'I need everyone behind it': Fat Friends set for 'remake' as Lisa Riley teases ITV sitcom's long-awaited return
'We had such a fantastic time'
Fat Friends is set to return, with the scripts already written for a “remake” – and Lisa Riley has been inundated with messages from fans who want it to happen.
At the turn of the millennium, seven years before Gavin and Stacey, Ruth Jones and James Corden worked together on another beloved sitcom: Fat Friends.
It revolved around a small slimming club in Leeds and all sorts of bonkers, hilarious, and occasionally depressing events in their lives. We can still hear the theme in our heads: “She’s a perfect 10, but she wears a 12, baby keep a little two for me.”
The comedy-drama ran for four seasons, ending in 2005. Since then, it’s been adapted into a stage musical. However, given the success of Gavin and Stacey (particularly its record-breaking Christmas special and finale), fans have long wondered if it could ever return to our screens.
Gaynor Faye teases Fat Friends return
Gaynor Faye, who starred in the series alongside Jones, Corden, Riley, and Alison Steadman, revealed that a “remake” is in development.
“I am trying to get it back on and trying to get a remake done,” she said (via The Sun and Zingo Bingo).
“That’s what I am trying for now. I need everyone to get behind it and ask for it.”
According to Faye, the scripts have already been written. “We have the actors waiting to do it and it will be amazing,” she said.
Don't miss a single story! Add us as a Preferred Source in Google for all your television news
It’s unclear if that means Faye or any of her former co-stars would reprise their roles. “It’s one of those things where we just need people saying bring back Fat Friends and then we can bring it back,” she added.
Faye’s mother, Kay Mellor, created the original series. She died in 2022 at the age of 71.
Lisa Riley ‘had so many messages’ about Fat Friends comeback
Riley, appeared in series 2-4 of Fat Friends, addressed the possibility of the show’s return on Instagram.
“I’ve had so many messages this week about me and [James Corden] in Fat Friends,” she wrote.
“It’s because [Gaynor Faye] has done some interviews about the series coming back for maybe a special-see what all the characters are up to now.”
View this post on Instagram
Riley joked that her character, Rebecca, and Corden’s Jamie could have their own Garden Centre. “We did have such a bloody fantastic time on that job,” she added.
No spoilers, but if you’ve not watched Fat Friends, let’s just say a reboot would need to answer some big questions about Corden’s character.
Either way, fans clearly want it to return. “Bring it back, great comedy just hope it works 20 years later… loved how each character had their own personal story,” one user commented on Facebook.
“It was so relatable and had you laughing and crying at the same time. Please bring it back,” another wrote.
“Love this show. I really don’t think people realise with out this show we might never have gotten Gavin & Stacey,” a third commented.
How to watch Fat Friends
All four seasons of Fat Friends are available to stream for free on ITVX now.
You can also binge the whole series via Prime Video.
Read more: The best ITVX dramas you can stream now
