Matt Lucas and David Walliams have secured themselves a three-year contract with the BBC.

The Little Britain stars are planning a brand new sketch show to feature some of their best-loved characters and will be aired next autumn. There will also be two Little Britain Christmas specials.

BBC1 controller, Peter Fincham, said, "It is something we are absolutely delighted about. They are comedy, they are funny, and they play to a younger audience, which we like."

This comes as a bit of a shock as the dynamic comedy duo speculated that they would go professional separate ways at the close of Little Britain 's third series. Perhaps the lure of the greenbacks has resolved their creative malaise. Although Fincham refused to speculate on how much the deal was costing at the time of the announcement, he did say, "I think they are worth their money."

That actually translates as '£3m each'.

The golden handcuffs deal was announced as part of the Beeb's autumn season schedule, which also contains new comedy programmes from Jennifer Saunders' Jam and Jerusalem (about a WI in the West Country), Dave Spikey's Magnolia (about a firm of decorators) and Jane Horrocks' The Amazing Mrs Pritchard (about a supermarket manager who becomes Prime Minister). There is also going to be a one-off special of The Royle Family.