Lead Balloon - Series 2

Synopsis

Rick Spleen is back - and as he will tell you, he's on the way up, his career is going from strength to strength and he's never been so popular. In other words, he's still the same old self-deluded liar, making a reasonable living as a C-list celebrity, appearing on low-rent chat shows, performing stand-up at second-rate business bashes and generally hoping for the big break.

Luckily, when he's not handing out awards at the Furniture Manufacturers' Conference or being featured as the face of Bar Lizard Peanuts, there's plenty to preoccupy Rick - from the points on his driving licence to the shadowy hitman he is convinced is on his tail.

On the domestic front, Rick struggles to cope with a bedridden Mel, their daughter Sam and her boyfriend Ben constantly cadging money, and a resignation from the ever morose housekeeper Magda. He gets no help from his quick-talking American writing partner Marty or the local cafe owner Michael, whose grasp on reality seems to be getting ever looser. All this and a run-in with a children's entertainer famous for his giant inflatable spanner...