Spitting ImageNot the Nine O’Clock NewsSpitting ImageNational LampoonSpitting ImagePrivate EyeRed DwarfSpitting ImageJOHN LLOYDThe Hitchhiker’s Guide to the GalaxyNot the Nine O’Clock NewsSpitting ImageBlackadderQIVice: Were you still on Not the Nine O’Clock News when Spitting Image reared its head?John Lloyd:Spitting ImageSpitting ImageHeadcases [2008]. It was dreadful.Not the Nine O’Clock NewsNot the Nine O’Clock News
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That Was the Week That WasMonty PythonNot the Nine O’Clock NewsPythonThat Was the Week That WasYou were initially turned down by a few production companies, including LWT, Thames and Channel 4. Was that because they didn’t have the foresight to see what you had?Not the Nine O’Clock NewsWhy predictably?BlackadderNot the Nine O’Clock NewsGuardianNot the Nine O’Clock NewsGuardianSpitting ImageSpitting ImageNational Lampoon
Were there egos flying around, or was it a more restrained competitiveness?Why?I did read somewhere about the time Roger threw a sofa at you while you were arguing about how to approach the miners’ strike.Was it like that for the whole three or four years you were there?It was very successful by that point as well.One of my enduring memories was the Prince Andrew centrefold in the middle of the Spitting Image book, him lying naked with a string of sausages covering his modesty.I used to watch the show with my parents on Sunday night, even though I was too young to get a lot of the jokes. Were you proud of the fact that kids watched it, that it appealed to everyone?South ParkFamily Guy
How important was it to you that you got messages across and maybe even changed people’s views?Was there a sort of agenda?Spitting ImageDid you ever meet any of the people you ripped into on the show?Spitting ImageSpitting ImageOne of the great things you achieved with the show was that you made a lot of people, especially kids, aware of who politicians were. How aware were you at the time that you were informing people?
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What are you most proud of with the show?CabaretMailThere’s been talk over the years of you trying to bring the show back.ROGER LAWObserver,Sunday Times, Private EyeNewsweekSpitting ImageYears before Spitting Image you did quite a bit of work with Peter Cook.I heard something about you going to a talk by [Muppets creator] Jim Henson when you were starting out with Spitting Image.wasYeah, it sounded like none of you got much sleep for the first two or three years.Spitting Image
He didn’t tell me about that.He did tell me about the time you threw a chair at him when you were arguing about the miners’ strike.So from the beginning you were incredibly passionate about the show being seriously politically driven. Were there specific things you wanted to achieve in that respect?Spitting ImageSunday TimesSpitting Image
And how much of that was successful, from your point of view?Observer,Sunday Times, NewsweekSpitting ImageObserverSunday TimesSpitting ImageSpitting ImageRight. It was great how even kids knew who was in the cabinet and shadow cabinet because of Spitting Image.Sunday TimesOK, thanks. If we send a photographer over to you, do you have any puppets with you?HARRY ENFIELDSpitting ImageFast ShowSaturday LiveKevin & Perry Go LargeSkinsHarry and PaulI spoke to John Lloyd and Roger Law, who both seemed to suffer physically from working so hard on Spitting Image. I’m assuming you worked more civilised hours and probably didn’t have that.
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Harry Enfield:It sounds like they were doing 18-hour days.Spitting ImageWhat were you doing at that point?So this was your first gig.So what was it like for all you voice people together in one room doing the work?X FactorCrossroadsCrossroadsOn the BusesWho else was doing voices with you?Was it competitive?Mock the WeekI read somewhere that Steve Nallon said although you weren’t the best impressionist, you were the best caricaturist, and you physically threw yourself into your performances.
Were there some you enjoyed doing more than others?Did you ever meet David Steel?Even though he credits Spitting Image with ruining his reputation.Apparently Leon Brittan was quite upset with you as well.Spitting ImageA Room With a ViewAs a voice artist, did you have a political drive in terms of what you were doing?Did working on the show influence you as a comedian?are available on DVD through Network.
