Inside No. 9’s Reece Shearsmith on his dream guest stars: “I think one of the Sirs or a Dame”

Shearsmith, who is up for BAFTA Television's Best Male Comedy Performance award this year, revealed which actors would be his dream Inside No. 9 guest stars during a BAFTA Q&A roundtable alongside fellow nominees Gus Khan and Ncuti Gatwa.

"There are people now who do want to be in it, they say they're fans and 'do let us know if it's casting'.

"So I think one of the sirs or a dame, we've got to have– [I] love [Ian] McKellen. He would be great. I think he'd make a good fit in No. 9."

He added: "Or [Judi] Dench. Julie Walters, I'd love Julie Walters to do one, that's who I want to do one. She would be brilliant, she's very particular.

"I don't know – there are so many brilliant actors. We're lucky to be in this country, we've got such a fantastic pool of talent. It's never ending."

Reece Shearsmith created black comedy anthology series Inside No. 9 with co-star Steve Pemberton for BBC Two in 2014.

The show is currently airing its sixth series and has received three BAFTA TV nominations over the years, including a win for Steve Pemberton in 2019.

Series six has seen the likes of Gemma Whelan, Nick Mohammed, Sian Clifford and Adrian Dunbar guest star so far, with Derek Jacobi set to appear in Monday's episode.

The BAFTA TV Awards 2021 air on Sunday 6th June. Check out our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.