Come Fly with Me (2010 TV series)
Encyclopedia
Come Fly with Me is a British mockumentary
television comedy series created by and starring Matt Lucas
and David Walliams
. Narrated by Lindsay Duncan
, the series launched on 25 December 2010 on BBC One
and BBC One HD. A spoof of British documentaries Airport
and Airline, the series follows the activity at a fictional airport and three fictional airlines: FlyLo (a low-cost airline
), Our Lady Air (an Irish low-cost airline) and Great British Air (a major international British airline). Lucas and Walliams portray many of the focal airline and airport staff, as well as some passengers, whose comments and experiences are featured in one or more of the series episodes in the style of a "fly-on-the-wall documentary".
stars Lucas and Walliams had reunited to star in a new comedy series set in an airport, a spoof of British documentaries Airport
and Airline. Filming for Come Fly with Me began in August with the duo spending two weeks at Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield
. A further three weeks were spent filming at London Stansted Airport
, with further weeks of filming at Pinewood Studios. A making-of documentary
entitled Come Fly on the Wall aired on BBC One
on 8 February 2011.
On the 28 January 2011 the BBC announced it had commissioned a second series.
on BBC America
on June 18, 2011, edited to fit a 30 minute time slot with commercials.
, who also contributed to the TV scripts. Cecil was inspired by his own work on comedy tie-in books over the years
calling it "the worst sketch show, or sitcom to have ever gone out on a Christmas Day" and expressed concern over its screening on the day, considering the lack of quality. The Daily Mirror, however claimed it was a resounding success and the claims of racism and lack of humour made by the Express were unfounded.
The show was the most-watched comedy of 2010 with 10 million viewers, but also had thousands of viewer complaints, and criticism for being racist. It was also the third most-watched show in the UK on Christmas Day.
Mockumentary
A mockumentary , is a type of film or television show in which fictitious events are presented in documentary format. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on current events and issues by using a fictitious setting, or to parody the documentary form itself...
television comedy series created by and starring Matt Lucas
Matt Lucas
Matthew Richard "Matt" Lucas is an English comedian, screenwriter and actor best known for his acclaimed work with David Walliams in the television show Little Britain; as well as for his portrayals of the scorekeeping baby George Dawes in the comedy panel game Shooting Stars, Tweedledee and...
and David Walliams
David Walliams
David Edward Walliams is an English comedian, writer and actor, known for his partnership with Matt Lucas on the TV sketch show Little Britain and its predecessor Rock Profile...
. Narrated by Lindsay Duncan
Lindsay Duncan
Lindsay Vere Duncan, CBE is a Scottish stage, television and film actress. On stage she won two Olivier Awards and a Tony Award for her performance in Les Liaisons dangereuses and Private Lives , and she starred in several plays by Harold Pinter. Her most famous roles on television include:...
, the series launched on 25 December 2010 on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
and BBC One HD. A spoof of British documentaries Airport
Airport (TV series)
Airport is a British documentary television series based at London Heathrow Airport, the world's busiest international airport, broadcast by the BBC and syndicated to Dave, part of the UKTV network....
and Airline, the series follows the activity at a fictional airport and three fictional airlines: FlyLo (a low-cost airline
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
), Our Lady Air (an Irish low-cost airline) and Great British Air (a major international British airline). Lucas and Walliams portray many of the focal airline and airport staff, as well as some passengers, whose comments and experiences are featured in one or more of the series episodes in the style of a "fly-on-the-wall documentary".
Production
In June 2010, it was announced that Little BritainLittle Britain
Little Britain is a British character-based comedy sketch show which was first broadcast on BBC radio and then turned into a television show. It was written by comic duo David Walliams and Matt Lucas...
stars Lucas and Walliams had reunited to star in a new comedy series set in an airport, a spoof of British documentaries Airport
Airport (TV series)
Airport is a British documentary television series based at London Heathrow Airport, the world's busiest international airport, broadcast by the BBC and syndicated to Dave, part of the UKTV network....
and Airline. Filming for Come Fly with Me began in August with the duo spending two weeks at Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield
Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield
Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield is an international airport located at the former RAF Finningley airbase at Finningley, in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster within South Yorkshire, England. The airport lies southeast of Doncaster and east of Sheffield.The airport is operated by Peel...
. A further three weeks were spent filming at London Stansted Airport
London Stansted Airport
-Cargo:-Statistics:-Infrastructure:-Terminal and satellite buildings:Stansted is the newest passenger airport of all the main London airports. The terminal is an oblong glass building, and is separated in to three areas: Check-in concourse, arrivals and departures...
, with further weeks of filming at Pinewood Studios. A making-of documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
entitled Come Fly on the Wall aired on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
on 8 February 2011.
On the 28 January 2011 the BBC announced it had commissioned a second series.
Main characters
- Omar Baba (Walliams) – The owner of low-cost airline FlyLo.
- Precious Little (Lucas) – The devout Christian manager of the airport's coffee kiosk, who deliberately causes problems which force the closure of the kiosk, allowing her to take the day off.
- Moses Beacon (Walliams) – The executive passenger liaison officer for Great British Air. Moses also runs a charity called WishWings.
- Ian Foot (Walliams) – The airport's chief immigration officer.
- Tommy Reid (Lucas) – A young Scottish man working at the airport's Happy Burger, hoping to work his way up to becoming a pilot, unaware that the two jobs are completely unrelated.
- Taaj Manzoor (Lucas) – Roving ground crew for FlyLo.
- Melody Baines (Walliams) and Keeley St Clair (Lucas) – Liverpudlian check-in staff for FlyLo.
- Mickey Minchin (Lucas) and Buster Bell (Walliams) – The airport's in-house paparazzi.
- Fearghal O'Farrell (Lucas) – Gay air steward for Irish airline Our Lady Air.
- Ben Roberts (Walliams) and James Stewart (Lucas) – Airport customs officers, with rather extreme methods of cataloguing the illegal substances they find.
- Simon (Lucas) and Jackie Trent (Walliams) – A husband-and-wife pilot team with marital problems, flying for Great British Air.
- Peter (Lucas) and Judith Surname (Walliams) – Holiday makers who have suffered several horrific and surreal trips abroad with FlyLo.
- Penny Carter (Walliams) – A very elitist first-class stewardess for Great British Air's long haul flights.
- Terry (Walliams) and John (Lucas) – Father-and-son baggage handlerBaggage handlerIn the airline industry, a baggage handler is a person who loads and unloads baggage , and other cargo for transport via aircraft...
s, who steal from passenger's luggage and are less than careful with it.
- Helen Baker (Sally RogersSally RogersSally Rogers is an English actress currently best known for her role as Detective Constable / Sergeant Jo Masters in ITV's The Bill....
) – The check-in staff manager for FlyLo.
- Lisa (Pippa Bennett-Warner) - Check-in staff for FlyLo.
Additional characters
- Hetty Wolf (Lucas) – A 92-year-old first-time passenger who scams Moses Beacon into buying her a number of luxuries and getting her a seat in First Class, before revealing she has flown many times before.
- Sue (Lucas) and Geoff Stott (Walliams) – A couple who are flying to Disneyland to get married.
- Asuka and Nanako (Walliams & Lucas) – Two Japanese girls who have flown to the airport to see their idol, Martin ClunesMartin ClunesAlexander Martin Clunes is an English actor and comedian. Clunes is perhaps best known for his roles as Gary Strang in Men Behaving Badly, Doctor Martin Ellingham in Doc Martin and the title character in Reggie Perrin....
.
- Lee Lodge (Walliams) – Trainee steward for Our Lady Air.
- Captain Stirrick (Ted RobbinsTed RobbinsTed Robbins is an English comedian, actor, broadcaster, radio DJ, radio personality, voice-over artist and television personalityRobbins currently presents a morning show on BBC Radio Lancashire from 9am - 11am on weekdays....
) – A drunk airline pilot who causes a commotion.
- The Woods Family – A family who turn up for their flight a week early. They stay at the airport for a week, then end up missing their flight.
- Kenneth (Lucas) – A border-patrol worker who instantly recognizes Ian in disguise.
- Steve Downes (Lucas) – A police-dog handler whose previous canine companions have mostly ended up in rehab. His current drug sniffer dog is called Bobo.
- George Spires (Lucas) – A toilet-cleaner who is a fan of opera-singing, and sings to the people who come in.
- Colin (Walliams) and Gavin (Lucas) – Battle re-enactors who are not allowed to take swords to a re-enactment of the Battle of AgincourtBattle of AgincourtThe Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory against a numerically superior French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 , near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France...
; Colin later says he has killed only three people in the trade.
- Nut Allergy Passenger (Alex MacQueenAlex MacQueenAlexander Tulloch MacQueen is an English actor. He has appeared on television, film and radio in the UK in productions such as Holby City, Hut 33, The Thick of It, and Keeping Mum....
) – A passenger of Our Lady Air whom Fearghal 'saves' from dying.
- Corinne Oliver (Walliams) – A woman who looks after wheelchair-users at the airport. She is disabled herself and is pushed around by her helper, Bob (Lucas).
- Ray (Walliams) and Anne Wilkins (Lucas) – Owners of the airport pub. They are known to chase departing customers through the airport in a bid for someone to stay 'more than twelve minutes'.
- Mary O'Mara (Annemarie Gaillard) – Air stewardess for Irish airline Our Lady Air, who wins the Steward Of The Year title in a draw with Fearghal O'Farrell.
Airlines
- FlyLo – FlyLo is a low-cost, no-frills airline, owned by Omar Baba. Providing service across Europe and selected destinations across the Atlantic and South East Asia, it uses many hidden charges and unorthodox schemes in order to cut costs. These include £1 flights to New York City (with a £480 booking fee), upright flatbeds in economy class, and a very small hand baggage allowance. FlyLo also offers budget package holidayPackage holidayA package holiday or package tour consists of transport and accommodation advertised and sold together by a vendor known as a tour operator. Other services may be provided like a rental car, activities or outings during the holiday. Transport can be via charter airline to a foreign country...
s that do not go down very well with their passengers.
- Our Lady Air – Our Lady Air is an Irish low-cost airline, providing low-cost routes across Europe. It saves money by flying to airports further away from the actual city centre. Our Lady Air offers business class, in-flight meals and no hidden charges.
- Great British Air – Great British Air is a major British flag carrier airline, providing a high-class service around the world from the UK. The airline is renowned for having the finest first-class service in the world with champagne and chocolates on boarding and well cooked meals on long haul flights. On short haul flights, both first and economy class passengers are given a small glass of fresh orange juiceOrange juiceOrange juice is a popular beverage made from oranges. It is made by extraction from the fresh fruit, by desiccation and subsequent reconstitution of dried juice, or by concentration of the juice and the subsequent addition of water to the concentrate...
and a complimentary browse of The Daily Mail.
Series One (2010–2011)
Series One of Come Fly with Me began airing on Christmas Day 2010 and received mixed reviews from critics and 12.47 million viewers. Episode Two, which aired on New Years Day 2011, gained 8.80 million viewers, and the remaining four episodes averaged around 7 million viewers throughout the rest of the series. The series began airing in the USUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on BBC America
BBC America
BBC America is an American television network, owned and operated by BBC Worldwide, and available on both cable and satellite.-History:The channel launched on March 29, 1998, broadcasting comedy, drama and lifestyle programs from BBC Television and other British television broadcasters like ITV and...
on June 18, 2011, edited to fit a 30 minute time slot with commercials.
Series Two (2011)
On 28 January 2011 the BBC announced that the show had been commissioned for a second series which will be filmed and broadcast in 2011. On 27 February 2011 Matt Lucas confirmed that series two is currently in development.Come Fly on the Wall (2011)
Come Fly on the Wall discussed the making of Come Fly with Me with Walliams and Lucas. The programme featured clips from filming, out-takes and interviewed the show's creators as they develop the series. It featured pre-production discussions and rehearsals and showed the actors filming at some of the UK’s busiest airports. It also showed Walliams and Lucas transforming into their new characters in the make-up chair, and bringing them to life in front of the camera. The programme was broadcast on BBC One on 8 February 2011.Web content
In conjunction with the TV episodes, a selection of extra online content was published on the programme website The extra content, featuring some of the main characters played by Matt Lucas and David Walliams, was presented as spoof versions of real-life airline websites, for example an on-line check-in service for fictional airline FlyLo, with Melody and Keeley. The content was written by Kevin CecilKevin Cecil
Kevin Robert Cecil is a British screenwriter.Writing alongside Andy Riley , he has won two BAFTA awards, the first for writing the Comic Relief one-off special, Robbie the Reindeer, in 2000, and the second for Black Books in 2005...
, who also contributed to the TV scripts. Cecil was inspired by his own work on comedy tie-in books over the years
Reception
Come Fly with Me has received mixed reviews with the Daily ExpressDaily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
calling it "the worst sketch show, or sitcom to have ever gone out on a Christmas Day" and expressed concern over its screening on the day, considering the lack of quality. The Daily Mirror, however claimed it was a resounding success and the claims of racism and lack of humour made by the Express were unfounded.
The show was the most-watched comedy of 2010 with 10 million viewers, but also had thousands of viewer complaints, and criticism for being racist. It was also the third most-watched show in the UK on Christmas Day.
Ratings
| Episode | Viewers (millions) |
|---|---|
| 1 | 12.47 |
| 2 | 8.80 |
| 3 | 7.81 |
| 4 | 7.43 |
| 5 | 7.11 |
| 6 | 7.22 |