Fat Friends is reportedly on the verge of a comeback, with scripts already written for a “remake” – and fans are asking Lisa Riley to make it happen.
Long before Gavin and Stacey became one of Britain’s biggest sitcoms, Ruth Jones and James Corden teamed up on another beloved comedy-drama: Fat Friends.
Created by Kay Mellor, the series followed the chaotic lives of members of a slimming club in Leeds, balancing genuinely emotional storylines with ridiculous comedy and quotable moments.
Now, more than 20 years after it ended, one of its stars says a revival is actively being pushed behind the scenes.
Fat Friends return already has scripts written
Gaynor Faye, who starred in the original series alongside Ruth Jones, James Corden, Alison Steadman, and Lisa Riley, revealed she’s trying to get the show revived.
“I am trying to get it back on and trying to get a remake done,” she said, via The Sun.
“That’s what I am trying for now. I need everyone to get behind it and ask for it.”
According to Faye, the project is already further along than fans may realise.
“We have the actors waiting to do it and it will be amazing,” she added.
However, it’s still unclear whether the revival would bring back the full original cast, or if it would focus on a new generation of characters connected to the slimming club.
Faye’s late mother, Kay Mellor, created the original series. She died in 2022 at the age of 71.
Lisa Riley says fans keep messaging her about comeback
Lisa Riley, who played Rebecca in seasons 2-4, also addressed the rumours on Instagram after being flooded with messages from viewers.
“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.”
Riley even joked about where her character could be now, suggesting Rebecca and Corden’s Jamie might end up running a garden centre together.
“We did have such a bloody fantastic time on that job,” she added.
If the revival does happen, fans will undoubtedly want answers about Jamie’s storyline in particular, given how the original series ended.
‘Bring it back!’
The response online has been overwhelmingly positive, with viewers arguing the show still feels relatable decades later.
“Bring it back, great comedy,” one fan wrote on Facebook.
“It was so relatable and had you laughing and crying at the same time,” another commented.
“Without this show we might never have gotten Gavin & Stacey,” one viewer argued.
Fat Friends originally ran from 2000 until 2005, eventually spawning a successful stage musical adaptation.
How to watch Fat Friends
All four seasons of Fat Friends are currently available to stream for free on ITVX.
The series is also available via Prime Video.
Read more: The best ITVX dramas you can stream right now
Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think?