Covid 19 coronavirus: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern puppet plays Mary Poppins in BBC's Spitting Image

The Jacinda Ardern puppet in Spitting Image. Photo / BBC

British comedy show Spitting Image has returned in Britain - and features an interesting depiction of our Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

The satirical series features puppet caricatures of contemporary celebrities and public figures, including politicians.

In the show's first episode Ardern is portrayed as a Mary Poppins character who brings her charm to a cafe in what appears to be New Zealand - if the multiple Kiwi flags are anything to go by.

"What a fantastic day in New Zealand - meat pies, a ginger crunch and a positive balance of trade with China," a man says as Ardern's scene begins.

"I know, but sometimes I think things here could be more fantastic," another man replies with an attempt at a Kiwi accent.

The Jacinda Ardern puppet in Spitting Image. Photo / BBC

Then in swoops the Ardern-Mary-Poppins puppet, umbrella and all.

"Kia ora, children. What healthful weather we are having," Ardern-Poppins says, and wastes no sign boasting about our Covid-19 response: "Not a spit-spot of virus to be seen."

A small sheep puppet the Ardern caricature holds says: "Why, Jacinda Ardern, are you boasting?"

"Practically perfect people never boast," the Ardern-Poppins puppet replies with an attempt at a Kiwi accent.

"We just get re-elected forever."

And then, of course, a musical number begins in the tune of supercalifragilisticexpialidocious - called super-Kiwi-socialistic-empire-of-Jacinda.

The Ardern puppet sings: "In a world of strong men a nice lady came along, I'm kind and young and kind and smart, and good and kind and young.

"When I became New Zealand's boss I knew just what to do, initiate a nanny state and turn our grey skies blue," the song continues.

"I banned all assault weapons and enforced a living wage, I gave birth to a child at advanced maternal age.

The Jacinda Ardern puppet doesn't take too kindly to a man coughing. Photo / BBC

"I put us into lockdown faster than the Yanks and Brits.

"Now NZ's virus-free, we kicked it in the tits," the puppet sings.

The sing-along is spoiled by a man who begins coughing, and the Ardern puppet halts the song.

"Young man, do you have the impertinence to be ill in New Zealand?"

"I was just clearing my throat, I'm probably fine," the man responds.

"Do you know how hard it is to quarantine a country of two small islands with low population and a wealth of natural resources that renders us completely self-sufficient?" the Ardern puppet asks him, before brutally decapitating the puppet.

The skit ends with the Ardern puppet declaring no new cases of coronavirus.

Ardern told reporters today that she had seen the clip.

"I have seen past pieces on it, I understand it's been very popular in the UK," she said.

Asked what she thought of her own appearance on the show, she said: "I'm glad that I whipped Neve away from watching it just in time near the end there.

"I was surprised by the emphasis on the ginger crunch."

The new series of Spitting Image is screening now in the United Kingdom. Other puppets featuring in the new series include Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Greta Thunberg and Billie Eilish.

The show first screened in the mid-1980s.