Comedian Lee Mack has broken his silence on the future of Not Going Out, following reports it has been “shelved” for 2024.

The BBC series which is one of the “longest running sitcoms on air” first began in 2006 – it recently celebrated 100 episodes with a Christmas special in 2023, following the last series.

It stars Lee who plays a fictionalised version of himself along with his on-screen wife Sally Bretton (Lucy) along with many other famous faces.

The Blackburn Rovers fan, who lived in The Centurion pub on Higher Croft Road while growing up, has revealed what the future holds for the multi-award-winning show.

Is Not Going Out returning in 2024 on BBC One?

The 55-year-old has revealed the sitcom won’t be returning this year, which is the “first in a long time” and a decision which he said is “not always his”.

Commenting on his plans for the rest of the year, Lee Mack told The Sun: “More 1% Club, more Would I Lie to You? and, for the first year in a long time, I won’t be doing Not Going Out.

"If we do bring it back, we’re looking at early 2025."

He added: “We’re talking about it now. I’d love to do more, I love doing it, it’s great fun, I love the cast but […] it’s not always my decision, these things.

"I just wait for someone to say, ‘There’s a bag of money, get on with it'.”

Lancashire Telegraph: Do you have a favourite series of Not Going Out?Do you have a favourite series of Not Going Out? (Image: BBC/Avalon/Mark Johnson)

Previously, Lee shared how Not Going Out was first brought to life, he said: “I did a sketch show at the Edinburgh Festival with Catherine Tate and Dan Antopolski, and there was a little sketch set in a flat which just grew until it ended up being a quarter of the whole show.”

'The second Bobby walked in he was so much like my real dad'

Speaking about his on-screen father, the late Bobby Ball, Lee also recalled the “great historical tradition” that led to him being cast for the role.

He explained: “When I was a kid growing up my first recollection of doing anything performance-based was on the playground roof doing an impression of Bobby to show off to the kids at school.

“When we were looking for someone to play my dad I wanted a comic to do it rather than an actor.

Lancashire Telegraph: There have been 100 episodes of Not Going OutThere have been 100 episodes of Not Going Out (Image: BBC/Avalon/Pete Dadds)

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“The second Bobby walked in he was so much like my real dad that it was unbelievable.”

Lee added: “Years later after he’d got the part my uncle said Bobby had actually met my dad because he played the pub we grew up in. I never knew that. It was so shocking when Bobby passed away from Covid.”

All episodes of Not Going Out are available to watch on BBC iPlayer.