Family sitcom Outnumbered returned to the BBC for the first time in eight years, with patriarch Pete revealing he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, with some viewers finding the storyline too depressing.
This is the second Christmas special for the UK series about the Brockman family ran from 2007 to 2014 and the last Christmas special was in 2016.
The latest festive episode opened with Pete and his wife Sue preparing to welcome their three children to the new family home for Christmas, before he revealed he will be undergoing a prostatectomy – a surgery which removes the prostate gland.
"The good news is that they've caught it early and I’m fairly likely to be fine, but I’ve been diagnosed with prostate cancer," he said.
It comes after the character had a cancer scare in the third series of the show.
Acclaimed for its realistic depiction of modern-day parenting, Outnumbered was among the most popular comedies on BBC One, as Dennis and Claire Skinner starred as harassed parents to Karen played by Ramona Marquez, Ben played by Daniel Roche and Jake played by Tyger Drew-Honey.
All three former child actors returned for the festive special, with new additions to the family including Jake’s new partner Rani played by Kerena Jagpal and their three-year-old daughter Zara played by Aurora Skarli.
