Jack Dee 'happy' with BBC sitcom

Stand-up comedian Jack Dee says he's not as nervous about the new series of BBC Two sitcom Lead Balloon as he was when the show was first aired on TV in 2006. The series, now in its third season, is about a disillusioned stand-up comedian and writer whose career hasn't gone to plan. It also features Raquel Cassidy (TV executive Nancy in ITV1's Moving Wallpaper) as Rick's partner and Sean Power as his American co-writer.

Jack Dee plays the part of Rick Spleen in BBC sitcom Lead Balloon

Are you nervous about the third series of Lead Balloon?

I have to say, not as nervous as the first one that went out because that was a real unknown thing. But it's been favourably received in the last two series. So we're looking forward to this going out and I hope it's as well liked as it has been previously.

The show has a new later time slot as well on BBC Two. Are you happy about that?

We're quite happy about that because 9.30pm is a very difficult time to be positioned because you're not at a junction, as it were, when people are changing channel because they're usually watching something between 9-10pm on all the other sides. So it's really useful to be at 10 o'clock because then people can decide, 'I'll watch the news or I'll watch this.'

What does your character Rick Spleen get up to in this series?

Lead Balloon cast Rick Spleen - Jack Dee Marty - Sean Power Mel - Raquel Cassidy Magda - Anna Crilly Sam - Antonia Campbell-Hughes Ben - Rasmus Hardiker Michael - Tony Gardner

He goes to send a fax and ends up buying a house for him and Magda to live in, which is a cryptic way of explaining what happens in that particular episode. He gets a lead role in a BBC series called All About Eddie.

He plays the part of Eddie and that has unexpected consequences for him. He discovers that Michael's father is gay and agonises over whether to tell him or not. Then Michael goes AWOL having discovered this fact about his background.

Who's your favourite relationship with in the show?

Rick as a character behaves differently with all of them. So the relationship he has with Mel is like he's on a psychiatrist's coach. He's literally on a coach telling her what's happened during the day and she's very calm and helpful, helping him sort it out in his head. With Marty he's obviously far more macho. With Michael down at the cafe he's on the defensive usually. With Magda he's just bullish and rude. And with his daughter Sam he's just disappointed and hopeful that she'll pull herself together one day.

How much of you is like Rick?

That's a big question isn't it? I like to think that it's not me. I like to think that it is actually a character I've created but then other people say, 'Nah. We think it's you'. It's always a difficult question because Rick is really not a very good comedian. So when people say, 'C'mon, it's you really isn't it', I feel like saying, 'No. I've made it up'.

Were there any days when you were laughing so much you couldn't get through the scene?

The thing is with America, it's bloody miles away. I have a family and I don't really want to travel that much Jack Dee says he has no plans to try his luck in America

Yes. Anna (Crilly), who plays Magda, is the worst corpser (laughing uncontrollably) in the business. I don't think she does a scene without corpsing at something or other. She's absolutely impossible, especially right at the beginning. The terrible thing is it becomes embarrassing the more you do it. You get to the point where you're finding it absolutely hilarious and all the crew are standing around going, 'Come on. Get on with it. We're earning a living here. Do you mind?'. So Anna is the naughty one.

Are there any plans to show Lead Balloon in America?

It will be shown this winter on BBC America. But the format itself is being bought up by an American company that we're talking to at the moment. They want to make a version of it for American networks.

That's not an unusual thing to happen with formats, so we'll see what happens, but it's a very nice compliment that they like it so much. It's been quite nicely accepted in the industry over there. A lot of people have really loved and been in touch.

Have you got any plans to go to America yourself, like Ricky Gervais and Eddie Izzard?

I've no plans to in all honesty, unless I was specifically invited over to do a particular thing. I've no intention at all of going over there to try my luck or something. I'm far too old. I wouldn't make a very good waitress. The thing is with America, it's bloody miles away. I have a family and I don't really want to travel that much.

What are you planning next?

I'm writing at the moment. I'm writing a book. It's not really an autobiography. It's more a sort of the world as I see it. I hope I'll finish that by May. It's my world view and how I came to talk about the things that I talk about on stage and that if I make a routine for instance about not liking football, it's not just something I've made up to be contrary. There are reasons and a back story.

Jack Dee was speaking to Newsbeat entertainment reporter Sinead Garvan.

The new series of Lead Balloon starts on BBC Two at 10pm on 13 November.