Newswipe with Charlie Brooker

Charlie Brooker is a British comedian, columnist and writer known for his, often surreal and rather sweary, satirical take on modern media. Aside from his own programmes such as Screenwipe and his regular contributions to The Guardian, Brooker has also been involved in the writing of some excellent comedy shows such as Nathan Barley, The Eleven O Clock Show and the very controversial Brass Eye Paedophile Special. Newswipe sees Charlie (short for Charlton) turn his sharp wit on the news 'circus'. As a fan of Screenwipe and as someone who is often left feeling confused by TV news broadcasts, I ... more

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the mind of Charlie Brooker, and welcome to his spin-off of his successful cult critique show "Screenwipe"; "Newswipe" - but instead solely focusing on the world of news and current affairs. Something the show's predecessor skimmed over but never tore into as deliciously as this. First aired in March this year on BBC Four, it's a fresh new programme that has been pleasantly received. Its six episodes have reached five so far (at the time of the original review), each one as superb as the last. It's main aim is to expose, satirise and emphasise the impact that ... more

If you've ever watched Screenwipe, you'll know pretty much what Newswipe is going to be like. It's got Charlie's pieces to camera from his flat, where he talks to the TV and the viewer while passing scathing comments on clips. It's got a guest poet. It's got a guest reporter. It has a guest expert. It has various members of Zeppotron's production staff doubling as actors. It has a "... of the week" that takes the piss. And it has various mini-documentaries where Charlie explains some aspects of TV production. Every episode it's the same thing, some news stories are a bit silly or depressing. A ... more