Audiences have watched the couple “not go out”, get married and become parents over the course of the past 19 years.

Now we have reached a new phase in the couples’ lives as their children head off to university and they decide to up sticks and move out of London to the countryside.

Mack, who is also one of the show’s writers, said: “Once again I’m very grateful that the BBC have trusted in us to keep alive the studio sitcom.

“I grew up watching this genre of sitcom on the BBC, and to be part of it myself is still a dream come true, even after 18 years of doing it. Here we go again….!!”

Fans of the show will be relieved to know a 15th series has already been commissioned to mark the programme’s 20th anniversary next year.

Who is in the cast of Not Going Out series 14?

Lee Mack and Sally Breton return to star in series 14 of the sitcom as married couple Lee and Lucy, who have become empty-nesters and moved out to the country.

Unlike the previous seasons from eight to 13, this one will not feature their children Charlie (Finley Southby), Benji (Max Pattison) and Molly (Francesca Newman).

It is not yet known if some of the recurring character from previous series such as Toby (Hugh Dennis) and Anna (Abigail Cruttenden) or Wendy (Deborah Grant) and Geoffrey (Geoffrey Whitehead) will be back.

But there are a number of guest appearances from some famous faces.

Mike Wozniak

Mike Wozniak will appear in the first episode of the new series (Photo: Gareth Cattermole/Getty)

Mike Wozniak stars in the first episode as Will. Entitled House Move, this instalment sees Lee and Sally go to view a property. Lee needs the loo but before he can go he bumps into a second buyer and so pretend to be the vendor to dissuade them.

Wozniak, 45, is a former medical doctor turned comedian, actor and writer who rose to fame playing Brian in the Channel 4 comedy Man Down.

He has also starred in Horrible Histories, Dial M for Middlesbrough, We Are Not Alone and Timestalker.

Ray Fearon

Ray Fearon also makes an appearance in the first episode of the new series (Photo: Jeff Spicer/WireImage/ Getty)

Ray Fearon also makes a guest appearance in the first episode of the new series as John.

He played Nathan Cooper in the soap opera Coronation Street, Mark Antony in Julius Caesar, Carlo de’ Medici in Da Vinci’s Demons, Mr Hanway in His Dark Materials and Beres Champion in Champion.

And he is the voice of Fawkes in the Harry Potter movies.

Felicity Montagu

Felicity Montague as Yvonne in series 14 (Photo: Mark Johnson/ Avalon/ BBC)

Felicity Montagu plays Yvonne in epsiode three of the series, entitled Campervan.

The British actress, 64, is best know for playing Lynn Benfield, the long-suffering assistant of Alan Partridge.

She has also starred as Perpetua in Bridget Jones’s Diary, Caroline Bosman in Doc Martin, Miss Adolf in Hank Zipzer, Superintendent Edwards in Black Ops and Margo Martins in Beyond Paradise.

Matthew Kelly

Matthew Kelly makes an appearance in series 14 of Not Going Out (Photo: Alan Chapman/Dave Benett/Getty)

Matthew Kelly is King Brunwin / Brian in the penultimate episode of the series Dragon Castle, when Lee and Lucy attempt a career in the movies playing background elves on the set of a popular mini-TV series, Dragon Castle.

Kelly, 75, rose to prominence as one of the presenters of the ITV light entertainment show Game For A Laugh. He then went on to host You Bet! and Stars In their Eyes.

He returned to acting starring in Waiting For Godot and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? on stage and Benidorm and Inside No. 9 on television.

Diana Vickers

Diana Vickers appears in the final episode of the series (Photo: Dave Benett/Getty)

Diana Vickers appears in the final episode, Hotel Room, as Ava when Lee uses his collection of free discount vouchers to stay overnight in a mid-range hotel.

The singer-songwriter and actress, 33, was a semi-finalist in the 2008 edition of The X Factor who went on to have hits with “Once” and “My Wicked Heart”.

She has performed on stage in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, The Duck House and The Entertainer and appeared on television in Give Out Girls and Top Coppers.