Brass Eye
Brass Eye (stylised as brassEYE) is a British satirical television series parodying current affairs news programming. A series of six episodes aired on Channel 4 in 1997, and a further episode in 2001. The series was created and presented by Chris Morris, written by Morris, David Quantick, Peter Baynham, Jane Bussmann, Arthur Mathews, Graham Linehan and Charlie Brooker and directed by Michael Cumming.
Brass Eye
- Michael Cumming (Ep 1–6),
- Tristram Shapeero (2001 special)
Chris Morris
United Kingdom
7
25 mins
29 January 1997 –
26 July 2001
Controversies[edit]
Postponement[edit]
The series had originally been scheduled to air in November 1996, but was postponed and ultimately aired in January 1997.[17][18] According to Channel 4, this delay was to ensure that broadcasting standards were met, amid fears that some of the series' pranks might violate the Independent Television Commission's code on hoaxes.[17][19] Two days before airing, the show had been denounced by Tom Sackville, a minister at the Home Office, who criticised "this waste of Home Office time", referring to the programme's 'Cake' hoax which involved Sackville and MP David Amess.[17] The Guardian reported that the postponement was the subject of internet speculation on at least 112 different websites, which featured conspiracy theories that Channel 4 had given into pressure from the Home Office, or that the programme had been pulled by the then chief executive of Channel 4, Michael Grade, owing to the negative effect it might have had on the channel's upcoming campaign against privatisation.[20] In January 1997, it was announced that the series would indeed be broadcast, and would begin airing later in the month.[18] After airing, the programme did indeed attract complaints from MPs David Amess and Sir Graham Bright concerning their appearances on the show involving 'cake', which were held up by the Independent Television Commission.[21] However, the commission also went "out of its way" to praise the series as "amusing and innovative".[21] While the ITC's television code included a provision that "contributors must be made aware of the format and purpose of programmes", the response to the complaints clarified that "The Commission had no criticism of the overall programme concept. It acknowledged that risks were attached to making innovative programmes and felt that Channel 4 should not be discouraged for that reason from seeking to make such programmes. It proposed to take no further action against Channel 4."[21]
Michael Grade[edit]
Michael Grade, then chief executive of Channel 4, repeatedly intervened to demand edits to episodes of Brass Eye.[22] The final episode included a single-frame subliminal message reading "Grade is a cunt".[22]
Home media[edit]
A DVD released in 2001 reinstated most of the material cut from the original, although a few items were removed, most notably the subliminal messages directed at Michael Grade and an interview with Graham Bright MP in the "Drugs" episode. A disclaimer was also added to the "Drugs" episode at the request of David Amess.