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.

Cast

Robert Hardy

Twiggy Rathbone / Russell Spam

R

Richard Kane

Greg Kettle

Caroline Milmoe

Maggie Troon

David Barrass

Jack Thrush

Richard Wilson

Dicky Lipton

Geoffrey Palmer

Harold Stringer

Geoffrey Hutchings

Max Rutherford

John Horsley

Father Teasdale

Charles Collingwood

Newsreader

Tony Aitken

Mr. Pooly

S

Stella Moray

BBC Producer

S

Sarah Whitlock

BBC PA

Sara Crowe

TV Presenter

S

Steven Law

Foreman

K

Kevin Quarmby

BBC Security Officer

Seasons

13 episodes

Season 11986 · 6 episodes

Season 21988 · 7 episodes