Editing Spitting Image

{{short description|Satirical television puppet show}}
{{about|the 1984–1996 television series|the 2020 television series|Spitting Image (2020 TV series)|other uses|Spitting Image (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=June 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = Spitting Image logo.svg
| caption              = Official logo
| genre                = {{plainlist|
* [[Adult puppeteering]]
* [[Political satire]]
* [[Black comedy]]
  }}
| creator              = {{plainlist|
* [[Peter Fluck]]
* [[Roger Law]]
* [[Martin Lambie-Nairn]]
  }}
| voices               = {{plainlist|
* [[Chris Barrie]]
* [[Harry Enfield]]
* [[Jon Glover]]
* [[Louise Gold]]
* [[Steve Nallon]]
* [[Kate Robbins]]
* [[John Sessions]]
* ''and others''
  }}
| country              = United Kingdom
| language             = English
| num_series           = 18
| num_episodes         = 134
| runtime              = 30 to 60 minutes
| location             = {{plainlist|
* [[Alpha Tower|Central House]] (1984)<ref name="studios">{{cite web |last=Bentley |first=David |date=3 July 2013 |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/tv/tv-programmes-made-birmingham-spitting-4865510 |title=TV programmes made in Birmingham: Spitting Image |publisher=[[Birmingham Live]] |access-date=1 November 2020}}</ref>
* [[King's Meadow Campus|Television House]] (1985–96)<ref name="studios"/>
  }}
| company              = Spitting Image Productions for [[Central Independent Television|Central]]
| channel              = [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]]
| first_aired          = {{start date|1984|2|26|df=y}}
| last_aired           = {{end date|1996|2|18|df=y}}
| related              = [[Spitting Image (2020 TV series)|''Spitting Image'' (revival series)]]
}}
'''''Spitting Image''''' is a British [[satirical]] television [[puppet show]], created by [[Peter Fluck]], [[Roger Law]] and [[Martin Lambie-Nairn]]. First broadcast in 1984, the series was produced by 'Spitting Image Productions' for [[Central Independent Television]] over 18 series which aired on the [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] network. The series was nominated and won numerous awards, including ten [[BAFTA Television Awards]], and two [[Emmy Award]]s in 1985 and 1986 in the Popular Arts Category.<ref name="30 Facts"/><ref>{{cite news |title=British TV scoops Emmys |newspaper=The Times |location=London |date=26 November 1986 |page=11}}</ref> The series features puppet [[caricature]]s of contemporary celebrities and public figures, including British Prime Ministers [[Margaret Thatcher]] and [[John Major]] and the [[British royal family]]. The series was the first to caricature [[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]] (as an elderly gin-drinker with a [[Beryl Reid]] voice).<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26329273 "Spitting Image creator John Lloyd: 'Television lacks satire'"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403132129/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-26329273 |date=3 April 2015 }}. BBC. Retrieved 2 February 2015</ref>

One of the most-watched shows of the 1980s, ''Spitting Image'' satirised politics, entertainment, sport and British popular culture of the era. At its peak, the show was watched by 15 million people.<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/arts/pictures/0,,1444231,00.html?redirection=gallery "Spitting Image"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118084335/https://www.theguardian.com/arts/pictures/0,,1444231,00.html?redirection=gallery |date=18 January 2017 }}. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved 2 February 2015</ref> The popularity of the show saw collaborations with musicians, including [[Phil Collins]] and [[Sting (musician)|Sting]]. The series was cancelled in 1996 after viewing figures declined. ITV had plans for a new series 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 Roger Law's wishes.<ref name="digitalspy.co.uk">{{cite news|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a39486/ant-and-dec-stunt-ends-spitting-image-return.html|title=Ant and Dec stunt ends 'Spitting Image' return|work=[[Digital Spy]]|date=17 November 2006|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070912082824/http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/a39486/ant-and-dec-stunt-ends-spitting-image-return.html|archive-date=12 September 2007}}</ref> In 2018, Law donated his entire archive – including scripts, puppet moulds, drawings and recordings – to the [[University of Cambridge]].<ref name="archives">{{cite news |title=Spitting Image archives donated to Cambridge University |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-46143333 |access-date=15 November 2018 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> In 2019, Law announced the show would be returning with a new series.<ref name="plots">{{cite news |title=Spitting Image show plots return to TV after 23 years |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-49865406 |access-date=28 September 2019 |publisher=BBC}}</ref><ref name="twentyfour">{{cite news |title=Spitting Image to return on BritBox, 24 years after the TV show ended|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51734335|access-date=13 March 2020|date=4 March 2020|publisher=BBC}}</ref> The [[Spitting Image (2020 TV series)|revived series]] debuted on 3 October 2020 on [[BritBox]], and featured caricatures of [[Boris Johnson]] and [[Donald Trump]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/news/on-demand/2020-09-11/spitting-image-new-puppets-britbox/|title=Spitting Image revival to debut on BritBox next month with 100 new puppets including Boris Johnson and Donald Trump|work=[[Radio Times]]|first=Patrick|last=Cremona|date=11 September 2020|access-date=13 September 2020}}</ref> It was cancelled in 2022.<ref name="cancel1">{{cite web |last1=Sherwin |first1=Adam |title=Spitting Image has been cancelled by ITV despite national need for political satire, says star Matt Forde |url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/spitting-image-cancelled-itv-political-satire-matt-forde-1930379 |website=inews.co.uk |access-date=18 July 2024 |date=24 October 2022}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:Grantham Museum Thatcher Spitting Image.jpg|thumb|right|Puppet of [[Margaret Thatcher]] on display in [[Grantham Museum]] (she was born in Grantham)]]

[[Martin Lambie-Nairn]] proposed a satirical television show with caricature puppets created by [[Peter Fluck]] and [[Roger Law]]. Fluck and Law, who had both attended the [[Cambridge School of Art]], had no previous television experience, but had, for several years, constructed plasticine caricatures to illustrate articles in ''[[The Sunday Times]]'' magazine.<ref name="30 Facts"/> The idea for the series was rejected by many in the industry, who thought it would only be suitable for children, but the series was finally accepted for development and first broadcast in 1984.<ref>{{cite news |title=TV bosses rejected ''Spitting Image'' as 'kid's stuff' before hit show aired |first=Roya |last=Nikkhah |date=18 November 2012 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/9685029/TV-bosses-rejected-Spitting-Image-as-kids-stuff-before-hit-show-aired.html |work=The Telegraph |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424020930/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/9685029/TV-bosses-rejected-Spitting-Image-as-kids-stuff-before-hit-show-aired.html |archive-date=24 April 2016 }}</ref>

English comedy writer and ''[[National Lampoon (magazine)|National Lampoon]]'' editor [[Tony Hendra]] was brought in as a writer; Fluck and Law had met him while they were working in the US. Hendra brought in [[John Lloyd (producer)|John Lloyd]], producer of ''[[Not The Nine O'Clock News]]''. They were joined by [[Jon Blair]], a documentary producer. They then hired [[Muppet]] puppeteer [[Louise Gold]]. Development was funded by the entrepreneur [[Clive Sinclair]].

The puppets, based on public figures, were designed by Fluck and Law, assisted by caricaturists including [[David Stoten]], [[Pablo Bach]], [[Steve Bendelack]] and [[Tim Watts (filmmaker)|Tim Watts]]. The episodes included musical parodies by [[Philip Pope]] (former member of ''[[Who Dares Wins (TV comedy)|Who Dares Wins]]'' and [[The Hee Bee Gee Bees]]) and later [[Steve Brown (composer)|Steve Brown]].

In 1984, the first episode of ''Spitting Image'' was aired with a [[laugh track]], apparently at the insistence of Central Television. This episode was shown to a preview audience before transmission.<ref>{{cite web |title=Latex Lampoonery (Spitting Image Giveaway Special, Part 1) |first=Mark |last=Jones |url=http://broken-tv.blogspot.com/2009/11/latex-lampoonery-spitting-image.html |publisher=Broken TV |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709075918/http://broken-tv.blogspot.com/2009/11/latex-lampoonery-spitting-image.html |archive-date=9 July 2012 |date=5 November 2009 }}</ref> In the early years of the show, ''Spitting Image'' was filmed and based in the enterprise zone at [[London Docklands]] at the [[Limehouse Studios]], where scriptwriters convened and puppets were manufactured.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://isleofdogslife.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/spitting-images-the-story-of-limehouse-television-studios/|title=Spitting Images – The Story of Limehouse Television Studios|date=25 March 2013|work=Isle of Dogs Life|access-date=10 January 2018|language=en-US|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110114711/https://isleofdogslife.wordpress.com/2013/03/25/spitting-images-the-story-of-limehouse-television-studios/|archive-date=10 January 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=The Railway Metropolis|date=1 January 2016|publisher=ICE Publishing|isbn=978-0727761804|pages=44–53|doi=10.1680/trm.61804.044}}</ref> Impressionist [[Steve Nallon]] recalls that "they were able to get away with no health and safety, so all of the building of the puppets with all the toxic waste from the foam was just in a warehouse. There were no extractor fans; it was quite Dickensian."<ref>{{cite web |title=Interview: Steve Nallon #2 – 'Comedians are all lunatics' |date=28 September 2013 |url=http://www.gigglebeats.co.uk/2013/09/interview-steve-nallon-2-comedians-are-all-lunatics/ |work=Giggle Beats |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928143948/http://www.gigglebeats.co.uk/2013/09/interview-steve-nallon-2-comedians-are-all-lunatics/ |archive-date=28 September 2013 }}</ref> In later series, ''Spitting Image'' was recorded at Central's studios in [[Nottingham]] with last minute additions being recorded at the [[Limehouse Studios]] at [[Canary Wharf]], London.<ref name="30 Facts">{{cite news |title=30 facts for 30 years – The truth about 'Spitting Image' |url=https://www.itv.com/news/central/2014-02-26/30-facts-for-30-years-the-truth-about-spitting-image/ |access-date=28 September 2019 |publisher=ITV}}</ref>

==Reception==
Before the first episode was broadcast, the parodies of the Royal Family were cut as a courtesy to the [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh|Duke of Edinburgh]], who opened the [[East Midlands Television Centre]] a few days later. The scenes were all reinstated in later episodes.<ref name="royalcut">{{cite news |title=Royal Family cut from TV satire |newspaper=The Times |date=25 February 1984 |page= 3}}</ref> [[Stephen Fry]] has written that [[Diana, Princess of Wales]] told him around 1991 that "''They'' hate it of course. I absolutely adore it."<ref>{{cite book |last=Fry |first=Stephen |title=More Fool Me |title-link=More Fool Me (memoir) |date=2014 |isbn=978-0-7181-7978-6 |location=London |publisher=[[Michael Joseph (publisher)|Michael Joseph]] |pages=183, 190 |authorlink=Stephen Fry}}</ref> Avalon Television executive producer [[Jon Thoday]] stated that [[Ronald Reagan]] directly contacted [[NBC]] asking for the show to be cancelled.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Moore |first1=Matthew |title=America runs scared of Spitting Image |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/america-runs-scared-of-spitting-image-zxjx2j6x2 |access-date=4 February 2021 |work=[[The Times]] |date=7 October 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

The first episode had an audience of 7.9&nbsp;million, but numbers rapidly dropped, which meant economies had to be introduced since the series cost [[Pound sterling|£]]2.6&nbsp;million to make, nearly double the price of other prime time series.<ref>{{cite web |title=Spitting Image and Beyond |url=http://members.madasafish.com/~openbanana/puppets/page15.htm |work=The World of Puppets |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002171602/http://members.madasafish.com/~openbanana/puppets/page15.htm |archive-date=2 October 2013 }}</ref>

The series had been originally scheduled to have 13 episodes,<ref name="royalcut"/> but was cut to 12 after the series was nearly cancelled. [[Rob Grant]] and [[Doug Naylor]] were then brought in as head writers to save the show; by 1986, under their supervision, ''Spitting Image'' had become popular, producing a number one song on the [[UK Singles Chart]] ("[[The Chicken Song]]"). However, Grant and Naylor subsequently left to create ''[[Red Dwarf]]'' for BBC2. ''Spitting Image'' had a short-running dispute with the [[Independent Broadcasting Authority]] (IBA) in 1985, over the use of subliminal images.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Court Says Showing Subliminal Image is Not Criminal Offense|url=https://apnews.com/article/e31c67e0156f1abc295d8c92762e919b |date=31 January 1986 |access-date=12 October 2020|website=AP NEWS}}</ref>

===Evolution===
{{unreferenced section|date=February 2021}}
When [[Margaret Thatcher]] resigned as both Prime Minister and Leader of the Conservative Party in November 1990, her successor was [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] [[John Major]]. This marked a shift in the tone of the show, with the writers moving from the Punch and Judy style to more subtle and atmospheric sketches, notably a series in which an awkward Major and wife Norma ate peas for dinner. The producers dressed Major, skin and all, in shades of grey, and invented an affair between him and [[Virginia Bottomley]].

The show added animated sketches from 1989 and again from 1994 (with short, animated segments before 1989). For the 1992 Election Special, a studio audience was used; this format was revisited for two episodes in late 1993. A spoof ''[[Question Time (TV series)|Question Time]]'' took questions from the audience. The 1992 show was fronted by a puppet [[Robin Day]], a puppet [[Jeremy Paxman]] filling the role in the episodes broadcast on 14 November 1993 and 12 December 1993.

==Characters==
{{original research|section|date=October 2021}}

===Politicians===
{{quote box|align=right|width=25em|bgcolor = LightCyan|
Thatcher: Oh dear. We're never going to win the next election now! We need some way of winning votes!

Howe: I suggest a [[Falklands War|quick war]] in early '87. That should get some votes.

Thatcher: Geoffrey, you're a complete imbecile. We can't have a quick war just to win votes! Though, now that you mention it, look into it, will you?}}
Many British politicians in parliament during Margaret Thatcher's tenure were parodied.<ref name="archives"/> By far the most prominent was Thatcher herself, portrayed as an abusive, tyrannical, cigar-chomping cross-dresser (she wore suits, shaved, used the urinals, and was addressed by her Cabinet as "Sir").<ref name="Politicians lampooned">{{cite news |title='Thatcher loved it': Spitting Image victims on being lampooned |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/28/spitting-image-victims-on-being-lampooned-livingstone-currie-kinnock |access-date=29 September 2019 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>

In the first series, Thatcher sought advice from her enraptured neighbour Herr Jeremy Von Wilcox (who is actually an elderly [[Adolf Hitler]], living at 9 Downing Street) about the unions and the unemployed. In the third episode, Mr. Wilcox/Hitler compares the trade unions with the [[Soviet Union]] and advises [[Operation Barbarossa#Weather|not to attack in winter]]. In that same episode, regarding unemployment, he says that people out of work should be put in the army, and tells Thatcher that he thinks the [[SS]] (meaning [[Special Air Service|SAS]]) are a "great bunch of guys".

Alongside Thatcher were her Cabinet, which included:

*[[Willie Whitelaw]], with fluffy eyebrows and wearing a tartan dressing gown to cabinet meetings.
*[[Nigel Lawson]], panicking about a financial crisis he had apparently caused (a real-life recession caused Lawson to step down in 1989). He is by far the worst of all the cabinet being unable to count to 17; he also writes new budget and tax laws in his favour. However, upon discovering Thatcher promptly has him rewrite them in her favour.
*[[Geoffrey Howe]], boring, bland and talks to sheep.
*[[Douglas Hurd]], famous for his [[Dalek]]-style voice and his hair shaped like a "[[Mr. Whippy (United Kingdom)|Mr Whippy]]" ice cream. Hurd seems also the most competent and humane one in the cabinet, opposing the usage of torture and stopping the dumping of nuclear waste in Scotland.<ref>''Comedy Connections: Spitting Image''</ref>
*[[Norman Tebbit]], appearing as a leather-clad [[skinhead]] loyal to Thatcher, referring to her as "Leader" and often beating up other politicians.<ref name="doc" />
*[[Michael Heseltine]], growing more manic with every series (and wearing a flak jacket as Defence Secretary).
*[[Leon Brittan]], constantly fawning towards Thatcher and often seen eating.
*[[Norman Fowler]], portrayed during his time as Health Secretary as a hospital-murdering [[Jack the Ripper]]-style lunatic.
*[[Cecil Parkinson]], having a playboy attitude
*[[Edwina Currie]], portrayed as a vampire or [[Cruella de Vil]].<ref name="Politicians lampooned"/>
*[[Paul Channon]], childish.
*[[Kenneth Baker, Baron Baker of Dorking|Kenneth Baker]], transforming into a slug over the series.
*[[Nicholas Ridley, Baron Ridley of Liddesdale|Nicholas Ridley]], smoking and developing the countryside for houses.
*[[Kenneth Clarke]], obese and drunk despite being Minister for Health.
*[[Peter Walker, Baron Walker of Worcester|Peter Walker]], as a spineless wimp.
*[[David Waddington]], fast talking and creepy.
*[[Francis Pym]] and [[Jim Prior]], Wets who swam in swimming pools.
*[[Colin Moynihan]], minuscule and childlike, called "miniature for sport".
*[[Tom King, Baron King of Bridgwater|Tom King]], portrayed while Employment Secretary as [[The Invisible Man]].

Thatcher's Cabinet were often depicted as bickering schoolchildren, with Thatcher acting as teacher. In one skit she treats her Cabinet to a meal at a restaurant. The waitress asks: "Would you like to order, sir?" Thatcher responds: "Yes. I will have the steak" Waitress: "And what about the Vegetables?" Thatcher: "Oh, they'll [The Cabinet] have the same as me".<ref>{{cite news |title=Margaret Thatcher: Let's hear it for the Iron Lady, comedy's greatest straight man |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/margaret-thatcher-lets-hear-it-for-the-iron-lady-comedys-greatest-straight-man-8100027.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/margaret-thatcher-lets-hear-it-for-the-iron-lady-comedys-greatest-straight-man-8100027.html |archive-date=24 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=29 September 2019 |work=The Independent}}</ref>

Thatcher's successor [[John Major]] was portrayed as a dull, boring grey character who enjoyed a meal of peas with his wife [[Norma Major|Norma]] and was constantly mocked by [[Humphrey (cat)|Humphrey]], the [[Downing Street]] cat. Before Thatcher's resignation, Major had been portrayed as wearing a leopard print suit and swinging in on a trapeze, referencing his background as the son of a circus acrobat (which he would frequently remind everyone about). Upon his appointment to Prime Minister, Major was initially portrayed as a robot with a spinning antenna on his head (it was explained in a sketch that Thatcher used it to control Major, standing behind Thatcher in the crowd of sycophantic cabinet members, eager to repeat whatever the Thatcher puppet screeched).

The [[His Majesty's Most Loyal Opposition|Opposition]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]]) politicians included:

*[[Neil Kinnock]], the 'Welsh Windbag', talking for hours about anything other than policies.<ref name="Politicians lampooned"/>
*[[Roy Hattersley]], spitting with every word because of his lisp (on 'Best Ever Spitting Image', Hattersley praised his puppet for 'putting the spit into ''Spitting Image''').<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/roy-hattersley-wife-divorce-after-1827552 |first=Ben |last=Rossington |title=Roy Hattersley and wife divorce after 57 YEARS |work=Daily Mirror |date=12 April 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161218235030/http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/roy-hattersley-wife-divorce-after-1827552 |archive-date=18 December 2016 }}</ref>
*[[Michael Foot]], aged and senile, ending sentences with "Yes! Argh!".
*[[Tony Benn]], a rampant socialist with eyes that never looked in the same direction.
*[[Ken Livingstone]], whose living room was filled with salamanders and snakes.
*[[Denis Healey]], with giant eyebrows, who helped to make Kinnock look foolish (the real Healey appeared in the programme in 1984 in a skit about [[1984 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom|that year's European elections in the UK]]).<ref>{{cite episode |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GClLAj_yF8M |title=Spitting Image |network=[[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] |year=1984 |series=1 |number=12 |via=[[YouTube]] |access-date=2024-12-12}}</ref>
*[[Gerald Kaufman]], portrayed as a [[Hannibal Lecter]]-style maniac.

[[Arthur Scargill]], who was a member of the Labour Party until 1997, appeared as head of the [[National Union of Mineworkers (Great Britain)|National Union of Mineworkers]], and was portrayed as a big-nosed egotist who was ignorant about mining.

In 1994, a puppet of [[Tony Blair]] made his appearance. He was originally a public school boy, wearing grey shorts, blazer and cap. His catchphrase was "I'M THE LEADER" in reference to his attempt to lead the Labour Party. When Blair did become Labour leader, the puppet changed and he was portrayed with his grin replaced with an even bigger smile if he said something of importance. The deputy leader, [[John Prescott]], was portrayed as a fat bumbling assistant, along with a squeaky voiced [[Robin Cook]], and an enormous bespectacled [[Jack Straw]].

The [[SDP–Liberal Alliance]] was portrayed by the election-losing, [[populist]], arrogant and undecided [[David Owen]], with whining, bedwetting [[David Steel]] in his pocket. They were soon replaced by [[Paddy Ashdown]], whose "equidistance" from the larger parties was satirised by his frequent appearance at the side of the screen during unrelated sketches, saying: "I am neither in this sketch nor not in it, but somewhere in-between". This running gag was used when Ashdown's extramarital affair was revealed, and his puppet commented that "I didn't touch her on the left leg, or the right leg, but somewhere in-between." Former Liberal MP [[Cyril Smith]] also made a few appearances as a morbidly obese giant.

In the first series, Former Prime Ministers [[Harold Wilson]], [[James Callaghan]], [[Harold Macmillan]] and [[Alec Douglas-Home]] were depicted as living in a highly restrictive retirement home named Exchequers, where they were frequently abused by [[Queen Victoria]]. Wilson constantly attempted escape, whilst Callaghan took delight in tormenting him. [[Edward Heath]] was also said to have resided there, but he was not seen on screen; later, he would appear as a naked piano player.

===Royal Family===
The main characters were:
*[[Elizabeth II]]: wore a [[CND]] badge, always seemed slightly mad and picked clothes from rubbish bins.
*[[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]] was a [[blunderbuss]]-toting Greek-obsessed buffoon in [[Royal Navy|naval]] uniform.
*[[Charles, Prince of Wales]] was a pseudo-hippie, then a taxi driver in later episodes.
*[[Diana, Princess of Wales]] was a publicity-hungry [[Sloane Ranger]].
*[[Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother]], who was generally seen with a bottle of [[Gordon's Gin]], a copy of the ''[[Racing Post]]'', and a [[Beryl Reid]] voice; this was a running joke from a sketch in which the Royal Family's desire to conceal her [[Birmingham]] accent was the reason she was seldom heard speaking on television. In the series she is seen with jockey [[Lester Piggott]] with whom she has an affair.

Other members who were parodied include nymphomaniac [[Prince Andrew]], envious and heavily freckled [[Sarah, Duchess of York]], grumpy [[Princess Anne]], poorly informed [[Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Edward]], [[Panzer]]-driving [[Princess Michael of Kent]], and always-tipsy [[Princess Margaret]].

===International politicians===
''Spitting Image'' lampooned US President [[Ronald Reagan]] as a bumbling, [[nuke]]-obsessed fool in comparison with his advisors [[Edwin Meese]] and [[Caspar Weinberger]]. Next to his bed were red buttons labelled 'Nuke' and 'Nurse'. His wife [[Nancy Reagan|Nancy]] was the butt of [[cosmetic surgery]] jokes.

[[Mikhail Gorbachev]]'s forehead birthmark was shaped like a [[hammer and sickle]]. All other Russians looked like [[Leonid Brezhnev]], often said "da" ("yes") and talked about potatoes. In Russia it was snowing even indoors and the Soviet television had extremely low-tech visual effects.

[[Yitzhak Shamir]] often appeared wearing a hard hat with the Star of David on it, holding a brick and referring to building a "legitimate Israeli settlement" (referring to the practice of building houses on the occupied West Bank for Israeli people).

[[François Mitterrand]] was wearing a beret and a garlic wreath, his successor [[Jacques Chirac]] was depicted as being obsessed and callous with nuclear weapons. [[P. W. Botha]] was shown as a racist cleverly disguising his views (once he had a badge "anti-[[Internal resistance to apartheid|anti-apartheid]]"). Some appearances were also made by [[Idi Amin]], [[Robert Mugabe]], [[Ferdinand Marcos|Ferdinand]] and [[Imelda Marcos]], [[Ruhollah Khomeini]], [[Saddam Hussein]] and [[Muammar Gaddafi]]. Khomeini appear to parody Iranian law and policy.

Khomeini and Botha along with the more recurring Reagan, Thatcher, Pope John Paul II, and Gorbachev appear in the [[Spitting Image (video game)|Spitting Image video game]].

Other international caricatures included [[Richard Nixon]] and [[Henry Kissinger]]; [[George H. W. Bush]] and [[Dan Quayle]]; [[Bill Clinton]] and [[Hillary Clinton]], [[Konstantin Chernenko]], [[Raisa Gorbachova]] and [[Boris Yeltsin]].

===Sport===

[[File:Spitting Image Puppet of Eric Cantona (2956625432).jpg|thumb|upright|left|Puppet of Manchester United striker [[Eric Cantona]]]]

England manager [[Bobby Robson]] was a senile worrier nicknamed 'Rubbisho'. [[Emlyn Hughes]] was portrayed with a high pitched and annoying voice. England midfielder [[Paul Gascoigne]] appeared, frequently crying – a parody of the [[1990 World Cup]] semi-final against West Germany, in which he famously cried after being booked, which would have ruled him out of the final had England won the game.

[[Ian Botham]] was a violent drug addict, while [[Mike Gatting]] spoke with a high voice. [[Lester Piggott]] had to be subtitled. Boxing characters included [[Frank Bruno]] with his trademark laugh and catchphrase "where's [[Harry Carpenter|'Arry]]?", and [[Chris Eubank]], with his lisp. Snooker player [[Steve Davis]] was boring, upset because he had no nickname, but thought himself interesting.

===Celebrities===
News reporters were also depicted: [[Alastair Burnet]] was sycophantic towards the Royal Family and with a nose that inflated; [[Sandy Gall]] was effeminate, always worrying what coat he would wear; [[John Cole (journalist)|John Cole]] was incomprehensible and had to be dragged off-screen when he talked for too long; [[Nicholas Witchell]] was always turning up during a strike to work rather than report; [[Kate Adie]] was a thrill-seeker, and [[BBC]] Head of Bravery. Presenters were also seen: [[Jeremy Paxman]] appeared as uninterested and self-loving, and [[Trevor McDonald]] frequently lamented his lot after being paired with [[Ronnie Corbett]] as newscasters, with the latter always getting the punchlines. [[William Rees-Mogg]] was portrayed as a censorship-crazy person with eyes that would frequently pop out of the socket.

[[David Coleman]] had a very loud ear prompter and sometimes did not know what he was commentating on; [[Frank Bough]] was portrayed as being a drug user; [[Bruce Forsyth]] spoke every sentence as though it was a [[catchphrase]]. Celebrity chef [[Keith Floyd]] was always getting drunk on wine, while film critic [[Barry Norman]] was not a fan of his puppet, because it had an inexplicable [[wart]] on its forehead, which he did not have.<ref name="doc">''Best Ever Spitting Image:'' TV Documentary. Released 25 June 2006 (UK).</ref> [[Paul Daniels]] did not mind jokes about his [[toupée]], but took offence to a sketch depicting him nuzzling his assistant [[Debbie McGee]]'s breasts.<ref name="doc" /><ref>{{cite news |first=Paul |last=English |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Victims+of+a+puppet+state%3B+BEST+EVER+SPITTING+IMAGE+SUNDAY,+STV,...-a0147401155 |title=Victims of a puppet state: Best ever Spitting Image |date=24 June 2006 |work=Daily Record |location=Glasgow |access-date=14 October 2013}}</ref>

Comedians were satirised: [[Billy Connolly]] was portrayed as a jester; [[Jimmy Tarbuck]] was said to use old jokes and always take part in the [[Royal Variety Performance]]; [[Bernard Manning]] was an obese racist; and [[Ben Elton]] was always shown with a microphone.

Writer and MP [[Jeffrey Archer]] appeared as an annoying, self-commenting writer whose books were not read by anyone. [[Kenneth Williams]] was depicted with a large nose and big teeth, and [[Harry Secombe]] was depicted as overly religious. [[Alan Bennett]] was shown at home as watching ''Spitting Image'' on TV. [[Esther Rantzen]] always had a permanent grin and was frequently carrying an [[Onion#Eye irritation|onion]] (reflecting a concurrent running joke in ''[[Private Eye]]'' suggesting insincere theatrical tears), whilst [[Cilla Black]] had large teeth and a thick [[Scouse]] accent.

===Musicians===
A [[Mick Jagger]] character seemed perpetually high, and [[Keith Richards]] so old and haggard that he thought he was dead. [[Ringo Starr]] was a drunkard, and [[Paul McCartney]] was always releasing albums and films that flopped. [[Madonna]] changed her hair and clothes with every episode, and [[Michael Jackson]]'s skin turned lighter. [[Kylie Minogue]] was depicted as a vain robot; [[Luciano Pavarotti]] was hugely overweight and ate everything he saw; [[Matt Goss|Matt]] and [[Luke Goss]] of the band [[Bros (British band)|Bros]] were depicted as children wanting to grow up.

===Actors===

[[File:Roger Moore circa 1960.JPG|thumb|upright|[[Roger Moore]] enjoyed his parody on the show.]]

Actor [[Dustin Hoffman]] spoke nasally and was parodied for his [[method acting]]; [[John Gielgud]] and [[Laurence Olivier]] lamented their friends, and even their own death. [[James Bond]] actor [[Roger Moore]] was depicted "with a wooden delivery" – only his eyebrows moved; Moore quipped, "My acting range has always been something between the two extremes of 'raises left eyebrow' and 'raises right eyebrow'."<ref>{{cite news |title=The quintessential Englishman: what we learned from Sir Roger Moore |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/quintessential-englishman-learned-sir-roger-moore/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/quintessential-englishman-learned-sir-roger-moore/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |access-date=2 October 2019 |work=The Telegraph}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] was muscle-bound but insecure about the size of his genitals; [[Donald Sinden]] was parodied as also trying to become the greatest Shakespearian actor and get a knighthood. [[Clint Eastwood]] was frequently portrayed as an uncompromising tough guy, and [[Sylvester Stallone]] nearly always appeared dressed up as [[John Rambo]].

===Religious figures===
Archbishop [[Robert Runcie]], [[Mary Whitehouse]] and [[Cliff Richard]] were portrayed as Christian censors. [[Ian Paisley]] was always shouting and dressed in black. Bishop [[David Jenkins (bishop)|David Jenkins]] was depicted as not believing in anything. [[Pope John Paul II]] was a banjo-playing [[Promiscuity#Male promiscuity|womaniser]] who spoke with a hip urban African-American accent.

===Others===
Media moguls [[Robert Maxwell]] and [[Rupert Murdoch]] were also on the show, the latter depicted as an extremely [[flatulent]] individual encouraging obscenity in his mass media.

[[Lord Lucan]] appeared in various background roles often as a bartender.

==Songs==
[[File:SpittingImage albumcover.jpg|thumb|''Spitting Image'' album cover for "Da Do Run Ron", satirical parody of [[Ronald Reagan]]|200px]]

The first single from ''Spitting Image'', released in 1984, was a rework of the [[The Crystals|Crystals]]' "[[Da Doo Ron Ron]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/e9713|title=45cat – Spitting Image – Da Do Run Ron / Just A Prince Who Can't Say No – Elektra – UK – E 9713|work=45cat.com|access-date=1 August 2015}}</ref> The ''Spitting Image'' version, "Da Do Run Ron", was a spoof election campaign song for [[Ronald Reagan]], featuring [[Nancy Reagan]] listing reasons to elect her husband. The cover of the single featured Reagan as a biker with Nancy riding pillion.

The B-side of this single was titled "Just A Prince Who Can't Say No" and poked fun at the sexual indiscretions of [[Prince Andrew]]. The TV version of this song (featured in the second episode) was heavily censored by Central Television on broadcast but presented uncut on vinyl.<ref name="dadorunron">[http://www.qsulis.demon.co.uk/Website_Louise_Gold/Da_Do_Run_Ron.htm Da Do Run Ron] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208152013/http://www.qsulis.demon.co.uk/Website_Louise_Gold/Da_Do_Run_Ron.htm |date=8 December 2008 }} on {{cite web |url=http://www.qsulis.demon.co.uk/Website_Louise_Gold/ |title=Qsulis.demon.co.uk |access-date=14 December 2008 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611092139/http://www.qsulis.demon.co.uk/Website_Louise_Gold/ |archive-date=11 June 2011 }}</ref> In the television series he was shown surrounded by various famous women including [[Joan Collins]], [[Mary Whitehouse]] and [[Linda McCartney]].

In 1986, the ''Spitting Image'' puppets released "[[The Chicken Song]]", a parody of "[[Agadoo]]" by [[Black Lace]] – one of several parodies to have featured in the programme, mimicking novelty records and holiday songs with a repetitive tunes and nonsensical lyrics. Ironically, The Chicken Song hit number 1 in the [[UK Singles Chart]] for 3 weeks from 17 May 1986 – 3 June 1986.<ref name="30 Facts"/> VH1 US named it as one of the worst number 1 nominations.

The other songs released by ''Spitting Image'' were "[[I've Never Met a Nice South African]]" (which was on the B-Side of "The Chicken Song" and was a savage indictment of the [[apartheid]]-ridden country), "We're Scared Of Bob" (a parody of "[[We Are The World]]") and "Hello You Must Be Going" (which mocked [[Phil Collins]]'s divorce ballads and was on the 12" release of The Chicken Song), "Santa Claus Is on the Dole" (backed with "The Atheist Tabernacle Choir"), "The Christmas Singles" and "Cry Gazza Cry" (based on footballer [[Paul Gascoigne]]'s tears in the 1990 World Cup).

[[File:Throwing it all away.jpg|thumb|right|[[Phil Collins]] on stage with Genesis. After he saw a caricatured version of himself on ''Spitting Image'', he commissioned the show's creators, Peter Fluck and Roger Law, to create puppets of the band which appear in their music video "[[Land of Confusion]]".]]

"The Chicken Song" was by far the most successful of all of their music and not-so-subtle references were made to it in subsequent sketches in the show itself. In 1986, a compilation LP "Spit In Your Ear" was produced, featuring some of their sketches over time along with a few of their songs, followed in 1990 by "20 Great Golden Gobs", a songs-only collection from the 1986–1990 series.

In 1986, the ''Spitting Image'' team experienced some real musical success when they created the video for "[[Land of Confusion]]" by [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]], a song which implied that Thatcher and Reagan were about to bring the world to a nuclear war. [[Phil Collins]] saw a disfigured version of himself on the show and contacted the show's producers with the idea to produce the video. Three new puppets were created depicting all members of Genesis (including a less exaggerated version of Collins), which also appear on the sleeve of the 45 (and later CD) single. The video was depicted as a nightmare Reagan was having, which left him completely immersed in sweat from worrying. It won a [[Grammy Award]] for [[Grammy Award for Best Concept Music Video#Recipients|Best Concept Music Video]] in 1987.<ref>{{cite web|title= Grammy Awards – 1987 |website= [[About.com]] |url= http://80music.about.com/library/grammy/bl_1987.htm |archive-date= 21 September 2005 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20050921002536/http://80music.about.com/library/grammy/bl_1987.htm}}</ref>

[[File:Sting Paris-Bercy May 3 1986-a.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Sting (musician)|Sting]] ''(pictured in May 1986)'' recorded "Every Bomb You Make" for the show.]]

The end of the 1987 election featured a young boy, dressed as a city banker, singing "[[Tomorrow Belongs to Me]]", a parody of the film ''[[Cabaret (1972 film)|Cabaret]]'', when a member of the [[Hitler Youth]] starts singing the same song. In a series 5 episode, Labour leader [[Neil Kinnock]] is portrayed singing a self-parody to the tune "My eyes are fully open" from [[Gilbert and Sullivan]]'s ''[[Ruddigore]]'', supported by members of his shadow cabinet.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1rJW2P2rFY "Neil Kinnock in Spitting Image – Series 5"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160218094259/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1rJW2P2rFY |date=18 February 2016 }}, 1988, YouTube, uploaded 26 March 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2012</ref>

In one instance [[Sting (musician)|Sting]] was persuaded to sing a re-worded version of "[[Every Breath You Take]]", titled "Every Bomb You Make" (series 1, episode 12), to accompany a video showing the ''Spitting Image'' puppets of world leaders and political figures of the day, usually with the figure matching the altered lyrics {{poemquote|
Every bomb you make
Every job you take
Every heart you break
Every Irish wake
I'll be watching you
Every wall you build
Every one you've killed
Every grave you've filled
all the blood you've spilled
I'll be watching you<ref name="30 Facts"/>}}
The video ended with the [[grim reaper]] appearing in front of a sunset. This version was due to be resurrected by Sting at the [[Live 8]] concert, and the parody lyrics were cleared with their writers Quentin Reynolds and James Glen, but plans were abandoned at the last minute.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

The closing music for series 8 episode 3 featured an ensemble of characters performing "We All Hate Jeremy Beadle", in reference to the light entertainment host [[Jeremy Beadle|of that name]]. In series 9 episode 4, the show ended with "Why Can't Life Be Like Hello?", sung by [[June Brown]] (who was commonly known as the ''[[EastEnders]]'' character [[Dot Cotton]]).<ref>Spitting Image (series 9, episode 4): {{bulleted list| {{cite web| url= http://ftvdb.BFI.org.UK/sift/title/486696?view=synopsis| title= SPITTING IMAGE: SPITTING IMAGE[03/05/92] (1992)| access-date= 24 January 2013| url-status=dead| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140202170556/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/486696?view=synopsis| archive-date= 2 February 2014| df= dmy-all}}| {{cite web| url= http://GoodSeri.es/shows/spitting-image/seasons/9| title= Season 9 : Spitting Image| access-date= 24 January 2013| url-status=dead| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140201231740/http://goodseri.es/shows/spitting-image/seasons/9| archive-date= 1 February 2014| df= dmy-all}}}}</ref> The song pastiches [[Hello (magazine)|''Hello'' magazine]], in satire of post-[[Big Bang (financial markets)|Big Bang]] UK [[consumerist culture]].

Other musical parodies featured [[Mick Jagger]], [[Michael Jackson]], [[David Bowie]], [[Kylie Minogue]], [[The Monkees]], [[Pulp (band)|Pulp]], [[Brett Anderson]] of [[Suede (band)|Suede]], [[Pet Shop Boys]], [[R.E.M.]], [[Björk]], [[East 17]], [[Elvis Presley]], [[Oasis (band)|Oasis]], [[ZZ Top]], [[Prince (musician)|Prince]] and [[Barbra Streisand]].<ref name="30 Facts"/>

==Staff==
{{more citations needed|section|date=October 2021}}
''Spitting Image'' launched the careers of and featured many then-unknown British comedians and actors, including [[Hugh Dennis]], [[Steve Coogan]] and [[Harry Enfield]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Impressions are back in fashion: The great pretenders|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2003/sep/30/comedy?INTCMP=SRCH|work=[[The Guardian]]|date=30 September 2003|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314001452/http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2003/sep/30/comedy?INTCMP=SRCH|archive-date=14 March 2016}}</ref>

===Voices===
The voices were provided by British impressionists including:
{{Div col}}
*[[Chris Barrie]] (1984–1991)
*[[Roger Blake]] (1990–1996) 
*Brian Bowles (1993)
*[[Rory Bremner]] (1987)
*[[Phil Cool]] (1984–1985)
*[[Phil Cornwell]] (1986)
*[[Steve Coogan]] (1988–1993)
*[[Jon Culshaw]] (1994–1996)
*[[Hugh Dennis]] (1989–1992)
*[[Ade Edmondson]] (1984)
*[[Harry Enfield]] (1985–1989, 1996)
*[[Chris Emmett]] (1984, 1990)
*[[Michael Fenton Stevens]] (singing voices only, mainly backing vocals)
*Fogwell Flax (1984)
*[[Jon Glover]] (1984–1989, 1994)
*[[Louise Gold]] (1984–1985)
*[[Alistair McGowan]] (1991–1996) 
*[[Jessica Martin]] (1985–1988)
*[[Steve Nallon]] (1984–1996) (voice of Margaret Thatcher)
*[[Philip Pope]] (1984–1991, singing voices only)
*[[Jan Ravens]] (1984–1992)
*[[Enn Reitel]] (1985–1990, 1994, 1996)
*[[Kate Robbins]] (1986–1996)
*Bob Saker (1987)
*[[Peter Serafinowicz]] (1996)
*[[John Sessions]] (1986)
*[[Steve Steen]] (1993)
*[[Debra Stephenson]] (1989)
*[[John Thomson (comedian)|John Thomson]] (1990, 1992–1994)
{{div col end}}

===Puppeteers===
{{Div col}}
*[[Anthony Asbury]]
*[[Don Austen]]
*[[Chris Barrie]]
*[[Richard Coombs]]
*[[John Eccleston]]
*[[Louise Gold]]
*[[Steve Nallon]]
*[[Angie Passmore]]
*[[Nigel Plaskitt]]
*[[Martin P. Robinson]]
*[[Richard Robinson (puppeteer)|Richard Robinson]]
*[[Timothy D. Rose|Tim Rose]]
*John Thirtle
*Ian Thom
*[[William Todd-Jones]]
*[[Mak Wilson]]
*[[Francis Wright (actor)|Francis Wright]]
{{div col end}}

===Writers===
{{Div col}}
*Barry Atkins
*[[Geoff Atkinson]] (1984–1993)
*David Austin
*[[Debbie Barham]]
*[[Alistair Beaton]]
*[[Colin Bostock-Smith]]
*[[Jo Brand]] (one episode, 1988)
*[[Mark Burton (writer)|Mark Burton]] (1985–1993)
*[[Kevin Cecil]] (1993–1996)
*Paul John Clark
*[[Richard Curtis]] (1984–1985) 
*Terence Dackombe (1984–1989)
*[[Paul B. Davies]]
*(John) [[Jack Docherty]] and [[Moray Hunter]]
*Chris Edge
*[[Ben Elton]] (1984–1985)
*Stevie Fowler
*Dan Gaster
*Patrick Gallagher
*Simon Goodman
*[[Rob Grant]] (1984–1986)
*Sean Hardie
*[[Ray Harris]] (1985–1993)
*[[Brian Highley]] (1984-1986)
*[[Ian Hislop]] (1984–1989)
*Will Ing
*[[Guy Jenkin]]
*Donnie Kerr
*David Kind
*Wayne Kline
*[[Chris Langham]] (1984)
*[[Stewart Lee]]
*Paul Lewis 
*[[Victor Lewis-Smith]] and Paul Sparks (one episode, 1988)
*[[Johnny Mack]]
*[[Chris Morris (satirist)|Chris Morris]] (satirist)
*[[Doug Naylor]] (1984–1986)
*[[Henry Naylor]] (1984–1986)
*[[Nick Newman]] (1984–1989)
*[[John O'Farrell (author)|John O'Farrell]] (1984–1993)
*[[Andy Parsons]] (1993–1996)
*[[Paul Powell (writer)|Paul Powell]]
*Georgia Pritchett (1986–1992)
*[[Steve Punt]] (1989–1993)
*Quentin Reynolds
*Neil Raphael (1984–1987)
*Keith Rees
*[[Andy Riley]] (1993–1996)
*[[Laurie Rowley (writer)|Laurie Rowley]]
*[[Tony Sarchet]]
*[[Stuart Silver]]
*Paul Simpkin
*[[Pete Sinclair (writer)|Pete Sinclair]]
*[[Paul Smith (television writer)|Paul Smith]] (1984–1985)
*Andrea Solomons
*David Slade & Frank Walsh (''Thatcher Vegetables Sketch'')

{{div col end}}

===Producers===
{{Div col}}
*[[Jon Blair]], [[John Lloyd (producer)|John Lloyd]], [[Tony Hendra]] (first six episodes, 1984)
*Jon Blair, John Lloyd (1984)
*John Lloyd (1984–1986)
*[[Geoffrey Perkins]] (1986–1988)
*[[David Tyler (producer)|David Tyler]] (1989)
*[[Bill Dare]] (1990–1993)
*Giles Pilbrow (1994–1996)
{{div col end}}

===Directors===
{{Div col}}
*[[Steve Bendelack|Stephen Bendelack]]
*Richard Bradley
*Philip Casson
*Bob Cousins
*[[Andy De Emmony]]
*Gordon Elsbury
*Sean Hardie
*[[Peter Harris (director)|Peter Harris]]
*[[John Henderson (director)|John Henderson]]
*[[Liddy Oldroyd]]
*Tom Poole
*[[Geoffrey Sax]]
*[[John Stroud (director)|John Stroud]]
*Graham C. Williams
{{div col end}}

==Decline==
[[File:Flunkey and Osama.jpg|thumb|right|Puppets of a Court Flunkey and [[Osama bin Laden]]. The face of the Flunkey is a caricature of 18th-century cartoonist [[James Gillray]], the father of British political cartooning.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lambiek.net/artists/g/gillray_james.htm|title=James Gillray|website=lambiek.net|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125110250/https://www.lambiek.net/artists/g/gillray_james.htm|archive-date=25 November 2016}}</ref>]]

The writers, [[Mark Burton (filmmaker)|Mark Burton]], [[John O'Farrell (author)|John O'Farrell]], Pete Sinclair, Stuart Silver, and Ray Harris quit the show in 1993 and in 1995, and with viewing figures in decline, production was cancelled. The final series was initially planned for broadcast in autumn 1995<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000578/19950313/166/0011 |title=Register |access-date=7 July 2023 |url-access=subscription |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]]}}</ref> but was subsequently broadcast in January and February 1996, with the final episode featuring "The Last Prophecies of Spitting Image" in which Labour moved into [[10 Downing Street|Number 10]]. A few years later, most of the puppets were sold at an auction hosted by [[Sotheby's]],<ref>{{cite news |date=7 July 2000 |title=Online sale for TV puppets |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/823080.stm |work=BBC News |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030102044311/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/823080.stm |archive-date=2 January 2003 }}</ref> including a puppet of [[Osama bin Laden]] never used in the series.<ref>{{cite news |date=23 November 2001 |title=Spitting Image to auction bin Laden |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1672791.stm |work=BBC News}}</ref>

During 2004, the idea of the series coming back started to appear after John Lloyd held talks with ITV executives about the show's return. John Lloyd also held talks with a number of people who voiced the ''Spitting Image'' puppets, including John Sessions, Harry Enfield and Rory Bremner, with all responding positively.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

Lloyd said: "There's enormous enthusiasm from ITV to do it. We're just trying to work out how it would be affordable. The budget is about to go off to ITV. Everybody seems to have residual affection for ''Spitting Image''. It could be scrappy and uneven, but it's rather like a newspaper. You don't expect it to be brilliant every time, but there's something delicious in every edition."<ref>{{cite news |title=Spitting Image plans TV comeback |first=Jason |last=Deans |work=The Guardian |date=17 May 2004 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/may/17/broadcasting.uknews |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529231058/http://www.theguardian.com/media/2004/may/17/broadcasting.uknews |archive-date=29 May 2014 }}</ref>

By early 2006, [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] were producing a documentary celebrating the series and if the audience figures were good a full series might have been produced.<ref>{{cite news |title=Politicians beware! 'Spitting Image' set to return |first=ROBERT |last=VERKAIK |date=20 February 2006 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/politicians-beware-spitting-image-set-to-return-467177.html |work=The Independent |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925171747/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/politicians-beware-spitting-image-set-to-return-467177.html |archive-date=25 September 2015 }}</ref> On 25 June 2006, ITV transmitted ''Best Ever Spitting Image''<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4732384.stm|title=Spitting Image back in spotlight|work=BBC News|date=20 February 2006|access-date=16 March 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024164353/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4732384.stm|archive-date=24 October 2007}}</ref> as a one-off special of ''Spitting Image'' which took a nostalgic look back at the programme's highlights. This special actually prevented ITV directly resurrecting the famous satire as they had planned, because it featured new puppets of [[Ant & Dec]] – a move which was against the wishes of Roger Law, who owns the rights to the ''Spitting Image'' brand.<ref name="digitalspy.co.uk"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Spitting Image return scuppered by Ant'n'Dec |first=Scott |last=Matthewman |date=16 November 2006 |url=http://blogs.thestage.co.uk/tvtoday/2006/11/spitting-image-return-scuppered-by-antndec/ |work=The Stage |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129004827/http://blogs.thestage.co.uk/tvtoday/2006/11/spitting-image-return-scuppered-by-antndec/ |archive-date=29 January 2013 }}</ref>

''Spitting Image'', as ITV's primary satirical programme, was succeeded by ''[[2DTV]]'', a cartoon format that had five series between 2001 and 2004. In 2008 [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] created a CGI version to caricature and lampoon the famous, called ''[[Headcases]]'',<ref>{{cite web |title=ITV to make CGI version of Spitting Image |date=17 May 2007 |url=http://www.comedy.co.uk/news/old_story/191/ |work=British Comedy Guide |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924014840/http://www.comedy.co.uk/news/old_story/191/ |archive-date=24 September 2015 }}</ref> but it only aired for one series. Satirical puppets finally returned to ITV in 2015, in ''[[Newzoids]]''.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

==Archive donated to Cambridge University==
In 2018, ''Spitting Image'' co-creator Roger Law donated his entire archive – which includes original scripts, puppet moulds, drawings and recordings – to [[Cambridge University]]. The collection is located in the university library, with its librarian Dr Jessica Gardner describing the collection as a "[[national treasure]]".<ref name="archives"/> She added, "''Spitting Image'' was anarchic, it was creative, it entered the public imagination like nothing else from that era. It is an extraordinary political and historical record. Great satire holds up a mirror, it questions and challenges."<ref name="archives"/>

==Broadcast dates==
All episodes and specials were broadcast on Sunday, usually at 10&nbsp;pm. The programme was also picked up overseas. It aired on Canada's [[CBC Television]] on Sunday nights in the late 1980s. The American network [[NBC]] aired several prime-time specials in the same period. Austrian public broadcaster [[ORF (broadcaster)|ORF]] broadcast ''Spitting Image'' in English with German subtitles late on Friday nights in approximately four-week intervals in the late 1980s and early 1990s, introducing it to the German-speaking world (where foreign programming is usually dubbed into German). ''Spitting Image'' was also briefly shown in France on the private TV channel [[M6 (TV channel)|M6]] in English with French subtitles. The show was also aired in New Zealand on [[TVNZ]] in the 1980s.

===Series===
{|class="wikitable" style="left: 0 auto; text-align: center;"
|-
!Series!!Year!!Dates!!No. episodes!!Times
|-
|'''Series 1'''||1984||26 February – 17 June||12 episodes||Mostly 10&nbsp;pm
|-
|'''Series 2'''||1985||6 January – 24 March||11 episodes||Mostly 10&nbsp;pm
|-
|'''Series 3'''||1986||6 January – 2 November||17 episodes||Mostly 10&nbsp;pm
|-
|'''Series 4'''||1987||1 November – 6 December||6 episodes||Mostly 10&nbsp;pm
|-
|'''Series 5'''||1988||6 November – 11 December||6 episodes||Mostly 10&nbsp;pm
|-
|'''Series 6'''||1989||11 June – 9 July||5 episodes||Mostly 9.30&nbsp;pm
|-
|'''Series 7'''||1989||12 November – 17 December||6 episodes||Mostly 10.05&nbsp;pm
|-
|'''Series 8'''||1990||13 May – 24 June||6 episodes||Mostly 10.05&nbsp;pm
|-
|'''Series 9'''||1990||11 November – 16 December||6 episodes<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/spitting_image/episodes/9/ | title=Spitting Image Series 9 episode guide | website=[[British Comedy Guide]] }}</ref>||Mostly 10.05&nbsp;pm
|-
|'''Series 10'''||1991||14 April – 19 May||6 episodes||Mostly 10.05&nbsp;pm
|-
|'''Series 11'''||1991||10 November – 15 December||6 episodes||Mostly 10.05&nbsp;pm
|-
|'''Series 12'''||1992||12 April – 17 May||6 episodes||Mostly 10.05&nbsp;pm
|-
|'''Series 13'''||1992||4 October – 8 November||6 episodes||10.05&nbsp;pm
|-
|'''Series 14'''||1993||16 May – 20 June||6 episodes||10.45&nbsp;pm
|-
|'''Series 15'''||1993||7 November – 12 December||6 episodes||10pm
|-
|'''Series 16'''||1994||1 May – 12 June||7 episodes||10pm
|-
|'''Series 17'''||1994||6 November – 18 December||7 episodes||10pm
|-
|'''Series 18'''||1996||14 January – 18 February||6 episodes||Mostly 11.15&nbsp;pm
|-
|}

===Specials===
{|class="wikitable" style="left: 0 auto; text-align: center;"
|-
!Title!!Year!!Date!!Times!!Duration
|-
|'''Down and Out in the White House'''||1986||14 September||9.45&nbsp;pm||45 minutes
|-
|'''The Spitting Image 1987 Movie Awards'''||1987||Saturday 4 April||10.45&nbsp;pm||30 minutes
|-
|'''Election Special'''||1987||Thursday 11 June||10pm||45 minutes
|-
|'''A Non-Denominational Spitting Image Holiday Special'''||1987||27 December||10pm||30 minutes
|-
|'''The Ronnie and Nancy Show'''||1988||17 April||9.30&nbsp;pm||30 minutes
|-
|'''Bumbledown – The Life and Times of Ronald Reagan'''||1988||Saturday 29 October||10.15&nbsp;pm||45 minutes
|-
|'''The Sound of Maggie'''||1989||Saturday 6 May||10.10&nbsp;pm||45 minutes
|-
|'''Election Special'''||1992||Wednesday 8 April||10.40&nbsp;pm||30 minutes
|-
|'''Spitting Back'''||1993||16 July||10.45&nbsp;pm||30 minutes(?)
|-
|'''The Spitting Image Pantomime'''||1993||26 December||10pm||30 minutes
|-
|'''Ye Olde Spitting Image'''||1995||1 January||10.45&nbsp;pm||30 minutes
|-
|'''Best Ever Spitting Image'''||2006||25 June||10pm||47 minutes
|-
|'''Spitting Image at 30'''||2014||25 February||9&nbsp;pm||45 minutes
|}

==Repeats==
From November 1996 ''Spitting Image'' Series 1–11 were on [[UK Gold]] until September 1998. Edited episodes from Series 1–3 and 7 were on [[Granada Plus]] from 2001 to 2003.

In February 2008, [[Comedy Central Extra]] started showing regular repeats of ''Spitting Image'' from 9&nbsp;pm on Tuesday evenings, with a whole weekend's worth of evenings devoted to the first two series. It reappeared in a late night slot in November 2010, through to 18 December 2010 and has not been aired since then. From 2001 to 2004 the ITV series ''[[2DTV]]'' had a similar style, but using computer animation instead of puppets.

===United States version===
{{See also|List of American television series based on British television series|D.C. Follies}}
In an attempt to crack the American market, there were some attempts to produce a [[television in the United States|US version]] of the show. A 45-minute 'made for market' show by the original ''Spitting Image'' team, titled ''Spitting Image: Down and Out in the White House'' was produced in 1986 by Central for the [[NBC]] network. NBC did not give this high priority. During the late summer, when viewership was traditionally low and the networks aired reruns of the previous season, NBC broke the special into two half-hour episodes and slotted them into its schedule on 30 August and 6 September of that year, following reruns of ''[[The Golden Girls]]''.

Introduced by [[David Frost]], it departed from the sketch-based format in favour of an overall storyline involving the upcoming (at that time) Presidential election. The plot involved a conspiracy to replace Ronald Reagan with a double (actually actor [[Dustin Hoffman]] in disguise). This plan was hatched by the Famous Corporation, a cabal of the ultra-rich headed by [[Johnny Carson]]'s foil [[Ed McMahon]] (in the show, Carson was his ineffectual left-hand man) who met in a secret cavern hollowed out behind the façade of Mount Rushmore. Eventually, their plot foiled, the famous corporation activated their escape pod – Abraham Lincoln's nose – and left Earth for another planet, but (in a homage to the beginning of the ''[[Star Wars]]'' movies) were destroyed during a collision with 'a nonsensical prologue in gigantic lettering'.

The show did not achieve high ratings. It did, however, receive great praise from critics and it was followed by several more television specials: ''The Ronnie & Nancy Show'' (also satirising the Reagans), ''The 1987 Movie Awards'' (sending up the [[Academy Awards]]), ''Bumbledown: The Life and Times of Ronald Reagan'' (a quasi-documentary about the President), and ''The Sound of Maggie'' (satirising Thatcher and parodying several musicals such as ''[[Oliver!]]'', ''[[West Side Story]]'' and many others).

==Revival==
{{Main|Spitting Image (2020 series)}}
In September 2019, the show was confirmed to be returning 23 years after it originally ended, with the unveiling of the puppets of [[Greta Thunberg]], [[Donald Trump]], [[Vladimir Putin]], [[Mark Zuckerberg]], [[Prince Harry]] and [[Meghan Markle]].<ref>{{cite news|first1=Esther|last1=Addley|access-date=28 September 2019|title=Look who's back: Spitting Image returns for our chaotic times|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/sep/28/spitting-image-returns-chaotic-times-trump-putin-zuckerberg|newspaper=The Guardian|date=27 September 2019|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Roger Law stated that the pilot for the new series had been filmed and that talks were in progress with US networks to take the show to a larger, global audience,<ref name="plots"/> and that the revival is set to have a global appeal through a "uniquely British eye".<ref name="twentyfour"/> Among the writers for the revival will be [[Jeff Westbrook]] of ''[[Futurama]]'' (who also serves as executive producer), [[Al Murray]], ''[[The Windsors]]'' creators [[Bert Tyler-Moore]] and George Jeffrie, [[Bill Odenkirk]], [[David X. Cohen]], [[Jason Hazeley]], [[Keisha Zollar]], [[Patric Verrone]], [[Phil Wang]], and [[Sophie Duker]].<ref name="BritBox">{{cite news |url=https://www.itv.com/presscentre/britbox/press-releases/spitting-image-lands-britbox-uk-3rd-october-2020|title=Spitting Image lands on BritBox UK from 3rd October 2020| publisher=ITV Press Centre. 11 September 2020 | access-date=12 September 2020}}</ref>

On 4 March 2020, the show was announced to be returning on the streaming service [[BritBox]], as its first official commission.<ref name="twentyfour" /> The show premiered on the service on 3 October 2020, featuring the voices of [[Billy West]], [[Debra Stephenson]], [[Debra Wilson]], [[Guz Khan]], [[Indira Varma]], [[Jess Robinson]], [[John DiMaggio]], [[Lewis MacLeod (actor)|Lewis MacLeod]], [[Lobo Chan]], [[Matt Forde]], and [[Phil LaMarr]]. It was cancelled on 24 October 2022.<ref name="cancel1"/>

==Home releases==
The programme was first released on video in 1986 in a series of three collections, each a compilation of material from the first two series: ''Spit – With Polish!'', ''A Floppy Mass Of Blubber'' & ''Rubber Thingies''. All carried a 15 certificate and were reissued in 1988, also as a box set. 1989 saw the release by Central Video of two complete specials, ''Bumbledown: The Life & Times Of Ronald Reagan'' and ''The Sound Of Maggie'' and was also released in the US by BFS Video. Next was a video containing a collection of the music videos from the programme, titled "The Klassik Music Video Vol 1", released in 1991 by Central Video under The Video Collection Ltd (VCI or 2entertain); there was never a Volume 2.

"Is Nothing Sacred?" was released in 1992 by Surprise Video, compiling material from 1990 to 1991. The free booklet was written by [[Stewart Lee]] and [[Richard Herring]]. ''Havin' It Off: The Bonker's Guide'' was released in 1993. In 1996 ''FA to Fairplay'' was released on VHS, later reissued on DVD in 2005. Made specially for video, it provided an alternative look at the 1996 European [[association football|football]] championship held in England.

The Ronald Reagan song "Da Do Run Ron" featured in a straight to video release called ''Rockin' Ronnie'' (1986), an otherwise unrelated compilation of movie clips released by ATI Video.

The first 12 series including An 11-disc set (containing the first seven series broadcast 1984–89) have been released by Network Distributing under licence by [[ITV Studios]], so far. Series 1–7 individual releases are now deleted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.networkdvd.net/product_info.php?products_id=539|title=Spitting Image: The Complete Series 1|publisher=Network DVD|access-date=7 December 2007|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071213122120/http://www.networkdvd.net/product_info.php?products_id=539|archive-date=13 December 2007}}</ref> DVD releases do not include any of the specials made.

===DVD release dates===
{| class="wikitable"  style="width:70%; left:0 auto; text-align:center;"
|-
!colspan=2 rowspan=2|DVD!!rowspan=2|Discs!!rowspan=2|Year!!rowspan=2|Ep. #!!Release date
|-
![[DVD region code#2|Region 2]]
|-
|  style="background:#fc0; height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 1'''||2||1984||12||28 January 2008<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spitting-Image-1-Complete-DVD/dp/B00112GCD0/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1373300827&sr=1-1&keywords=spitting+image+series+1|title=Spitting Image – Series 1 – Complete [DVD] |website=Amazon UK |date=28 January 2008 |access-date=8 July 2013}}</ref>

|-
|  style="background:#339; height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 2'''||2||1985||11||28 July 2008<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spitting-Image-2-Complete-DVD/dp/B0015B04OK/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1373300791&sr=1-1&keywords=spitting+image+series+2|title=Spitting Image – Series 2 – Complete [DVD] |website=Amazon UK |date=28 July 2008 |access-date=8 July 2013}}</ref>
|-
|  style="background:#ed1c24; height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 3'''||3||1986||17||29 September 2008<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spitting-Image-Series-3-DVD/dp/B001CMV1QM/ref=pd_sim_sbs_d_h__5|title=Spitting Image – Series 3 – Complete [DVD] |website=Amazon UK |date=29 September 2008 |access-date=8 July 2013}}</ref>
|-
|  style="background:#fb9902; height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 4'''||1||1987||6||3 November 2008<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spitting-Image-Series-Complete-DVD/dp/B001E6Q0RQ/ref=pd_cp_d_h__2|title=Spitting Image – Series 4 – Complete [DVD] |website=Amazon UK |date=3 November 2008 |access-date=8 July 2013}}</ref>
|-
|  style="background:#32cd32; height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 5'''||1||1988||6||23 March 2009<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spitting-Image-Series-5-DVD/dp/B001MVX7Z6/ref=pd_cp_d_h__3|title=Spitting Image – Series 5 – Complete [DVD] |website=Amazon UK |date=23 March 2009 |access-date=8 July 2013}}</ref>
|-
|  style="background:#fc0fc0; height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 6'''||1||1989||5||11 May 2009<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spitting-Image-6-Complete-DVD/dp/B001VAF6QG/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1373300462&sr=1-1&keywords=spitting+image+series+6|title=Spitting Image – Series 6 – Complete [DVD] |website=Amazon UK |date=11 May 2009 |access-date=8 July 2013}}</ref>

|-
|  style="background:#6495ed; height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 7'''||1||1989||6||17 August 2009<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spitting-Image-7-Complete-DVD/dp/B002DNDMPC/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1373300368&sr=1-2&keywords=spitting+image+series+7|title=Spitting Image – Series 7 – Complete [DVD] |website=Amazon UK |date=17 August 2009 |access-date=8 July 2013}}</ref>

|-
|  style="background:teal; height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 8'''||1||1990||6||19 October 2009<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spitting-Image-Series-Complete-DVD/dp/B002KAIW58/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1373299853&sr=8-3&keywords=spitting+image|title=Spitting Image – Series 8 – Complete [DVD] |website=Amazon UK |date=19 October 2009 |access-date=8 July 2013}}</ref>

|-
|style="background:pink; height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 9'''||1||1990||6||8 July 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://networkonair.com/shop/1752-spitting-image-the-complete-series-9-5027626390242.html|title=Spitting Image: The Complete Series 9|publisher=Network ON AIR|access-date=25 April 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130602183917/http://networkonair.com/shop/1752-spitting-image-the-complete-series-9-5027626390242.html|archive-date=2 June 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#FF003F" "height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 10'''||1||1991||6||14 October 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=http://networkonair.com/shop/1790-spitting-image-the-complete-series-10-5027626394943.html|title=Spitting Image: The Complete Series 10|publisher=Network ON AIR|access-date=2 July 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130811164351/http://networkonair.com/shop/1790-spitting-image-the-complete-series-10-5027626394943.html|archive-date=11 August 2013}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#FFFF00" "height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 11'''||1||1991||6||1 June 2015<ref>{{cite web|url=http://networkonair.com/shop/2167-spitting-image-the-complete-series-11-5027626431747.html|title=Spitting Image: The Complete Series 11|publisher=Network ON AIR|access-date=4 February 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218183847/http://networkonair.com/shop/2167-spitting-image-the-complete-series-11-5027626431747.html|archive-date=18 February 2015}}</ref>
|-
|-
| style="background:#B53389" "height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 12'''||1||1992||6||17 April 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=http://networkonair.com/shop/2462-spitting-image-the-complete-series-12-5027626442149.html|title=Spitting Image: The Complete Series 12|publisher=Network ON AIR|access-date=2 June 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160902034058/http://networkonair.com/shop/2462-spitting-image-the-complete-series-12-5027626442149.html|archive-date=2 September 2016}}</ref>
|-
<!--
|-
|style="height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 13'''||1||1992||6||TBA - 2014
|-
|style="height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 14'''||1||1993||6||TBA - 2014
|-
|style="height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 15'''||1||1993||6||TBA - 2015
|-
|style="height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 16'''||1||1994||6||TBA – 2015
|-
|style="height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 17'''||1||1994||6||TBA – 2015
|-
|style="height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 18'''||1||1996||6||TBA – 2015
|-
|style="height:10px;"|
|'''Special episodes'''||3||1984–1996||10||TBA – 2013
|-
|style="height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 1–18'''||22||1984–1996||130||TBA – 2013
|-
-->
|  style="background:#000; height:10px;"|
|'''Complete Series 1–7'''||11||1984–1989||64||2 November 2009<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Spitting-Image-1-7-Complete-DVD/dp/B002MVPPO6/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1373300209&sr=1-1&keywords=spitting+image|title=Spitting Image – Series 1–7 – Complete [DVD] [1984] |website=Amazon UK |date=2 November 2009 |access-date=8 July 2013}}</ref>
|}

==Media adaptations==

The show was adapted into a video game: ''[[Spitting Image (video game)|Spitting Image]]'' and a [[Comic book|comic magazine]].

==See also==
{{Portal|Comedy|1980s|1990s|United Kingdom}}
{{Div col}}
*[[Cultural depictions of Margaret Thatcher]]
*[[Cultural depictions of Ronald Reagan]]
*''[[Les Guignols|Les Guignols de l'info]]''
*''[[The Wrong Coast]]''
*''[[Crapston Villas]]''
*''[[Headcases]]''
*''[[2DTV]]''
*''[[The Mary Whitehouse Experience]]''
*''[[Have I Got News for You]]''
*''[[Land of Confusion]]''
*''[[The XYZ Show]]''
*''[[ZANEWS]]'', also known as ''Puppet Nation ZA''
*''[[D.C. Follies]]''
*''[[Las noticias del guiñol]]''
*''[[The Winjin' Pom]]''
*''[[Rubbery Figures]]''
*''[[Newzoids]]''
*''[[Sooty]]''
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* Walker, John. [http://www.artdesigncafe.com/spitting-image-1992 "Spitting Image"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121218075458/http://www.artdesigncafe.com/spitting-image-1992 |date=18 December 2012 }}. ''Glossary of Art, Architecture & Design since 1945'', 3rd. ed.
*{{IMDb title|id=0086807|title=Spitting Image: Original Series}}
*{{Twitter | SpittingImage}}
*{{British Comedy Guide|tv|spitting_image}}
*{{epguides|SpittingImage|Spitting Image}}
*{{Screenonline TV title|521377}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080723030207/http://www.itv.com/BestofITV/comedy/SpittingImage/default.html Spitting Image v. Headcases]
*[http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/S/htmlS/spittingimag/spittingimag.htm Encyclopedia of Television] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625031853/http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/S/htmlS/spittingimag/spittingimag.htm |date=25 June 2008 }}
*Chester, Lewis. ''Tooth & Claw – The Inside Story of Spitting Image'', Faber and Faber, 1986 {{ISBN|0-571-14557-4}}
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01rkxht BBC Radio4, "South Africa Spits Back"]

{{InternationalEmmyAward Popular Arts Programming}}
{{Margaret Thatcher}}
{{John Major}}
{{Tony Blair}}
{{Ronald Reagan}}
{{George H. W. Bush}}
{{Bill Clinton}}

{{Authority control}}

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