was confirmed that the cast would be heading to the Hydro arena this autumn.
The Two Doors Down run at the venue, which will also feature the main cast of the show, has been extended from an initial five shows to 10 performances in September and October due to popular demand.
The new series of Two Doors Down, which was announced at the BBC Comedy Festival in Liverpool, is expected to pick up where the Christmas special left the characters.
Jon Petrie, the BBC’s director of comedy, said: “Eight series in, and the team are still making a world that audiences properly love spending time in. That’s no mean feat, and it’s a huge credit to the talent, care and commitment behind the show. We’re really proud to bring it back for another series.”
An official announcement on the seventh series said: “Beth and Eric are still clinging to the hope of a quiet life, but their best efforts are no match for the relentless chaos supplied by neighbours Colin, Cathy and Christine.
“Meanwhile, Michelle is preparing for the new arrival, while Gordon throws himself into further education. Alam and Ian return too, doing their level best to support their partners — with mixed results.”
Mr Sharp said: “It was a lot of fun putting the band back together for the Christmas episode last year, so I’m really excited to be coming back with some new tunes, which we hope will turn out just as special.
“The cast are the most talented group of performers you could wish for and I can’t wait to get started.”
Louise Thornton, head of commissioning at BBC Scotland, said: “It’s fantastic to be returning once more to Latimer Crescent and these wonderfully written and performed characters.
“We know how much they are loved by audiences up and down the country and we’re delighted to be bringing it back and stepping back in to their lives once again.”
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