November 27, 2025
Henry Naylor: From Spitting Image and Rowan Atkinson to the Frontlines of Political Theatre
Television Times with Steve Otis GunnAbout this episode
Henry Naylor: From Spitting Image and Rowan Atkinson to the Frontlines of Political Theatre 🎙️ Episode Overview In this episode, Steve Otis Gunn talks with award-winning writer, comedian, and playwright Henry Naylor , whose career has spanned British sketch comedy, blockbuster advertising, and some of the most politically charged theatre of the past decade. Henry explains how he first broke into the industry on Smith & Jones , how he met Armstrong & Miller through his sketch group, and what it was like to star alongside Rowan Atkinson in the hugely successful Barclaycard adverts. Henry also divulges stories from Spitting Image —the legal battles, its political influence, and the chaos of producing weekly satire. He also reflects on his move into political theatre with plays such as Games , Afghanistan Is Not Funny , and Monstering the Rocket Man . Highlights include: Filming million-pound commercials around the world Being the first writer to mimic Tony Blair on television The short-lived but groundbreaking CGI satire Headcases How even great shows can suffer when actors are miscast 🎭 About Henry Henry Naylor is an award-winning writer, comedian, and playwright. After early success on Smith & Jones and Spitting Image , he co-created the animated satire Headcases and appeared with Rowan Atkinson in the iconic Barclaycard ads. In recent years, he’s become one of the UK’s leading political dramatists with powerful works like Games , Afghanistan Is Not Funny , and Monstering the Rocket Man , earning major awards at the Edinburgh Fringe and touring worldwide. 🔗 Connect with Henry Instagram Facebook 📢 Follow the Podcast Stay updated with the latest episodes and behind-the-scenes content: Instagram TikTok YouTube Podcast: Television Times with Steve Otis Gunn Host: Steve Otis Gunn Guest : Henry Naylor – Playwright, Actor & Director Duration : 43 minutes Release Date : November 20, 2025 Season : 4, Episode 28 All music written and performed in this podcast by Steve Otis Gunn Please buy my book, You Shot My Dog and I Love You , available in all good bookshops and online. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.