The BBC sitcom Not Going Out is celebrating two decades of television with the release of a new documentary and the continuation of its 15th series. Created by Lee Mack in 2006, the comedy has grown into a staple of British programming,boasting 106 episodes and millions of viiewers per instalment.
From a 1999 Edinburgh sketch to 106 episodes
The origins of the series can be traced back to the 1999 Edinburgh Festival, where Lee Mack performed in a sketch show titled Lee Mack's Bits. As the report notes, Mack used that platform to test material that would eventually form the foundation of his long-running sitcom. Interestingly, the show's working title was originally Number 17, a name changed to Not Going Out as a nod to the romantic tension between the lead characters.
The nine-month fight to reverse a BBC cancellation
The longevity of the show was nearly cut short during its third season when the BBC made the abrupt decision to cancel the series. However, the production did not succumb to the axe; instead, a massive wave of fan outcry and a surge in DVD sales forced the broadcaster's hand.. According to the report,this public pressure led the BBC to reverse its decision and greenlight two additional seasons within a nine-month window.
The cast evolution from Catherine Tate to Sally Bretton
The show has undergone significant personnel changes since its inception, including a shift in the female lead. while Catherine Tate was originally cast for the pilot, she departed to focus on her own sketch comedy , leading to a period where Megan Dodds played the role before Sally Bretton took over in the second series.. The ensemble has also seen the departure of various comedic talents, such as Miranda Hart and Tim Vine, as the show transitioned from a story about a single man and his landlady to a domestic comedy centered on a growing family.
What the documentary omits about the Mack-Vine clash
While the new documentary, 20 Years Of Not Going Out, offers a retrospective look at the show's history, certain details remain unaddressed. For instance, the report mentions a clash between Lee Mack and Tim Vine that necessitated a cast change, yet the documentary's specific coverage of this tension is not detailed. Furthermore, it remains unclear how the production team plans to maintain the show's comedic freshness as it enters its 15th series and moves further away from its original premise.
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