The sitcom that never got made

Charlie Brooker has revealed that he once wrote a sitcom about time-travelling punk rockers – but couldn’t persuade a broadcaster to make it.

He revealed that the show was called God Save the Queen and explains: ‘The storyline was that a punk band that were basically the Sex Pistols get killed in a mass hanging – they’re hanged by a Tory MP in 1977

‘And then they slip through a hole in the space-time continuum and wake up in 2004, when I wrote it. All the punks end up moaning about ringtones – God, that dates it!’

The Black Mirror creator was speaking at the BFI & Radio Times Television Festival in London, as reported by the magazine sponsor.

But after this idea was rejected, he and Chris Morris made Nathan Barley – following a long gestation period.

Brooker revealed: ’The process was taking so long I thought "this is clearly never going to happen, but I’m enjoying all these meetings that I’m having with him [Morris]’". 

Published: 12 Apr 2017