The Smack The Pony comedy troupe are reuniting – more than 20 years after their comedy series ended on Channel 4. 

Fiona Allen, Doon Mackichan and Sally Phillips are reviving their comic sketches for the Edinburgh Fringe festival at the Gilded Balloon this summer. 

The three comedians say they have lots of new ideas for skits and can’t wait to reunite 24 years after the show came off air. 

In a statement, the trio said: ‘This is slightly surreal because it’s 24 years since we finished. We’re not old comedy, we now qualify as vintage, which is cool. Is it?’

‘Because we always talk sketch ideas when we get together, on some level it’s almost as if ‘Smack the Pony’ never really stopped – that it just kept going in some parallel universe. 

‘So it feels like Gilded Balloon is some kind of portal and we’ll be popping into catch up with Series 26. We’re very grateful to have this chance to hang out and take the p*** out of ourselves again – we’ve missed it!’ 

The Smack The Pony comedy troupe are reuniting – more than 20 years after their comedy series ended on Channel 4

Fiona Allen, Doon Mackichan and Sally Phillips are reviving their comic sketches for the Edinburgh Fringe festival at the Gilded Balloon this summer

Their show, titled Back in the Saddle, will also feature broadcaster Kirsty Wark and will be a look back at the TV series with classic sketches revisited as well as their new material. 

Smack The Pony – which was created by Victoria Pile, who also wrote surreal hospital sitcom Green Wing – ran on Channel 4 for three series from 1999 to 2002, and concluded with two specials broadcast over Christmas 2002 and New Year 2003. 

Back in 2019, ‘Two Doors Down’ actress Doon, 62, revealed in an interview with The i newspaper that the trio had written a host of fresh sketches for a potential TV comeback but executives were not interested in bringing back ‘Smack The Pony’. 

She said: ‘It’s just been really difficult. We’ve pitched to a few places and it’s not happening. 

‘I don’t know whether it’s [because it’s] older women but it’s not happening, which is, to me, astonishing. You think, how funny does it have to be? With the brand?’ 

Doon, Fiona, 60, and Sally, 54, previously reunited for a sketch for Red Nose Day in 2017. Chris McCausland is not returning for a second series of his talk show. 

The Chris McCausland Show ran on ITV for 11 episodes and saw the stand-up comedian interview an array of celebrity guests, including Paul Whitehouse, Rob Beckett, Pixie Lott and more.

The comic’s publicist has released a statement revealing that Chris, 47, made the decision to walk away from the programme to pursue other projects. 

The three comedians say they have lots of new ideas for skits and can’t wait to reunite 24 years after the show came off air

Their show, titled Back in the Saddle, will also feature broadcaster Kirsty Wark and will be a look back at the TV series (Doon and Fiona pictured in 2023) 

The 2024 Strictly Come Dancing winner has been inundated with work offers since becoming the first blind contestant to take home the Glitterball Trophy on the BBC One ballroom show. 

The publicist told comedy news website Chortle: ‘It was Chris who stepped away from this show. 

It was a great experience but he’s looking at other opportunities and there have been a lot of offers since ‘Strictly’.’

Chris’ next confirmed project is a BBC Two documentary which will focus on how technology has changed the way he has been able to continue his life after losing his sight by age 22 due to the genetic condition retinitis pigmentosa. 

Seeing Into The Future will show Chris visiting Silicon Valley and investigating the latest technology helping people with blindness and severe sight issues. 

Chris will also be releasing his memoir later this year. Announcing the book in January 2025, he said: ‘I thought ‘Strictly’ was terrifying but my book has a release date and I haven’t started writing it yet. 

‘Don’t worry, I’m going to start right now. It will be really funny, I promise.’