Will and Grace to return with a 10-episode new season

All four lead stars are signed up to return

(Rex Features)

The year's off to a flying start for sitcom fans following the news that Will & Grace will return for ten brand new episodes.

Having been off the air for over a decade, the beloved comedy series will make a comeback next year with all original stars signed up to return.

Having been leaked by recurring star Leslie Jordan (American Horror Story) - who won an Outstanding Guest Actor Emmy for his role of Beverly Leslie - earlier on this year, NBC officially announced the news yesterday (18 June).

Debra Messing (Grace), Will McCormack (Will), Sean Hayes (Jack) and Megan Mullally (Karen) will all appear as will creators Max Mutchnik and David Kohan.

Will & Grace ran for 8 seasons from 1998 to 2006 and is considered to be one of the first television shows to feature openly gay characters.

Rumours surrounding a return were rife when the cast reunited for a topical ten-minute special in November campaigning for US citizens to vote in the election.

Debbie Reynolds, who played Messing's mother on the series, passed away in December, just one day after the death of her daughter Carrie Fisher.

Filming will begin in July with the show set to premiere in the 2017-18 TV season.