Jason Watkins, Mathew Horne & Sherrie Hewson for comedy special

Jason Watkins will play comedy favourite Mr Humphries.

Classic British sitcom Are You Being Served? is returning for a one-off, BBC One special with a new all-star cast.

The original sitcom, by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft, began in 1972 and ran for over ten years, following the misadventures of the shop floor retail staff at Grace Brothers – a fictional London department store.

The special celebrates the 60th anniversary of the television sitcom, and will be written by multi-award winning Derren Litten (Benidorm, The Catherine Tate Show).

We join the staff of Grace Brother’s in 1988, with Young Mr Grace (played by Mathew Horne – Gavin And Stacey), grandson of the original Young Mr Grace is determined to drag Grace Brothers into, well 1988, but he has a problem on his hands. Mr Humphries (Jason Watkins – The Lost Honour Of Christopher Jefferies), Captain Peacock (John Challis – Only Fools And Horses) , Mr Rumbold and Mrs Slocombe (Sherrie Hewson – Benidorm) all seem to be stuck in another era. The team has a new member of staff, Mr Conway, played by newcomer Kayode Ewumi

Also starring is, Roy Barraclough (Coronation Street) as Mr Grainger; comedian and writer Arthur Smith will play Mr Harmon and Niky Wardley (The Catherine Tate Show) will play Miss Brahms. Jorgie Porter (Hollyoaks) joins as new character, Miss Croft.

Are You Being Served? is produced by James Farrell (Mrs Brown’s Boys) and directed by Dewi Humphreys (Vicar of Dibley, My Family).

Derren Litten says: “Writing a new episode of Are You Being Served? has been the most fun I have ever had as a professional writer. We have an amazing cast, a brilliant producer and a great director, it was just too exciting an opportunity to pass up and I am unanimous in that.”

Are You Being Served? will be filmed in March in front of a studio audience in Media City, Salford and will air on BBC One later this year.