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Spitting Image to return on BritBox

(March 2020)

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BA
bilky asko





Apparently announced on Good Morning Britain at 7am, it appears to be a BritBox exclusive.
NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
Spitting Image was first announced to be hoping to return in September last year when a pilot was made:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-49865406

But of course it didn't have an intended home.

ITV did attempt a revised version of Spitting Image already, in the form of Newzoids, which I personally liked., though that went out in a more family friendly slot so it couldn't be the same as Spitting Image.
UK
UKnews
Not forgetting '2DTV', which was (at least to start with) almost an animated 'Dead Ringers', before that had its own TV version.
AA
Amber Avenger
Not sure Newzoids was in a more family friendly slot, it was always post watershed. Series 2 was 10pm on Saturdays, at least in part.
NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
Not sure Newzoids was in a more family friendly slot, it was always post watershed. Series 2 was 10pm on Saturdays, at least in part.


Seem to recall some of it was aired 8:30pm?
Maybe I misremembered then..
WH
Whataday Founding member
My immediate thought was whether Britbox can afford a decent enough budget to do it justice. BUT they do have some money to play with for original content so they may invest more than a revival on ITV might have allowed.
IN
Interceptor
My immediate thought was whether Britbox can afford a decent enough budget to do it justice. BUT they do have some money to play with for original content so they may invest more than a revival on ITV might have allowed.

Was Spitting Image an expensive production?
WH
Whataday Founding member
My immediate thought was whether Britbox can afford a decent enough budget to do it justice. BUT they do have some money to play with for original content so they may invest more than a revival on ITV might have allowed.

Was Spitting Image an expensive production?


Very. It cost £300,000 an episode, the most expensive light entertainment show on television. Its cost has usually been the reason for not bringing it back previously.
Interceptor, London Lite and CraigWills gave kudos
NJ
Neil Jones Founding member
Newzoids had to take a different approach to making their puppets:
https://www.createeducation.com/blog/using-ultimaker-make-puppets-itvs-newzoids/
LY
Lynetwork
It's a shame that Newzoids didn't take off because I liked that series - though I also think Headcases was an interesting concept, albeit very of it's time.

Either way I'm glad that any sort of puppet-based satire is on screen.
LL
London Lite Founding member
While I'm happy that Spitting Image is returning, I feel they lost a great opportunity during the farcical Brexit process to return.

Hopefully being on Britbox rather than ITV will allow the writers to have creative freedom over what they provide instead of being on brand.
LL
Larry the Loafer
I'm assuming this is the American one that was announced a while back and not an exclusively UK version? Please tell me I'm wrong.

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