Outnumbered (UK TV series) as supporting characters throughout the five series. Samantha Bond has appeared in all series as Auntie Angela, Sue's sister. David Ryall has appeared as Grandad, Sue and Angela's father in series 1 and 2 as well as the Christmas Specials in 2009 and 2011. Rosalind Ayres has appeared as Gran, Pete's mother in series 3, series 4 and the Christmas Special in 2012. Hattie Morahan has appeared in series 1 and 2, as well as the Christmas Specials as Jane. In June 2012, "Outnumbered" was recommissioned for a Christmas special in 2012. A fifth and final series was commissioned and
Christmas by medium past year and giving her own reflections and advice. Many long-running British soap operas have Christmas specials, usually involving a dramatic storyline developed over several weeks which culminates at Christmas. Often these stories are tragic, involving a death, divorce, a dramatic revelation or similar event. Most Christmas specials in the UK are specially commissioned separately to a production season, and many are extended from the usual episode length. For example, the 2007 "Doctor Who" Christmas special was 71 minutes as opposed to the standard 45 minutes, was broadcast six months after the third series had finished and four months before