David Mitchell returning for more comedy as the bard!

Ben Elton’s BBC Two penned comedy Upstart Crow has been recommissioned for a second series of six episodes and a Christmas special for 2017.

Upstart Crow follows the life and times of Will Shakespeare (played by Peep Show‘s David Mitchell) as he starts to make a name for himself in London while trying to balance life as a husband, father and son for his family in Stratford-upon-Avon. Beyond his wife Anne (Liza Tarbuck), daughter Susannah (Helen Monks) and mother and father (Paula Wilcox and Harry Enfield), other characters include his servant Bottom (Rob Rouse), his friends Kate (Gemma Whelan) and Marlowe (Tim Downie), his theatrical troupe and his rival Robert Greene (Mark Heap).

Series two will see Ben draw inspiration from characters like Othello and Falstaff, and plays like Henry V and The Taming Of The Shrew. Marlowe takes a spy trip to meet Two Gentlemen In Verona, and Will and Anne’s lodger turns out to be a Jesuit assassin with his sights set on the Queen.

Upstart Crow series one – which launched in May 2016 – attracted a consolidated audience of over two million viewers.

Shane Allen says: “What with the brilliant response to Ben’s re-imagination of Will Shakespeare’s world and the uniquely entertaining cast, it would be madness not to bring Upstart Crow back for a second series.”

Ben Elton says: “Making a sitcom for the BBC is the holy grail of British comedy writing. I am absolutely thrilled that Upstart Crow has earned a second series and am sorry for some of the things I thought about the Bard while studying for my English Lit O Level.”

David Mitchell says: “I’m thrilled that we’ll be making a second series of Upstart Crow, but sad that my favourite part of the creative process – the quote for the press release – is now over.”