Hot Metal Season 1 1986
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.
- Released: 1986-02-16
- Runtime: 30 minutes
- Genre: Comedy
- Stars: Robert Hardy, Geoffrey Palmer, Caroline Milmoe, Geoffrey Hutchings, David Barrass
- Director: Humphrey Barclay
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1. The Tell-Tale Heart 1986-02-16
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2. The Modern Promethius 1986-02-23
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3. Beyond the Infinite 1986-03-02
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4. Casting the Runes 1986-03-09
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5. The Slaughter of the Innocent 1986-03-16
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6. The Respectable Prostitute 1986-03-23
