OF ALL THE ways you could bring back Father Ted, creator Graham Linehan thinks that a musical might be the best option.

Speaking to the Radio Times this week, the comedy writer who co-created the show stressed that they would never bring it back on TV, but did say a musical version of the show could work:

I would never bring back the TV show, because of the risk you poison people’s memories of the original. But if you were to come up with a completely new format, I think it would be worth doing. I have this vision of a dance number, with spinning cardinals.

Linehan says that his co-creator Arthur Matthews is not as convinced that it would work on stage, although he thinks it could – but it would need to have a modern comedy edge to reflect the times.

Linehan has previously ruled out any comeback for the show in a traditional way, so maybe a musical is just about mad enough to work?

Some die hard fans think the show should be completely left alone, anyway.

A musical version of Father Ted? As Father Jack would say: Feck Off! Leave the show as it is! — Infinite Whovian (@drwhofan19) January 5, 2015 Source: The Oncoming Storm /Twitter

We already know what the rousing, climactic number will be. Imagine this being belted out on the West End stage:

What do you think? Would you like to see an all-singing, all-dancing return for Ted, Dougal, Jack and Mrs. Doyle?