BBC announces new chat show hosted by CGI Vladimir Putin

The BBC’s latest chat show will be hosted by a CGI version of Vladimir Putin.

Tonight With Vladimir Putin will feature a “3D digital cartoon” of the Russian president that will “walk around and sit behind the desk, interviewing real human guests in front of a studio audience, all in real time,” the broadcaster announced today.

Two pilot episodes of the show have been commissioned for BBC Two.

Described as “a semi-scripted comedy chat-show format with a significant twist,” the show uses performance capture technology, developed by London-based creative studio Framestore.

‘Putin’s first guests will be Alastair Campbell, June Sarpong, Joe Swash and Guilty Feminist podcaster Deborah Frances-White.

“Everybody’s favourite bear-wrestling global strongman Vladimir Putin has finally achieved his ultimate goal - a chat-show on the BBC,” the broadcaster said in a statement.

“Forget global politics, landing two pilot episodes on BBC Two of his soon to be world-famous chat show marks the ultimate victory for Vlad, leader of the free world.”

Episode one will see the CGI Putin thank former Labour spin doctor Campbell “for his part in making such a mess of things” and take part in a game of Diversity Challenge with Sarpong.

In the second instalment, he will ask his first guest “Who is Joe Swash?” before attempting to grapple with the concepts of feminism with Frances-White.

The show was created by The Poke’s Jasper Gibson, Rathergood.com’s Joel Veitch and Framestore’s Simon Whalley, with ‘Putin’ written and performed by comedian Natt Tapley.

The 12-minute pilot episodes are expected to land on our screens next month.

Additional reporting by Press Association.