Tracey Breaks the News

Background

Early in her career, Ullman avoided direct celebrity impersonations, preferring to create original characters by combining elements of well-known people. By the new millennium, she began adding famous figures to her repertoire with Tracey Ullman's State of the Union, which tackled topics such as healthcare, immigration, gun culture, war, and the 24-hour news media. Her impersonations included political figures like Nancy Pelosi, Laura Bush, Carla Bruni, Barney Frank, Arianna Huffington, Rachel Maddow, Meghan McCain, and Christiane Amanpour.

When the BBC approached her in 2014 about a new show, Ullman wanted to explore modern Britain and its national treasures, impersonating Angela Merkel and Nicola Sturgeon. She saw Britain as a global hub and melting pot. However, by 2016 the UK voted to leave the European Union, and the irony of this shift was not lost on Ullman. Two days before filming the second series of Tracey Ullman's Show, the Brexit vote occurred, forcing quick rewrites for Merkel sketches.

Because that show filmed six months ahead, it was poorly suited for topical comedy. When the BBC ordered a post-election special for summer 2017, Ullman developed a new format: the show would be written, filmed, and transmitted in quick succession to keep material up to the minute. The special aired on 23 June.

Production

The series was filmed close to transmission, with ten minutes of topical material filmed just 48 hours before each episode aired. Ullman told Rolling Stone that this was as close to Saturday Night Live as anyone in England gets at the moment, allowing pieces about Jeremy Corbyn, Theresa May, or other extraordinary events. On 13 September 2017, the BBC announced a first series of three episodes. A press release revealed that Ullman would add her takes on Brigitte Macron and Jeremy Corbyn alongside Angela Merkel, Nicola Sturgeon, and Theresa May.

Location filming began on 25 September, with writing and filming continuing the week of transmission. In February 2018, Ullman revealed that writing for the second series had already begun. Filming on the new series commenced on 30 April 2018. On 15 May 2018, it was confirmed that the show would return to BBC One on 1 June with three episodes.

On 16 May, the BBC released a photo of Ullman in costume as Michael Gove. It was further revealed that Jacob Rees-Mogg, played by Liam Hourican, would be added, presented as one-half of a double act with his long-suffering nanny. Ben Miller returned as Rupert Murdoch, playing opposite Ullman as Jerry Hall.

International distribution

On 30 August 2018, HBO announced it would begin airing a third season of Ullman's series on 28 September 2018, marketed as a new season of Tracey Ullman's Show in the United States but using episodes and material from Tracey Breaks the News. The season made its international premiere at the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival on 21 September 2018, featuring a screening and Q&A with Ullman hosted by Meryl Streep. Outside the US, international distributor DRG sold the topical episodes under the more established title Tracey Ullman's Show.