BBC confirms Small Prophets has achieved major TV milestone for 2026 so far

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After a three-year hiatus following the Detectorists Christmas special, Mackenzie Crook made his return to television with ‘Small Prophets,’ a new project that quickly earned praise from both critics and audiences.

This six-episode show is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. It centers on Michael Sleep, who discovers he can grow plants in his shed that can foresee the future. He hopes these unusual plants will reveal what happened to his girlfriend, Clea.

It’s been almost seven years since she left, but he still holds onto hope that she’ll come back.

His effort to research lesser-known prophets unexpectedly becomes the journey that lifts his spirits, and leads to a wonderful friendship with his coworker, Kacey. This relationship, along with Sir Michael Palin’s charming portrayal of Michael’s father, Brian, is a real highlight of the show.

This heartwarming story about love, friendship, and hope, with a hint of magic, has clearly connected with viewers.

Okay, so I was checking out the numbers, and “Small Prophets” is huge for the BBC. It’s their biggest scripted show launch this year so far, pulling in 7.7 million viewers after 28 days for the first episode. That’s a really strong start, honestly!

This launch was the most-watched comedy episode ever, reaching more viewers than any other comedy release (excluding special events) since Ludwig’s show in 2024, which had 9.5 million viewers over 28 days.

This comedy show is a huge hit for BBC Two – it’s the most popular comedy episode in a decade, surpassing even the 2022 Christmas special of ‘The Detectorists’. It also had the biggest launch on iPlayer for a comedy since 2022, with 5.9 million people tuning in for the first episode. Plus, 4 million viewers have already streamed the whole series on iPlayer.

I’m absolutely thrilled with how people have reacted to ‘Small Prophets’! Honestly, the response has been incredible – the audience’s reaction, the reviews, even the numbers… it’s all exceeded my wildest expectations. It’s just a really wonderful feeling, and I couldn’t be happier.

I developed this idea slowly over a decade, and I believe that extended process really helped it grow. The BBC comedy team has always provided me with the freedom, encouragement, and confidence to create my shows, and it’s the only place I’d want to be.

Working with the BBC feels comfortable and familiar. I left my last project, Small Prophets, on a cliffhanger, hoping to revisit those characters and stories again soon.

According to Jon Petrie, the BBC’s Director of Comedy, ‘Small Prophets’ has been a huge hit, receiving positive reviews from both critics and audiences. He believes it showcases the BBC’s strength in creating quality programming.

“We knew it was a bit of a risk… but we felt there was something incredibly special in it.

Beyond the charming and funny characters, this story is genuinely heartwarming and has a magical quality that reminds us of childhood. It’s a welcome dose of hope and kindness, which feels especially good right now.

Mackenzie Crook is incredibly talented. The show has been a huge success, exceeding everyone’s hopes, and the impressive viewership numbers prove it.

The BBC hasn’t confirmed if the show will be back for a second season, but creator Ben Crook has said he’d like it to continue. Given the show’s strong viewership, an announcement about its renewal is likely coming soon.

Prophets is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.

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Authors

Abby RobinsonDrama Editor

Abby Robinson is the Drama Editor at TopMob, where she writes about TV dramas and comedies. Before that, she was a TV writer for Digital Spy and a content writer for Mumsnet. She has a degree and a postgraduate diploma in English Studies.

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2026-03-17 20:04