Award-winning anthology Inside No 9 is to be paused after the ninth series. Some reports have led with the suggestion that it has been axed but this is not the case. Co-creator Steve Pemberton commented on the misleading suggestions on Twitter, posting about being axed after S9: "not true btw lazy headline writers".

Co-creator Reece Shearsmith later added: "Recent headlines suggesting "No 9" is axed are of course untrue. Also - it's over a year away that we are going to stop .. (after series NINE) so the stories actually amount to "Programme on now will eventually stop in the future". So don't worry about it." And pointed out: "Also - it's not even news, we said this two series back."

What is true, however, according to an article in The Sun, is that Pemberton and Shearsmith will be taking a break from the format after series nine. And there is still plenty to come before then. The eighth series will be broadcast in 2023 and the ninth series is still to be filmed.

Pemberton told the Sun: "We feel it is a good time to pause Inside No9 after we finish filming series nine next year. We’re not saying it’s over for good. After all, The League Of Gentlemen came back, but we won’t be looking to make any more episodes for the time being.”

And before all of that there is the Christmas special, The Bones of St Nicholas, which is transmitted on BBC Two on Thursday, December 22 at 9pm and co-stars Shobna Gulati and Simon Callow alongside the two creators.

Dr. Jasper Parkway has booked an overnight stay in a reputedly haunted church on Christmas Eve. However, much to his dismay, he is soon joined by unwanted guests Pierce and Posy, who have even brought their own sleeping bags. Together with the eccentric warden Dick, it doesn’t look like Jasper is going to be lonely this Christmas. Even though sherry, biscuits and Yuletide phantoms are on offer, why is Jasper so keen to be left to his own devices?

Picture: BBC