Is this why the Mandy Christmas special was axed?
Comedy featured scenes with Vladimir Putin
More information has emerged about why the BBC may have pulled the Christmas special of Diane Morgan’s comedy Mandy at the last minute – but the revelation raises more questions than answers.
Popbitch today discloses that the sitcom featured a scene in which Vladimir Putin is garrotted with a cheese wire.
Mandy then brings the head back to Britain and gives it to an Army chief who, the gossip newsletter reports, ‘is seen appearing to use Putin’s head for something spicy on his private parts’.
However, it’s unlikely that the risk of offending the Russian despot would have caused undue concern – and, as Popbitch says, there was another twist: It wasn’t Putin after all that Mandy decapitated but his body double.
The 20-minute special is titled The Mandy Who Knew Too Much and has the synopsis: ‘Mandy rarely dabbles in global diplomacy, especially over Christmas when it's so cold out and there's good telly on, but when she does, you can bet that she makes a real difference to the balance of power in the world.’
The episode was recorded last January, alongside the fourth season, and had been due to air on December 22 until being withdrawn at the last minute, reportedly to allow for new edits.
That decision came days after Donald Trump filed a $10billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC over its editing of a speech he made to supporters in Washington before they stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Published: 8 Jan 2026
BBC orders a third series of Motherland
The BBC has commissioned a third series of Motherland.
The…
1/10/2019
BBC unveils a new batch of comedy shorts
The BBC has announced a new batch of four Comedy Shorts…
23/07/2019
Kim Cattrall drops out of Joe Wilkinson's sitcom
Kim Cattrall has dropped out of Joe Wilkinson…
17/06/2019
New sitcom for Joe Wilkinson and Diane Morgan
Joe Wilkinson and Diane Morgan are to head a new sitcom…
3/06/2019
Revealed: Cast and first images from Ricky Gervais's Afterlife
Ricky Gervais’s new comedy series AfterLife…
14/01/2019
Diane Morgan and Robert Webb join Sarah Kendall's comedy
Diane Morgan and Robert Webb have joined the cast of…
19/11/2018
Comedians join Ricky Gervais's After Life
Diane Morgan and Kerry Godliman are to star alongside…
13/06/2018
Philomena Cunk writes her first book
Philomena Cunk is to release her first book.
Comedian Diane…
18/05/2018
Luisa Omielan gets topical for the BBC, bitches
Luisa Omielan has landed her first BBC series –…
26/05/2017
Has the BBC ordered more from Philomena Cunk?
BBC Two has ordered more Philomena Cunk specials, it…
9/05/2017
Diane Morgan, the new face of British tourism
Diane Morgan has become the new face of British tourism,…
13/04/2017
Diane Morgan is planning to return as Philomena Cunk…
1/02/2017
Past Shows
Agent
We do not currently hold contact details for Diane Morgan's agent. If you are a comic or agent wanting your details to appear here, for a one-off fee of £59, email steve@chortle.co.uk.