The puppet of former Labour leader and Islwyn MP, Neil Kinnock, used on the popular television show Spitting Image is going up for sale.
The show’s original latex figures of Lord Kinnock and his wife Glenys are being put up for auction in Cardiff on Saturday February 18.
The 74-year-old, who was educated at Lewis School, Pengam, before serving as Islwyn MP between 1970 and 1995, was the Labour Party leader from 1983 to 1992 when Spitting Image was regularly watched by millions of viewers every Sunday night.
The satirical ITV show mimicked and poked fun at political figures, celebrities, sportstars and the Royal Family.
Television bosses exaggerated Lord Kinnock’s ginger hair, rosy cheeks and large mouth as they made him into a latex puppet.
They also gave him an unflattering double-chin, big teeth and a wonky nose.
His voice was imitated by both Steve Coogan and Steve Barrie during the show’s 12-year run.
Auctioneers Rogers Jones and Co, based in Cardiff, expect the pair, standing at 110cm tall, to fetch between £2,000 and £3,000.
Auctioneer Ben Rogers Jones said: “Their importance to TV satire must not be underestimated – Spitting Image is now being seen as a seminal satirical TV show and the Kinnocks were a major feature in the programme as they represented the opposition to Margaret Thatcher’s dominant power.
“The political landscape was a lot different back then to how it is now.”
Spitting Image – those were the days! brash, bold and brassy comedy that certainly wouldn’t be allowed in today’s namby pamby politically correct culture. Classic 80’s TV.
Kinnock will probably buy the puppet himself so that he can stamp on it!