From original writer Simon Nye

Men Behaving Badly is making a comeback – as a stage play.

The sitcom’s original creator, Simon Nye, has written a show that will premiere at the Barn Theatre in Cirencester early next year.

It will be a period piece, picking up with the characters of Gary, Tony, Dorothy and Deborah  on New Year’s Eve 1999 as they prepare for a wedding against the backdrop of Y2K.  

Casting has not yet been announced but the play will be directed by Joseph O’Malley, who previously oversaw the stage adaptation of Some Mothers Do ’Ave ’Em.

He said: ‘I’m delighted to be joining Simon in bringing one of Britain’s best-loved comedies to the stage for the first time. The misadventures of Gary, Tony, Dorothy and Deborah have always held a special place in my heart, and I can’t wait to bring these much-loved characters to a 2026 audience.

‘To me, this show is a celebration of friendship, of the 90s and of the healing power of sitting on a sofa with people you love and talking absolute rubbish. Less doomscrolling and social media anxiety, more real human interaction and, of course, bad behaviour!’

The original series starring Martin Clunes, Neil Morrissey, Caroline Quentin and Leslie Ash. ended on BBC One at Christmas 1998 after six series and 42 episodes. In the final episode, Dorothy gave birth to Gary’s son.

Earlier this year Clunes suggested the sitcom was unlikely to make a TV comeback because of its politically incorrect attitudes. ‘Most of what we said was inappropriate, but it was funny because we'd said it,’ he told the Radio Times, but added that social media users would ‘have your guts for garters’ for the same jokes today.

But he also noted that the comedy of Men Behaving Badly was ‘very gentle’ compared to the likes of Ricky Gervais.

The Barn Theatre  production runs from Friday January 30 to Saturday March 7, with the official first night set for February 3.  General booking opens at 1pm on Saturday.

The original series is available to watch on Now TV.

Published: 19 Nov 2025