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Lady Thatcher’s death fails to rate

Lady Thatcher’s death fails to rate

News and documentaries concerning the life and death of former British Prime Minster Margaret Thatcher failed to pull in significant viewers yesterday.

However in the music charts, songs used to ‘celebrate’ her demise such as ‘Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead’ are selling fast.

The prime time offering of a special 90-minute BBC One obituary, narrated by Andrew Marr, attracted under 3 million viewers. While Sky News, BBC News Channel and the main terrestrial ITV News programmes failed to note any rise in viewing figures.

The 87-year-old, who became Britain’s first female PM died at the Ritz hotel in London on Monday following years of declining health. A statement by her family said she died of a stroke. The BBC News website via a spelling error became an Internet sensation yesterday afternoon when they noted Thatcher had died ‘of a strike’.

Nicknamed the Iron Lady, she saw the country through a number of strike actions in the 1980s, notably the Miners taking to the picket lines. Her eleven years in power still divides option, with a strong following of admirers who believe she made Britain great, while others believe she only made the country profitable for the rich and mislead over certain aspects of the Falkland War.

If her admirers chose not to watch television yesterday, her adversaries have chosen to celebrate with street parties taking place last night in a number ‘Thatcher ruined’ communities including in South London, Yorkshire and Scotland. It seems these have also lead to musical anti-tributes being played including a song from the soundtrack of 1939 movie The Wizard Of Oz.

Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead could now enter the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart several newspapers today suggested. The song has already rocketed into the second place of the UK iTunes chart, entering the top ten last night. The track is also number 2 on the Amazon singles download chart.

Margaret was used to parody and ridicule, notably with Central Television’s Spitting Image puppet of the PM seen as an insane dictator (pictured top).

Margaret Thatcher’s publicly funded funeral will be held next Wednesday at St Paul’s Cathedral.

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