Beloved BBC sitcom ‘to make comeback’ 15 years after it ended and cast are ‘all on board’

Legendary BBC sitcom Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps is reportedly making a comeback to television, more than a decade after it was axed and the original cast are said to be on board

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Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps is reportedly making a comeback(Image: BBC)

Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps is reportedly set for a television comeback. The legendary sitcom, which followed four twentysomethings as they navigated love, life and unemployment, ran from 2000 until 2011 on the BBC.

The series made a star out of Sheridan Smith, who played Janet Smith, and Ralf Little, Will Mellor, Natalie Casey and Kathryn Drysdale became known for their respective roles of Jonny Keogh, Gaz Wilkinson, Donna Henshaw and Louise Brooks. Coronation Street legend Beverley Callard also starred as Donna’s outrageous mother Flo for a period of time after quitting her signature role of Rovers landlady Liz McDonald.

The programme was created and written by Susan Nickson, who was just 19 years old when it was commissioned, and she recently obtained the rights to her show back from the BBC, meaning that it will likely find a new home.

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Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps is reportedly making a comeback(Image: BBC)

A source told The Sun: “Bagging the rights is crucial as it allows the show to be pitched elsewhere. The sitcom is sex-and-booze-heavy and that’s just not where the woke BBC are heading right now. The cast are up for it and hope something can happen this year.”

Towards the end of last year, former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Will, who starred in Hollyoaks prior to finding wider fame as Gaz and has since featured regularly on British television, with roles in Casualty, EastEnders, and Mr Bates Vs The Post Office, revealed that he and Ralf had a script for a revival but claimed that it was rejected by the BBC.

During an appearance on This Morning, he explained: “We did have a script, we pitched it and the BBC turned it down. They said they just didn’t want to revisit it.” But all is not lost for fans of the long-running sitcom, as Will revealed they would be happy to do it if an offer came in.

He added: “But it doesn’t mean it’s over! It was called Two Pints: Last Orders. Me and Ralf are up for it, so if anyone wants to make it, let’s do it!”

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Will Mellor and Natalie Casey starred as on/off couple Gaz and Donna(Image: BBC)

Ralf had enjoyed success with The Royle Family, in which he played Antony prior to landing the part of Jonny and has in more recent years become known for the holding the leading role on the BBC’s Death In Paradise.

Following the show’s cancellation, Sheridan went on to enjoy an Olivier Award-winning run as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical, before becoming known for her more serious roles in crime dramas like Four Lives and, more recently, I Fought The Law.

Natalie had already enjoyed success in Hollyoaks before she was cast in her signature role and has since narrated a host of shows including Cash in the Attic and Dinner Date. Kathryn is possibly most recognisable to fans of Benidorm for playing Natalie on the ITV sitcom, but also starred as Meghan Markle in The Windsors and more recently appeared in Circle Square.

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The series brought Sheridan Smith to national attention and she went onto a major career on stage and screen(Image: PA)

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Ralf Little had starred as Antony on The Royle Family prior to landing the role of Jonny (Image: Getty Images Europe)

In 2024, Will revealed his hopes to bring the show back. He said: “I said I would do another one, just to say thank you to the people who supported it because it ran for ten years. Everyone still talks to me every day in the street about it. Every day, someone will mention it. Their favourite show, growing up and, you know, had a cult following, and it’d be nice to do another series just to see where they are now.”

He previously shared his idea for a ‘revamped’ version of the show. “It’s called Two Pints: Last Orders,” he explained. “It’s really funny. It’s been brought up to the modern day but Gaz and Johnny are still very old school and sit in the pub talking about pies and beer.

“The BBC said no, they don’t want to revisit Two Pints. Now we’re going to look for someone else, whether it’s another channel, whether it’s Britbox or Netflix, because there’s a massive audience for this.”