Toby Jones: Detectorists provided a comfort in lockdown

'Detectorists' is making a return after people contacted Mackenzie Crook and Toby Jones to say how much of a "comfort" the show provided during lockdown.

The BBC comedy - which stars the pair as metal detecting enthusiasts Andy and Lance, who are part of the The Danebury Metal Detecting Club (DMDC) - will be back for the first time in five years this Boxing Day (26.12.22), and Toby has admitted there were lots of people who wanted the programme to return after finding it a "consolation" during the coronavirus pandemic.

He said: "Loads of people have contacted me and contacted him during lockdown about what a comfort and a consolation they found the show. The writing is kind of faultless."

While Toby and Mackenzie play best pals in the popular series, they didn't know each other very well beforehand, but later realised they had been in several of the same projects - including Ian Dury biopic 'Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll' in 2010, and 'The Adventures of Tintin' in 2011 – but they had not starred directly opposite one another.

He said: "We later worked out we’d been in about five or six of the same movies without ever having really met. We’d see each other in airports, one flying in and one out."

Toby has also told how "very shy" Mackenzie first approached him about appearing in 'Detectorists', after he wrote the role of Lance with the star in mind.

He added to the Guardian newspaper: "We were just sitting there, and he’s very shy, and he went, ‘I hope you don’t mind, I’ve written this thing with you in mind, and I know that’s a nightmare, when someone says they’ve written something, and I don’t want you to feel under any obligation or anything …’

"Anyway, he sent me three pages of this amazing dialogue. It was very, very funny but it wasn’t demanding to be laughed at, you know? Not gag, gag, gag. It’s like the show; it’s there if you want it."

'Detectorists' fans will be treated to a 75-minute episode of the comedy on BBC Two and iPlayer over the festive period, five years after the end of the third series.

The show's return will see the DMDC in trouble, with developers sniffing around their scout hall HQ.

But Lance looks set to save the day after securing 10 acres of prime, undetected land, only for him to break protocol, which threatens his friendship with Andy.

Mackenzie, who also executive produced the festive special, recently said: "It was 2017 when we were last in Danebury and I miss my old friends in the DMDC [Danebury Metal Detecting Club].

"I've had a story percolating for a while and I thought it was worth getting Lance, Andy and the rest of the band back together for.

"The affection expressed for 'Detectorists' over the years has been incredible and I hope fans of the show will enjoy this new, extended episode."