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Culture notes

Behind the scenes at Spitting Image

BBC4’s Arena documentary shows just how biting – and tricky to make – the classic satirical series was

8 March 2014

9:00 AM

8 March 2014

9:00 AM

If Margaret Thatcher is remembered by many more as a caricature than as her actual self, then blame Spitting Image. The show, which ran from 1984 to 1996, portrayed her variously as a cross-dresser, a fascist and a bully but, to her credit, she never complained. Or, if she did, there’s no record of it.

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Arena: Whatever Happened to Spitting Image? is on BBC4 on 20 March.

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