The Specials would love to collaborate and tour with fellow Ska legends Madness.

Hor­ace Panter has revealed there was "talk" of the two groups doing a co-headline jaunt at some point, and the 68-year-old bassist insisted they are even open to hitting the studio with their old 2 Tone Records label mates.

He told the Daily Star newspaper's Wired column: “Let’s see what we can do. There was talk about a doubleheader, but nor­mally if we are mak­ing a record then they are tak­ing a break, but it would be good to do something with those guys.”

The Specials - who formed in 1977 in Coventry - reunited in 1993, and have performed with various different lineups over the years, none of them including 2 Tone founder and former keyboardist, Jerry Dammers, 66.

The 'Ghost Town' hitmakers now comprise Horace, guitarist Lynval Golding, 70, and vocalist 62-year-old Terry Hall.

The group released the covers collection ‘Protest Songs – 1924 -2012’ in October.

The Specials also embarked on a 2021 UK tour in support of 2019 LP 'Encore', their first number one album since 1980, and the first new material with vocalist Terry since 1981's 'Ghost Town'.

As for Madness, their last studio effort was 2016's 'Can't Touch Us Now'.

However, in December 2019, the band released the new protest single, 'Bullingdon Boys (Don't Get Bullied by the Bully Boys)'.

Suggs and co have been staples at festivals over the years, including their very own House of Common Festival.

And to celebrate 40 years since the release of their first album (1971's 'One Step Beyond...'), the 'Baggy Trousers' hitmakers released the autobiography and docuseries of the same name, 'Before We Was We: Madness by Madness', in 2021.

Suggs - whose real name is Graham McPherson - previously admitted he can hardly believe the band has lasted this long.

The 61-year-old singer - who took over as lead vocalist in 1977, following the departure of Dikron Tulane - said: "It is amazing that we've been able to do this for so long. It constantly surprises me - for me, I'm one of those people that the 80s only feel like ten years ago to me.

"It's a privilege to still be doing this, we've done festivals all over Britain and still enjoying it, which is great.

"We spend more time arguing than anything else, but it's healthy and we all still get on great and that's the major important point about it."