Cabin Pressure is a radio sitcom written by John Finnemore. Its first series was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2008, and the final episode was broadcast in 2014.
Critical reception to the series was positive and twenty-six episodes across four series were produced, including Christmas specials in 2010 and 2014. The theme tune of the series is the Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila by Mikhail Glinka.
Plot[]
Set in a small airline business, Cabin Pressure is a comedy about the wing and a prayer world of a tiny, one-plane charter airline staffed by two pilots - one on his way down, and one who was never up to start with. Whether they're flying squaddies to Hamburg, metal sheets to Mozambique, transporting lads on a stag night or shifting a panther for the odd oil sheik, no job is too small - but many jobs prove to be too difficult - for MJN Air!
The airline is run by forbidding divorcee Carolyn Knapp-Shappey who, at last, aged 64, is free of her awful husband, but pleasingly not free of his private jet. Her two pilots are the smooth, experienced and almost certainly fired-by-a-big-airline-for-all-round-naughtiness Douglas, and the struggling, almost competent anxious young captain Martin. General help is provided by Carolyn's dim-witted son Arthur.
Characters[]
Main Article: List of characters
- Carolyn Knapp-Shappey, portrayed by Stephanie Cole
- Martin Crieff, portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch
- Douglas Richardson, portrayed by Roger Allam
- Arthur Shappey, portrayed by John Finnemore
Episodes[]
Main Article: List of episodes
Cabin Pressure ran for a total of four series and two specials, running from July 2, 2008 - December 25, 2014 and consisting of a total of 26 episodes, with the final episode broadcast in two parts.