Has Lee Mack’s Not Going Out been cancelled?

Lee Mack has revealed the future of his hit sitcom Not Going Out, giving fans a better understanding of what they can expect from him and his career.

The BBC comedy series first began airing in 2006, with Mack starring as a fictional version of himself opposite Sally Bretton, who portrays Lucy Adams, and Hugh Dennis, who plays his neighbour Toby.

It has enjoyed huge success and has become the UK's second longest-running sitcom behind Last of the Summer Wine, so it's no wonder fans are curious whether there'll be more.

Has Lee Mack’s Not Going Out been cancelled?

Mack has shared insight into this, telling The Sun that fans of Not Going Out can't expect the series to return until at least early 2025, if it comes back at all.

Sharing his career plans for the future, Mack said: "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."

The comedian clarified that despite being the show's creator the decision to make the show is no longer his to make, and he simply has to wait —just like fans— to find out if another season has been green lit.

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

Now, the good news is Mack's comments suggest that the show has not been cancelled outright, it just simply hasn't been picked up for another season yet. Given his busy schedule, Mack has a lot of other projects on his plate that he has to contend with other than Not Going Out.

Given the show's success over the years it seems entirely possible that it will return, but it won't be for a long time until viewers are able to watch another season. If Mack is correct in thinking that the show won't return until early 2025 then filming might not begin til the end of 2024 or at the start of 2025.

Not Going Out has had 13 seasons so far, and viewers last enjoyed the return of the sitcom for a Christmas special in 2023. In the episode, Lee and Lucy invite a lonely old pensioner to their house for a festive dinner, only for things to start going hilariously wrong.

The Christmas special marked the 100th episode for the series and drew in almost 4 million viewers, so it's not like the show hasn't got the viewership numbers to prove it's worth bringing back. Fans will just have to wait and see, just like Mack.

Not Going Out is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.