Spitting In Russian

In the 1980s and early 1990s, at the height of its success, Spitting Image was commanding audiences from around the world. The Russians decided that they would like to have their own version of the satirical show, and a mysterious fax landed on the desk of its co-creator, Roger Law. 'The Russians are coming!' he announced to his team, and after much confusion a team arrived from Moscow to learn the magic art of making political puppets.

But how did all this go down in the dying days of the Soviet Union? At the time, Roget Law went over to Moscow to help set up the show, and he can remember vodka with breakfast and not very much else. Did they actually manage to make a Russian version of Spitting Image? It is time for Roger to go back and find out what happened to the TV producers and to their satirical ambitions.

Roger Law digs out the paperwork from 20 years ago and heads off to Moscow again on a mission to track them down. Armed only with a handful of faxes, letters, and a puppet of Mikhail Gorbachev for company, Roger heads to the bitter cold of a Moscow winter, and discovers more than he bargained for.

A story of intrigue, betrayal, international espionage and rubber puppets.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2010