Diksha Sundriyal
The ninth and final season of BBC Two’s black comedy anthology series, ‘Inside No. 9’, will start filming in North West England in the fall of 2023. The channel declared the renewal of the final season with its penultimate season following the finale of Season 7. The eighth season of the BAFTA-winning series was filmed entirely in the North West, featuring locations in and around Rostherne and Sandbach and Space Studios in Gorton.
Speaking about their experience filming in the North West for the previous season, a BBC spokesperson said: “We are incredibly proud of our content made in the North West and how well it’s received by audiences in the region and beyond. It’s an exciting time for the region, and the BBC wants to be right at the heart of that.” According to co-creator Reece Shearsmith, taking the production there allowed them access to the locations they simply could not have found in London.
Created by Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, ‘Inside No. 9’ follows an anthology format, with every season consisting of six half-hour episodes that present a mix of comedy, drama, horror, and thriller. The tone and themes of the stories change with every episode, giving the audience something new every week. Over the years, the show has enjoyed critical acclaim, winning several BAFTAs, including Best Scripted Comedy, Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme, and two BAFTA TV Craft Awards, among others.
Starring Shearsmith and Pemberton, the show has had actors like Helen McCrory, Diane Morgan, Jason Isaacs, Fiona Shaw, and Keeley Hawes. The ninth season is produced by BBC Studios Comedy Productions and broadcast on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. It is produced by Kim Crowther (‘Midsomer Murders‘), while Josh Cole (‘Good Omens’) and Adam Tandy (‘The Thick Of It’) serve as executive producers.
About the final season, Pemberton and Shearsmith said: “Since 2014, it has been the greatest gift to conjure these stories into being, and we are thrilled there’s still an appetite for more. What horrible surprises are there left to uncover? We remain as delighted and curious as you to find out.” The commissioning Editor for the BBC, Seb Barwell, called the series “endlessly inventive” from “the colossal comedy brains” of the duo. According to Executive Producer for the BBC, Josh Cole, “Reece and Steve are extraordinary talents. Very few comedies reach nine series, and even fewer scale the hare-raising heights of Inside No. 9. We’re delighted to be making two more series (8 and 9) of a true comedy classic”.
While the plot details have not been revealed, the show’s co-creators revealed that writing the ninth season was a challenge, considering how they have already explored all sorts of things in the last eight seasons. They were careful not to repeat anything they have already done and are focused on giving the audience “the biggest surprises and enjoyable half-hour stories.” The names of the actors set to appear in the upcoming season have not been revealed. We expect more details about the cast and the plot in the coming months.
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