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Spitting Image creator Roger Law has said the show will mock figures of all political beliefs – not just those on the right – when it returns to screens next month.
The satirical comedy show was cancelled in 1996, after 12 years on the air. A brand new series will air in October on BritBox, ITV and the BBC’s online subscription service.
Recently, the show revealed an array of puppets from the new series. But although many of them are political figures with conservative views, such as Tory politicians Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson and US president Donald Trump, Law has insisted there will be left-wing figures included as well.
“There’s lots of ammunition to throw at the other side as well. You go for them all,” he said yesterday on The Andrew Marr Show, before admitting it is “no fun” to solely target one side of the political spectrum.
“When we started Spitting Image, everything was in turmoil. There were riots in the streets… and of course you had Thatcher,” he added. “You start looking on Thatcher with nostalgia because at least you knew what she was about and what she was going to do, if you thought about it. Boris and the boys, you’ve got no idea, and the ideology is absolutely nuts.”
In another new interview with the Radio Times, Law revealed that he recently met with ITV’s director of television Kevin Lygo to discuss how to portray Black people on the show in light of the Black Lives Matter movement.
In reference to the show’s depiction of Black people, Law explained that the puppets’ exaggerated facial features such as “big noses and ears” is “personal” and “not a racist thing”.
“People sit around looking for things to complain about,” he continued. “[Personal parody] has more effect on individuals than waxing lyrical about their policies.
“Everybody cares about how they look. I’m wearing my hat now because I’m virtually bald – we’re all at it.”
Spitting Image arrives on BritBox this Saturday, October 3. A second series is set to follow in 2021.
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