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Char Aznable has declared Margaret Thatcher is to be renamed to Margaret Thatcher (Spitting Image) for the following reason(s): Adaptation of a real person. Please discuss it on the talk page for this article. "I told you I am not Casval, I am Char Aznable."  ✓
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| “ | I was the Iron Lady, not the stupid twat! That does it, I'm coming back, taking over and reshuffling you all into Hell! HAHAHAHAHAHA! | „ |
| ~ Thatcher threatening to permanently possess Boris Johnson, scalding Priti Patel, Matt Hancock, Michael Gove and Dominic Raab. |
Margaret Hilda Thatcher is a supporting antagonist in the original ITV and ITV reboot of Spitting Image.
She was first featured in the original series when the real-life Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister. She later appears in the reboot as an apparition who possesses Boris Johnson, who seeks to restore former glory to the Conservative Party.
She was voiced by Steve Nallon in both runs of the show. Her puppet was initially controlled by Anthony Asbury, who controlled Audrey II in the 2003 Broadway run of Little Shop of Horrors. She was also controlled occasionally by Louise Gold in seasons 1, 2 and 4, who also portrayed Baroness Bomburst in the 2004 run of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and controlled SkekAyuk in The Dark Crystal and Mean Mama in The Muppet Show.
Physical appearance[]
As a caricature puppet, Thatcher's physical appearance is greatly exaggerated from her actual appearance. She is given large grey eyes and a tightly-pursed mouth. She is often seen wearing suits that were commonly associated with Thatcher in real life, as well as large Conservative-blue campaign rosettes. Whilst her head was a puppet, her hands were that of the puppeteer's.
When in possession of Boris Johnson, the puppet used is still Johnson's with Thatcher's hair. He dons her trademark double-string pearl necklace which were commonly associated with Thatcher during her leadership.
Personality[]
Thatcher is portrayed as a tight-lipped, self-aggrandising leader. She demonstrates the same iron-fisted confidence that summarised her leadership in real life, with satirical references to her cut-throat approach to dismissing ministers, abolishing paternalist policies and advocating for privatising public entities. She is seen to deem herself as the Queen, rather than the true monarch of the time, Elizabeth II. This is in jest at how Thatcher viewed herself as head of state for the UK (a position held by the monarch, not the Prime Minister).
Her cabinet are frequently depicted as distracted, immature schoolboys, with Thatcher having leading authority in the room similar to that of a teacher trying to settle a class of children. Her ideological views are also exaggerated, referring to the stealing of other's property (in one instance, one of her cabinet minister's pens) as socialism.
The showrunners were predominately left-wing and critics of Thatcher's politics. As such, they exaggerated her personality to appear dictatorial, fascist and downright evil. This was done by drawing on the real-life Thatcherism approach to politics characterised by privatising public industries, reshuffling defiant cabinets by firing opposing ministers and tight fiscal expenditure.
Thatcher's personality grew increasingly more unstable as the show ran, developing her from a bullyish leader to an abusive tyrant with growing obsession over Ronald Reagan. This was drawn from Thatcher's dwindling popularity throughout her tenure, and frontrunning of policies adopted by Reagan during his presidency such as the promotion of free market capitalism.
Biography[]
Background[]
Thatcher was born in Grantham, Lincolnshire. She attended Oxford where she studied chemistry. She became leader of the Conservative Party and was elected as Prime Minister in 1979. During this time, great political unrest developed in British society due to various policies including poll taxation, ceasing the free provision of milk to schoolchildren, the Falklands War, disagreements with trade unions and adversity to global bodies such as the EEC and the UN.
Thatcher had a next door neighbour whom she turned to for leadership advice, who was given an intentional resemblance to Adolf Hitler in an attempt to draw comparisons between the two.
In government in Spitting Image, Thatcher is depicted initially as teacherlike, trying to manage a group of rowdy cabinet ministers.
Spitting Image (1984-1996)[]
Thatcher had been seen in royal regalia, indicating her self-view as head of state. She was often seen butting heads with Queen Elizabeth II. In Parliament, she is depicted treating her cabinet as children. She was often placed in slapstick situations where she would suffer injury, such as being hit by an off-screen individual by a plank (a gag later reserved in the revival for Prince Andrew in the wake of his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein). She would often be depicted in furious debate in the House of Commons against Neil Kinnock, leader of the Labour Party at the time.
Thatcher's initial portray showed her as an abrasive political leader who tries to control her cabinet. As the series progressed, Thatcher becomes increasingly unstable in ways to cling to power.
Spitting Image (2020-2021)[]
In a Halloween episode, Boris Johnson seeks to revive the spirit of Winston Churchill to evoke former "Tory glory". However, Johnson instead reanimates the spirit of Margaret Thatcher (who had died a decade prior). Thatcher possesses Johnson's body, and advises him to abolish the North of England, to stop negotiating with Northern mayors, "snatch" children's milk and make them feel grateful for the little they receive. Outraged at the current state of the Conservative Party, Thatcher declares that she is staying in Johnson's body to make change.
Priti Patel, Dominic Raab, Michael Gove and Matt Hancock consult Tory Spells, a book on reanimating the undead. It tells them to make a blood sacrifice, to which the group unanimously volunteers a terrified Hancock. They also learn that it must be a virgin, which affirms their decision to sacrifice Hancock. Patel tears out Hancock's heart, which send Thatcher's soul back to the dead (which she deems to be another U-Turn, referencing Thatcher's famous "U-turn if you want to" speech.
Quotes[]
| “ | There are many ways that people can help themselves without becoming a burden on the state. For example, if the unemployed are hungry, why don't they eat their own bodies? All that good meat going to waste, it makes me mad! | „ |
| ~ Thatcher in a 'Panorama' interview. |
| “ | Government isn't a charity. The unemployed must learn to eat their own two feet. Now, here is someone I made unemployed earlier. | „ |
| ~ Thatcher in an interview, satirising teleshopping channels of showing a pre-prepared product. In this instance, Thatcher shows someone she made unemployed through her policies. |
| “ | Neil Kinnock: I'd fight and die for my country! Thatcher: We'll see if that can be arranged. |
„ |
| ~ Thatcher making slight threats to Leader of the Opposition, Neil Kinnock. |
| “ | Thatcher: Why did you summon me, you snivelling weaklings? Dominic Raab: We're having some trouble with the North. Thatcher: Abolish it! Michael Gove: Maybe we can suggest that to the mayors during the next round of negotiations. Thatcher: You're negotiating with Northerners?! Oh, you cretinous wets. Priti Patel: This is so hot, if I had a pulse it would be racing. I want to kiss her, him, it...lips so sausagey. Dominic Raab: What should we do about hungry schoolkids? Thatcher: Take away their milk! Snatch it! Dominc Raab: We've already taken away their meals. Thatcher: Never take everything away, make them feel grateful for what little they get! Michael Gove: Okay, about the EU, now that we've left it... Thatcher: You left it?! My God! What are you going to do next, catch immigrants with nets? |
„ |
| ~ Thatcher chastising Boris Johnson's cabinet after being summoned in a séance. |
| “ | Wrong! The opposite of unanimous is fired! | „ |
| ~ Thatcher's hard-line approach to her cabinet who, when failing to demonstrate collective ministerial agreement, are sacked. |
Gallery[]
Thatcher in possession of Boris Johnson.
Trivia[]
- Much of Thatcher's character is influenced from real-life scandals and events. In Thatcher's case, these include:
- Steve Nallon, who originated Thatcher in the original Spitting Image, revived his role in the show after 24 years. In between times, Nallon had popularised his imitations of Thatcher and had continued to impersonate her throughout his career between the shows original run and its revival.
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 villains
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Dominic Cummings | Margaret Thatcher | Priti Patel | Michael Gove | Liz Truss | Boris Johnson | Vladimir Putin | Donald Trump | Coroni | ||