Inside No. 9 Christmas special 2022: when is it on TV, is it the last episode, will there be another series?

Inside No. 9 returns for another twisted take on a Christmas special with The Bones of St Nicholas featuring the main series cast. The dark comedy crime anthology series takes place in weird properties, all of which are number 9. Behind each door odd and macabre characters lurk.

Creators Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith, the men behind the early 2000s comedy horror series The League of Gentlemen, have so far released seven seasons of the show since it first aired in 2014. The upcoming episode is the second Inside No. 9 Christmas special, after season three’s The Devil of Christmas in 2016, which parodied 1970’s horror flicks.

What is the Inside No. 9 Christmas special about?

The Christmas special sees Dr Jasper Parkway check into a reputedly haunted church on Christmas Eve, where he plans to spend the night. Jasper’s peaceful plans are disrupted by Pierce and Posy, two unwanted guests, and Dick, an eccentric warden who won’t give him a moment’s peace.

As Jasper becomes increasingly irritated by his pestering fellow lodgers, it seems that there may be a more sinister reason behind his desire for total privacy. The special is a creepy ghost story with a trademark No. 9 twist.

Co-creator Reece Shearsmith told RadioTimes: “The prospect of doing a special episode of something that is on-going is always exciting. You want to make it different in its own way and a treat for the viewer. To do something where we can embrace the tradition of the ghost story of Christmas, which we’ve never really done before, was brilliant.

"We were delighted to be asked to do it and then we hit upon this idea, and it’s come together in a lovely way and is a real treat for Christmas. Even if it wasn’t spooky, it’s very Christmassy. I think it will be great to settle down and watch on a late December night and have your spine tingled."

Who is in the cast of the Inside No. 9 Christmas special?

• Steve Pemberton as Dr Jasper Parkway
• Reece Shearsmith as Pierce
• Simon Callow as Dick
• Shobna Gulati as Posy

When is the Inside No. 9 Christmas special on TV?

The Inside No. 9 Christmas special, titled The Bones of St Nicholas, will air on Thursday 22 December at 9pm on BBC Two. The episode will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer shortly after it is first broadcast. The special is 30 minutes long.

Is there another series of Inside No. 9?

Yes, the Christmas special is actually the first episode of season eight - there will be five more episodes of the series airing in early 2023. Show co-creator and star Steve Pemberton confirmed that a ninth season of the show would also be made but that they would pause after it airs, with no plans to shoot new episodes. All of season 1-7 are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.

Is there a trailer for the Inside No. 9 Christmas special?

Yes there is, and you can watch it right here: