Lead Balloon
- TV sitcom
- BBC Two / BBC Four
- 2006 - 2011
- 27 episodes (4 series)
Sitcom starring Jack Dee as Rick Spleen, a grumpy misanthropic stand-up comedian whose life is plagued by let downs and embarrassment. Also features Raquel Cassidy, Sean Power, Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Rasmus Hardiker, Tony Gardner and Anna Crilly
Episode menu
Series 1, Episode 2 - Wayne
Further details
Rick is also forced to take the toaster back to the local electrical shop, where he has a run-in with the exceptionally sarcastic electrician.
At work, Rick has agreed to present a You've Been Framed-style DVD, but neither he nor his writing partner Marty can come up with any decent links.
All of this is compounded by Rick's insomnia, caused by the paperboy, Wayne, who is very punctual, very noisy and (according to the stroppy newsagent) has a brain the size of a walnut.
Broadcast details
- Date
- Wednesday 11th October 2006
- Time
- 10:30pm
- Channel
- BBC Four
- Length
- 30 minutes
Cast & crew
| Jack Dee | Rick Spleen |
| Raquel Cassidy | Mel |
| Sean Power | Marty |
| Antonia Campbell-Hughes | Sam |
| Rasmus Hardiker | Ben |
| Tony Gardner | Michael |
| Anna Crilly | Magda |
| Steven Alvey | Peter Root |
| Matthew Crompton | Björn |
| Ewen MacIntosh | Electrical Shop Man |
| Vicki Pepperdine | Newsagent |
| James Cormack | Wayne |
| Jack Dee | Writer |
| Pete Sinclair | Writer |
| Alex Hardcastle | Director |
| Alex Hardcastle | Producer |
| Addison Cresswell | Executive Producer |
| Andrew Beint | Executive Producer |
| Lucy Lumsden | Executive Producer |
| Russell Beeden | Editor |
| Gordon Whistance | Production Designer |
Press
A programme called Lead Balloon is a hostage to critical misfortune, but then I expect Jack Dee knows that. This miserabilist sitcom about the Pooterish home life of a stand-up comic, written and performed by a stand-up comic, is better than it sounds. Observational humour is as funny as the observer, not necessarily what's observed. This series is part of a new trend of comedy shows that don't make you laugh; you just nod your head and mutter, That's really funny.
It's a Darwinian improvement on the tyranny of the set-up-gag guffaw, and I approve of it. Laughter is ugly and common.