Cabin Pressure. Image shows from L to R: Arthur (John Finnemore), Douglas (Roger Allam), Carolyn (Stephanie Cole), Martin (Benedict Cumberbatch). Copyright: Pozzitive Productions
Cabin Pressure

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

Episode menu

Series 3, Episode 1 - Qikiqtarjuaq

MJN Air flies a party of tourists near the North Pole. Arthur goes hunting for polar bears, Carolyn for a rogue lemon and Martin for a believable French accent. Meanwhile, Alfred Hitchcock makes a surprise appearance...

Notes

John Finnemore's blog about this episode: Read

Plus some Trivia

Broadcast details

Date
Friday 1st July 2011
Time
11:30am
Channel
BBC Radio 4
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Tuesday 15th May 2012 6:30pm Radio 4
Tuesday 22nd May 2012 7:30am Radio 4 Extra
Tuesday 22nd May 2012 10:00pm Radio 4 Extra
Sunday 23rd February 2014 10:30pm Radio 4 Extra
Wednesday 24th June 2015 10:30pm Radio 4 Extra
Sunday 19th November 2017 10:30pm Radio 4 Extra
Sunday 16th June 2019 11:00pm Radio 4 Extra

Cast & crew

Cast
Benedict Cumberbatch Martin
Roger Allam Douglas
Stephanie Cole Carolyn
John Finnemore Arthur
Guest cast
Melanie Hudson Nancy Dean Liebhart
Kosha Engler Mrs. Cook
Ewan Bailey Mr. Peary
Writing team
John Finnemore Writer
Production team
David Tyler Producer

Press

I must admit that this is the first time I've listened to Cabin Pressure, despite all of the reviews and praise that has been lauded on it.

For those who, like me, still haven't got around to listening, this show is about MJN Air, the world's smallest airline, managed by Carolyn (Stephanie Cole) and flown by Captain Martin Crieff (Benedict Cumberbatch) alongside First Officer Douglas Richardson (Roger Allam). The service on the plane is provided by Carolyn's over-enthusiastic son Arthur (played by John Finnemore, who also writes the show).

The first episode of the third series saw MJN flying some people to Qikiqtarjuaq (near the North Pole) to look at polar bears, which got Arthur both excited and annoyed - excited about the bears, and annoyed about that none of the Q's in "Qikiqtarjuaq" are followed by a "U".

Elsewhere, the highlight for the show for me was Douglas making an announcement to the passengers while smuggling in as many Alfred Hitchcock references as possible. Also, Douglas forces Martin to pretend to be French and recount to the plane how he fought off a polar bear using nothing except an egg whisk and a pogo stick.

Having listened to the show I feel slightly ashamed by the fact that I missed the first two series and now feel a desperate need to catch up - which I'll have to do at some point in the future when I'm not writing these reviews.

Ian Wolf, Giggle Beats, 4th July 2011

A welcome return for the comedy series where the writing and acting are so tight they're in danger of cutting off your blood supply. The least attentive and most dangerous budget airline in the world - tag line: no job is too small but many, many are too difficult - is flying a party of adventurous tourists to the North Pole. Never has a tiredness for life been so malevolent as in the heart and mind of First Officer Richardson, played with sanguine vitriol by Roger Allam. Not known for his love and admiration of Captain Crieff (portrayed with suitably browbeaten desperation by Benedict Cumberbatch), this flight sees Richardson annihilate any morsel of dignity that the Captain had stored away. And, my goodness, is it funny to witness.

Jane Anderson, Radio Times, 1st July 2011

John Finnemore: 'Ours Blanc'. Or 'Ours Polaire'

'Qikiqtarjuaq', the first episode in the new series of Cabin Pressure, wasn't written as the first episode, but unfortunately Benedict Cumberbatch lost his voice for the recording of the one that was meant to be first.

John Finnemore, John Finnemore's Blog, 1st July 2011

Share this page