Car

Car was the third episode of series eight of Not Going Out and originally aired on 3 February 2017.

Synopsis
The family sets out to drive to France for a wedding but the children's whining and car-sickness and a traffic jam are doing nothing for Lee's nerves. Lucy is questioning whether the bikes on the roof-rack contravene height rules and George at the ferries' call centre confirms this. With the car reaching Dover at the last possible minute for the deadline only Lucy's skill at improvisation can get the family on board in time for the crossing.

Plot
Lee is beginning to relax for the upcoming drive to France for a wedding, putting a piece of Mozart on the radio. Within seconds, Lucy have put the screaming children into the back seat, while Charlie turns Mozart off and puts 'Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' on the stereo. Lee, who has put three bicycles onto the roof rack, is asked for help by Lucy with the kids - they are arguing about their seating positions in the cars.

The trip which Lee planned to be peaceful is further interrupted by Charlie's voice box. Lucy decides the kids should play 'I Spy', with Molly spying something beginning with B. Benji and Charlie are bored throughout the start of the journey and make their parents know with their whining and arguing.

Lee and Lucy debate whether they will get to the ferry port on time by 19:15 as they are stuck in traffic. Lee has read on the website that all vehicles under 1.85m have a latest check-in time of 19:15. Lucy reminds Lee that there are three bicycles on the roof which makes the vehicle over 1.85m tall. Lee did not read the check-in information concerning vehicles over 1.85m high. As Lucy proceeds to call the ferry company, Lee gives the children sweets. Lucy asks Lee to confirm he booked premium tickets to have access to a special play area and an executive lounge - Lee did not pay the extra amount for premium. Lee gives his phone for Charlie and Benji to play with to cure their boredom, while Molly continues asking people to guess her 'I Spy'.

A Welshman named George answers the call made by Lucy to confirm that the vehicle is higher than 1.85m tall. The late check-in time for such vehicles is 18:45, which means the family have 15 minutes to spare to make the ferry. Benji later feels ill after finishing the whole bag of sweets, and Molly continues the game of 'I Spy'. Lee and Lucy argue about whether to take the next junction off to cut off the traffic jam; Lucy demands Lee stays on the motorway, but Lee takes the junction anyway. They end up driving down a country lane and end up in a mudheap in a farm.

Lee tries to push the car out of the mud while Lucy revs and reverses the car out. Lee ends up falling face-first into the mud. The satnav is informing Lee to make a u-turn. By the time the satnav reconfigures, Benji is beginning to feel much more ill, while Molly continues to play I Spy and Charlie plays various sounds from his voice box. Lee speeds up when the satnav informs them they will get to the harbour late, and Benji asks Lee to stop the car before eventually throwing up in the car over his siblings, and then for a second time over his mum. Lucy demands Lee stop the car to look after Benji. Lucy continues to blast Lee for not booking premium tickets for all the benefits it offers.

Lucy then develops the idea of rebooking with four car passengers and one foot passenger with three bicycles, which means their car will be less than 1.85m high and they have more time to travel to the ferry. Lucy calls back the ferry company and the same employee George answers. George says the ferry is fully booked and will not accept any new bookings, unless Lucy cancels the booking entirely and rebook very quickly as four car passengers and one foot passengers, which does not guarantee a successful rebooking. Lee and Lucy agree to cancel the booking but as they say the word 'cancel', George cuts out and the phone call disconnects. Lee grabs his phone from Charlie, to find it is out of charge. The only option Lee has is to get there on time for the early check-in time. Molly screams her 'I Spy', Charlie answers bridge, which Molly says is wrong, but he continues to say the word bridge, while Benji still feels ill. The bridge that Charlie was talking about is actually a low bridge that the car is approaching - as it travels under the bridge, the bikes collide with it, destroying them. Lucy suggests that the phone call cut out before they said the word cancel which means that George did not hear them say it. She also points out that the car is now under 1.85m high and they can make the later check-in time.

They reach the ferry terminal just as the ferry is ready to depart, and Lucy and Lee pour out their hearts to the employee to book them on, as long as the booking still exists. The employee confirms the booking still exists, as the option to cancel is only available on premium bookings. Benji then throws up again, this time over Lucy's wedding outfit, and Lee realises that Molly's 'I Spy' is bikes.

Main cast

 * Lee Mack as Lee
 * Sally Bretton as Lucy
 * Francesca Newman as Molly
 * Max Pattison as Benji
 * Finley Southby as Charlie

Secondary cast

 * Angela McHale as the Satnav voice
 * Rob Brydon as George, call operator
 * Dan Tetsell as Simon, ferry employee

Crew

 * Producer - Jamie Rix
 * Writer - Lee Mack
 * Writer - Daniel Peak

Filming locations

 * The ferry port that Lee and Lucy are travelling to is Portsmouth.