What does our last trip Inside No. 9 have in store?

The wonder is, however, that it’s lasted as long as it has. Not because it’s suffered dwindling ratings or anything like that, but because its creators, writers and stars – Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton – have managed to keep the standard so high through its eight series to date.

Usually, shows begin to look a wee bit tired after a few years, but that hasn’t been the case here. In fact, the duo’s inventiveness has been something to admire, with incredible stories coming thick and fast – they’re clearly creative geniuses.

Now they’re back for what we’re told is the ninth and final run of six episodes, each featuring a bizarre story linked to the number nine.

“It is with mixed emotions that we announce we have started filming the final series of Inside No 9,” revealed Shearsmith and Pemberton in a joint statement when production began last December.

“We overheard some crew members the other day describe us as ‘a couple of Wonkas’ and that seems an apt description. We take the finest ingredients (stellar casts and creatives) and blend them with our secret recipe to produce unique confections that are delicious and often deadly.

“It has been the greatest privilege to have been allowed to make 55 wildly different episodes and we’ll miss the yearly challenge of trying to entertain and surprise our audience. We honestly feel like golden ticket winners – which makes us not a couple of Wonkas, but a pair of Charlies.”

Jon Petrie, Director of BBC Comedy, added: “Reece and Steve have, once again, served up a stellar line up of guests to star alongside them in their funny, beautifully crafted and totally original scripts. Inside No. 9 will be hugely missed, but this final series promises to be a treat for all their avid fans.”

The final run has a lot to live up to; its predecessors have won numerous awards, including Baftas for Best Scripted Comedy and Best Male Performance in a Comedy Programme for Pemberton – choosing between him and Shearsmith must have been a nightmare for the judges.

Believe it or not, the show is also currently BBC Two’s longest-running comedy programme, and has been sold around the world – impressive stuff for a series that seems quintessentially British in terms of humour and style.

Since it debuted in 2014, Inside No 9 has attracted a wealth of talent thanks to its sharp, inventive tales, and the new season is no different – expect to see the likes of Siobhan Finneran, Susan Wokoma, Adrian Scarborough, Eddie Marsan, Katherine Kelly, Matthew Kelly and Charlie Cooper pop up.

Josh Cole, head of comedy at BBC Studios Productions, speaks for all its viewers when he states, “there is something so special about this show, and we will miss it more than words can say.”