A spine-chilling new series, inspired by Stephen King's hair-raising novel IT, is set to hit our screens soon, promising to unravel the past of the notorious villain, Pennywise the Clown.

The TV adaptation is the brainchild of sibling duo Andy and Barbara Muschietti, who previously brought the terrifying tale to life in the 2017 film IT Chapter One and its 2019 sequel, IT Chapter Two.

The series takes us back 27 years before the events depicted in the first IT film, drawing inspiration from the five interlude stories in King's original novel, all narrated by the character Mike Hanlon.

These interludes provide readers with a glimpse into the history of the fictional town of Derry and offer further insights into the sinister Pennywise, a narrative thread that filmmaker Andy refers to as a "hidden" story, reports the Daily Record.

Addressing an audience at New York Comic Con, he hinted that the forthcoming series presents "a story that is told not forward but a story that is told backward and has a final conclusion - the events in which IT becomes Pennywise."

He added: "There's a reason and a secret why we're telling the story backward. I can't tell you now. I guess you have to see the show."

As the premiere of the first episode draws near, here's everything fans need to know about the episode count and when they can tune in for fresh episodes.

The first season of IT: Welcome to Derry consists of eight episodes, with the premiere set for 27 October on Sky and NOW TV for UK viewers. Subsequent episodes will be broadcast every Monday until the season finale on 15 December.

• Episode 1: Monday, October 27


• Episode 2: Monday, November 3


• Episode 3: Monday, November 10


• Episode 4: Monday, November 17


• Episode 5: Monday, November 24


• Episode 6: Monday, December 1


• Episode 7: Monday, December 8


• Episode 8: Monday, December 15

Meanwhile American viewers will get a head start, with the first episode for US viewers airing on HBO on October 26 at 9pm ET.

IT: Welcome to Derry premieres on Sky and NOW TV on October 27 with episodes then released weekly every Monday