Tonight with Vladimir Putin: BBC announce chat show hosted by CGI version of Russian leader

The BBC has created a pilot for a new comedy chat show hosted by a CGI version of Vladimir Putin.

Tonight with Vladimir Putin will launch on BBC Two as two episodes of 12 minutes.

The semi-scripted show will feature Tony Blair’s former spin doctor Alastair Campbell; presenters June Sarpong and Joe Swash; and host of the Guilty Feminist podcast Deborah Frances-White.

It will feature a 3D digital cartoon of Putin that walks around, sits behind a desk, and interviews real guests in front of a live studio audience, all created thanks to performance capture technology.

The character of Putin is both written and performed by comedian Nathaniel Tapley.

Tonight with Vladimir Putin was created by Jasper Gibson, the co-founder of parody site The Poke, alongside Joel Veitch and Simon Whalley.