[applause, whistling] 

Konnie Huq: Ladies and gentlemen, hello! Yes, feel free to applaud for 'Black Mirror.'

[applause] 

Konnie Huq: I would just like to say a huge thank you to everyone in here for attending today's event, which is brought to you by TCKR Systems and our good friends at Streamberry. Now, as you've seen today, this little gadget, the groundbreaking Nubbin, is a new technology, brought to you by TCKR Systems, that invites you to reboot your reality. You can all have a play with it later. It can take you to new worlds and transport you to extraordinary places. And today, just for you guys in here, we have got two superusers of the Nubbin who are going to join us right here right now onstage. So, ladies and gentlemen, if you can put your hands together and bring the house down for creator extraordinaire Charlie Brooker and executive producer extraordinaire Jessica Rhoades.

[applauding, whooping, whistling]

Konnie Huq: Have a seat. Make yourselves comfy.

Charlie Brooker: Hello.

Jessica Rhoades: Look at all the Nubbins. 

Konnie Huq: Hello, hello.

Charlie Brooker: We've never met before.

Konnie Huq: No. Who are you? We can get to know each other now. Welcome to Charlie and Jessica. It's wonderful to have you here with us today as we discuss one of the world's favorite shows, if I may be so bold, 'Black Mirror,' of course. Let's just do a little display of hands from the audience. Put your hands up if you have seen 'Black Mirror' before, if you're familiar with it. OK, good. You're in the right place. Anyone who didn't put their hand up, get out now.

[Jessica laughs]

Konnie Huq: It's great to have you all here with us. And Charlie and Jessica are now going to answer some burning questions, but before we do that, I'm going to throw to Charlie for a few words of wisdom, perhaps.

Charlie Brooker: Oh yeah. Um …

Konnie Huq: Or something. 

Charlie Brooker: Thanks, everyone. Thanks for coming. That's what I'm meant to say thank you to everyone here. They said this was the point where you say thank you to everyone, and I said I don't thank anyone ever.

Konnie Huq: It's true. 

Charlie Brooker: 'Cause I'm a miserable bastard. But, actually, I normally experience no human emotion, but I am very pleased that you all made it. You know what? This is existentially terrifying. Seeing that you're all sitting there with these glowing Nubbins on your head is actually genuinely horrifying. There's a lot of people watching on the internet, somewhere. I don't know if they're down that camera or a camera up there. So … thank you to everyone for coming. I do actually appreciate it. We appreciate it.

Konnie Huq: Are you speaking on Jessica's behalf?

Charlie Brooker: I was speaking —

Jessica Rhoades: Well, I'm the one that actually appreciates it. 

Charlie Brooker: Yeah, okay, yeah. I'm the miserable one. You're the glass-half-full one.

Konnie Huq: We're the glass-half-full ones. Okey-dokey. Are you ready, then, for some questions?

Charlie Brooker: Yes.

Konnie Huq: We've got a few up our sleeve. And these have come in from fans of 'Black Mirror' from across the globe. Ooh!

Audience: Ooh!

Konnie Huq: First up, a burning question and a very popular one. How does it feel to be returning to the 'Black Mirror' universe? How does it feel to be back?

Charlie Brooker: Uh, especially against it. It's good. It feels nice. It's a weird time to be doing it, in many ways, because we're kind of a welcome relief from the dystopia, the three-dimensional dystopia channel that exists outside your window at the moment.  In that sense it's a relief, wouldn't you say?

Jessica Rhoades: Absolutely, but we also haven't stopped.

Charlie Brooker: Yeah. 

Jessica Rhoades: The show takes about a year and a half to make, so we've been just chugging along.

Charlie Brooker: Ever since Season Six. Yeah. That's the thing. Because each episode is completely self-contained … [to Konnie] Well, you know this.

[Jessica laughs] 

Charlie Brooker: You're always watching me moan about it.

Konnie Huq: Moaning all the time.

Charlie Brooker: It takes forever. 

Konnie Huq: It does, but it's good 'cause it stops you watching the horrible news about the world that's out there.

Charlie Brooker: There's that.

Konnie Huq: Yes. And it is a very crazy time we're living indeed. So can you give us a little bit of an overview of the new series? What can we expect?

Charlie Brooker: Well …

Konnie Huq: Where to begin? 

Charlie Brooker: Where to begin? So … This season …

Konnie Huq: Mmm. 

Charlie Brooker: … is very much, in a way, I would say, a return to OG 'Black Mirror.'

Konnie Huq: Mmm.

Charlie Brooker: I sound ridiculous saying "OG."

Jessica Rhoades: Not in front of people with Nubbins on.

Charlie Brooker: No, that's true.

Jessica Rhoades: No, I think we're welcome.

Charlie Brooker: I can say anything. 'Cause you guys are wearing these glowing disks.

[Jessica laughs]

Charlie Brooker: But in terms of its, you might say, its technological roots. An archetypal 'Black Mirror' episode is often about some kind of seductively useful-looking technology that enters someone's life and upends it, not always for the better.

[Konnie laughs]

Charlie Brooker: And going into this season, I knew very much that was what I wanted to do. What would you say? About overall, have we got a good mix? 

Jessica Rhoades: We have a good mix. There's some really dark, punch you, make you sit on your couch for a long time after the credits.

Charlie Brooker: Yeah.

Jessica Rhoades: We've got some …

Charlie Brooker: Some rompy ones.

Jessica Rhoades: Bit of a romp. 

Charlie Brooker: About as rompy as it gets. And also, quite a lot of emotion. Quite a lot of emotion.

Jessica Rhoades: It turns out he has some.

Charlie Brooker: Again, which is something I don't —

Konnie Huq: Yeah, he doesn't do so much. 

Charlie Brooker: I don't experience emotion.  But I can emulate it, evidently. 

Konnie Huq: Well, we'll see. We'll be the judge of that. Is there anything that's relevant about the particular landscape in these times that we're living in, the current cultural or technological climate, that feels particularly relevant?

Charlie Brooker: Well, not a day goes by that people don't say to me, "That's a bit 'Black Mirror,' " about something.

Konnie Huq: [laughs] So true.

Charlie Brooker: The most recent one was this… I don't know if it was Kawasaki or someone… Somebody's unveiled a robot horse. Don't know if you've seen this. A robot horse that you can ride that looks kind of similar to something that we had in "Metalhead." So the fact … I'm not accusing them of stealing it. [audience laughs] I'm just saying, we made it clear it wasn't a good idea, and they ignored us. So I think, certainly, technology, the pace of it has increased. But I think what means is there's more things to draw inspiration from, and also the audience is more familiar with things because you've got AI in your phone, and you've got robot horses chasing you through the woods and machine-gunning you in six months' time.

Konnie Huq: So people can relate to it more.

Charlie Brooker: Maybe it means that even more far-fetched things are more relatable, but also it means that you don't have to explain concepts, probably, to the viewer so much. And it's also concepts I wouldn't have come up with. So it's a good time to be doing it. That's my answer, isn't it?

Jessica Rhoades: I think so.

Konnie Huq: Good good. That was the right answer.

Charlie Brooker: Good.

Konnie Huq: Okay, so we've got a question from Paige.

Charlie Brooker: Mmhmm. 

Konnie Huq: And she asks, how do you stay a step ahead of what's happening in the world when everything's moving at such a quick pace, such as AI and VR? It all seems like it's just already happening, doesn't it? And are you ever alarmed by how close you are to predicting the future?

Charlie Brooker: [clicks tongue] It's a thing that we talk about a lot. What I don't do, as you'll know, I don't sit down with the technology pages and go, "Well, how can I write an episode about that?" I'm sort of more thinking in terms of … [clears throat] … what's a story idea? What's a horrible dilemma I can put somebody in? Or what's an interesting concept? Or a moment, often. And then sometimes I've got a concept, and I don't actually have a story. And then it takes a while for those things to gel. Against the background of technology … I think it's kinda what I just said, in a way, which is that it means that you're constantly — there's new things to be inspired by. So I guess that's useful, would you say? 

Jessica Rhoades: Yeah, but I think, also, all the tech in the show is designed to be something you'd actually want.

Charlie Brooker: Yeah.

Jessica Rhoades: You know? Every thing in every episode, there's a moment where you're like, "Ooh, I would love that. I would do that."

Konnie Huq: At first. Yeah.

Jessica Rhoades: That would be cool. Right? But there's a moment at which, I think 'cause you actually love tech and you're into it and you use a lot of it too, that it comes from a real place of, not just robot horse, but actual, like— 

Charlie Brooker: [laughs] I'd love a robot horse. I mean, it would be good. I can't drive a car. I never learned to drive a car. And a robot horse …

Konnie Huq: I'm, like, the designated driver. 

Charlie Brooker: Thank you for that. 

[laughter]

Charlie Brooker: No, you're right. This would be a terrible job if you hated technology. 'Cause a lot of the job is product design that we're doing, basically. And you're right. It's that we're not warning against the evils of technology. We're putting desirable-looking tech out there and showing people messing it up on their own. [chuckles] 

Konnie Huq: Can you elaborate on any of the new tech? Lots of people that are watching online and lots of people that have been on Netflix's Tudum.com site have heard your interview where you said it's a bit going back to basics. "OG Black 'Mirror,' " as you said before. Can you give us a little insight into some of the new tech or the gadgets? 

Charlie Brooker: What tech are we highlighting in this season? Well, we can certainly say that we've got … Well, we've got Nubbins. Like you've all got Nubbins. What it mainly does is make the side of your head sweat slightly. [audience laughs] Um…

Jessica Rhoades: But, genuinely, actors who come do this show are very excited when they find out they have a Nubbin role. 

Charlie Brooker: Yeah, 'cause we've got … There's Nubbins show up in about half the episodes this …

Jessica Rhoades: Quite a few Nubbins. 

Charlie Brooker: … season, but doing different things. But we've got… Um, again, without… I don't wanna spoil anything. It's very important I don't spoil anything.

Konnie Huq: Yeah, no spoilers. 

Charlie Brooker: But I will say we've got … We've got an episode where there's a sort of gizmo that allows you to step inside old photographs. Literally step inside them.

Konnie Huq: Oh yeah? 

Charlie Brooker: We've got a story about somebody stepping inside a classic, old vintage movie in which the characters in the film are based on— the characters in the original movie — they think they're all alive.  It's like a super AI remaster of a film. What else have we got? Oh, we've got got a story about a remarkable bit of biotechnology that looks brilliant …

Konnie Huq: At first.

Charlie Brooker: … until it sort of isn't. Yeah. Um … And we've got … Oh God, what else have we got? 

Jessica Rhoades: There's a retro episode. 

Charlie Brooker: There's a retro episode that's based on my love of video games and my experience as a video-games journalist in the 1990s. So there's a lot of… There's tech coming out of our … bits.

Konnie Huq: Bumholes.

Charlie Brooker: Bumholes. You said it, not me. 

Konnie Huq: No, I just thought, when you said "bits," I was like, “b…” Anyway, moving on. [Jessica laughs] So lots and lots of people have been commenting on what their favorite episodes are. It's a chocolate box, isn't it, 'Black Mirror'? Something for everyone. And one of the best episodes to date, in many people's opinion, is "San Junipero." 

Charlie Brooker: Yes.

Konnie Huq: Which is referenced in this season.

Charlie Brooker: It is. 

Konnie Huq: What resonates with you so deeply when it comes to "San Junipero"?

Charlie Brooker: I think it's, one of those things. I think it's that when we did that, we slightly captured lightning in a bottle in many ways. Well, as you all know, on the show, I'll write the scripts, in Ealing, like, panicking.

Konnie Huq: That's where we live.

Charlie Brooker: Grumbling. And then once the directors come onboard, once the cast come onboard, everything comes to life, everything just gets … better. And I think we —

Konnie Huq: He's still grumbling though. 

Charlie Brooker: I'm not … This is me not … I'm not grumbling at this point, no. At that point, you sometimes you realize you've got something special. I think it was partly 'cause it was the first positive 'Black Mirror' we'd ever done. And I know people really like the grungy, nasty ones, but we're like a band that does punk singles and love ballads.

[Konnie laughs]

Charlie Brooker: So … tough.

Konnie Huq: But no cover versions.

Charlie Brooker: Well, although, we've done a sequel… Well, we'll get into that in a minute. Um, I think it's just 'cause it meant a lot to so many people, yet it was also, I think, quite universal. 

Jessica Rhoades: I think one of the fun things about making the show is that all of the creatives on all the episodes, whether it's the directors or the production designers or the graphic designers, they all get shots to make it their own. And so there's a lot of Easter eggs that you'll see in graphics, and you'll see ideas pitched. And you realize that the episodes mean something to the people working on them, too. And I think that's one of the reasons "San Junipero" pops up in little places. It's not just that it means something to Charlie and the people that make the show. But really, our director for "Common People" did "Joan Is Awful" last season, Ally Pankiw. And it's an episode that meant a lot to her, so it shows up in her episode. 

Konnie Huq: Yeah, definitely. Well, another standout 'Black Mirror' … I mean, they're all standout, in my opinion…

Charlie Brooker: You have to say that 'cause I'm sitting here. [laughter] 

Konnie Huq: … is "Bandersnatch." It's such a unique, immersive experience. You know, very different when it debuted. What made you decide to revisit some of the characters with a different approach? 

Charlie Brooker: So one of the episodes this season flits between the 1990s and today, and it's about  a video game. I don't wanna say much more about that. But I did know that I wanted a scene where somebody, meets a programmer. And this programmer had to be a genius coder. In "Bandersnatch" we had Will Poulter and Asim Chaudhry playing these guys who worked at a software company. And I just loved their characters.

Konnie Huq: Tucker.

Charlie Brooker: Tuckersoft. It was Tuckersoft.

Konnie Huq: Not any old software company.

Charlie Brooker: Thank you for reminding me. I've forgotten the name of the bloody company. [laughter] I loved the characters. So I thought, well, why not? It's my bloody anthology show. I can bring characters back if I want. Not that anyone was standing over me going, "Don't do that." So it was just fun. Again, I wrote the best version I could of that scene, which was the one with them in it. So it was just fun to bring them back and to riff on some of the themes we had in "Bandersnatch" but in a different way. So that one's not actually a sequel, but it shares some DNA. 

Jessica Rhoades: All the way down to the director. So David Slade had come back … He did "Metalhead" and "Bandersnatch." And then he came back and did that episode, "Plaything."

Konnie Huq: So people do repeat working with you.

Jessica Rhoades: Once in a while. We drag 'em back.

Charlie Brooker: We've got a lot of people coming back. Yep.

Konnie Huq: Marvelous. Okay, well, as well as familiar faces, there's lots of newcomers to the wonderful 'Black Mirror' family. Names such as Paul Giamatti, Issa Rae, Peter Capaldi. What's it like when you're doing the casting, and how's the process to get such great actors involved? 

Charlie Brooker: We have an embarrassment of riches, really. People have heard of the show. We're a short commitment. Hopefully, the scripts are all right. So we can ring people up and ask them. What it means is, now, I'm writing episodes, and there's people who are heroes of mine who are in them. And that's obviously very humbling, but also just really exciting. So that's incredible. And I also think it's important, that it's part of the 'Black Mirror' DNA, that we also showcase people who are maybe not as well-known but will be in a few weeks' time. So we do mix that. 'Cause I see people moaning that 'Black Mirror''s all famous people these days.

Konnie Huq: Daniel Kaluuya? 

Charlie Brooker: Daniel… Well, he was in Season 1, wasn't he? He was in Season 1. We always have a mix of people you don't know but you will know tomorrow. People maybe don't notice that when they're looking at the trailer. But you will by the end of the season.

Konnie Huq: Ooh! [laughs] Yeah. Okay, so … 

Charlie Brooker: Well, they'll be people who are all out of our price range in two weeks' time. 

Konnie Huq: 'Black Mirror''s pretty much part of the lexicon these days and has a huge influence on popular culture. Episodes like "White Christmas" have had a huge influence. And the creator of 'Severance' has even named it as the inspiration. How do you feel about that? Is it a good thing or is it a bad thing? Are you jealous? What's the vibe?

Charlie Brooker: Well, I am jealous. I was quoted about … Well, as you know damn well… Not one to keep up the pretense. Because you keep saying to me, "Watch 'Severance.' "

Konnie Huq: I do.

Charlie Brooker: And I'm like, ''No! I won't watch Severance.' "

Konnie Huq: He won't. 

Charlie Brooker: The only reason I won't watch 'Severance' is just because people come up to me and go, ''You should watch 'Severance.' You'll love it. It's like 'Black Mirror,' but it's much better.' '' [audience laughs] And so I'm like, "I don't wanna hear that!  ''Why would I watch that and feel terrible?'' No, but seriously, folks.

Konnie Huq: But it is.

Charlie Brooker: Shut up! [audience laughs] It's obviously extremely … It's delightful if you've actually done something that has influenced people or has inspired people. Hurray. Even if the show they make is apparently better. No, that's great. And also, because I was drawing on lots of things that I watched. You know, when we're making the show, I'm trying to channel, or we're trying to channel, 'The Twilight Zone,' 'Tales of the Unexpected,' like, weird and wonderful plays that the BBC used to put on. Do you remember 'The Year of the Sex Olympics'?

Konnie Huq: I do. You forced it down my throat.

Charlie Brooker: I made you watch that. It's not what it sounds like. [audience laughs] It's a very good dystopian play by Nigel Kneale with Brian Cox in it. Brian Cox. And it predicts the rise of reality TV. Weird and wonderful things like that. And also movies like 'Robocop' and 'The Truman Show.' Those are the sort of things I'm trying to channel with the scripts. And things like 'The Wicker Man' or… So if I've fed in … I'm happy to influence humans — not have my stuff scraped up by an AI. 

Konnie Huq: Yeah, fair enough. And lots of programs have done a copy of the Nubbin.

Charlie Brooker: Have they?

Konnie Huq: I feel that I've seen … Have you seen Nubbins, in other films and places a bit? Yeah, some people are nodding. Others are going, "No."

Charlie Brooker: Episodes you forgot were 'Black Mirror'? 

Konnie Huq: No, no, no, I've seen the Nubbin in a film. A similar thing to the Nubbin.

Charlie Brooker: That sounds outrageous. 

Konnie Huq: You're being copied left, right, and center. But do you remember where the Nubbin first appeared? 

Charlie Brooker: I thought it was "San Junipero," but I don't think it is. I think it's actually, in a slightly different form, in "The Entire History of You," which was Season 1. Which was the first time we had people's eyes—

Konnie Huq: Season 2.

Charlie Brooker: Season … No, Season 1.

Konnie Huq: Was it?

Charlie Brooker: Episode 1, Season… Episode 3, Season 1.

Konnie Huq: OK.

Jessica Rhoades: Off the top of his head.

Charlie Brooker: Uh …

Konnie Huq: All merges into one. 

Charlie Brooker: I'm the only person in the universe who knows the titles of all the episodes. 'Cause everyone else calls them “The one with the pig.” "The one with the bees."

Konnie Huq: Yeah. 

Charlie Brooker: It’s the one where they replay their memories and it ruins their love life.

Konnie Huq: Yes. Yeah.

Charlie Brooker: Um, that one. It's eye-milking-out, replaying-moments-in-their-head tech. And the remote control they use is basically a Nubbin, but I think at the time we called it the Pebble.

Jessica Rhoades: I think it's really fun how, with multiple episodes, the tech redesigns itself almost. Like, every once in a while, the new iPhone comes out, and you're like, "Well, I didn't need this." But then there's a reason, and it does things very differently. All the creators, the creative team behind all the episodes are always thinking about, specifically, why this version of the Nubbin or the Experiencer Disk. They're all a little different. 

Charlie Brooker: Sometimes it's called that. Yeah, and it's a useful —

Konnie Huq: First generation, second generation.

Jessica Rhoades: Exactly.

Charlie Brooker: Nubbin XL. Nubbin Pro. Nubbin Onions, which is for people who like onions. I'd be a terrible product-design person, actually. And it does different things in different stories. 'Cause it's a useful catchall thing. It's become 'Black Mirror' shorthand for "I'm going into spooky technology world now." "I'm gonna put that on and zonk out." 

Konnie Huq: Yeah. There's so many Nubbin episodes that could have had a sequel. But the first sequel that you've done is actually a sequel to "USS Callister." What made that your perfect choice? 

Charlie Brooker: Well, pretty much when the first Callister ended … Toby Haynes, who directed it, who's come back, as well, for the sequel — Toby has directed two episodes, in fact, this season. He was like, "Oh, you know, it'd be fun to carry on with these characters." And usually, certainly then, at the end of a 'Black Mirror' episode, the main characters were dead, disgraced, crying, broken, spiritually, mentally and emotionally, and physically broken. Whereas, actually, at the end of the original ''Callister,'' it actually ends with them flying off Robert Daly's computer, through the wormhole, and appearing in a whole new … They're in the game. They're in a whole new universe. And it felt like the start of a new chapter. And also, I just really loved the characters and the cast and stuff, so it just felt like the right thing to do. And, again, we make the rules in this anthology. 

Jessica Rhoades: I think, also, Charlie does an incredible job writing new episodes after new episodes after new episodes, but that's a lot of character creation. And those ones were really, I think, fun for you to write, fun for us all to watch. And so getting to get those characters back together was a lot of fun.

Konnie Huq: And it's probably nice writing when you know the character already rather than just creating. 

Charlie Brooker: Well, yeah, I worked out that really, the one character I've written for the most, across my career, is Philomena Cunk.

Konnie Huq: Yeah.

Charlie Brooker: Because she's alive at the end of every episode.

Konnie Huq: Don't kill her off, whatever you do.

Charlie Brooker: No, I'm gonna kill her off. 

Konnie Huq: What was it like in the conversations with the cast? Were they really excited to come back?

Charlie Brooker: No, they had to be forced at gunpoint. No, they were…

Jessica Rhoades: They were really excited. We rebuilt, as you'll see, we rebuilt the bridge, with some, again, next-gen details. But we kept them from going on. They did their rehearsals off the set. They made sure. And we made sure, on the day, they all got to walk on at the exact same time, together, which was really fun for them all, yeah. 

Charlie Brooker: Well, that is one of the really nice things, was that this time round, the set … Last time, it was a green screen out the viewport. They were staring at a green screen. This time, we actually had a giant LED screen that would show space and could animate and stuff like that. I think they found it quite emotional.

Jessica Rhoades: Yeah.

Konnie Huq: Aw. Were there tears on set? 

Charlie Brooker: Well, I don't know. Tears of joy. Um, yeah. And cries of, "When's lunch?" [audience laughs]

Konnie Huq: So you don't usually get returning characters. Which would you say is the hardest character you've ever had to, sort of, part with?

Charlie Brooker: I would say Colin Ritman, who is the character from "Bandersnatch" played by Will Poulter, was a character that I really loved. And it was tricky because he did die in various timelines in "Bandersnatch." But he's also a character who kind of seems to know that he lives outside of time and space. So that's why it was easy, in a way, I decided to bring him back. I don't think it messes with the chronology. I mean, good luck trying to make a chronology of 'Black Mirror,' by the way. But, also, there's loads of characters that I'd love to see more of, like Nida and Gaap from "Demon 79" last season. We've got an episode called "Bête Noire," which is set in a workplace, and we were  like … we'd created this ensemble of characters. And it's sad to say goodbye to them. So quite a lot of them. I mean, there's also bastards in 'Black Mirror,' sometimes, that you don't wanna see again.

Konnie Huq: Yeah, so some you celebrate leaving.

Charlie Brooker: Some that I celebrate. 

Konnie Huq: Okay, a question from Jeff, who wants to know which crew member of the USS Callister do you relate to the most?

Charlie Brooker: Uh…. [trills lips] That's a tricky one.

Konnie Huq: If any. 

Charlie Brooker: Well, it would be great to say Nanette 'cause she's the heroic one, but probably it's Tulaska, who's the one who stands at the back and says sardonic and miserable things. [all laugh]

Konnie Huq: And do you relate to any of the gang?

Jessica Rhoades: It's your captain's chair, but I'd probably say Nanette just because every once in a while you gotta tell people what they gotta do. 

Konnie Huq: Yeah, absolutely, you gotta tell people what they gotta do. Both of us gotta … Okay. [Jessica laughs] So we're now gonna move on to some quickfire questions. We've had plenty of questions come in. These ones you can answer succinctly.

Charlie Brooker: Is that a hint?

Konnie Huq: No, no, no. It's just that we've got four minutes left, apparently. Okay, so question number one is from Ashley, who says, "If money wasn't an option, would you shoot in space?"

Charlie Brooker: No. [Konnie chuckles] Really, the catering's a nightmare.

Konnie Huq: Oh, okay. Yeah.

Charlie Brooker: Soup. Awful.

Konnie Huq: Eating from tubes.

Jessica Rhoades: Seems like a waste of money. 

Charlie Brooker: And the toilet situation, forget it.

Konnie Huq: [chuckles] So Matt wants to know, if you could work with any actor, living or dead, who would it be and why?

Charlie Brooker: Dead. [audience laughs] Any actor. Any actor dead. [audience laughs] 'Cause they'll do whatever you want. They're always ready for their close-up. [Konnie chuckles] Straight out the trailer on time. They stink the place out.

Konnie Huq: Okay. Rigor mortis has its benefits, then.

Charlie Brooker: Yeah.

Konnie Huq: Okay. 

Charlie Brooker: Yeah. Just fix it in post. Dub something on.

Konnie Huq: [laughs] What about you, Jessica?

Jessica Rhoades: I can't top that! [Charlie laughs] God, 13-year-old Jessica would say Luke Perry.

Konnie Huq: Ooh, right. That would be interesting. Dawn wants to know, would you consider writing an episode of 'Black Mirror' revolving around Philomena Cunk? 

Charlie Brooker: Well, you know what? Yes. I've thought about this. I did think about this. Because we do different genres within 'Black Mirror,' in a way. We've done romances. We've done comedies. We've done horror. I thought, well, you could just do "Cunk on Tech." You could just do that as a mockumentary episode, and just send her to Silicon Valley, and get her to interview … I mean, probably the rights to that would be an absolute tangle and a nightmare. [Konnie chuckles] So I don't know … I think, if I was to do one, that's probably how I'd do it. Just literally a mockumentary episode. That'd be fun. Yeah.

Konnie Huq: Mmm.

Charlie Brooker: Get Elon Musk in there.

Konnie Huq: Oh yeah. Yeah, you gotta do that. So Len wants to know, will we see —

Charlie Brooker: Len?! [chuckles] Len.

Konnie Huq: Yeah, Len.

Charlie Brooker: Len? Okay. Great '70s name.

Konnie Huq: They … Yeah.

Charlie Brooker: Well done, Len.

Konnie Huq: [laughs] Hi, Len, if you're watching. Will we see more horror-themed episodes? Or maybe an establishment of the Red Mirror label as a different swim lane? 

Charlie Brooker: You know what? I would love to do more, but I think I'd clearly delineate them as Red Mirror. Which they are, actually, very clearly delineated now. So, yes, I think so, but I think that would be its own … 

Konnie Huq: Red Mirror. Yep.

Charlie Brooker: … its own bit of the Venn diagram. I think that would be its own patch.

Konnie Huq: Yes. Got you. Clarissa wants to know, are there any ideas or concepts you've intentionally avoided because they felt too real or too disturbing — does she know you? — for 'Black Mirror'? [Jessica laughs]

Charlie Brooker: Too real or too disturbing? I don't … [chuckles] I mean, I don't know if she's ever seen the first episode of 'Black Mirror.' That was pretty disturbing and, it turned out, possibly real. No, apparently, that was a scurrilous rumor. But, um, the … 

Jessica Rhoades: I think, some you've chucked for being a bit boring. 

Charlie Brooker: Yeah, there's some. Like, I wouldn't do one about Bitcoin. Or, I don't know. Somebody who, like, writes, uh, "boobies" on a calculator, turns it upside down. That would be a bit dull. Generally speaking, I have scraps of ideas that then I'm … Quite often what happens is I've got a concept, but I don't have a story, and I'm waiting for something that gives me the story that I can glue to the concept, wouldn't you say? That's fair. Yeah.

[Jessica clicks tongue] 

Konnie Huq: Okay, and one last quickie. Michelle wants to know, will we see Streamberry again this season? 

Charlie Brooker: We will. We will see Streamberry again. Well, we see a sort of reference to Streamberry. It's not spoiling too much to say we've got an episode. "Hotel Reverie" is an episode that revolves around vintage films, and there's a little nod to Streamberry in there.

Jessica Rhoades: There's a little Hollywood bit.

Charlie Brooker: There's a little, sort of —

Jessica Rhoades: We like our Streamberry overlords. 

Charlie Brooker: Yeah, but it's about a British film studio trying to reinvigorate its British film … I'm saying ''British'' a lot. 'Cause I'm filled with patriotism.

Konnie Huq: You're a Britophile.

Charlie Brooker: Every minute. 'Cause I'm a Brit. 

Konnie Huq: Okay, well, I'm afraid to say, with that, we are out of time. But before we wrap up, everyone, please will you join me in giving a massive thank you and bringing the house down for the fantastic Jessica Rhoades and the fantastic, kinda, Charlie Brooker! [Charlie and Jessica laugh]

[cheering, whooping]

Konnie Huq: Um …

Charlie Brooker: "Kinda"? 

Konnie Huq: That was a joke. And, of course, a big thank you to everyone who is joining us virtually by the wonders of cyberspace and technology. We really, really appreciate all the questions that you've asked and your enthusiasm for the series, and we hope that your support for the show will be ongoing. So whether you're tuning in in the room or from afar, we do hope that you'll enjoy the upcoming series. And just before we say farewell to our online viewers, Charlie, have you got any final thoughts to share with us? 

Charlie Brooker: Yeah, so the show drops on April 10th. Uh, that's Thursday. Please watch it. Obviously, I'm gonna say that. Even if you're here, watch it again, you bastards. Apparently, watch it, watch it again, watch it a third time, watch it a fourth time, in any order you like, but watch it. And click the Double Thumbs Up icon. Apparently that's a very important metric. 'Black Mirror' Season 7, as you already said, is commencing on April 10th, only on Netflix. Make sure you spread the word of how brilliant it is. Um, and, yeah, do enjoy it, everyone. So, without any further ado, please sit back, plug in, and enjoy.

[cheering]