Outnumbered (British TV series)

Outnumbered
The title card from the first episode
GenreComedy drama
Sitcom
Created byAndy Hamilton
Guy Jenkin
Written byAndy Hamilton
Guy Jenkin
Directed byAndy Hamilton
Guy Jenkin
StarringClaire Skinner
Hugh Dennis
Tyger Drew-Honey
Daniel Roche
Ramona Marquez
Samantha Bond
David Ryall
Rosalind Ayres
ComposerPhilip Pope
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series5
No. of episodes36 (+ 6 shorts) (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producersJimmy Mulville
Jon Rolph
ProducersAndy Hamilton
Guy Jenkin
Pat Lees
Production locationsWest London
CinematographyMartin Hawkins
Rob Kitzmann
EditorsMark Williams
Mark Davis
Nigel Williams
Steve Tempia
Simon Reglar
Will Claramunt
Running time30 minutes
40 minutes (specials)
Production companiesHat Trick Productions
BBC
Original release
NetworkBBC One
BBC One HD
Release28 August 2007 (2007-08-28) 
26 December 2024 (2024-12-26)

Outnumbered is a British sitcom about the Brockman family, starring Hugh Dennis as the father, Claire Skinner as the mother and their three children played by Tyger Drew-Honey, Daniel Roche and Ramona Marquez.

There were five series, which aired on BBC One from 2007 to 2014. A one-off Christmas reunion special aired on 26 December 2016. The following year, Hugh Dennis expressed hope that more one-off specials would be made following the success of the 2016 Christmas special. A further Christmas special was broadcast on BBC One on 26 December 2024.

Produced by Hat Trick Productions and the British Broadcasting Corporation, Outnumbered was written, directed and produced by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin, although parts of the show are semi-improvised. The adult actors learn the scripts, while the children are given last-minute instructions by the writers instead.

The programme has received critical acclaim for its semi-improvisational scripting and realistic portrayal of children and family life. Ratings have been average for its time slot, but the series has won a number of awards from the Comedy.co.uk awards, the Royal Television Society, the British Comedy Awards and the Broadcasting Press Guild. Plans for an American adaptation were announced in February 2009, but as of November 2024 this has not materialised. The original series began airing in the US on BBC America on 30 July 2011, as well as airing on PBS stations.