It appears to be back to school again for the likes of Colin Firth, Rupert Everett, Stephen Fry and Russell Brand after Ealing Studios announced they are planning a sequel to their recent box office hit.

The schoolgirl comedy, based on the cartoons by Ronald Searle and made popular by a series of films from Ealing Studios in the 1950s-60s, has enjoyed huge success in many countries even though the humour is most definately 'British'.

"A lot of British people my age have some memory of them,'' Colin Firth says. ‘‘For most people that memory would be a fairly affectionate one, but they weren't masterpieces, none of them. I don't think we're messing with the family silver here.''

Though not everyone agrees. One film reviewer said the film was ‘‘aimed at a younger audience and glorifies underage drinking, drug-taking, bomb-making, bullying, cheating, promiscuity, stupidity, verbal abuse, anarchy, vandalism, the use of guns in schools and the sexual objectification of minors.''

The film also marked the end of one of showbusiness's longest-lasting feuds between the two main stars Colin Firth and Rupert Everett who buried the hatchet on their very public squabble that spanned over 20 years.

Writers Piers Ashworth and Nick Moorcroft, who worked on the 2007 project, are currently working on the script for the sequel.

March 28, 2008