Not Going Out sofa watching television or at the local pub with his best friend, Tim Adams (Tim Vine), whom he has known for 15 years. Tim is an accountant from Henley-on-Thames who owns the flat in which Lee is a lodger. He is also noted for his cheeky wit and for having a very troubled relationship with his father, with whom he shares many traits and who openly mentions that Lee was unplanned and resulted in the end of his marriage. Very often, the only thing that can get Lee off his couch and active is his efforts to impress the girl
Stewart Lee jokes, saying they would prefer more simplistic material, or enjoy the work of more mainstream "arena" comedians such as Michael McIntyre or Lee Mack. Lee will often contrast his "critical" success with other comics' more "commercial" success. Lee caused controversy on his "If You Prefer a Milder Comedian" tour with a routine about "Top Gear" presenter Richard Hammond. Referring to Hammond's accident while filming in 2006, in which he was almost killed, Lee joked, "I wish he had been decapitated". The "Daily Mail" termed this an "extraordinary attack" and, having been doorstepped by a "Mail" journalist, Lee quoted the routine