Inside No. 9 series 6 release date: Latest news on Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton anthology

We now know that the sixth outing will premiere on BBC Two in May with a brand new chapter titled Wuthering Heist, which will see Pemberton and Shearsmith don masks for a comedic tale about a diamond robbery.

"We’ve both done acting training and we did a lot of mask work at our college, so we thought, ‘Let’s use our mask work – but mixed with a heist movie," Pemberton told Empire Magazine. "What is it like to mash up commedia dell’arte with Quentin Tarantino?"

Inside No. 9 has also been recognised in two categories of the 2021 BAFTA nominations, Scripted Comedy and Male Performance in a Comedy Programme (for Shearsmith).

Read on for everything you need to know about Inside No 9 series six, including the star-studded cast and a first-look teaser.

Inside No. 9 series 6 release date

CONFIRMED: Inside No 9 series six premieres on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on Monday 10th May at 9:30pm.

The BBC announced that filming had wrapped on this latest batch of episodes in late January, as well as providing a complete list of guest stars – and there are some very big names attached (more on that below).

Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton said: "We started filming in March last year but had to hit pause due to the pandemic. After a nine-month gestation it’s a relief to finally deliver our sixth series to the world.

"As proud parents we couldn’t possibly choose a favourite, but like any youngest sibling this series is cheeky, funny - and can get away with murder."

The show has already been renewed for a seventh series.

Inside No. 9 series 6 cast

Inside No. 9 has built a reputation for attracting some of the biggest names on British television and series six is no exception, with a star-studded cast list revealed by the BBC in January.

Adrian Dunbar (Line of Duty's Superintendent Ted Hastings) and Sian Clifford (Fleabag's sister, Claire) are among those joining the Inside No. 9 family, alongside Paterson Joseph (Peep Show), Lindsay Duncan (A Discovery of Witches), and Nick Mohammed (Intelligence).

Fans can also expect to see Kevin Bishop (Porridge), Bhavna Limbachia (Coronation Street), Sarah Parish (W1A) and Gemma Whelan (Game Of Thrones), with even more names set to be confirmed in due course.

Meanwhile, Sir Derek Jacobi has hit the milestone of being the first actor to appear in Inside No. 9 more than once, having returned for series six after his previous appearance in 2016's The Devil of Christmas.

While there are no details on what characters this bunch will be playing – as Shearsmith and Pemberton prefer to keep their stories under wraps until close to broadcast – expect plenty of memorable personalities to be introduced.

• For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides.

Inside No. 9 series six episodes

As usual, Shearsmith and Pemberton have kept the details of their stories under wraps to ensure plenty of surprises for viewers, but we do now have a synopsis for the first episode of series six.

Wuthering Heist will be a comedic episode following an attempt by Pantalone to steal a consignment of diamonds worth £12 million – but his crew of thieves are as inept as they are dishonest. The guest cast includes: Kevin Bishop, Paterson Joseph and Gemma Whelan.

We'll update this section with more episode titles as they come in.

• Series six episode one: Wuthering Heist

Will there be another crossover episode?

Fans of Shearsmith and Pemberton were left reeling when characters from their previous collaboration, Psychoville, turned up in an episode of Inside No. 9.

The project was a closely guarded secret, but begs the question whether the creative duo have more crossovers up their sleeve.

Speaking to The Telegraph after the episode aired, Pemberton said: "I’m so proud of what we’ve managed to do and continue to do. Who knows, we might do more Psychoville in the future. It’s unpredictable, what we’re going to do."

Inside No. 9 series 6 trailer

We finally have a trailer for Inside No. 9 series six, which features Shearsmith and Pemberton as well as several of their illustrious guest stars including Sian Clifford, Adrian Dunbar and Sir Derek Jacobi.

Inside No. 9 returns to BBC Two later this year. Take a look at the rest of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.