Fans of ITV’s dramedy series have reason to be hopeful. Cold Feet first hit our screens in 1997, quickly becoming a fan favourite with its mix of humour, friendship and relatable life dramas. After ending in 2003, the show was revived in 2016 and ran for four successful seasons before going on hiatus again in 2020.
Series creator Mike Bullen (who also wrote Life Begins and North Shore) explained the pause at the time: “We’re going to rest the series. We need to give the characters some space to move on to new stages so that we’ve got stuff to write about.” He also hinted at a one-off special to “tide fans over,” but nothing concrete followed.
The Cold Feet cast on a possible return
Recently, James Nesbitt (Adam), Fay Ripley (Jenny) and John Thomson (Pete) appeared on Gaby Roslin’s Reasons To Be Joyful podcast, teasing the possibility of a return.
James said: “I am constantly stopped and asked when Cold Feet is coming back. That appetite never goes away.”
Fay added: “The very fact people responded in the way they did suggests there’s no reason why it shouldn’t come back. When the show returned after all those years, it reminded everyone how much fun it was.”
Jon suggested a way to “test the waters” with fans: “After the success of Gavin & Stacey bringing back their Christmas special, why not test the water with a Cold Feet Christmas special?”
Remembering the magic of Cold Feet
Reflecting on filming the series, Nesbitt said: “What I remember most is that it was fun. When we first got together, it was just magic — and that translated to the audience. People still love it and still talk about it. That’s very special.”
The series originally followed a group of friends navigating life and love in Manchester. Alongside Nesbitt, Ripley, and Thomson, the show starred Hermione Norris (Karen), Robert Bathurst (David, and Helen Baxendale (Rachel — absent in the reboot). Its mix of comedy, drama, and domestic realism made it an enduring favourite, with Bathurst calling it “the first of those generally middle-class domestic shows,” noting how it stood out for being “very firmly set in Manchester.”
What’s next for Cold Feet?
While the exact timing of a new series - or even a special - is still uncertain, the cast are clearly enthusiastic. Nesbitt teased that fans’ enduring love for the show could pave the way for future episodes: “We’re looking forward to returning at a later date to document the agony and the ecstasy of the third age…”
For now, fans will have to wait and see whether the group of friends will return to our screens. But with the actors open to the idea and fan appetite as strong as ever, a Cold Feet comeback is far from impossible!
Arabella Horspool is a Commercial Content Writer for Yours at Bauer Media. A devoted bookworm and TV fan, she’s always immersed in the latest shows or catching the newest films and theatre productions. When she’s not writing, Arabella enjoys cooking and exploring the outdoors with her dog.