BBC confirms Small Prophets has achieved major TV milestone for 2026 so far

More than three years on from the Detectorists Christmas special, Mackenzie Crook returned to screens with his third project, Small Prophets, which was met with widespread acclaim from critics and viewers alike.

The six-part series, as funny as it is sad, follows Michael Sleep, who miraculously grows creatures with the ability to predict the future in his garden shed, hoping to learn what became of his girlfriend Clea.

She walked out on him nearly seven years ago – but he's never stopped hoping that one day she'll return.

Yet his attempt to bring the small prophets to life becomes the very adventure he needs to pull himself out of his funk – and sparks an unexpected friendship with his colleague Kacey, which is one of the true joys of the series alongside a delightful turn from Sir Michael Palin as Michael's dad Brian.

It's a moving tale of love, friendship, hope and a touch of magic, which has clearly resonated with audiences.

Small Prophets is the BBC's biggest new scripted launch of the year to date, attracting 7.7 million viewers (28-day figure) for episode 1.

That also makes it the biggest comedy launch episode across the market (excluding specials) since Ludwig in 2024 (9.5 million viewers, 28 days).

For BBC Two, it's the biggest comedy episode of the last 10 years, well ahead of The Detectorists 2022 Christmas special (4.5 million). And it's also the biggest comedy launch on iPlayer since at least 2022 (ahead of Ludwig episode 1 at 5.5 million), bringing in 5.9 million for its first episode, while 4 million viewers have already watched the entire series on iPlayer.

"I couldn’t be happier with the response to Small Prophets. The feedback from the audience, the reviews and figures have been better than I dared to hope," said Mackenzie Crook.

“I gradually crafted this idea over about 10 years and I think it has benefited from that slow percolation. The BBC comedy department has long given me the space, support and trust to make my shows and there is nowhere else I would rather go.

"The BBC feels like home. I ended Small Prophets with ‘to be continued’ and I hope that is a promise I can keep in the not-too-distant future."

Read more:

• Small Prophets' Pearce Quigley on Mackenzie Crook comedy: 'It's the perfect TV show'
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Jon Petrie, BBC Director of Comedy, added: "Small Prophets has been a brilliant success story. Loved by critics and viewers alike, it's exactly the sort of show the BBC does best.

"We knew it was a bit of a risk... but we felt there was something incredibly special in it.

"Alongside the beautifully drawn comedic characters, there is so much heart, and an almost fairytale quality that feels deeply embedded in our psyches from childhood. It’s also arrived at a moment when a bit of hope and humanity probably isn’t the worst thing in the world.

"Mackenzie Crook is a genius... it has surpassed all our expectations, and the ratings speak for themselves."

The BBC has yet to announce whether the show will return for season 2, but Crook has vocalised his desire to continue – and with numbers like that, it surely won't be long before a renewal is confirmed.

Prophets is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.

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