Bobby Ball has died

What's great about that is the member of the public standing alone in the middle of the stage looking a bit awkward and not knowing what to do

Ball is in the new series of the show:

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/bobby-ball-not-going-out-death-frank-lee-mack-covid-b1420561.html

The Gold continuity announcer mentioned Ball upon introducing Not Going Out, saying they are saddened to learn of his passing.

Bobby was basically bought in as a one-off guest shot, so the fact he virtually become a regular cast member says something about his performance.

Yes it was really a one off joke about who the character's father was, and I seem to remember it got a massive reaction.

One point is that episode where he first appeared was going to be the final episode until fan outrage got the show re-recomissioned (and it's still running 11 years later). It also premiered in Comedy Central Extra, not BBC1, as they held it over from the rest of the series until Christmas, whereas CCE showed it as part of their repeat run of series 3 later in 2009.

Not Going Out has got an odd history, it was axed and then the BBC changed its mind. Then it wrapped up the series by having the main characters marry.... then got recommissioned.

The original 'sit' has gone and the name doesn't make any sense but it's still going. I'm surprised they never made it a spin off with a new title

Then there was a 7 year time skip. Not that the time period the show was set in seemed to have moved forward 7 years despite the ages of the children... if you know what I'm trying to get at.

Could it not be said that the title is still suitable but the meaning has changed? The characters were ‘not going out’ originally in terms of them dating, where as now it’s more that as parents to three kids they are ‘not going out’ for a night out/socialising, etc.?

Maybe, though they've had whole episodes set outside of their house. Not sure who looks after the kids as the whole ensemble cast are normally with them

I think you’re being a bit pedantic about the title of the show. It’s still very much the same cast and show with the storyline just having progressed. It doesn’t really make sense to changed the name of the show and could leave some viewers to not knowing it’s more of the same. Say if you’ve just discovered the repeats on Dave and you see a show with an entirely different name on BBC One you’re not going to automatically assume it’s the same thing.

It’s not like Still Open All Hours or Yes Minister either, where there is an easy fix with the name.

To me Not Going Out is two different sitcoms. One is about a single man which had the likes of Tim Vine and Miranda Hart in the cast, the other is a generic family sitcom.

We wouldn't have have had this issue if the BBC hadn't axed the sitcom, which was perfect with the wedding episode to finish it off, to then bring it back as a sillier version of 2 Point 4 Children.

It reminds me of Minder when Dennis Waterman left and was replaced with Gary Webster, the dynamic changed and those episodes, while well written just wasn't the same.