Brenda Blethyn sitcom Kate & Koji will return to ITV for a second series

Kate & Koji

The unlikely duo is returning to our screens!

The Brenda Blethyn sitcom Kate & Koji will return to ITV for a second series next year.

The sitcom sees seaside cafe owner Kate (Brenda) and African asylum seeker Koji (Jimmy Akingbola) forming an unlikely friendship.

Its first series ran for six episodes and became a real hit among fans despite some "unusual" aspects.

Kate & Koji

Brenda Blethyn played old fashioned cafe owner Kate, who doesn't warm to Koji initially.

A source told The Sun, “It’s a show with an unusual setting and character dynamic but it’s still gained a terrific audience, with the first episode in March attracting five million viewers.

“Though it’s probably helped by Brenda having such a devoted following thanks to playing no-nonsense detective DCI Vera Stanhope.”

MORE: Everything you need to know about new BBC1 comedy The Other One

ITV hope to film the second series in 2021, if lockdown and social distancing allow for it.

The series was created by Outnumbered writers Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin, and directed by Mrs Brown's Boys Ben Kellett.

Brenda Blethyn and Jimmy Akingbola were joined by an all-star cast for the sitcom.

The Inbetweeners star Blake Harrison played Kate's nephew 'Medium Dan' and The Durrells' Barbara Flynn played rival Councillor Bone.

Other stars include Victor McGuire, Rosalind Ayres and Gary Lammin.

Kate & Koji

Kate makes Koji a very tempting offer as he visits her cafe...

Holby City's Jimmy Akingbola recently spoke to us about his role as Koji.

He said, "Koji had to flee his country because he feared for his life. People sometimes have a perception of what an asylum seeker should look like.

“Koji is a fully qualified doctor and he comes from money. He’s not allowed to work here, but he is very proud.”

We're not sure what to expect from the second series of Kate & Koji, but there'll no doubt be plenty of laughs in store.

Kate & Koji isn't currently available on demand.

Lucy Buglass
Senior Staff Writer

Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Now she works for our sister site TechRadar in the same role. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.

She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story, Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress