The hidden-gem comedy is returning with a one-off special later this year, it’s been announced.
Filming has already begun on the new special (Image: BBC/ Studio Hamburg UK/Jonathan Browning)
A “perfect British comedy” is set to make its return with a one-off Christmas special.
Greg Davies’ sitcom The Cleaner is returning to screens, the BBC has confirmed.
The Taskmaster star will return as crime scene cleaner Paul ‘Wicky’ Wickstead in the special, The Cleaner in Italy.
The BBC teased: “The hit comedy once again follows Wicky’s misadventures as a state-certified cleaning technician whose unusual day job involves scrubbing away the grisliest remnants of crime scenes.”
Alongside Greg, the cast will include Robert Webb, Peter Serafinowicz, Kevin Eldon, Tori Allen-Martin, Veronica Ferres, Zita Sattar, Milanka Brooks and Dylan Blore.
Filming has already begun, with Greg revealing: “I think Wicky has got to the stage in life where he only likes three things: his job, going to the pub and beer.
“To get the opportunity to force him to go to Italy on a hiking holiday is the perfect opportunity to test his breaking point. I can’t wait to show everyone how horribly wrong a holiday can go…”
Vivien Muller-Rommel, executive producer, also said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be back with Greg, our brilliant guest cast and our fantastic crew for this very special episode of The Cleaner.
“There’s a real excitement about this one, and everyone involved is determined to make it our funniest adventure yet. We can’t wait for audiences to see it.”
Ben Caudell, commissioning editor for the BBC, added: “As filming begins on this new The Cleaner special, it’s a pleasure to see Greg Davies return to one of his most memorable creations.
“Wicky has become a standout character in British comedy, and Greg’s ability to place him in extraordinary situations is always a delight.
“This one-off episode brings together a terrific cast and an inventive new setting, and we’re very much looking forward to sharing it with viewers over the festive period.”
The special episode follows Wicky reluctantly joining his girlfriend Ruth on a hiking holiday in the Italian dolomites with her friends.
However, after an accident, he faces the rest of the trip alone in a remote mountain hotel, and his boredom quickly turns to paranoia when he’s surrounded by an eccentric hotel manager, an array of peculiar guests and suspicious staff.
Fans previously hailed The Cleaner the “perfefct British comedy”, with one person writing: “Haven’t laughed so much in a long time. Just happened upon this little gem. Was in stitches within minutes….brilliant!”
One fan said they were “hooked” as another added: “The Cleaner is unexpectedly quirky and original. I have never seen anything like it. I laughed so hard that I had to pause the show to collect myself as I was losing the dialogue. Greg Davies is a comic genius.”
“Easily bingeable,” someone else wrote, as one person said: “Every episode a gem. Just one of the best TV series this year.”
The Cleaner is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.