Countless star on comeback: ‘I cried with joy’

A decade after the British sitcom ended, actors Tiger Drew-Honey, Daniel Roche and Ramona Marquez discuss growing up on and off screen, practical jokes and bringing their characters to life for the Christmas special.

When Outnumbered’s child stars filmed their first episode, they were all 10 and under. Now, in their 20s, they’re excited to be back as the Brockman siblings.

“When I found out we were going to do a Christmas special, I cried tears of joy,” says actor Tiger Drew Honey, who co-stars Daniel Roche (Ben) and Ramona Marquez ( Karen) plays the role of Jack.

Outnumbered, which ran from 2007 to 2014, follows mum Sue (played by Claire Skinner) and dad Pete (Hugh Dennis) as they navigate family life with their children.

This article contains spoilers for more from the Christmas special…

The partly improvised comedy won Best Sitcom at the British Comedy Awards in 2009 and the National Television Award for Most Popular Sitcom in 2012.

Between shooting scenes, the actor recalls April Fools’ jokes with the crew, yells “bloody murder” at his beloved on-set tutor and plays hide and seek in his trailers.

“You wouldn’t think there’s that many places to hide, but when Ramona was little, I think she was in every closet in those trailers,” says Drew Honey, now 28.

The show returned once for a Christmas special in 2016 – and is now back this Boxing Day.

In the new episode, Sue and Pat host Christmas for their grown children in their tiny house.

And there are some additions, including Jack’s new family: companion Rani (Kareena Jagpal) and daughter Zara (Aurora Scarley).

While the show won awards for comedy, the latest episode explores a more serious story.

As parents pass on some health news to their grown children, it is revealed that Pete has early-stage prostate cancer.

The storyline calls back to the third series of the show, in which Pat has a cancer scare.

The actors were excited to return to the show as adults and reunite with their on-screen parents.

Drew-Honey says that after leaving the show, she had this arrogance. I thought, ‘Oh, yeah, well, every year there’s going to be a big one.’

After Outnumbered, Drew-Honey starred in the comedy Cuckoo and the documentary series Tyger Takes On. However, he says that some years he would only have “two or three” acting jobs “months apart”.

Returning as an adult, he explains: “It was really good for all of us, as professional adults, to work with our peers.”

“Obviously as an adult there were some issues, you know, you’re more kind of self-conscious,” says Roche, 25.

However, he appreciated the “unique experience” of entering an old environment “where almost everything is largely the same as before, but now you’re different.”

And Roche related better to his old co-stars: “I was talking to Hugh about politics, finally got around to it.”

Marquez, 23, says it was exciting to return to the set as an adult. Aged just five while filming the pilot, she would have to take regular wellness breaks.

However, now she explains that she can stay and watch others film, adding that “it’s almost more fun.”

She also starred in the Oscar-winning film The King’s Speech and has graduated from the University of Manchester since the show was filmed.

You can watch Outnumbered on Boxing Day at 21:40 GMT on BBC One. BBC Player.