Twenty Twenty Six: First look at new BBC comedy as Hugh Bonneville returns as Ian Fletcher
Anita Markoff | 5:13pm Fri 19 Sep | Updated 7:06pm Fri 19 SepHugh Bonneville% is back in hilarious new BBC comedy series Twenty Twenty Six – and here is a first look.
The six-part show will see Hugh reprise his role as Ian Fletcher, the hopeless but well-meaning executive who previously appeared in acclaimed series Twenty Twelve and W1A.
This time, Fletcher finds himself caught up in the chaos of the biggest football tournament in history. Here’s everything we know so far about Twenty Twenty Six, including the plot, cast, and start date.
What is the plot of Twenty Twenty Six?
The year is 2026, and the world’s eyes are on the USA, Canada, and Mexico as they prepare to co-host the largest football tournament ever staged. With 48 nations competing across 16 venues spread across North America, the scale is unprecedented. This also means there is an enormous potential for disaster.
Ian Fletcher is at the heart of it all as the newly appointed Director of Integrity for the Twenty Twenty Six Oversight Team in Miami. His task is to keep everything running smoothly, or at least to make it look that way…
This series promises to follow in the footsteps of BBC1’s Twenty Twelve and W1A by showing Fletcher and his colleagues bumbling through jargon-filled meetings, facing impossible demands, and dealing with crises.
Who is in the cast of Twenty Twenty Six with Hugh Bonneville?
Hugh Bonneville, who plays Ian Fletcher, isn’t the only familiar face returning to this series. Hugh Skinner, who fans will remember from W1A, is coming back as Will Humphries. Will was once Fletcher’s hapless intern, and has somehow managed to become his PA.
Hugh admits that little has changed about his character. He told BBC bosses: “It’s been absolutely ages since I played Will in W1A. He’s still, on the whole, completely useless and I’m thrilled to be having another go.
“It’s been a complete joy being back with the cast and crew, old and new, and I am so looking forward to seeing what audiences make of the Twenty Twenty Six Oversight Team.”
David Tennant is also returning in the role of narrator. His dry delivery has become a hallmark of John Morton’s mockumentary comedies, and will once again guide audiences through the Oversight Team’s latest fiascos.
New additions to the cast include Everything I Know About Love star Marli Siu, Nicole Sadie Sawyerr from EastEnders, Joe Hewetson from Sex Education, and Blitz actress Erin Kellyman.
Their characters will be joining the Oversight Team in Miami as fresh faces ready to learn – or flounder.
What came before Twenty Twenty Six?
Twenty Twenty Six follows in the footsteps of two hugely popular BBC mockumentary comedies from writer-director John Morton: Twenty Twelve and W1A.
The BAFTA-winning Twenty Twelve first aired in 2011. The series made fun of the bureaucratic chaos behind the preparations for the London 2012 Olympics. Hugh starred as Fletcher, the increasingly frazzled Head of the (fictional) Olympic Deliverance Commission.
He is tasked with keeping the Games on track while navigating endless management jargon and a team of inept colleagues. The series had the uncanny ability to mirror real-life Olympics mishaps. The show broadcast a gag about a faulty countdown clock that aired just as the real London 2012 clock broke. Twenty Twelve received critical acclaim for its sharp satire and the actors’ strong performances.
The show’s legacy continued with W1A, which began in 2014. This time, Ian Fletcher swapped the Olympic office for Broadcasting House. He became the BBC’s Head of Values, who was tasked with clarifying the corporation’s purpose while bogged down in endless “blue-sky thinking” and and chaotic meetings.
Twenty Twenty Six picks up this tradition by once again throwing Ian Fletcher into the middle of an impossibly large-scale project with all the familiar potential for chaos.
When does Twenty Twenty Six start? How many episodes?
The BBC has confirmed there will be six, 30-minute episodes of Twenty Twenty Six. An official release date hasn’t been announced yet, but the series will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in…2026!
