Acclaimed anthology series Inside No 9 looks set to return for a fifth series sooner rather than later in 2020.

Co-creator Reece Shearsmith tweeted on New Year's Day: "Inside No.9. Series 5. Soon. (Ish). I know the wait has been like..." (see picture below)

The latest run of the series was filmed early in 2019 and Shearsmith later added on social media that the long wait was not his fault: "Was ready to show in April last year. Nothing to do with us!"

There is also a special screening of two episodes by Shearsmith and co-creator Steve Pemberton at the BFI in London on January 10. Tickets sold out a long time ago, but the timing suggests that this might be a curtain raiser for the new series. Here is a link in case there are returns or more tickets are released.

The two episodes being shown at the BFI are The Referee’s a W***er (pictured) - the synopsis is as follows: "The beautiful game. The crunch-clash between United and Rovers in the last match of the season, all safely in the care of the four match officials. David Morrissey, Ralf Little, Dipo Ola and Steve Speirs join Shearsmith and Pemberton for a tale of promotion, relegation, corruption, and so, so much more."

And the other is The Stakeout – "Two police officers have time to get to know each other on the night shift. But PC Thompson’s previous partner died in a brutal attack less than a month ago, the forensics have gone missing and PC Varney is beginning to ask a lot of awkward questions."

Inside No 9 fans who were watching BBC One's Dracula have noticed a possible teaser for the Shearsmith/Pemberton hit in the horror drama. The cameras kept homing in on a large number 9 on the door of one of the cabins on the boat heading to Whitby. Dracula was co-adapted by Shearsmith/Pemberton's League of Gentlemen partner Mark Gatiss. And Shearsmith retweeted a plug for the drama shortly before it aired...

And before the final instalment Shearsmith confirmed that the '9' was no coincidence, tweeting: "BBC "Dracula" is brilliant. Fresh, funny, scary - all hard things to do on their own. Magic to see them done together. And of course I loved our "No.9" nod from @Markgatiss"