The iconic satirical puppet show Spitting Image is making a comeback with Prince Harry, Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Angela Rayner among the high-profile targets for a new YouTube series launching this autumn.
The show, famous for its grotesque latex puppets voiced by comedians lampooning public figures, will return as “Spitting Image: The Rest Is Bulls*!t” – a series of short-form vodcast episodes promising “a no holds barred up-to-the-minute assault on the world of politics, pop culture and media control.”
An 11-minute teaser episode released on July 4, 2025, on the official Spitting Image YouTube channel offers viewers a taste of what’s in store, featuring puppet Prince Harry confessing he’s “trying to make a sh*t ton of money out of podcasting.”
New Era for Classic Satire
The revival marks the latest chapter for the BAFTA and Emmy award-winning series, which originally ran from 1984 to 1996 and attracted more than 15 million viewers at its peak.
After a brief return on streaming service BritBox from 2020 to 2022, the show is now embracing digital platforms with what producers describe as a “brand new era” designed for “all those wanting to laugh in the face of these anxiety-inducing, squeaky-bum times of global conflict, unhinged world leaders and megalomaniac Fin Tech bosses.”
The teaser episode showcases Prince Harry’s puppet, complete with receding red hairline, hosting a podcast alongside an unexpected co-host – Paddington Bear, who reveals addictions extending beyond his famous love of marmalade.
Political and Celebrity Targets
The new series pulls no punches with its choice of targets. Donald Trump appears at the White House, while Vladimir Putin features prominently in sketches. Elon Musk’s puppet sports dark sunglasses and a black cap, while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner also make appearances.
In typical Spitting Image fashion, no topic appears off-limits. The teaser includes Trump’s latest phone call with Putin, Sir Keir Starmer joining “global U-turners,” and Zelenskyy making a musical appeal to the United States for continued support to Ukraine.
Creative Team Behind Revival
Leading the creative charge are Al Murray and Matt Forde, two of the writers behind the critically acclaimed stage show “Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image The Musical,” which ran at Birmingham Rep and London’s Phoenix Theatre in 2023.
Murray, known for his comedy persona “The Pub Landlord,” brings extensive writing experience from the original Spitting Image series in the early 1990s. Forde, a political comedian and impressionist, previously voiced Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer in the 2020 BritBox revival.
“We are living through an insane, abnormal, infuriating period, so the timing of this show couldn’t be better,” Forde said during the stage show’s run. “It’s vital that we see our leaders lampooned with cutting satire and yes, whacked over the head with a big stick.”
Harry Takes Center Stage
Prince Harry’s puppet features prominently in the teaser, serving as host of the vodcast format. The Duke of Sussex is depicted making self-deprecating jokes about his podcast ambitions and his relationship with the Royal Family.
I’m trying to do the same with my family!” the puppet quips to Elon Musk about cutting things down to size. References to his life in Montecito include jokes about his wife Meghan Markle’s “rank smoothies” and sessions with his “accountability coach” that he hasn’t told her about.
The episode concludes with puppet Harry on the phone asking to “speak directly to me daddy, please?” – a characteristic jab at ongoing family tensions.
Production Details
“Spitting Image: The Rest Is Bulls*!t” is produced by Avalon, with Matt Stronge serving as producer and director. Executive producers include Richard Allen-Turner, Jon Thoday and original Spitting Image co-creator Roger Law.
The series represents a significant shift in format from traditional television to digital platforms, with producers creating “specially created, original short-form vodcast episodes” designed for modern attention spans and online consumption.
Legacy and Exhibition
The original Spitting Image, created by British caricaturists Peter Fluck and Roger Law, became a cultural phenomenon during its 12-year run, mercilessly depicting leading public figures including Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev and Princess Diana.
In 2023, puppets from the show’s archives were displayed in an exhibition at Cambridge, highlighting the program’s enduring cultural impact. Law donated his entire archive – including scripts, puppet molds, drawings and recordings – to the University of Cambridge in 2018.
Previous Revival Attempts
The 2020 BritBox revival achieved significant online success, with official social media content garnering over 200 million views globally and three number-one trending videos on YouTube. However, the series was cancelled in October 2022 after ITV wrote off £9 million spent on unaired episodes following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Producer John Lloyd, who worked on the original series, recalled his determination to be involved: “They said, ‘we already have two producers we don’t need you, thank you very much’, so I said, ‘I’ll work for nothing’.”
Digital Future
The move to YouTube represents a strategic shift for the franchise, potentially reaching a global audience without the constraints of traditional broadcasting or streaming platforms. The format allows for rapid response to current events and the flexibility to tackle topical issues as they unfold.
While the official launch date for the full series remains unconfirmed, the autumn 2025 release promises to deliver the same savage satire that made Spitting Image a household name, updated for the digital age.
As the teaser demonstrates, from the White House to Windsor, from Putin to Paddington via Silicon Valley, the gloves – or rather, the latex – are well and truly off.
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