Little Britain fans were relieved when creator and actor Matt Lucas stated the series will not be rebooted.
The comedic sketch series developed and starring Matt and David Walliams began as a radio show in 2000 and was then made into a TV series that aired on BBC from 2003 to 2006.
The show included a series of sketches that were exaggerated caricatures of British people from all areas of life.
However, it was removed from iPlayer and Netflix last year, with the BBC saying that ‘things have changed’ due to the series’ use of blackface.
While there have been suggestions that it would return with fresh new episodes, Matt has stated that this is not the case.
‘Sorry to disappoint you (or delight you) but the stories in the papers about me and David writing a new series of Little Britain are not true,’ he posted on X.
However he did say they were back in the writer’s room together.
‘We’re working on a different idea,’ he added.
Many individuals expressed their relief once Matt released the update, although for various reasons.
One individual just said’sounds excellent’ in response to his article.
Someone else said it was ‘good to hear as Little Britain didn’t age well’.
However another added they didn’t want it to happen as they were ‘not interested in any santisied political correctness rubbish’.
It had previously been claimed that the comedy partners were working on a remake that will ‘feature varied talent on screen and in the writers’ room’ and be imagined as something ‘that is simply not just me and David playing absolutely everyone’.
Trans Emily and Florence, teen chav Vicky Pollard, and Desiree DeVere, who was portrayed by David in blackface, are among the roles played by males who have come under fire in recent years.
Matt stated that things have ‘changed’ since they began working on the series and that he’respected everyone’s perspective’ on the show and its substance.
‘Because some people are upset about what we do, or what we have done, out of respect to those people I don’t talk about it publicly because I don’t want to cause further upset to people who were upset,’ he said, as reported by The Sun.
‘I totally accept there are different opinions. I accept people feel very differently from others and I respect everyone’s opinion from wherever they come from on this subject. I see things differently now to how we did.
‘Things have changed, and I respect that.’
However, after learning of the supposed relaunch, many people questioned why it was returning.
‘Little Britain. The reboot no one asked for,’ Nicola Dobry posted on X.
‘Joy another Little Britain…NOT. Wasn’t funny the first time round. Those two really aren’t funny,’ user Shirley shared.
Sean Owen-Moylan added: ‘To be fair, two unfunny men bringing back an unfunny show would make a typical Little Britain sketch.’
While it was restored on iPlayer in 2022, Netflix retained the series’ embargo.
Back in 2020, both Walliams and Lucas apologised for using blackface in their programme, saying, ‘Once again, we want to make it plain that it was wrong; we are extremely sorry.’
Matt also expressed misgivings for Little Britain, calling it “cruel.”
‘Basically, I wouldn’t make that show now. It would upset people. We made a more cruel kind of comedy than I’d do now,’ he told Big Issue.
Little Britain is streaming on BBC iPlayer.