Cork-based comedy returns to BBC and RTE

The BBC has ordered a fourth series of the Irish comedy The Young Offenders after a four-year hiatus.

Made with Irish broadcaster RTÉ, the series follows the lives of Conor MacSweeney and Jock O'Keeffe, lovable rogues from Cork.

It began life as a feature film in 2016, and was turned into a TV series two years later, originally for BBC Three and culminating in Christmas special that was broadcast on BBC One, which will also air the new episodes

Series two and three were filmed back-to-back in 2019 and over all episodes the series has attracted more than 44 million requests on iPlayer. 

Creator Peter Foott, said he was ‘over the moon’ with the commissioned, adding: ‘Audiences have been asking for more of the journeys of these characters and we’re very excited to take the show in new directions for Series 4 and can’t wait to bring it back to TV screens.’

The series – and the film – starred Alex Murphy and Chris Walley as the teenage criminals Conor MacSweeney and Jock O’Keeffe, although the actors are now 25 and 27 respectively. Hilary Rose played Conor’s mum Máiréad MacSweeney and Dominic MacHale was local Garda sergeant Tony Healy.

No casting announcement has yet been made but all are expected to return. However  producers Vico Films have also put out an open casting call – without specifying what roles they are hoping to fill.

Ben Caudell, commissioning editor for BBC comedy saod: ‘We’re so happy to have The Young Offenders back on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, so that viewers once again enjoy the adventures, and misadventures, of all these brilliant comic characters - they may not be quite so young, but they’re still very much offenders.’

The new series will be directed by Jamie Jay Johnson, whose credits include Fresh Meat and Cold Feet .No broadcast date has yet been set.

Made by: Vico Films
Created by: Peter Foott
Director: Jamie Jay Johnson
Series producers: Peter Foott and Cormac Fox
Executive producers:  Lotte Beasley, Abby Singer and Michael Doherty
Commissioned by: Jon Petrie, BBC director of comedy commissioning
Commissioning editors: Ben Caudell for the BBC and Justin Healy for  RTÉ

Published: 3 Mar 2023