Mathew Horne and Amanda Abbington to star in new episodes of Inside No. 9

Mathew Horne and Amanda Abbington are set to star in new episodes of black comedy show Inside No. 9.

The Bafta award-winning show, created by Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, will return with five more episodes later this year.

Horne, 44, is known for comedy shows The Catherine Tate Show and Bad Education as well as his partnership with James Corden in sketch show Horne & Corden and hit sitcom Gavin And Stacey.

The eighth series of Inside No. 9 also sees Sherlock and Mr Selfridge star Abbington, 48, joined by Sex Education and Game Of Thrones actress Samantha Spiro, My Mad Fat Diary’s Claire Rushbrook, People Just Do Nothing’s Asim Chaudhry and stage actress Frances Barber, also known for legal drama Silk.

EastEnders star Anita Dobson, House Of The Dragon’s Phil Daniels, British comedy veteran Robin Askwith and Batman’s Leon Herbert also make the cast list.

The new cast of characters will bring a mix of horror, thriller, drama, comedy and surprising twists as the anthology series follows on from Christmas special The Bones Of St Nicholas.

After launching in 2014, the show won the best scripted comedy prize at the Bafta TV awards in 2021, and Pemberton was honoured with best male performance in a comedy in 2019.

Shearsmith and Pemberton said: “We are thrilled to invite viewers inside a new set of funny and frightening number 9s; take your shoes off, make yourself at home and switch your devices to do not disturb. Well it might work…”

Gregor Sharp, commissioning editor at the BBC, said: “Reece and Steve are masters of their craft and it’s a delight to see such a brilliant line-up of guest stars joining them for another series of perfectly formed dark comedy masterpieces.”

The BBC previously confirmed there will be a ninth series of the show.

Inside No. 9 will return on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in the spring.