Spitting Image we salute you

Grotesque caricatures made of latex often singing dodgy songs might not seem like the ideal recipe for ground-breaking television.

But 30 years ago tonight one of the most influential TV programmes of all time, with the power to make or break celebrities and politicians, was born.

Spitting Image was a natural successor to the likes of That Was the Week That Was, unafraid to take on the establishment and blowing smoke in the face of pomposity.

Throughout the latter half of the 1980s, it was almost crucial viewing for the whole country. It regularly racked up audiences of more than 15 million.

Many celebrities claim that watching the show was a 'priority' to them, as they wanted to see if they or their friends had been featured. In fact, celebrities like Des Lynam and Jarvis Cocker even claimed that they were happy to see puppet renditions of themselves as it showed that they had truly 'arrived' and become publicly recognised.

Snooker star Steve Davis and Tory politician Michael Heseltine are possibly the most well-known examples of celebrities who were very proud of their Spitting Image selves: They have stated that as soon as the show came around, they found people calling them 'Interesting' and 'Hezza' respectively based on their Spitting Image portrayals.

It was notable for being one of the first – if not the first – adult-themed comedy show to feature puppets. Its visually shocking puppets combined with its sharp, often crude writing ensured high viewing figures and a lengthy run time of over 132 episodes.

The programme is considered to be a milestone in British television comedy. Spitting Image was so influential it was often worried whether or not the show could affect public opinion of politics and politicians, yet it was quite the opposite: the show managed to give new personalities and public recognition to politicans and minor celebrities who were instantly thrust into the spotlight by their latex caricatures.

Best known of all the puppets was Margaret Thatcher. With little or no effective opposition to her government Spitting Image took on the role mercilessly lampooning Thatcher and her cabinet.

Thatcher herself was portrayed as an abusive tyrant and cross-dresser (she wore suits, used the urinals and was portrayed as a Winston Churchill-type cigar-chomper).

She was even voiced by a man (Steve Nallon) and appeared to be more testosterone-charged that her male colleagues.

Her puppet had a strong dislike of anything French – agreeing with Hitler about 'teaching those Frenchies where to go' and throwing an apple out the window because it was French.

Puppeteers Peter Fluck and Roger Law were equally disdainful of the rest of the cabinet.

Norman Tebbit appeared as a leather-clad skinhead to Thatcher, who referring to her as 'Leader' while going around beating up other politicians.

Kenneth Baker gradually transformed into a slug, Geoffrey Howe talked to sheep, Douglas Hurd had a hairstyle direct from a 'Mr Whippy' ice cream and Norman Fowler was seen during his time as Health Secretary as a hospital-murdering Jack The Ripper style lunatic.

Thatcher's successor John Major was portrayed as a dull, boring grey character who enjoyed a meal of peas with his wife.

Neil Kinnock became the 'Welsh windbag' happy to talk about anything other than policies, Roy Hattersley couldn't get a word out without covering everyone in spit thanks to his lisp, while a tiny David Steel was viciously relegated to David Owen's top pocket.

But it wasn't just politicians who were lampooned.

The Queen wore a CND badge, always seemed slightly mad and picked clothes from rubbish bins, Lady Di was a publicity-hungry Sloane Ranger and the Queen Mother was normally seen carrying a bottle of Gordon's gin.

England manager Bobby Robson was a senile worrier nicknamed 'Rubbisho', actor Dustin Hoffman spoke nasally and was parodied for his method acting.

Roger Moore was shown as an actor 'with a wooden delivery' – only his eyebrows ever moved, while Pope John Paul II was a banjo-playing womaniser who spoke with a Texan accent.

Spitting Image helped to launch the careers of a host of comedians including the likes of Steve Coogan, Chris Barrie, Harry Enfield, and John Sessions. It also won critical acclaim, winning 10 Baftas and two Emmys.

The show even managed to get a song to the top of the charts. 'The Chicken Song' which parodied 'Agadoo' by Black Lace had three weeks at number one in 1986.

But as with all things satirical, the show began to run out of steam in the 1990s and ratings began to slip. Perhaps it was the lack of real characters left in the political world, or the fact that most of the original producers, writers and voice-actors had left the show.

The final show was broadcast in 1996 with the final episode featuring 'The Last Prophecies of Spitting Image' in which, with chilling accuracy, Labour moved into 10 Downing Street.

While political satire has moved on, Spitting Image will be remembered for its ground-breaking approach. And as a commentary on the 1980s and the Thatcher era in particular it remains without parallel.

Everybody. . . . hold a chicken in the air:

Think you could do a better job of performing the Chicken Song than they did on Spitting Image?

Video your efforts and tweet them @Shropshirestar or send via shropshirestar.com/starwitness

Here's a video - and lyrics - to get you on your way:

The Chicken Song

It's the time of year

Now that Spring is in the air

When those two wet gits with their girly curly hair

Make another song for moronic holidays

That nauseate-ate-ates

In a million different ways

From the shores of Spain

To the coast of Southern France

No matter where you hide

You just can't escape this dance

Hold a chicken in the air

Stick a deckchair up your nose

Buy a jumbo jet

And then bury all your clothes

Paint your left knee green

Then extract your wisdom teeth

Form a string quartet

And pretend your name is Keith

Skin yourself alive

Learn to speak Arapahoe

Climb inside a dog

And behead an eskimo

Eat a Renault Four with salami in your ears

Casserole your gran

Disembowel yourself with spears

The disco is vibrating

The sound is loud and grating

Its truly nauseating

Let's do the dance again

Hold a chicken in the air

Stick a deckchair up your nose

Yes you'll hear this song in the holiday discos

And there's no escape in the clubs or in the bars

You would hear this song if you holidayed in Mars

Skin yourself alive

Learn to speak Arapahoe

Climb inside a dog

And behead an eskimo

Now you've heard it once

Your brain will spring a leak

And though you hate this song

You'll be humming it for weeks

Hold a chicken in the air

Stick a deckchair up your nose

Buy a jumbo jet

And then bury all your clothes

La la la la la

La la la la la la la

La la la la la

La la la la la la laaaaaaa