Spreading Insanity

This is something I honestly couldn't believe when I heard about it. The BBC is planning to air a 'satirical comedy' show called Time Trumpet. The first clips released on the internet to garner publicity include some real knee slappers.

Like a jumbo jet hitting Westminster and Tony Blair with a bullet hole in his head. All part of the Terrorism Awards segment of the show.

The BBC has been urged to pull a 'sick' new comedy show which features spoof news reports of Tony Blair being assassinated and a 9/11-style video of terrorists crashing an airliner into the Houses of Parliament.

The clips for an Oscar-style 'Terrorism Awards' ceremony that forms one of the sketches in the new BBC2 series, Time Trumpet.

As well as the al-Qaeda plane attack and a picture of Mr Blair with a bullet hole in the side of his head after being 'shot as he slept beside his wife', the skit also features a Hamas bombing in Tel Aviv. It is believed it was made before the recent outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East.

To add authenticity to the clips - which appeared on the internet yesterday in what appeared to be a cynical attempt to drum up publicity - 'The Terrorism Awards' are hosted by BBC election veteran Peter Snow and Tomorrow's World presenter Philippa Forrester.

Introducing the nominees, Mr Snow says: 'Terrorism can be a lonely business, and a long hard struggle. Our three finalists in this category are …'

After each clip is shown, there is the sound of applause and laughter - supposedly from the audience at the award ceremony.

The satire is the work of Armando Iannucci, who wrote the award-winning recent Whitehall comedy The Thick of It and was the co-creator of Steve Coogan's alter ego Alan Partridge.

Although Iannucci is known for his subtle parodies on the news and media - he produced The Day Today and On The Hour - his latest offering has provoked outrage from MPs of all sides. Andrew Dismore, Labour MP for Hendon, said it was 'absolutely sick.'

'At a time when people are dying for real on both sides in the Middle East, to try and make fun of what's going on is the worst thing imaginable.

'Nothing is more sick than attempting to make a joke out of people who are dying. It's beyond the pale.'

'The BBC governors should do something to stop this. And the fact that it could have been given approval by the BBC's editorial board is simply disgraceful.'

David Davies, Tory MP for Monmouth, said: 'It shows a distinct lack of taste and could even exacerbate the suffering of the July 7th bombing victims.

'The BBC receives a large amount of taxpayers' money and has a duty to use it responsibly. I can't see much comedy value in this at a time when all of us are at risk from terrorism.' The 'Terrorism Award' sketch features in episode three of the six-part series which starts tonight.

A preview of it, plus other sketches - including Dale Winton exploding and a mouse crawling out of Anna Ford's throat as she sombrely reads the One O'Clock News - yesterday appeared on the internet.

A little humorous thought experiment for the humorous left that thinks this is humorous. Would it be funny if it showed a jet hitting, oh say, the BBC? Or a prominent lefty with a bullet hole? Would it be funny?

Major case of mental illness here. There simply are not enough words to describe this behavior.