Beware: Spitting Image is back

It made one Prime Minister famous for being grey, turned his Cabinet Minister into a giant slug and provided the most biting political comment of its day.

Now Spitting Image, the TV show dreaded by those in power and loved by cynics, is set to return to haunt Blair, Brown and Bush.

Its creators are discussing a comeback with ITV executives. In its heyday, the satire, featuring witty puppetry sketches, attracted audiences of up to 15million.

It was renowned for its refusal to respect the Royal Family and landed itself in legal hot water when it superimposed the head of Norris McWhirter - founder of the Guinness Book of Records - on to a picture of a naked torso.

But viewing figures dwindled after the fall of Margaret Thatcher and the series was axed in 1996. John Lloyd, one of the original producers, said today's political climate made Spitting Image ripe for a return. He said: 'Everyone seems to have a residual affection for Spitting Image.

'The way things are at the moment is much more interesting and dangerous.

You've got Michael Howard running the Tories and Geoff Hoon - oh, what a joy.

'It's not that Spitting Image has any better answers to all the terrible things going on in the world.

'But it is a thoughtful and amusing way of looking at stuff.'