Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith reveal real reason why Inside No 9 is ending

Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith feel it is the "right time" to end 'Inside No. 9' while people are "still enjoying it and finding it surprising".

The co-creators of the BBC Two cult comedy show - in which every episode features the number nine - feel fortunate to have made it to the apt number of nine series, but Steve admitted the show would be "dead" if it started becoming "predictable".

He is quoted by OK! magazine as saying: "We feel really lucky to have got to nine.

"We don’t have any doubts that it’s the right time to leave it while people are still enjoying it and finding it surprising.

"The moment a show becomes predictable, it’s dead for us."

Reece added: "We didn’t know we’d be doing it for 10 years.

"Every series was a surprise to us.

"We’ve done so many different things - a lifetime of ideas."

He joked: "We just wish it was 'Inside No 2', then we’d have been done years ago!"

The ninth series features celebrity cameos from the likes of Steve's 'Benidorm' co-stars Siobhan Finneran and Matthew Kelly, and he revealed the pair have been cooking up an idea for one of the episodes for a "long time".

He said: "We’ve been talking about one episode called 'The Curse Of The Ninth' for a long time - it’s about a superstition in classical music that once you’ve composed your ninth symphony, you’re going to die.

"We thought it was good thematically to save this one for the ninth series – hopefully we won’t drop dead next week!"

The pair confirmed in December 2022 that the show will be "paused" after the ninth series.

Steve said at the time: "We feel it is a good time to pause 'Inside No9' after we finish filming series nine next year."