Satire: The Great British Tradition

Synopsis

Roger Law, co-creator of Spitting Image, looks at what the archives can teach us about the evolution of British satire. Do we really have more of a taste for it than other nations, and where did it all start?

We'll look at the way in which British satire developed on television with great examples from the BBC archives. Roger revisits his early days at the Establishment Club set up by Peter Cook, and talks to Gerald Scarfe and others who helped form the satirical approach of the 1960s.

Roger reveals some of the juicy details behind Spitting Image and its satirical forays. Roger describes one occasion when they depicted the Duke of York, then a bachelor about town, as a nude pin-up with 2lbs of glistening Cumberland sausages between his legs, The Queen consulted the Director of Prosecutions believing that they had simply gone too far. He replied, 'Ma'am if we prosecute;they will appear in court with the puppet ...and the sausages.' It was the end of the issue.

So just what is satirically possible today? Law will interview a wide variety of the awkward squad such as Steve Bell of the Guardian to see how far is too far. Where do they draw the line? From editors of newspapers to cartoonists and stand-up comedians, we'll find out how today compares with the inglorious past.