The stars of BBC’s The Detectorists have ruled out a return for the show despite it’s popularity. Toby Jones and Mackenzie Crook were last seen scouring the fields with their metal detectors in the show’s feature length 2022 Christmas special. At the time it was touted as the finale and both stars have said a return is highly unlikely.

“Once you’ve maybe found the Holy Grail there’s very little place to go,” Toby said. “The idea of coming back after that would be very hard and also… it’s very British and not very American – but there is a certain virtue to leaving people wanting more.” In the same interview with Deadline, Crook recognised there was a fan demand for a return but reiterated he has hung up his metal detector. “I won’t be making any more Detectorists, but nobody should be sad. We made just the right amount. Having said that, I know Toby is keen to do a live stadium tour…” he joked.

Close up of Toby Jones in The Detectorists looking puzzled while wearing headphones connected to a metal detector

Crook created, wrote and directed the show which first aired on the BBC in 2014. It found a whole new audience when the episodes landed on Netflix during Covid lockdowns.

The the three-season sitcom won the 2015 BAFTA for Television Scripted Comedy, it was also in Radio Times’ list of Britain’s 20 favourite sitcoms as voted by writers and actors in the industry.

It followed middle-aged metal detecting hobbyists Andy and Lance as they combed the fields of the fictional town of Danebury looking for trophies long-lost from the Romans or Saxons.

It’s low key style and gentle pace were the secret of it’s success according to creator Mackenzie.

Toby Jones and Mackenzie Crook in a publicity still from The Detectorists

“Those who found it felt they’d discovered something special,” he siad in an interview with the Guardian.

Having first found fame in The Office he admitted he deliberatley shyed away from that kind of cringe comedy when writing the show.

“I deliberately set out to write something uncynical and removed from the awkward ‘cringe comedy’’that was prevalent at the time,” he said.

While there may be no plans for more episodes all previous series are currently avilable to watch on the BBC iPlayer and Netflix.