I'm Spazticus

The horribly-named I'm Spazticus was a hidden camera, fool-the-public format using actors with disabilities.

One of the first 'jokes' on the prank show saw a job applicant going for an interview. The receptionist warned him that the interviewer could be a 'Little Hitler' - and behind the desk, there was a man about 3ft 6in high, with his fringe greased sideways and a toothbrush moustache.

His phone rang: he grabbed it and started arguing about the time of his next appointment. 'I said nine! Nein, nein, nein, nein, nein!' Then he slammed his head on the desk, while the jobseeker sat and looked anxious.

It was witless and predictable and pointless. And it was a ghastly demonstration of the chasm that has opened up between classic television comedy and the guff that is churned out now.

Somebody at Channel 4 obviously thinks dwarfs are hilarious, because they featured in lots of 'pranks'. Six of them were carrying a coffin through the streets with a floral tribute spelling 'Happy' in red and white carnations.

A passer-by, a gangly lad about 6ft tall, was roped in to be a pall-bearer. He obviously didn't imagine that one of Snow White's seven dwarfs had passed away. He was just bored and passing the time. Meanwhile, a woman with one arm was trying to persuade minor celebs from TOWIE and The X Factor to join a campaign against prosthetic limbs being transplanted from chimpanzees.

She had film on an iPad of a man with a monkey's arm attached to his elbow. Even the notoriously dim Frankie Cocozza didn't seem particularly convinced by this. But if you're a reject from a TV talent contest who hasn't had a headline for months, you'll probably give any publicity a try.

First piloted during the 2012 Paralympics, all this hidden camera show proves is that disabled people can be as unfunny as the able-bodied. If the intention was to highlight prejudice, that's failed too: faced with talking guide dogs, or six dwarf pallbearers carrying a fallen Happy, the Great British Punk'd are unfailingly helpful. Meanwhile, getting Brian Belo and Towie's Lauren Goodger to front a group protesting against the grafting of monkey arms on to amputees isn't so much fish in barrels as elephants in teacups.

Political correctness flies out of the window in this hidden-camera comedy show. It's You've Been Framed with disabilities, as both the public and desperate sort-of celebs (hello Brian Belo, Lauren Goodger and Frankie Cocozza) get duped by a bunch of dwarves, amputees and blind people. It's hit-and-miss but watching Belo's impassioned plea to stop the inhumane practice of grafting monkey arms on to humans is sickly amusing. Come on, it's 'armless fun.

A pilot developed into a four-part series in 2012, I'm Spazticus received mixed reviews, but C4 has had faith enough to try again this year. It's frustrating to report that little has improved. Deriving its title from an ancient, taboo-pushing Ian Dury song (Spasticus Autisticus) is symptomatic of the problem - it's woefully old-fashioned from start to finish.

The all-disabled cast do their best, but there's only so far one can go when a sketch involves pretending to be Hitler. When Freddie Starr isn't being channelled, Brass Eye is, with a carbon-copy of the famed 'Carla the elephant' skit involving a charity committed to stopping monkey arms being used instead of expensive prosthetic arms. Trouble is, whereas Chris Morris had the panache to make Martin Amis look like a tit, I'm Spazticus can only cajole plankton from TOWIE or Big Brother to make themselves look foolish. This raises precisely no laughs, simply because nobody expects reality rejects to be anything but dimwitted to begin with.

Amid the Jackass-lite buffoonery, one skit shines - an estate agent turning up to give an estimate on a wendy house. Otherwise, there's little to threaten the holy trinity of pranksters - Steve Allen, Sacha Baron Cohen and St Noel of Crinkley Bottom.

I'm Spazticus two

For a small production team, producing a hidden camera show is a big challenge.

I'm Spazticus - TV review

Heard the one about the amputees and the prosthetic monkey limbs? Don't worry, in I'm Spazticus, it's OK to laugh.

I'm Spazticus: Martin Dougan interview

"It's not necessarily showing people the goodness, it's showing people the bad side of disability and flipping it on it's head. I'm looking forward to seeing the reaction"

I'm Spazticus: Scots TV presenter joins cast

The controversial show features disabled comedians poking fun at their own predicament.

I'm Spazticus filmed in Middlesbrough

Teessiders were the butt of pranksters' jokes when a Channel 4 comedy show was filmed in Middlesbrough town centre.