I'VE got to say that when it comes to comedians, Jack Dee has never figured too prominently on my list of those I particularly enjoy.

Performing live he always came over as being a little too smug for my liking and as a presenter I found him a little too deadpan for his own good.

But now he's found the perfect vehicle for his talent, Lead Balloon over on BBC2, and I'm having to revise my opinions drastically.

Dee plays a would-be comedian whose life constantly lets him down.

Although billed as a sitcom, it's not the typical British affair - in feel it's much more like the American series such as Seinfeld, and it's a genre which really suits Dee's hang-dog demeanour.

Lead Balloon proves that sitcoms can be clever and successful.

The humour is that of embarrassment and discomfort rather than anything laugh-out-loud funny and it works because of that.

Any good comedy series needs its fair share of minor characters to support the lead and again, Lead Balloon fares well on this score.

I particularly like the home help Magda, a female Manuel to Dee's Basil Fawlty.

Ignore the inane advertising campaign from the Beeb - Thursdays are funny or whatever it is - just tune in to Lead Balloon and sample a half hour of quality comedy.