Cabin Pressure
- Radio sitcom
- BBC Radio 4
- 2008 - 2014
- 27 episodes (4 series)
Radio sitcom based around a one-plane charter airline. No job is too small, but many jobs are too difficult for pilots Douglas and Martin. Stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Roger Allam, Stephanie Cole, John Finnemore and Anthony Head
Cabin Pressure trivia
Every location visited has started with a different letter of the alphabet:
A - Abu Dhabi
B - Boston
C - Cremona
D - Douz
E - Edinburgh
F - Fitton
G - Gdansk
H - Helsinki
I - Ipswich
J - Johannesburg
K - Kuala Lumpur
L - Limerick
M - Molokai
N - Newcastle
O - Ottery St Mary
P - Paris
Q - Qikiqtarjuaq
R - Rotterdam
S - St Petersburg
T - Timbuktu
U - Uskerty
V - Vaduz
W - Wokingham
X - Xinzhou
Y - Yverdon-Les-Bains
Z - Zurich
They were not quite broadcast in order though. John Finnemore explains: "Helsinki and Gdansk were swapped in the broadcast order when David Tyler the producer somehow managed to get the amazing Alison Steadman to play Awful Auntie Ruth. The show was still young, and we were keen for people to notice it, and maybe even to review it. Papers don't review radio shows much, but when they do they tend to review the first episode of the series - so we thought we'd better put the episode with Alison Steadman (plus of course Simon Greenall and Matt Green) up front. (This was all still pre-Sherlock, of course. Somehow, we didn't tend to worry as much about people noticing the show from series three...)"
Creator John Finnemore's father (David) was an airline pilot. In tribute, he was credited as the show's 'aviation consultant' at the end of the final episode.
In 2010, after Cabin Pressure had already established itself, Benedict Cumberbatch became a huge star thanks to the success of BBC TV series Sherlock. John Finnemore told The Radio Times: "The first recording after Sherlock started, suddenly the queue started very early in the morning, and the demographic had completely changed from the normal Radio 4 comedy audience. I was worried they'd just come to see Benedict. But I'd completely underestimated them. They laugh in all the right places and are intelligent and lovely."
Tickets to the recordings of the final Cabin Pressure were in exteremly high demand. 22,800 fans from around the world applied.
Series 1, 3 and 4 feature a 'Birling Day' episode. These involve the crew flying the rich, drunk and rude Mr Birling (guest star Geoffrey Whitehead) to a rugby game.
Mr Birling tips the staff exceedingly well, causing the crew to be on their best behaviour... except for Douglas, who sets himself a mission of stealing (without anyone noticing) the expensive Talisker whisky that Carolyn buys each time for their guest.
Characters in the Boston episode are named after characters in Fawlty Towers episodes The Kipper And The Corpse and Waldorf Salad.
The Limerick episode takes place in real-time.
Amongst the original ideas for the show included Carolyn being Polish, and Martin and Arthur being sons of Carolyn via different fathers. The original working title was Jet Lag.
Source: The Complete Cabin Pressure: From A To Z special features
One deleted scene from the 'St. Petersburg' episode originally mentioned that Douglas's parents were disappointed that he became a pilot because they were both doctors.
Source: The Complete Cabin Pressure: From A To Z special features
When Gerti is sold at auction in 'Zurich, Part 1', the plane is Lot 42 - a reference to The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.
Source: Zurich, Part 1