Outnumbered

[xcarlyx]

Anyone see the performance on children in need?

[Chloe O'brien]

Yeah I did. I can't believe how much they have grown. Ben is almost as tall as Jake.

[xcarlyx]

Yeah I did. I can't believe how much they have grown. Ben is almost as tall as Jake.

Ben now has a deeper voice than Jake.

[Perdita]

AWARD-winning comedy Outnumbered won't be back for a 2012 series.

BBC bosses fear its child stars are now too old.

The show sees Hugh Dennis and Claire Skinner star as frazzled parents Pete and Sue, who are always battling to control their three kids.

All four series since its 2007 launch have been ratings hits for BBC1.

And Ramona Marquez made history when she won a British Comedy Award in 2009 at the age of just eight for her portrayal of Karen.

But she is 11 soon while Tyger Drew-Honey, who plays Jake, is 14 and Daniel Roche, who plays Ben, is 12 next year.

However, bosses plan to keep bringing the show back for one-off specials, with the first this Christmas.

Tyger told TV Biz: "There's a special on Christmas Eve. Next year there'll be a Comic Relief special and maybe another Christmas special."

If next year's festive edition goes well, the Beeb will consider reviving the series if they have more ideas for all the children at "big" school.

Tyger said: "The year after that there could be another series.

"I think they don't want to dive in this year and do a whole series because it might not work with the kids getting older."

Fans who will miss the series are sure to tune into the festive episode.

Talking about it, Tyger said: "My character has a hangover. Grandad's in hospital and we all go and visit him.

"The last Christmas special ended with a bit of a sing-song so there's another one of them."

The Sun

[xcarlyx]

Thats awful to hear the shows finishing. But the children are now a bit too old for it. I love Karen's one liners and witty comments

[lizann]

Anyone see the performance on children in need?

Any YT links please?

[Katy]

Think thats it.

[Perdita]

Outnumbered is likely to return to BBC One for a full fifth series, it has been announced.

Tyger Drew-Honey, who plays Jake in the sitcom, recently suggested that it might only return for one-off special episodes.

However, BBC Television's Head of Communications Sam Hodges has refuted the rumours on Twitter

"Outnumbered fans - contrary to reports, talks are already under way regarding a new series on BBC One," he said.

Centred around the Brockman family, Outnumbered follows parents Pete (Hugh Dennis) and Sue (Claire Skinner) as they struggle to control their unruly children Jake, Ben (Daniel Roche) and Karen (Ramona Marquez).

Last year, Fox began developing a US remake of the series, with Ugly Betty's Ana Ortiz and theatre actor Cliff Chamberlain signing up to star.

The most recent episode of the original Outnumbered aired on Christmas Day on BBC One, attracting over 8m viewers.

[Perdita]

BBC family sitcom Outnumbered will return for a fifth series and a Christmas special, it has been confirmed.

The 40-minute Xmas edition will air later this year, while filming for the next series will begin in 2013.

Centred around the Brockman family, Outnumbered follows parents Pete (Hugh Dennis) and Sue (Claire Skinner) as they struggle to control their unruly children Jake (Tyger Drew-Honey), Ben (Daniel Roche) and Karen (Ramona Marquez).

There had previously been rumours that the programme may not get a fifth series with reports claiming that the show would only return with one-off specials.

Created by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin, the show won the National Television Award for 'Best Comedy' earlier this year.

The most recent Christmas special of Outnumbered pulled in over 8 million viewers for BBC One on Christmas Eve.

[Perdita]

The future of BBC comedy Outnumbered is yet to be decided, Digital Spy has learned.

Star Tyger Drew-Honey previously suggested to DS that the show's fifth series would be its last.

However, a representative for the show has stated: "Hat Trick are filming an Outnumbered Christmas special in November and series 5 later next year," adding that "no decision" has been made on the show's future beyond that.

It was announced in June that the popular BBC family comedy would return for a Christmas special and a new series in 2013.

Drew-Honey originally told Digital Spy: "This series is the last series. Never say never, but the directors and writers have said that they don't want to do another. Some [shows] do go on too long and some of them are just making [more] series for the sake of it."

The actor - who plays eldest child Jake - added that the gap between Outnumbered's fourth series in 2011 and the show's final 2013 run will allow "more scope for storylines".

"Outnumbered hasn't been on in ages now... and series five isn't going to be out till next May," he explained. "They've purposely made a point of holding it off - with the ages that Dan [Roche, who plays Ben] and Ramona [Marquez, who plays Karen] are now, they can take advantage of the fact that from the last time they were seen on TV to now, they've changed so much.

"If it was just six months later, it's all the same kinds of storylines. In series one, I was considered 'the old one', getting my first girlfriend, now Ben might be having a girlfriend. So they wanted to allow it enough time, so they'd have more scope for storylines."

Tyger Drew-Honey will next be seen in BBC Three comedy Cuckoo opposite Greg Davies, Helen Baxendale and Andy Samberg. The series is expected to premiere later this month.