As it becomes the biggest scripted launch of 2026 so far

Mackenzie Crook has teased a second series of Small Prophets after the BBC revealed it was the broadcaster’s biggest new scripted show of the year so far. 

The six-part series, which  ended its run on Monday, attracted 7.7 million viewers to episode one within 28 days of broadcast — the biggest comedy launch across all channels since Ludwig pulled in 9.5 million viewers in 2024. 

For BBC Two specifically, it is the biggest comedy episode in a decade, comfortably ahead of The Detectorists Christmas Special in 2022, which drew 4.5 million viewers.

Viewing on BBC iPlayer has been particularly strong, with 5.9 million of those watching via the streaming service.

Crook said: ‘I couldn’t be happier with the response to Small Prophets. The feedback from the audience, the reviews and figures have been better than I dared to hope.

‘I gradually crafted this idea over the course of about ten years and I think it has benefited from that slow percolation. The BBC comedy department has long given me the space, support and trust to make my shows and there is nowhere else I would rather go. The BBC feels like home. 

‘I ended Small Prophets with "to be continued" and I hope that is a promise I can keep in the not-too-distant future.’

Jon Petrie, BBC director of comedy, added: ‘Small Prophets has been a brilliant success story. Loved by critics and viewers alike, it’s exactly the sort of show the BBC does best. 

‘We knew it was a bit of a risk and involved a huge amount of trust, but we felt there was something incredibly special in it. Alongside the beautifully drawn comedic characters, there was so much heart, and an almost fairytale quality to it that feels deeply embedded in our psyches from childhood. It’s also arrived at a moment when a bit of hope and humanity probably isn’t the worst thing in the world.

‘Mackenzie Crook is a genius, so we knew it would be in very safe hands… Even so, it has surpassed all our expectations, and the ratings speak for themselves. 

‘It has been loved, nurtured and allowed to grow over ten years, much like the precious homunculi at the heart of the show, and it is all the better for it. Letters of appreciation still land in our inboxes every day. A rare, unusual and magical series, and one we are incredibly proud to have on the BBC.’

The cast is led by Pearce Quigley and includes Sir Michael Palin, Lauren Patel, Sophie Willan, Jon Pointing and Paul Kaye, alongside Crook himself. It was produced by Gill Isles, whose previous credits include Car Share and Alma's Not Normal, for Treasure Trove and Blue House.

Published: 18 Mar 2026