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Series · 1986 – 1989 · Comedy

Hot Metal

★5.4 1986 – 1989 2 Seasons TV-MA

Hot metal is a London Weekend Television sitcom about the British Newspaper industry broadcast between 1986 and 1988. The daily crucible, the dullest newspaper in Fleet Street, is suddenly taken over by media magnate Terence "Twiggy" Rathbone. Its editor Harry Stringer is 'promoted' to managing editor, and is replaced in his old job by Russell Spam. Spam then takes the paper shooting downmarket and turns the crucible into a sensation seeking scandal rag, very much in the style of the British tabloids of the 1980s. He is helped along by his ace gutter journalist, Greg Kettle, who intimidates his tabloid victims by claiming to be "a representative of Her Majesty's press" and produces stories such as accusing a vicar of being a werewolf. Throughout the first series, a running plot involved cub reporter Bill Tytla gradually uncovering an actual newsworthy story that went to the very heart of government. Written by David Renwick and Andrew Marshall, it is very much a continuation in style from their previous sitcom Whoops Apocalypse!. It was produced by Humphrey Barclay.

Seasons & episodes

2 seasons · 13 episodes

Episode 01

The Tell-Tale Heart

Feb 16, 1986 · 30 min

Entrepreneur Twiggy Rathbone buys a failing Fleet Street newspaper, The Daily Crucible, and the first coup of the new managing editor Russell Spam is an exclusive smear of Prince Andrew's latest girlfriend and the discovery of Nikita Khrushchev, alive and well in Switzerland.

Episode 02

The Modern Prometheus

Feb 23, 1986 · 30 min

The Crucible launches an all-out campaign supporting a return to capital punishment by interviewing murder victims through a seance and interviewing the brother of a state executioner who hanged himself. Spam discovers the man identified as Khrushchev is a fake, and the fellow dies during a live televsion interview.

Episode 03

Beyond the Infinite

Mar 2, 1986 · 30 min

Spam launches an anti-Red campaign against Father Teasdale, and introduces ""Wobblevision"" to the page three beauties as a circulation ploy. Bill Tytla receives a mysterious tip that a nurse knows something sinister about the death of Donald Kubelsky, the Khrushchev impersonator.

Episode 04

Casting the Runes

Mar 9, 1986 · 30 min

Kettle and Spam continue their persecution of Father Teasdale by adding charges of lycanthropy, Rathbone rails against Spitting Image, and Tytla looks into charges (from an anonymous source calling himself ""Sore Throat"") that the police are involved in covering up the Kubelsky murder.

Episode 05

The Slaughter of the Innocent

Mar 16, 1986 · 30 min

Rathbone negotiates a compromise to keep Father Teasdale's church open, Kettle stumbles on a multiple birth, and Tytla is caught while searching for Sore Throat's papers.

Episode 06

The Respectable Prostitute

Mar 23, 1986 · 30 min

Stringer springs back into action as he gets to the bottom of the Khrushchev impersonator's death and uncovers a political sex scandal.

About the series

Hot Metal poster
Audience score
★ 5.4 /10

based on 8 votes

Synopsis

Hot metal is a London Weekend Television sitcom about the British Newspaper industry broadcast between 1986 and 1988. The daily crucible, the dullest newspaper in Fleet Street, is suddenly taken over by media magnate Terence "Twiggy" Rathbone. Its editor Harry Stringer is 'promoted' to managing editor, and is replaced in his old job by Russell Spam. Spam then takes the paper shooting downmarket and turns the crucible into a sensation seeking scandal rag, very much in the style of the British tabloids of the 1980s. He is helped along by his ace gutter journalist, Greg Kettle, who intimidates his tabloid victims by claiming to be "a representative of Her Majesty's press" and produces stories such as accusing a vicar of being a werewolf. Throughout the first series, a running plot involved cub reporter Bill Tytla gradually uncovering an actual newsworthy story that went to the very heart of government. Written by David Renwick and Andrew Marshall, it is very much a continuation in style from their previous sitcom Whoops Apocalypse!. It was produced by Humphrey Barclay.

Comedy

Cast

5 principal cast

Robert Hardy

Robert Hardy

Twiggy Rathbone / Russell Spam

Caroline Milmoe

Caroline Milmoe

Maggie Troon

David Barrass

David Barrass

Jack Thrush

Richard Wilson

Richard Wilson

Dicky Lipton

Richard Kane

Greg Kettle

Where to watch Hot Metal

Hot Metal is available to stream on Flicksy via 6 verified sources, aggregated from publicly available embed providers. The comedy has 2 seasons and 13 total episodes, rated 5.4/10 by 8 viewers.

Frequently asked

How many seasons does Hot Metal have?

Hot Metal has 2 seasons with 13 episodes in total.

Is Hot Metal still on the air?

Hot Metal has ended and is no longer in production.

What network airs Hot Metal?

Hot Metal airs on ITV1.

When did Hot Metal first air?

Hot Metal first aired on February 16, 1986.

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