Lee Mack has revealed how Not Going Out evolved from an Edinburgh sketch show into Britain’s longest-running sitcom currently on air
The original pilot featured Catherine Tate, who later left to pursue her own comedy series, while Sally Bretton eventually became Lucy
The programme also survived a sudden BBC cancellation, cast departures and a major format change that skipped the newlywed years and moved straight to family life
A 20th-anniversary documentary, featuring archive footage and outtakes, airs on BBC One and iPlayer on 23 September.