Throughout the two series, Alexei Sayle regularly appeared as many different characters, putting his own material into the programme in ways that copied his stand up comedy routines. His main role was that of the flat's landlord Jerzy (Jeremy) Balowski, appearing in "Demolition", "Flood" and "Summer Holiday". The rest of the time, he played various male members of "The Balowski Family", including nephew Alexei Balowski (a protest singer), son Reggie Balowski (an international arms dealer), brother Billy Balowski (a lunatic who believed he was a taxi driver), cousin Tommy Balowski (a drunk), escaped convict Brian Damage Balowski, and a medieval jester "Jester Balowski" (with Helen Lederer as his sidekick).