David Letterman makes his return on Netflix

David Letterman, who retired his long running show The Late Show in 2015, is returning to television for a new Netflix series.

The yet-to-be-named, six-episode series will premiere in 2018.

It will see Letterman combine in-depth conversations with top names and “in-the-field segments expressing his curiosity and humour”.

In each hour-long episode, Letterman will conduct a long-form conversation with a singular guest and explore topics on his own, away from the studio.

Letterman said: “I feel excited and lucky to be working on this project for Netflix. Here’s what I have learned, if you retire to spend more time with your family, check with your family first. Thanks for watching, drive safely.”

Ted Sarandos, chief content officer at Netflix, said: “Just meeting David Letterman was a thrill; imagine how exciting it is for me to announce that we will be working together.

“Letterman is a true television icon, and I can’t wait to see him out in the wild, out from behind the desk and interviewing the people he finds most interesting. We’ll have to see if he keeps the beard.”

The Late Show with David Letterman on CBS ran for 22 years, before Letterman announced his retirement in 2015.