New settings include a restaurant after closing time, an art gallery and an alpine chalet in 1978. And even the doors of some very ordinary-seeming houses reveal some of the best and most intriguing stories, Once you’re inside No. 9, anything can happen.

Felicity Kendal (Rosemary And Thyme); Fiona Shaw (The Harry Potter films, True Blood); Jason Watkins (W1A, The Lost Honour Of Christopher Jefferies); Keeley Hawes (pictured, Line Of Duty, The Casual Vacancy); Jessica Raine (Wolf Hall, Call The Midwife); Mathew Baynton (The Wrong Mans); Rula Lenska (Coronation Street, Gypo); Philip Glenister (Life On Mars); Sarah Hadland (Miranda); Tamzin Outhwaite (New Tricks, EastEnders); Javone Prince (The Javone Prince Show); Montserrat Lombard (Ashes To Ashes); Morgana Robinson (The Morgana Show, House Of Fools) and Alexandra Roach (The Iron Lady) are just some of the names ready to be shocked and surprised Inside No.9.

Shane Allen, Controller, Comedy Commissioning, says: “This is British comedy at its most inventive: the powers of story-telling, superb cameo casting and jaw-dropping originality are unparalleled. Modern-day classics which surprise, terrify and delight in equal measure.”

Kim Shillinglaw, Controller, BBC Two and BBC Four, says: “I’m absolutely delighted that we have attracted such a terrific cast to the next deliciously dark series of Inside no 9. Alongside the return of Boy Meets Girl, this series is another example of the renewed strength and ambition of comedy at 9pm on BBC Two.”

Reece and Steve commented: “We are most thrilled to have been handed the keys to another six No. 9s, and to have attracted such a glittering array of talent. We have reassured them that this time there are lots of happy endings and everybody makes it out alive. And like fools, they believed us.”