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Cabin Pressure  By  cover art

Cabin Pressure

By: John Finnemore
Narrated by: Stephanie Cole, Roger Allam, Benedict Cumberbatch
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Publisher's summary

Anyone looking to let off some steam is bound to find something to love in Cabin Pressure. The combination of snappy repartee and brilliant voice-acting makes this a side-achingly funny experience from start to finish.

Stephanie Cole ("Doc Martin"), Benedict Cumberbatch and Roger Allam ("The Thick Of It") star in the complete first series of the hit sitcom about the pilots of a tiny charter airline for whom no job is too small, but many, many jobs are too difficult. Written by John Finnemore, writer for The News Quiz, and That Mitchell & Webb Sound.

Run by the forbidding divorcée Carolyn Knapp-Shappey (an unfortunate marriage, namewise, but in Carolyn's opinion, marginally better than Carolyn Shappey-Knapp), her two pilots are the smooth, experienced and almost-certainly-fired-by-a-big-airline-for-all-round naughtiness Douglas, and struggling almost-competent pilot and sweaty man Martin. All-round help is provided by Carolyn's near-idiot son, Arthur....

©2008 John Finnemore (P)2008 BBC Audiobooks Ltd

Critic reviews

"Unexpectedly brilliant." - (Time Out)

"An inspired new sitcom." - (The Observer)

"The more I listen to John Finnemore's Cabin Pressure, the more I think what a stonking masterpiece it is. Perfect in every department." (Philip Pullman)

Featured Article: The Best Scripted Audio Comedies to Listen to Right Now


If you’re a comedy fan looking for your next listen, you just might want to give scripted comedy a try. Scripted comedies are a bit like sitcoms for your ears, with hilarious storylines matched only by all-star, laugh-out-loud performances. They can take risks and go in directions totally unique to audio, resulting in an entertainment experience wildly different from their television and film counterparts. You just never know what to expect with scripted audio.

What listeners say about Cabin Pressure

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Simply the best

Cabin Pressure was my introduction to radio comedy several years ago. Since then, I’ve listened to many other BBC shows, all of which I love. To me, though, Cabin Pressure is still the definitive radio comedy, even more so than John Finnemore’s Souvenir Programme. Every part of it is perfect- the jokes, the one-liners, the surprising way you grow attached to the characters, and the performances. Each of the four main parts is superbly written, and the actors really do the script justice with lively, well-timed, and absolutely hilarious delivery. I literally cannot imagine what kind of person would not enjoy Cabin Pressure.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Cabin Pressure Review

Cabin Pressure was an absolutely amazing comedy, that I had the pleasure of listening to.

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Good for a laugh.

Where does Cabin Pressure rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Kind of lower middle. Good laughs, but not a great story to carry through the series. Would be better to watch the series than to listen to it.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Sheer genius!

Love, love, love this series! I downloaded this because I'm a Cumberbatch Fan, and he is great in this, but David Allam often steals the show, with his dry, sarcastic retorts. The four main cast members play perfectly off of each other!
Now to listen to the next series!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Absolutely hilarious

Where does Cabin Pressure rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is the funniest series I have ever heard. The acting is immaculate. The writing is first class. Everyone would enjoy this.

Who was your favorite character and why?

All characters are so finely crafted that it is impossible to select one.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

This has no narrator, as it is a radio comedy.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

My wife and I almost drove off the road listening to it on our trip.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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John Finnemore is a genius!

Thank goodness Audible has all 4 seasons of this BBC radio show (plus the Christmas Special!) available. I haven't yet met my son's girlfriend, but since she was the one to recommend Cabin Pressure to him, and he in turn told me I had to listen to it, I like her already! As far as I'm concerned, John Finnemore is a creative genius. His writing and the acting of all four characters is perfect and perfectly funny, across all four seasons. Some details about the characters are revealed as the seasons progress, adding depth to the extraordinary comedy. I've listened to all the episodes of Cabin Pressure multiple times and they never get old. I anxiously await Season 5!

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6 people found this helpful

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Funny Stuff!!!!!

This is the first season of the BBC comedy, Cabin Pressure. I found myself laughing out many times; although I listened to this on audio, I could picture the case in the various scenes. I loved the interaction between the characters, as well as the British humour. Very enjoyable!

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5 people found this helpful

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Hilarity in the skies!

An adorable romp full of dry British humor, verbal prat falls and tons of fun! Definitely worth the listen. Acting was excellent and constantly brought the story to life.

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2 people found this helpful

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AWESOME

I love this audio play its BRILLIANT I listen to it everyday Monday Tuesday wendsday Thursday and Friday

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1 person found this helpful

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Fantastic Series!

Having grown up listening to radio (way before TV) I so enjoy this series. It brings back great memories. I look forward to getting anything else by John Finnemore!!

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1 person found this helpful