Charlie Brooker’s Antiviral Wipe: Comedy hailed as a ‘furious time capsule’ and ‘winner of lockdown telly’

One-off show saw Black Mirror creator take aim at the British government’s handling of the pandemic, 5G conspiracy theorists and celebrity hand-washing videos

Charlie Brooker brought his Screenwipe show back for a coronavirus special on Thursday night (14 May), and it has been hailed by viewers as “the winner of lockdown telly”.

The one-off comedy, titled Charlie Brooker’s Antiviral Wipe, saw the Black Mirror creator take aim at the British government’s handling of the pandemic, 5G conspiracy theorists and celebrity hand-washing videos.

It also reunited fans with Diane Morgan and Al Campbell’s comic commentators Philomena Cunk and Barry S**tpeas, respectively.

The Independent’s critic Adam White gave the special four stars, writing: “Brooker seamlessly weaves our current woes with the corruptions and exceptionalist nonsense of the Brexit campaign, balancing poo jokes with a simmering and necessary rage.”

Many viewers took to Twitter to praise the show, with one person saying it made them both “cry with laughter and sob with despair”.

Another added that it was "furious, glorious and bracing".

A third said: "Charlie Booker's antiviral wipe should be part of the history curriculum in years to come."

See the best of the reactions below.

Brooker recently left Newsnight viewers in stitches after talking to Emily Maitlis about the problem with watching too much news.

“It’s like eating fruit, isn’t it?” he said. "It’s good for you up to a point, but then it gives you the s***s. You have to limit it, you have to eat it in small portions.”