Spitting Image creator Martin Lambie-Nairn dies aged 75, reports say

Martin Lambie-Nairn, the graphic designer credited with creating Spitting Image and the Channel 4 logo, has died aged 75, according to reports.

The designer, whose eponymous branding agency Lambie-Nairn helped produce some of British television’s most recognisable visuals, died on Christmas Day, the BBC said.

A statement described him as “one of the leading graphic designers and creative directors of his generation”.

It added: “His exceptional work, kindness and infectious creative spirit touched the lives of so many people.

“He will be hugely missed by everyone who had the privilege to work alongside him over the years.”

Lambie-Nairn’s design consultancy created Channel 4’s original “blocks” animated logo in 1982, and the globe balloon idents used by BBC One between 1997 and 2001.

They also produced idents for BBC Two and more recently the bubble logo used by mobile phone company O2.

Idents describe a moving logo shown to identify a TV channel between programmes.

In 1981, Lambie-Nairn came up with the original idea for the satirical puppet show Spitting Image during a business lunch.

The show originally ran for 18 series between 1984 and 1996 and was watched by 15 million viewers in its heyday, before being rebooted for BritBox this year.

He received a credit from the showrunners which said the series was “based on an original lunch with Martin Lambie-Nairn”.

For 12 years, he was a consultant creative director at the BBC before moving on to other work in 2002.

Lambie-Nairn also oversaw a Blue Peter competition in 2012 to design the official emblem for the Queen’s diamond jubilee.

He was a fellow of the Royal Television Society and was an honorary doctor at both the University of Lincoln and the University of Northampton.