E4′s hit sitcom The Inbetweeners is set to return for two special episodes in the future, with fans previously being fearful that the series had come to a close a fortnight ago with the final episode of the third and final season.

Channel 4 have already announced that a big-screen movie (developed by Channel 4′s movie company Film4) is about the show is in production, and that the two specials will come afterwards.

In the meantime, Channel 4 has also announced a large new batch of comedy commissions for E4, although not much is known about these new series, other than their titles (show titles include Chickens, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret, and Campus), and that the headlining talent of some of the new shows will include Noel Fielding (who will have his own show, Noel Fielding: Boopus) and Chris Addison (who will be fronting amateur comedy and storytelling series Show and Tell). The final new comedy for E4 is Meet the Parents, a prank show which sees boyfriends fooled by a collection of ‘in-laws’ played by actors.

Channel 4, which has promised an £5M investment for its comedy budget next year, will hope that the package of greenlighted new series will achieve a similar level of success to The Inbetweeners, (which has also sold rights to produce a US version of the sitcom) and attain higher viewing numbers for their terrestrial channel. Channel 4 comedy correspondent Shane Allen, said of the deals:-

“Channel 4 continues to lead the way in comedy by backing new talent and giving established names the creative freedom to take risks. We are able to give Frankie, Noel and Chris the space to try out new things and want talent to bring their passion projects to us.”

He also spoke highly of the production and acting talent currently on offer to him, stating: “We value our long-term relationships with people of the calibre of Victoria Pile, working with Channel 4 on her first new comedy series since Green Wing, or Graham Linehan, on the fourth series of the IT Crowd, or Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong on their record-breaking seventh series of Peep Show; just as much as we love uncovering new talent like Morgana Robinson and Kayvan Novak”

Allen also summarised the situation for the channel, adding: “Channel 4′s investment in comedy has risen sharply in the last two years – 2011 spend will be almost double 2009 levels – and the space Big Brother leaves puts us in the happy position of having even more hours to fill. Just as well because, God knows, we could all do with a laugh at the moment.”

You can watch the Inbetweeners on channel 4 catch up service 4oD