Spitting Image (2020 TV series)

Spitting Image
Promotional poster for the first series featuring from L-R Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Donald Trump, Kanye West and Vladimir Putin
Genre
Created byPeter Fluck
Roger Law
Martin Lambie-Nairn
Voices of
Music byWillie Dowling
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series2
No. of episodes20
Production
Executive producersJeff Westbrook
Richard Allen-Turner
Joanna Beresford
Roger Law
Jon Thoday
Nana Hughes (Britbox)
ProducerMatt Stronge
Running time30 minutes
Production companyAvalon Television[1]
Original release
NetworkBritBox
Release3 October 2020 (2020-10-03) –
2 December 2021 (2021-12-02)
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Spitting Image is a British satirical television puppet show. It is a revival of the 1984 series of the same name created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn. Similar to the original, the series features puppet caricatures of contemporary celebrities, such as Adele, James Corden, and Kanye West, as well as public figures, including former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, several Conservative cabinet members such as Michael Gove, Dominic Raab and Priti Patel, and former US President Donald Trump.

ITV had plans for a reboot in 2006, but these were scrapped after a dispute over the Ant & Dec puppets used to host Best Ever Spitting Image, which were created against Law's wishes.[2] In September 2019, Law announced the show would be returning with a new series.[3] It was confirmed in March 2020 that the show would return on BritBox.[4] Featuring 100 new puppets, the series debuted on 3 October that year.[5] It was renewed for a second series four days later.[6] The second series premiered on 11 September 2021.[7] The show was cancelled by ITV on 24 October 2022.[8]

  1. ^ "Spitting Image Lands On Britbox UK From 3rd October". Avalon. 11 September 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Ant and Dec stunt ends 'Spitting Image' return". Digital Spy. 17 November 2006. Archived from the original on 12 September 2007.
  3. ^ "Spitting Image show plots return to TV after 23 years". BBC News. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
  4. ^ "Spitting Image to return on BritBox, 24 years after the TV show ended". BBC News. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  5. ^ Cremona, Patrick (11 September 2020). "Spitting Image revival to debut on BritBox next month with 100 new puppets including Boris Johnson and Donald Trump". Radio Times. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  6. ^ Katner, Jake (7 October 2020). "'Spitting Image' Renewed For Second Season By BritBox". Deadline. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Spitting Image Returns: Series 2 | Spitting Image". YouTube. 15 June 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  8. ^ Sherwin, Adam (24 October 2022). "Spitting Image has been cancelled by ITV, despite national need for political satire, says star". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 25 October 2022.