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All satire bites. Of course this series was vituperative. Most, if not all humour is at the expense of somebody else. So what better targets can there be for humour than the rich, famous and powerful? The other reviewer who expressed his disgust at a programme that could mock a certain baby should take this into consideration: any child born into the family of Windsor will be one of the most privileged and pampered people in the world from the very first day of its life. "Spitting Image" was not evil. It didn't stigmatize the large numbers unemployed, force the poll tax on people, starve public services of cash. It didn't widen the gulf between the rich and the poor. It simply provided satire. If one doesn't like "Spitting Image" then one won't like any good satire at all. The series also launched the careers of many of this country's most popular comic actors. The puppets, mannerisms and voices were spot on. The 80s and early 90s were a very difficult time for a lot of people in the UK. "Spitting Image" was a fine example of how we were able to laugh at ourselves and this crazy world we live in.

Many of us are too young to remember Harry Secombe in his prime. The younger generation remember him as the elderly man who presented religious programmes. To watch this programme is to be reminded what an effervescent and treasured talent he was in the 1950s and 1960s. He is remembered fondly by his celebrity friends (a talented bunch themselves) and the archive clips include images of the young Secombe, recordings from the groundbreaking radio comedy "The Goon Show" which brought him fame and a selection of his film and variety appearances.

I don't suppose anybody in the States has heard of Mr Clarkson. Well, in short, you could describe him as somebody who is hated by virtually everyone over here, and yet enigmatically, he is rarely out of work. He sets out to be controversial, outspoken and often downright rude. This show, broadcast on minority channel BBC2, masqueraded as a celebrity chat show but was actually a vehicle for the right wing bloke with the perm who appeared on it every week. Although I don't agree with him on a lot of issues, he is quite funny (and Top Gear is much poorer without his unique style). Some memorable moments from this short-lived show included his interview with film director and like-minded soul Michael Winner and his attacks on Mel Gibson and caravanners.