Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar asked for a role on Inside No. 9

The darkly comedic anthology tells a different self-contained story in each episode, with a tone that encompasses everything from outright slapstick to unsettling thrillers.

Inside No. 9 has become renowned for its last-minute twists and, as a result, story details are usually kept under wraps until shortly before broadcast, meaning we don't know exactly who Dunbar will be playing just yet.

However, in a BFI event promoting the launch of series six, co-creator Steve Pemberton revealed that Dunbar "asked" to be featured in the show.

"He was one of the ones who said, ‘Please find a role for me’," Pemberton revealed, but didn't give away any hints about which character Dunbar would be taking on.

The actor, who has become a household name as Superintendent Ted Hastings in Line of Duty, is not the only well-known star to have approached the writing partners about a guest role in Inside No. 9.

Casting director Tracey Gilham explained that the show's strong reputation makes it "a joy" to cast and that top talent will often express interest in appearing.

"The agents all love it and so they're very much behind helping you with people, and we get approached by people who really want to do it," she said. "And sometimes there's not a role in that series, but you store it all up for the next time. It's good to know who's a fan."

Gilham added: "It fits in really nicely [with schedules], it's usually five or six consecutive days. But also just the quality of it and working with Reece and Steve, I think that's the draw and that was there from the very beginning because of previous work, so it's always been a joy to cast... the main thing is people's availability."

The star-studded line-up for Inside No. 9's sixth series also includes Sian Clifford (Fleabag), Lindsay Duncan (A Discovery of Witches), Paterson Joseph (Peep Show), Nick Mohammed (Intelligence) and Gemma Whelan (Game of Thrones).

Inside No. 9 returns to BBC Two on Monday 10th May at 9.30pm. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.