We’re sorry that we’ve hardly blogged this year, but there is a very good reason: we’ve been trapped in 1962. It all started when we went on this innocent walk down an alleyway in East London and…What do you mean you don’t believe us?

All right then. The main reason we haven’t blogged is because we have been sitting on this enormous secret for months. But now at last it’s official – Gary Sparrow is coming home. Somehow he has stumbled on a new hole in the space time continuum, and even more important, in the BBC comedy schedule. It’s about time, in every sense.

Gary’s been marooned in the past since the end of the Second World War. It’s now 1962 in Garyworld. Prime Minister Harold Macmillan is telling everyone they’ve never had it so good, but Gary can remember colour television and chicken tikka masala, so he’s not convinced.

But when he finds himself back in Today he quickly learns that the modern world has developed in ways he never imagined. Why is everyone talking to themselves? Why all the beards? When did the East End turn into the West End? Leicester City are premier league champions!?

You’re probably wondering what became of Yvonne and Phoebe? Does Ron still use five words where one will do? Is Reg Deadman still incapable of joined-up thought? All will be revealed when the new episode is recorded at BBC Salford next month. Don’t ask us for tickets, we haven’t got any, but as soon as we know who’s in charge of ticket allocation, we’ll put up a link on this website and on our Twitterfeed, @marksandgran.

The new Goodnight Sweetheart will be transmitted as part of the BBC’s Golden Age of Comedy season, early in the autumn. It’s not for us to say that we hope the BBC will love it enough to ask for a series, but if enough people watch it and bombard the BBC with letters, emails, texts, Whatsapps, snapchats, instagrams….