BritBox UK Renews ‘Spitting Image’ For Season 2
‘Spitting Image‘, which made its triumphant return to our screens last Saturday on BritBox UK, will be back for a 2nd Season in 2021 the streaming service has announced.
The iconic show, which uses puppets to create an uncompromising, fast-turnaround and uniquely British satirical take on global events, launched to critical acclaim last week. It may have been off the air for 24 years, but has lost none of its savagery and fire. From Trump appointing Coronavirus as VP, to Prince Harry trying out new jobs, to a great musical number with New Zealand’s “Mary Poppins” PM Jacinda Ardern, it really is true to the original, hilarious and biting as ever.
‘Spitting Image’ co-creator Roger Law returned to head up the show’s creative team, while multi-award-winner Jeff Westbrook (‘The Simpsons’, ‘Futurama’) is the showrunner, leading the writing team. Produced by Avalon (‘Taskmaster’, ‘The Russell Howard Hour’, ‘Catastrophe’, ‘Breeders’, ‘Last Week Tonight With John Oliver’) throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, over 100 puppets have already been developed by socially distanced teams of artists ready for launch. The list of new puppets is the same interesting mix of political figures and celebrities you’ve come to expect (and a few you maybe didn’t!) As with the previous version of the ultra-topical show, scripts are being written and new puppets made as close to each episode as possible.
“Steady employment at last!” joked Law.
The satirical comedy has been a massive success already for BritBox, with subscribers increased ten-fold compared to the average daily rate for the BBC and ITV created streaming platform. Additionally, global social media stats over two weeks around launch have seen ‘Spitting Image’ official content has reached over 30 million people, with seven and a half million views of content across official social media channels and four million organic views of the official trailer.
“The fantastic response to Spitting Image just goes to show how much the world needs public service satire,” commented Reemah Sakaan, Group Director ITV SVOD and Chief Creative & Brand Officer BritBox. “Not only can subscribers look forward to another 9 weeks of anarchy but also now another series in 2021.”
Behind the puppets are an amazing collection of talent, including next-generation satirical writers, working with established names, to drive a new wave of “public service satire”. They include Al Murray, Bert Tyler-Moore & George Jeffrie (‘The Windsors’), Bill Odenkirk (‘The Simpsons’, ‘Mr. Show with Bob and David’), Brona C. Titley (‘The Tracey Ullman Show’), David X. Cohen (‘The Simpsons’, ‘Futurama’), Gemma Arrowsmith (‘The Tracey Ullman Show’), Jason Hazeley & Nico Tatarowicz (‘Charlie Brooker’s Screenwipe’, ‘Murder in Successville’), Karl Minns (‘Russell Howard’s Good News’), Keisha Zollar (‘The Opposition with Jordan Klepper’), Laura Major (‘Famalam’), Patric Verrone (‘The Simpsons’), Phil Wang, Richard Herring, Sophie Duker (‘Frankie Boyle’s New World Order’) and Travis Jay (‘Dave Chapelle and Friends’) with many more joining the growing team.
The puppets do need voices, and they have pulled together a stunning selection of voiceover talent to bring the creations to life. They include Billy West (‘Futurama’), Debra Stephenson (‘The Impressions Show’), Debra Wilson (‘Family Guy’), Guz Khan (‘Man Like Mobeen’), Indira Varma (‘Game of Thrones’), Jess Robinson (‘The Imitation Game’) John DiMaggio (‘Futurama’), Lewis MacLeod (‘Dead Ringers’), Lobo Chan (‘Killing Eve’), Matt Forde (‘Unspun’) and Phil LaMarr (‘Pulp Fiction’, ‘Family Guy’, ‘Harley Quinn’), with many more joining as the puppet cast grows.
Whilst ‘Spitting Image’ has a home on BritBox UK, on the other side of the Atlantic, it is struggling to find a network with the guts to take it. NBC was apparently on board until six weeks before broadcast when they pulled out amid “too much nervousness” from the executives. However, each episode is being made available to US audiences for 24 hours on Facebook the Sunday following the UK broadcast.
‘Spitting Image‘ Season 1 continues to air Saturdays on BritBox UK. Season 2 will premiere in Autumn 2021.
