Kate and Koji 'to return for 2nd series'

\'Kate & Koji\' is set to return for a second series.

The ITV sitcom - which stars \'Vera\' actress Brenda Blethyn and Jimmy Akingbola - has been a lockdown success, and now producers are hoping to film another six-part series for broadcast in 2021.

A TV insider told The Sun newspaper\'s Bizarre TV column: "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.

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"Though it\'s probably helped by Brenda having such a devoted following thanks to playing no-nonsense detective DCI Vera Stanhope."

The show follows cafe owner Kate (Blethyn) when she strikes up an unlikely relationship with customer Koji (Akingbola), who is an asylum-seeking African doctor.

\'Kate & Koji\' also stars \'The Inbetweeners\' actor Blake Harrison as Kate\'s nephew Medium, and Barbara Flynn as Councillor Bone.

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It comes after Brenda confirmed the 11th series of \'Vera\' had been stopped back in March due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The 74-year-old actress stars as the titular detective in the ITV crime drama, and said she was due to be on set for the next series just a few weeks before production was brought to a halt because of the outbreak of the respiratory illness, also known as COVID-19.

Speaking at the time, she explained: "We were due to start in a couple of weeks, actually. I mean, it\'s all cast, first episode\'s written, more episodes have been commissioned to be written. We\'re all ready to go, we\'re just waiting for the all clear."