Spitting Image returning to ITV for one-off US election special

Episode will air on Halloween following series return to BritBox

Spitting Image will be returning to ITV for a one-off special in the run-up to the US election.

The satirical puppet show returned in October with a new series mocking our political and cultural leaders, which has so far been exclusively available to watch on streaming service BritBox.

However, it was announced on Wednesday (21 October) that the show will be releasing a two-part special ahead of the US election showdown between Donald Trump and Joe Biden on 3 November.

Both parts will be available to stream on BritBox from the morning of Saturday 31 October, with part one being additionally broadcast on ITV as a one-off special at 10pm that evening.

Creator Roger Law said of the show’s return to ITV: “Spitting Image returns to ITV for a one-off special on the 31st October at 10pm. Halloween. How very appropriate.”

Trump’s ‘Spitting Image’ puppet (Reuters)

The news of the US election special comes after a Spitting Image producers suggested that the show was originally due to air in the US, but was pulled by NBC over fears it would upset Trump.

“It’s basically quite a difficult show to do in the environment that exists,” Jon Thoday said.

“You can’t really do Spitting Image unless you’re fighting the corner of attacking everybody, but by doing that people just get nervous. They think they want it, but when they’ve got it they just start worrying about it.”