Chris Morris (I)

Chris Morris and Charlie Brooker's prophetic Channel 4 sitcom skewered east London hipster culture to a tee through its odious protagonist, a self-proclaimed "self-facilitating media node" and purveyor of witless viral videos via his website TrashBat.co.ck (registered in the Cook Islands).

But the show's true concern was the plight of depressed journalist Dan Ashcroft (Julian Barrett), surviving unhappily in the offices of Sugar Ape, too ill-motivated and sickened by the buffoons around him to better himself. His article "Rise of the Idiots", in which he takes his tormentors to task, only makes matters worse, proving a hit and seeing him hailed as "Preacher Man" by the same fools he sought to destroy.

His sister Claire (Claire Keelan), an aspiring and idealistic documentarian, is similarly thwarted by Barley and his kind.

Ashcroft's failed interview at The Sunday Times, where he humiliates himself by stating a preference for "Dutch wine", is excruciating and made worse by his having to return contrite to Hosegate to retract his resignation from Charlie Condou's withering editor, Jonathan Yeah? (the question mark added by deed poll), who gloats deliciously.

Chris Morris - the master satirist of his day - followed his TV news spoofs On the Hour (1991-92) and The Day Today (1994) with this glorious send-up of investigative journalism.

Again starring Morris in stentorian, Paxmanesque anchorman mode, the series tackled such weighty themes as animal welfare and drugs in ludicrous fashion, conning well meaning and/or publicity hungry celebrities into endorsing bogus causes without bothering to do their research. The show's overblown graphics were particularly inspired.

Brass Eye's "Paedogedon!" special caused uproar in 2001 but the sight of pop star Phil Collins wearing a baseball cap promoting "Nonce sense" belongs to the ages.

The provocations of Sacha Baron Cohen's recent Who is America? owe a huge debt to Morris.

Meet Brass Eye, the original Who Is America?

The premiere of Sacha Baron Cohen's new show, Who Is America?, surprised viewers by exposing the incredible lengths some politicians and pundits will go to when provided with a teleprompter to read from while on a legitimate-looking television set. Fans of British satirist Christopher Morris's 1997 TV show Brass Eye, however, were already well-aware of this phenomenon.

Ali G vs Trump - and other inspired spoof interviews

Fifteen years ago, when Donald Trump was merely a business tycoon and not the most controversial US president since Nixon, he found himself face to face with Sacha Baron Cohen's cult comedy alter-ego: aspiring UK rapper Ali G. Now that Diane Morgan's Philomena Cunk is currently rekindling the trend for spoof interviews, we look back at one of the best.

39 of the best quotes from The Day Today & Brass Eye

The Day Today and Brass Eye were both amazingly subversive satires, upending the news and current affairs of the day in gloriously silly - and sometimes controversial - style.

Watching Brass Eye as a documentary

The genius of Brass Eye's satire meant it was never too far off the tabloid journalism it skewered.

20 years on, how Chris Morris invented fake news

Out-takes from Brass Eye have been made into a film to mark its birthday - but fans of the cult show can only view it at rare live cinema screenings.

Oxide Ghosts: the Brass Eye Tapes - review

This is one for Morris completists, I think. If you have no idea who he is or what Brass Eye was, this really isn't going to be much help. And the chances are you'll leave the cinema feeling distinctly underwhelmed.

Fuss over Brass Eye's bad taste obscures its genius

As part of our 90s comedy week, we ask whether Chris Morris' celeb-baiting satire holds up, 20 years on.

Brass Eye: previously unseen material set to be shown

Nearly two decades since it was last seen on our screens, Chris Morris' classic satirical TV show Brass Eye continues to enjoy an army of fans. And some of them are in for a real treat.