Conor and Jock out of jail and reunited in Cork

The BBC  has recommissioned The Young Offenders for a fifth series.

Alex Murphy and  Chris Walley will return as Conor and Jock, reunited in Cork after both spent series four in different prisons.

Also returning are Hilary Rose as their long- suffering mother/guardian Mairéad, Dominic MacHale as their former nemesis  and Garda Sergeant Tony Healy and Shane Casey as the unpredictable Billy Murphy. 

Peter Foott, creator and writer of The Young Offenders said: ‘All the original characters who audiences know and love since the show started are back in season five. 

‘We have the funniest, most heart-warming stories in the new season that will show Conor and Jock getting into scrapes like never before.  We hope audiences will share our excitement to have all the gang back together, bringing more laughs, thrills and moments to remember to TV screens.;

Created by Peter Foott, and based on his original film, the new six-part series for BBC iPlayer and BBC One, sees Conor reunited in Cork after both spent series four in different prisons, in different parts of the world. Now the loveable rogues are back together, there’s nothing that they can’t do, although whether they’re successful at it is a different matter.

Other returning characters include  Principal Walsh (PJ Gallagher), Siobhán (Jennifer Barry), Linda (Demi Isaac), Orla (Orla Fitzgerald) and Star (Rylee Hosford). 

The return of the show – a co-commission with Ireland’s RTE – was announced at the BBC’s Comedy Festival in Belfast today.

Jon Petrie, the broadcasters’s director of comedy, said: ‘We’re thrilled to reunite with Conor and Jock in Cork for more gloriously misguided misadventures. This fifth series is brimming with the wild heart, raucous charm and razor-sharp wit that have made The Young Offenders a true fan favourite.’ 

Six new half-hour episodes have been ordered, but no broadcast details have yet been announced.

Made by: Vico Films
Creator, writer and executive producer: Peter Foott
Commissioned by: BBC director of comedy Jon Petrie
Series producer: Cormac Fox
Directors: Rosco 5
Commissioning editor: Justin Healy for RTE and Ben Caudell for the  BBC

Published: 21 May 2025