Viz

When Viz first appeared in 1979, 150 copies were sold in the pubs of Newcastle in just two days. The comic's latest audit figures put sales at 911,454 for the period July to December last year. Described by some as the publishing success story of the decade, the magazine has probably amused more than it has offended with hilarious characters like Sid the Sexist, the Fat Slags and other unprintables. But has it gone too far with its attacks on household names like Shakin' Stevens and Bob Monkhouse and on our Royal Family? In tonight's programme, Philip Branston catches up with the comics's creators, and Auberon Waugh, Harry Enfield, Keith Chegwin and some of its victims express their views.

Armando Iannucci presents a series which explores the history of British comics. He looks at the new characters and strips which emerged in the 1970s and 80s to appeal to an older, more adult readership of comics, from Judge Dredd and Tank Girl to Viz and Watchmen.

Lauren Laverne celebrates 30 years of Viz with creators Chris and Simon Donald.

A look at the rudest comic ever to hit Britain's newsstands: Viz. Started in 1979 from a bedroom in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the magazine's particular brand of British toilet humour soon became a nationwide hit, selling over a million copies by 1989. It's been in decline ever since... TateShots boarded a train to Newcastle and filmed editors Simon Thorp, Graham Dury and Davey Jones as they finished off some specially made strips for Tate Britain's exhibition. Featuring Viz stalwarts the Fat Slags ("nice big curves"), Mrs Brady Old Lady ("she's obsessed with her bowels"), and new characters Thomas Rowlandson and James Gillray ("trying to impress a girl"), the cartoons are as childish and crude as they are pointless and purile. The Viz team also discuss what makes the magazine so British, why they gave up trying to be topical, and how "nothing comes out of the comic looking good, least of all ourselves".