Inside Victor Lewis-Smith is a British comedy sketch/sitcom series that ran on BBC2 from November to December 1993. It was co-written and presented by comedian and writer Victor Lewis-Smith. It ran for six episodes.
Premise
The series was set in the Frank Bough Memorial Zip Injury Wing at St. Reith's Hospital for Distressed Broadcasters, a BBC-owned hospital. One of its residents is an apparent caricature of Lewis-Smith, who lies immobilised in a "comic coma" after a motorcycle crash. In an attempt to stimulate his brain, the hospital staff play old BBC programmes to him via a TV monitor plugged into his life support machine - but for some unexplained reason, he also starts playing the programmes back, albeit with his warped sense of humour. This effectively makes him a one-man transmitter, which the BBC plan to use as an economical replacement for their current staff and equipment. Meanwhile, inside Lewis-Smith's body, Lewis-Smith himself embarks on a guided tour of his own bloodstream in a miniature taxi, accompanied by an annoying taxi driver who doubles as a narrative linking device in-between sketches.
Regular sketches
The opening to each episode involves a spoof BBC Two ident, which often involves the COW Globe ident from 1985-1991 in some way shape or form.
A humorous guide on Lewis-Smith's own take on the world, presented as a visual equivalent of an I-Spy Book. Subjects include animals, fairgrounds, teenagers and the police.
Something To Cheer You Up
Taking place during the hospital scenes, Lewis-Smith's wife brings him something to cheer him up while he's unconscious, often related to the sketch which is due to follow or has just followed. She then follows it up with an anecdote, often related to how the item came into her possession.
A parody of You've Been Framed!, this sketch features clips starring Lewis-Smith's co-writer Paul Sparks and Lewis-Smith's friend David Dallison, in which they fake humorous injuries accompanied by a voiceover of Lewis-Smith's impression of Jeremy Beadle. This sketch was previously featured in Lewis-Smith's contributions to TV Hell.
Played by the Square Pegs, the Singing Telegram are a barbershop quartet who sing a melody to the tune ofGoodbye, My Coney Island Baby that often begins with "We're The Singing Telegram..." and is often related to the sketch due to follow or has just followed.
Mr. Lobley's Latest Invention
Another one of the residents of St. Reith's is Mr. Lobley, who often attempts to describe to the Nurse his latest idea of an invention which he plans to complete when he leaves. Often, the Nurse isn't that impressed by the idea, so she attempts to kill or injure him in some way until the Consultant interferes. Like the Something To Cheer You Up sketches, these take place during the hospital scenes.
A series of spoof advertisements, advertising albums by Frank Sinatra that include songs focusing on various topics, like university dropouts, dyspepsia, feminism, the working classes and Alzheimer's.
Each episode contains a musical interlude by the BBC Big Band, who perform various classic TV show theme tunes from the Music Therapy Room in St Reith's. The theme tunes included The Money Programme, Nationwide, The Saint, The Baron, Danger Man and Tomorrow's World.
The show would close with Lewis-Smith's trademark of prank calling various places, such as the Monopolies Commission, a branch of McDonald's in Moscow or the Belgian Consulate, with initial good graces, before becoming more and more rude as the conversation continued, with the credits often rolling below or beside the footage of the call.
Cast and crew
; Cast
Victor Lewis-Smith – Himself, other roles
George Raistrick – Taxi Driver, Postman, other roles
Nickolas Grace – Consultant, Frank Sinatra, other roles
