One of Channel 4's most beloved comedy shows could soon be galloping back onto our screens. More than two decades after Smack the Pony aired its final episode, original star Sally Phillips has revealed that the team has been offered a television special, with work already underway on brand-new sketches.
The cult sketch show, which launched in 1999, became a defining comedy of the era thanks to the surreal humor and sharp satire of Phillips, Fiona Allen, and Doon Mackichan. Now, after years of fans hoping for a revival, it appears the trio are finally getting another chance.
The project follows the cast's reunion at last year's Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where they revisited the show in front of live audiences in a chat show format. Phillips admitted she was stunned by the response. 'It went well actually. People came and liked it,' she said.
While fans can expect plenty of fresh material, the revival will also reunite many of the creative minds behind the original. 'There was a writers' room of about six people but anyone could submit and then we re-worked them and improvised them,' Phillips explained.
For longtime viewers, the news will feel especially satisfying after the show's creators spent years trying to bring it back. Back in 2019, Mackichan revealed the trio had already written new sketches and pitched a revival to broadcasters, only to be repeatedly turned down.
Fortunately for fans, attitudes appear to have changed. While no transmission date has yet been announced, Phillips' comments suggest the special is no longer just wishful thinking but an active project, marking the first new Smack the Pony material since the series ended in 2003. For a generation of comedy fans who can still quote its most memorable sketches line for line, that's likely to be very welcome news indeed.
