Time travel police drama Life On Mars is returning for a third and final series, its co-creator has said.
Starring John Simm as a detective who wakes up in 1970s Manchester after being in a car accident and Philip Glenister as the foul-mouthed DCI Gene Hunt, Life On Mars ran for two series from 2006.
It also spawned London-set spin-off Ashes To Ashes, with Glenister reprising his role alongside Keeley Hawes.
#LifeOnMarsLive Remember. There are bad things and there are monsters. These things are real.But to get to you they have to get through the Guv.
And the Guv is putting his driving gloves on.
— Matthew Graham (@TremensDr) April 1, 2020
#LifeOnMarsLive We would never make another Mars unless we really had something to say and could push the envelope all over again.Finally we have something.
— Matthew Graham (@TremensDr) April 1, 2020
It also spawned London-set spin-off Ashes To Ashes, with Glenister reprising his role alongside Keeley Hawes.
Life On Mars co-creator Matthew Graham tweeted to say a third series of the show is in development.
“We would never make another Mars unless we really had something to say and could push the envelope all over again,” he said.
“Finally we have something.”
Graham said the new instalment will be set in Manchester and London, and will probably consist of four or five episodes.
He also denied the announcement was an April Fools’ Day joke, adding: “It’s for real.”
Life On Mars proved an international hit and was remade for Spanish, Russian and US audiences. The latter was particularly poorly received.
The title is a reference to a 1973 David Bowie song. The BBC has not confirmed a third series of Life On Mars.