Spitting Image, the British satirical television show that ran for 18 seasons from 1984 to 1996, is the subject of a new exhibition at the Cambridge University Library. An archive of scripts, puppets, and artwork from the show has been donated to the library by co-creator Roger Law, and the collection has been catalogued and sorted by his wife, Deidre. The new exhibition—entitled Spitting Image: A Controversial History—charts the development of political and social satire from the 18th century to the present day within the UK.
Despite the initial belief that Spitting Image would be a niche program with low ratings, it quickly became an enormous hit, garnering up to 15 million viewers at its peak. The show parodied political figures, celebrities, and royal family members using puppets made to resemble them. Series producer John Lloyd stated that the team’s aim was to make the show as fresh and rude as possible, and they became extraordinarily close and dedicated in the process.
After a period of dormancy, the show was revived by BritBox in 2020 for two additional seasons. The exhibition at the Cambridge University Library features additional material such as documents and letters of complaint from viewers. Curator Dr Chris Burgess stated that the archive would serve as a significant resource for researchers and social historians to explore the impact of Spitting Image not only on British culture but also globally.
John Lloyd believes that Spitting Image played an educational role in informing viewers about politics and social issues with humor and wit. The program became incredibly popular, and Lloyd notes that it could educate a generation of viewers about the government and opposition leaders. The collection exhibits the growth of political satire in Britain, a genre that has been highly influential in shaping public opinion and engagement
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More