Smack The Pony is not returning to television, contrary to claims in a newspaper report published overnight.

The Sun quoted Fiona Allen, who starred in the much-loved Channel 4 sketch show with Sally Phillips and Doon Mackichan, as saying: "Wouldn't it be great to see another one? We're kind of filming, talking, that would be something fun."

But Allen has today denied the story, telling British Comedy Guide: "I have no knowledge of a new series."

Winning two Emmys, it ran for three series and two specials between 1999 and 2003, co-starring Sarah Alexander, Darren Boyd, Cavan Clerkin, James Lance and Amanda Holden, and featured a theme tune by Jackie Clune.

Smack The Pony briefly returned in 2017 for a Comic Relief sketch. But in 2021, Phillips appeared to close the door on any further revival.

She said: "Nobody wants it, and you know what, I no longer want to do it.

"The journey of trying to get it remade became so funny in itself.

"You'd be in The Gambia and someone would come up and go, 'Oh, that thing you did. Drop The Dead Donkey - that was so great. When is it coming back?'

"And people tweet or whatever on a pretty much weekly basis, 'When are you doing it again?'

"But the commissioners just didn't feel the same way."