Stephen Merchant's 'The Offenders' gets a second season

Jan. 13 (UPI) -- British actor and filmmaker Stephen Merchant's dramedy series The Offenders has been renewed for a second season before the first has finished filming.

Executive producer Kenton Allen told Deadline production on Season 1 was delayed in the United Kingdom because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Both six-episode seasons are now being taped back-to-back, with Merchant's American co-star Christopher Walken traveling to England to film his scenes in March.

"We've constructed the schedule in such a way that he's not coming here during peak corona. He's coming when we hope it will be safer and there will be a vaccine," Allen said.

Merchant -- who created, stars in and is directing the BBC/Amazon show -- retweeted the news report about the renewal Wednesday.

The Offenders is about seven strangers whose paths cross after they are sentenced to community service for various crimes.

Merchant is best known for his roles in the British version of The Office, as well as Extras, Life's Too Short and Logan.