Still Open All Hours surprises fans as crews return to Doncaster to begin filming today

Crews have spent the weekend setting up Arkwright's shop in Balby over the weekend with filming for the new series getting under way this morning.

Recording normally takes place in September but this year's filming is understood to have been moved forward to fit into the actors' schedules.

Stars such as Sir David Jason, Johnny Vegas and Tim Healy are once again set to descend on the converted Beautique hairdressing salon on the corner of Lister Avenue and Scarth Avenue in Balby while the cameras roll once more.

The fifth series was confirmed by the BBC earlier this month.

The new series means the revamped show will surpass predecessor Open All Hours in the number of series and episodes produced.

A spokesman said: "BBC One viewers will be treated this year to a fifth series of the hugely popular Still Open All Hours, featuring the nation's most loved convenience store Arkwright's."

Written by Roy Clarke, the show continues the legacy of his hit 1970s-80s comedy Open All Hours, which starred Ronnie Barker as Albert Arkwright, the penny-pinching proprietor of a small, independent grocers', and Jason as his nephew, Granville.

The present sequel series sees Granville continuing to run the shop after his uncle's death, having taken on many of Albert's scheming ways, and now assisted by his own son, Leroy.

The new format has proven a huge hit with audiences since it began in 2013, and averages nearly 6 million viewers per episode.

Sir David Jason will reprise his role as Granville for the new episodes, and will again be joined by series regulars James Baxter, Stephanie Cole, Maggie Ollerenshaw, Brigit Forsyth, Tim Healy, Johnny Vegas, Kulvinder Ghir, Sally Lindsay, Geoffrey Whitehead and Katie Redford.