‘The world has changed but in Outnumbered the relationships have stayed the same’ : Features 2024 : Chortle : The UK Comedy Guide

The comedy’s cast on getting back together after eight years

The Brockmans are back for the first new Outnumbered episode in eight years this Christmas – more than a decade after the original series ended Here the cast – Hugh Dennis as dad Pete, Claire Skinner as mum Sue, Tyger Drew-Honey as eldest son Jake, Daniel Roche as the middle child Ben, and Ramona Marquez as daughter, Karen – talk about returning to their comedy family…

How does it feel being back together?

Hugh: It’s great, feels like we’ve never been away, does it feel like that for the rest of you?

Tyger: It does feel like that for me too. We’ve all got unique relationships with each other. Being an only child, Ramona and Daniel are the closest thing I’ve got to a brother and sister and with Hugh and Claire it’s like having a second set of parents, it’s certainly nice.

Ramona: For me it’s like being back with really good friends again who you’ve known for ages and just hanging out. It feels very natural being back together and I look forward to seeing these guys.

Claire: It’s really nice relating to Tyger, Ramona and Daniel as adults, and getting to know the adult versions of them.

Hugh: I was also thinking that if Claire and I were your actual parents, I’d be thinking we’ve done a really good job.

Pete and Sue are now living in a smaller house. How are they coping ?

Hugh: Well it seems a lot tidier so they are coping quite well, but whether that’s the case over Christmas, spending the festive period in a small house, remains to be seen.

Claire: I think they are coping quite well, they like their own space. Sue misses the kids but doesn’t miss the element of chaos.

Do you think they miss the children not being around as much?

Hugh: Yes, I think they do, but they are pleased to have some time on their own even if they do find themselves just talking about the children like all parents do when their children have left home. 

Tyger, Jake is now a father. How’s he finding it?

Tyger: Jake absolutely adores his child and is very much in love with the mother of his child but he has been having struggles with fatherhood as any parents of small children can relate. Especially the lack of sleep and his daughter’s tendency to impersonate animals.

Does she remind you of anyone?

Tyger: If I had to compare her personality to either Karen or Ben when they were younger, I’d say she’s got more of a Ben personality. 

The show reflects lots of elements of everyday life which wouldn’t have been in the early series. What has changed?

Tyger: We don’t use the landline anymore as people don’t tend to have landlines these days. That was a bit of a running joke in the early series.

Hugh: Also everything is delivered now not just takeways but all food. Packages appear all the time.

Ramona: It might feel like the world has changed but in Outnumbered the relationships have pretty much stayed the same.

Hugh: But you’re also still worried whether your broadband will work and whether anyone would come to fix it? All the essentials of the Outnumbered world that exist.

For Tyger, Ramona, Daniel, what was it like growing up on screen?

Daniel: For me and Ramona we were young and didn’t really have anything to compare it to. Filming this special really made me appreciate the opportunity that Outnumbered gave us and how inextricably connected it is with our lives and I’m very grateful.

Ramona: I agree we don’t really have a point of comparison, it always felt quite normal and natural for us. Everyone on Outnumbered was always so caring and made sure we were having a good time.

Tyger: In terms of work, I consider Outnumbered to be such a great achievement and I feel privileged to have been cast in the show. It’s given me a career which I may not have realised I wanted if I hadn’t have done Outnumbered. Knowing that people love the show as much as I love making it is great and I feel very lucky.

How the family looked in the first series, from 2007

When you first started working on the series, did you expect it to be as successful as it was?

Hugh: Not with these people in it (laughs).

Daniel: I was six when it started so wouldn’t have known.

Ramona: I was five so no thoughts on that really.

Tyger: And I was 10 and I was just excited. I had no idea what it might become, I was just excited and thought I’m gonna be on the telly and that was cool. I would have never had thought we would be doing it 18 years later.

Hugh: I think we knew right from the start as we did a pilot with Tyger, and even from that point I think I knew it was going to be really good but had no idea whether it was going to be as successful.

Do you still get recognised as the kids from Outnumbered?

Tyger: I was often asked, ‘Are you Jake from Outnumbered? [though] it doesn’t happen as much these days as it did back in the day but maybe after the special

it’ll ramp up a bit. It does happen and when it does it’s generally a really positive response; people are excited to talk about it, which is really nice.

Daniel, above: With me, it does happen quite a lot. I guess because of the curly hair and I’ve got quite a recognisable face. It dipped off a bit when I was a teenager because I cut my hair very short but now when I go out I do get recognised but I’ve grown up with it and most of the time people are being very nice so it’s just some friendly interactions that you otherwise wouldn’t have.

Ramona, above: I always love when people say ‘I used to watch it with my mum’ or ‘my mum loves that show’. That’s always my favourite thing to hear and they would then ask for a selfie to show their mum and I always say yes. I love to hear that, it’s always heartwarming, fans sharing those moments with their families.

Did you take anything away from the original set as a little keepsake?

Hugh: Oh no

Ramona: No but, I wanted Pusscat.

Hugh: We couldn’t really take anything from the set as it was filmed in an actual house, it was someone else’s house so we couldn’t really steal some of their things.

Ramona: Now I come to think of it I think Pusscat belonged to Guy’s daughter. [Guy Jenkin co-created the show with Andy Hamilton]  They let us keep some of the clothes when we finished so I gave them to younger family members who would then watch the show on TV and say I’m wearing those pyjamas, it was quite cute.

Hugh: I remember Pete having a pair of cargo shorts I took home and burned.

Claire: I wondered if the cargo pants would be back in this episode?

Hugh: I can’t look at cargo pants in quite the same way. It was a great relief to discover Pete won’t be wearing them in this special.

Will you sit down and watch the show with your friends and family at Christmas?

Daniel: Yes.

Ramona: Yes, I would like to watch this with my friends, but I would also like my friends to sit down and watch it with their families as I think it’s nostalgic to be able to sit with your family and watch the show again.

Tyger: I most likely will be on stage in panto when it’s on so I will catch up when I get home and watch it with my parents who are coming over from Spain.

• The Outnumbered Christmas special is on BBC One and  iPlayer at 9.40pm on Boxing Day.

Published: 10 Dec 2024