The Cleaner returning to BBC One for a Christmas special

This time he's on a hiking holiday in Italy!

BBC One has announced that The Cleaner will return for a one-off Christmas special, with Greg Davies returning as the UK’s favourite crime scene cleaner, Paul ‘Wicky’ Wickstead.

The Cleaner follows Wicky’s misadventures as a state-certified cleaning technician whose unusual day job involves scrubbing away the grisliest remnants of crime scenes.

In the show's first-ever hour-long special, which began filming this week, Wicky reluctantly joins his girlfriend Ruth, played by Zita Sattar, and her friends Andrew and Andrea, played by Robert Webb and Tori Allen-Martin, on a hiking holiday in the Italian Dolomites.

When an accident occurs, he's forced to spend the rest of the trip at a remote mountain hotel while Ruth heads off to enjoy the great outdoors.

Surrounded by an eccentric hotel manager, played by Peter Serafinowicz, an array of peculiar guests, and a cast of increasingly suspicious staff, Wicky's boredom soon turns to paranoia.

Additional cast members include Kevin Eldon, Veronica Ferres, Milanka Brooks and Dylan Blore.

Ahead of the show's return, Greg Davies said "I think Wicky has got to the stage in life where he only likes three things: his job, going to the pub and beer. To get the opportunity to force him to go to Italy on a hiking holiday is the perfect opportunity to test his breaking point. I can’t wait to show everyone how horribly wrong a holiday can go…"

To which executive producer Vivien Muller-Rommel, added "We’re absolutely delighted to be back with Greg, our brilliant guest cast and our fantastic crew for this very special episode of The Cleaner. There’s a real excitement about this one, and everyone involved is determined to make it our funniest adventure yet. We can’t wait for audiences to see it."

And Ben Caudell, commissioning editor for the BBC, said "As filming begins on this new The Cleaner special, it’s a pleasure to see Greg Davies return to one of his most memorable creations. Wicky has become a standout character in British comedy, and Greg’s ability to place him in extraordinary situations is always a delight. This one-off episode brings together a terrific cast and an inventive new setting, and we’re very much looking forward to sharing it with viewers over the festive period."

Made by SHUK, The Cleaner is written by Greg Davies, produced by Gareth Edwards, directed by Tom Marshall and executive produced by Vivien Muller-Rommel. The casting director is Tracey Gillham.

The Cleaner in Italy will air this Christmas on BBC One