Starring John Sparkes No. of episodes 6 Running time 30 minutes First episode date 15 March 2004 Network ITV Wales & West Cast John Sparkes | Country of origin Wales Producer(s) Absolutely Productions Original network ITV Wales Final episode date 10 September 2004 Number of episodes 6 Genres Sketch comedy, Comedy | |
Jeff Global's Global Probe is a short-lived regional comedy sketch show first seen on ITV Wales in 2004.
Shown exclusively in Wales, the show was intended as a follow-up to the popular Barry Welsh is Coming, which had concluded in 2004 with the sacking of the geeky Barry Welsh (John Sparkes) as presenter (and subsequent rehiring as a lavatory attendant). The show is replaced by a clip-based review of cable television hosted by the more competent Jeff Global (also played by Sparkes).
Jeff was, according to Sparkes, "smart, strong, attractive...basically, everything Barry isn't". New characters and segments were introduced including The Rectifiers (a Midlands-based parody of the 60s espionage/sci-fi series, The Champions), Eddie Giraffe (a short but tough New York cop) and Jay Clough (a series of badly edited crime drams from the 1950s). Hugh Pugh and Mr. Ffff were brought over from the original Barry Welsh series.
The series' supporting cast consisted of former Barry Welsh is Coming cast members Kim Wall, Gordon Kennedy & Felicity Montagu, actress Harriet Halfhead and singer & television presenter Emma Walford.
Only two episodes of the six-part series were broadcast in March 2004 with the remaining four episodes shown in August 2004. The programme was not recommissioned for a second series.