Seven episodes this autumn

BBC Two has confirmed that The Thick Of It will return for a new series of seven half-hour episodes this autumn. 

It is the first series since 2009 – and the first the Tory-led Coalition took power, so the plotlines will reflect that.

The new series will focus on Peter Mannion, the new Secretary of State for Social Affairs and Citizenship as played by Roger Allam, and his clashes with his Junior Minister in the Coalition Fergus Williams, played by former Spooks star Geoffrey Streatfeild.

Also back are Rebecca Front as Nicola Murray and Pete Capaldi as Malcolm Tucker, both now in Opposition.

The ensemble cast is completed by Chris Addison, Joanna Scanlan, Vincent Franklin, James Smith, Olivia Poulet, Will Smith, Ben Willbond and Rebecca Gethings.

It is believed the new series will revolve around a Leveson-style inquiry that goes to the heart of Westminster's machinations.

Mark Freeland, the BBC’s head of comedy, said: ‘I'm excited to see The Thick Of It return to our screens.

‘With an outstanding cast and team, it is still at the bleeding edge of British politics, one of the freshest and most biting satires you'll find on TV. No other show could coin the term “Omnishambles” and see it become part of the political lexicon.

Creator Armando Iannucci added: "This series takes The Thick of It into exciting and uncharted territory: a new Coalition Government, and Malcolm and Nicola fretting in the wings.

‘For the first time too a storyline takes us all the way through the series right to the bitter, bitter end, with Government and Opposition convulsed in an incident that questions every political convention imaginable, but in a funny way.’

Published: 12 Jul 2012