Channel Four, in spite of its well-reported financial ‘challenges', has been busy recommissioning a pair of its most popular comedy series. And we're really rather pleased about it.

First up, there's going to a fourth series of The IT Crowd. Writer Graham Linehan has ended his two most popular shows to date before The IT Crowd at three series - Black Books and Father Ted - but he'd earlier said that he hoped a fourth run of the show would get the green light. The new series is set to air next year.

Meanwhile, even though the sixth series of Mitchell & Webb's Peep Show hasn't yet been broadcast - it's on the schedules for the summer - a seven series has got the green light, for broadcast in 2010. Good news...