Spitting Image creator Roger Law has spoken out about US broadcaster NBC’s decision to back out of airing the reboot of the satirical puppet show.
While Spitting Image is available to watch on the streaming platform BritBox in the UK, it was supposed to air weekly in America, with specially-created scenes for audiences across the pond.
However, earlier this month, it was reported that NBC had backed out of showing Spitting Image just weeks before it was due to air, because of “nervousness” surrounding some of its content.
Speaking about the decision to Radio Times, Roger Law – who co-created Spitting Image in the 1980s – admitted he was “not in the least bit surprised” about NBC’s decision to reverse plans to air the show.
The 79-year-old said: “If it was going to be on regular NBC television I’m not in the least bit surprised that it was dropped.”
He continued: “In America there’s a superficial politeness to this country of people who’ve all got guns.
“You’ve someone like Trump running the country yet [Americans] call him ‘sir’. That wouldn’t happen here.
“People here are rude to one another and there’s a taste for cruel humour. People went out and voted for Boris, we make him look like a shambles and yet they’re still very happy to laugh at it.”
Roger also spoke about the impending US election, admitting that while he hopes Joe Biden succeeds Donald Trump as president, it will mean big changes for Spitting Image.
“Donald Trump is an absolute gift to a satirical show but on the other hand I would like to see him go, I really would,” he said.
“If Biden wins I think we might have to remake him. The current puppet hasn’t got a blink; he’s got no eyes. The mouth is good but he wears a mask with, ‘Shut up, man!’ written on it.”
Two new episodes of Spitting Image inspired by the lead-up to the US election will be available to watch from Saturday 31 October, with a recently-announced second series coming to BritBox in 2021.
Read Roger Law’s full interview in this week’s Radio Times.