Hugh Bonneville as Ian Fletcher returning in BBC football comedy Twenty Twenty Six in follow up to W1A and Twenty Twelve

It’s the news fans of W1A and Twenty Twelve have been waiting for - Ian Fletcher is returning in a sequel to the popular comedy series, this time with a football theme. This time the hapless executive, and star of the popular mockumentaries, is jetting off to Miami for the 2026 World Cup.

Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville will reprise his role as Fletcher as he takes on a new title, the BBC’s director of integrity for the upcoming World Cup in the US. The 61-year-old’s character will be joined by the rest of the Twenty Twenty Six Oversight Team, with a cast including The Day Of The Jackal’s Nick Blood.

Fresh Off The Boat star Chelsey Crisp, Designated Survivor’s Paulo Costanzo and Stephen Kunken, best known for playing Ari Spyros in Billions, also joins the cast alongside The Inbetweeners’ Belinda Stewart-Wilson.

Director John Morton said: “I wasn’t sure what Ian Fletcher had been up to recently. The last I heard he was still recovering from a serious mindfulness course in Somerset. So, it’s great to hear that he’s made it back and has re-emerged in his natural habitat at the centre of a well-known institution, but now on the world stage and facing his biggest opportunity yet to get things right.

“I’m thrilled and hugely grateful to the BBC for giving me the chance to follow him again, this time all the way to Miami, and I literally can’t wait to see what happens.”

The character was first introduced in 2011 series Twenty Twelve, which followed an organising committee for the London Olympic Games. This was followed by series W1A, which followed Ian as the head of values at the BBC.

Twenty Twelve won the Best Sitcom category at the British Comedy Awards in 2011 while Hynes received the Best Comedy Performance award for her role from the Royal Television Society.

For his role in Twenty Twelve Osy Ikhile was nominated for "Best TV Comedy Performance" at the Black International Film Festival and Music Video and Screen Awards.

The series also picked up a Best Sitcom BAFTA in 2013, with star Colman also winning Best Female Comedy Performance, a category in which co-star Hynes was also nominated. Bonneville also received a nomination for his role.

In 2015, Hynes and Bonneville were both nominated for a BAFTA for their roles in W1A, with Hynes walking away with the Best Female Performance in a Comedy Programme gong. In 2016, Bonneville was again nominated for Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme for his portrayal of Fletcher.

Executive producer Paul Schlesinger said: “It’s 15 years since Ian Fletcher’s journey started with the run-up to the London Olympics and we are delighted the BBC has given John another chance to capture the universal comedy of people trying to organise something really big in a room, but this time with an outstanding international cast.”

Twenty Twenty Six will consist of six 30-minute episodes and will be available to watch on BBC One and iPlayer.