Bad Education is to return for a special 10-year anniversary special followed by a new spin-off series, the BBC has announced.
The comedy series, which launched on BBC Three in 2012, followed hapless young teacher Alfie Wickers, played by Jack Whitehall, as he navigated his way through life at Abbey Grove School.
A 45-minute one-off special episode, celebrating 10 years since the show first aired, will reunite Alfie with former students as they return to Abbey Grove for a joyfully chaotic careers day.
It will be comedian Whitehall’s final appearance in the show as the cast say a fond farewell to Alfie.
After the anniversary episode, a new spin-off series – retaining the original title – will welcome a brand-new intake of unruly students to Abbey Grove as two stars from the original series – former classmates Stephen and Mitchell – find themselves on the other side of the desk as newly qualified teachers.
World-class diva Stephen will once again be played by Layton Williams, while Charlie Wernham will return to play soon-to-be family man Mitchell.
The original Bad Education ran for three series until 2014, and was later adapted into a film – The Bad Education Movie, released in 2015.
The new spin-off series will be executive produced by Whitehall and directed by Freddy Syborn, with a new team of writers.
Speaking about the new series, Whitehall said: “I’m so pumped for a 10-year anniversary special of Bad Education, the show that launched my career.
“I have such fond memories and it will be great for the fans to check in and find out what Class K have been up to since they left and if Alfie Wickers is still as much of a melt as they remember.
“The new series is so exciting. I’m so old and irrelevant I’ve decided it’s best I take more of a producer role with Bad Education, but we’ve assembled a young, talented group of writers led by the brilliant Nathan Bryon, who will be carrying the torch.
“Charlie Wernham is his generation’s Danny Dyer but with less royal heritage. Hopefully being a lead in this will be a springboard to him doing a decade of violent Brit flicks about hooliganism. Layton Williams is a superstar.”
The series, which will air on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer, will see Stephen and Mitchell get to grips with their new careers and wayward students, while new headteacher and control freak Ms Hoburn looms large.
Meanwhile, recently departed head Mr Fraser – played by Mathew Horne – and his questionable “bants” will continue to hang around the school in various lowly roles as HR struggle to fire him.
Broadcast dates for the anniversary special and spin-off series will be announced in due course.