Written by Jack Dee and Pete Sinclair, and starring Jack Dee, Lead Balloon is a sitcom about a disillusioned comedian and writer, Rick Spleen, whose career has not gone to plan. It first aired on BBC Four in 2006 and the first episode achieved the highest ratings for a comedy on the channel. The show ran for four series, moving to BBC Two in series two.

Lead Balloon was nominated for Best New British Television Comedy, and Jack Dee for Best Comedy Actor at the British Comedy Awards in 2007. It was also nominated for Best Scripted Comedy at the RTS Awards in 2009 and the Writer’s Guild in 2011 for Best Television Comedy.