Sheridan Smith returns to Jonathan Creek for tonight's Bank Holiday special (did you fall for her joke this morning?)

Jonathan Creek (ALAN DAVIES), Joey Ross (SHERIDAN SMITH) (BBC)

Sheridan Smith might have pranked her Twitter followers this morning by claiming to have been cast as Anastasia Steele in the much-anticipated film adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey, but the actress will be returning to our screens tonight in a more familiar (and less risqué) role.

The Olivier Award-winning actress is reclaiming the role of Joey Ross, the supernatural investigator sidekick of Alan Davies for a Bank Holiday Jonathan Creek special.

It is the first episode of the popular detective series since The Judas Tree special in 2010.

Titled The Clue of the Savant’s Thumb it is thought to include special guest appearances by a host of big names including Joanna Lumley, Rik Mayall and Sarah Alexander.

Jonathan Creek will investigate the disappearance of a corpse from a locked study at a haunted Catholic girls’ school.

The initial series ran from 1991 to 2004 starring Caroline Quentin and Julia Sawalha alongside Davies and Smith.

This morning, 1 April, Smith tweeted: “I'm so excited to tell you that I've been cast as the lead girl in 50 shades of grey opposite Eddie Redmayne, can't wait to start filming!!”

Minutes later she clarified: “I'm crying laughing that some of you actually fell for that!”

Smith, who has had a hugely successful stage career of late, with turns in Hedda Gabler, Flare Path and Legally Blonde, has also been lauded for her roles in television dramas Mrs Biggs and The Scapegoat.

Jonathan Creek: The Clue of the Savant's Thumb is tonight at 9pm on BBC One.