The show returned for a one-off festive special (Image: BBC/Hat Trick Productions/Adam Lawrence)
Outnumbered’s creator has clapped back at critics after the show’s Christmas special faced backlash for being “depressing”.
The much-anticipated festive episode of the beloved series graced screens yesterday, reuniting viewers with the Brockman clan for one final family gathering. The original cast reprised their roles, with Claire Skinner and Hugh Dennis returning as parents Sue and Pete, alongside Tyger Drew-Honey, Daniel Roche, and Ramona Marquez as their offspring Jake, Ben, and Karen.
This time around, the narrative took a poignant turn, revealing that the couple had not only become grandparents but were also grappling with Pete’s prostate cancer diagnosis.
Crafted by the show’s original creators Guy Jenkin and Andy Hamilton, who also directed the special, the storyline struck a balance between the show’s trademark wit and the gravity of Pete’s health scare. Despite the cancer being treatable, the episode delved into Pete’s internal struggle over breaking the news to his children, culminating in a heart-wrenching scene where Ben learns of his father’s condition via video call due to travel disruptions.
By the end, the family’s resilience shines through, with the kids cracking jokes and Pete reassured by their strong reaction, reports .
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Outnumbered was a fan favourite for years (Image: -)
Despite the writers’ efforts to weave in significant issues, some viewers were left disheartened, taking to social media to express their discontent. One viewer lamented, “Pete having cancer, I f***ing hate this,” while another questioned, “Why did they bring it back though just for it to have a depressing storyline on boxing day.”
A third viewer shared: “I wasn’t expecting Pete to have c*ncer. They seriously put that in the Christmas special? ! And all the stuff with Jane being depressed and Jake being so tired he can barely function and the neighbours being noisy… This isn’t Christmasy at all.”
Outnumbered has been a ratings smash for the BBC since it first hit our screens in 2007 (Image: BBC/Hat Trick Productions/Adam Lawrence)
The creator of the show Guy Jenkin explained the rationale behind the inclusion of such a weighty issue in the festive episode.
Guy Jenkin spoke candidly about the decision, sharing: “People often remember Outnumbered for the delightful children, but it always dealt with quite serious things: dementia, death, homophobia. We dealt with that through how parents explain it to their children and this is the same except that the children are considerably larger.
He further commented on the subject matter, adding: “There’s still a stigma attached to the word cancer, and we just wanted to show how very, very normal it is, as well as how the Brockmans dealt with it with warmth, love, and especially humour, because that’s a very British way of dealing with that sort of stuff.”
*Outnumbered is available to catch up on iPlayer.