Farewell Bear Facts - Boston

*Contains no spoilers for Cabin Pressure, but unexpectedly a massive spoiler for series one of the U.S. House Of Cards*

- Lots of people have spotted that the names of Mr Leeman and Dr Price are tributes to the 'Kipper and the Corpse' episode of Fawlty Towers. I can't remember whether anyone has spotted that his first name, Hamilton, as mentioned in Arthur's eulogy, is a reference to the 'Waldorf Salad' episode. The character seemed to combine elements of Mr Hamilton, the irascible American who tells Basil some home truths; and Mr Leeman, the inconvenient corpse. So I named him after both. (Having said that, if I was writing it now, I'm not sure I'd make him American. Bit obvious, maybe.)

- The choice of the book Arthur's so proud of having read - twice - is a reference to Nancy Mitford's character Uncle Matthew, based on her own father, who read White Fang and enjoyed it so much he decided never to read anything else, because it couldn't possibly be as good.

- In the (excellent) American version of The House of Cards, the dark miniseries about a ruthless senator who'll do anything for power, it takes him eleven hour long episodes before he finally kills someone. In my light-hearted radio sitcom about air travel, it takes Arthur until half way through episode two. Your move, Spacey.