The first was about a British Prime Minister forced to perform a hideous act on live television.

The second and third were both about relationships torn apart by two very different forms of future technology.

Ad content continues below

Thats true.

On the 27th, I believe.

So where did the inspiration for it come from?

After Id doneDead Set,I thought Id like to do another drama of some description.

So it was an attempt to do a modern take on one of those, I would say.

So that was basically the main inspiration, and then it followed on from there.

In both the episodes you wrote, the premises and the characters are both really strong.

So which came first, the premise or the characters?

Probably the premise, actually.

Obviously, in the first one, you know the main character is the Prime Minister.

It didnt work if you didnt sympathise with him.

Its kind of a horror movie, in a way.

Were Channel Four quite supportive of the first episodes rather taboo story element?

That episode wasnt written or even discussed when the series had been commissioned.

The first draft the first 25 pages or so were written over the course of a feverish weekend.

But they couldnt have been more supportive, really, of the whole series.

I couldnt fault them.

They didnt say you cant do that or you cant do this.

Had you anticipated the complaints the first episode received?

There werent many, really, on balance.

If you compare it to other controversial programmes of the past.

It wasnt played for laughs, basically.

Thats meant to be funny ho, ho everyone, lets laugh at this.

Im not surprised that people complained, but then people complain about newsreaders ties.

Its part and parcel, really.

If anything I thought we could have had more complaints.

I particularly liked the second episode,Fifteen Million Merits.What inspired the future dystopia you wrote about?

And she pointed out that in the future Id have every wall of my house as an iPad screen.

Thats the narrative in talent shows: here you are, plucked from your normal life.

Its a lottery, basically.

So those two thoughts came together.

Like I said, that was the first episode written.

I thought Euros Lyns direction was fantastic.

It didnt look like a typical TV show.

He did a fantastic job.

We were very lucky I say lucky, I mean, we were lucky to find such good directors.

Because there are bits in that episode that deliberately border on cheese.

Early on, the romance between Abi and Bing is very deliberate, with the strings and everything.

And Euros embraced that wholeheartedly.

We were all blown away when we saw the initial cut.

It changed very little, from that cut to the final one that aired.

Have you any more episodes ofBlack Mirrorplanned?

Im going through those at the moment.

I cant say what they are, obviously, but theyre in a similar vein, Id say.

You want a similar mix.The National Anthemwas set in the present, andFifteen Million Meritswas set God knows when.

So theres a right mix of ideas, put it that way.

Would you look to make a longer run of episodes, or keep it to just three?

I dont know, to be honest.

Originally, the idea was to do about eight, and they were going to be half-hour episodes.

Then there was a point when it became six, and then it became three one-hour episodes.

But it came out better as a result.

Ive been reading your articles about your visit to Japan recently.

Did that perhaps serve as an inspiration for future episodes?

It certainly augmented an idea Id already had.

It did have an inspiration, but I cant say what it is.

Its sort of like it happens in an alternate dimension somewhere.

But in Japan, thats not the case, is it?

Games are embraced much more readily.

Yeah, theres much more casual acceptance of stuff like that.

And I dont know why that is.

I think were catching up, though, I really do.

Everyones got an iPhone or an iPad, or playing games on Facebook.

Which is what Black Mirrors about.

Ive long hoped youd do more episodes ofGameswipe is that something you might return to maybe?

I wouldnt rule it out.

There are things I cant really say about things I may be doing.

I wouldnt entirely rule it out, though it just depends if Ive got time.

Put it that way.

Youve been working on a comedy calledA Touch Of Cloth,I understand.

Its all been done.

And it kept not getting made, which was really frustrating.

Then I forgot about it, but Sky remembered it.

They remembered having seen it, and liked it, and asked if wed expand it.

Its me and Dan Mayer, Ben Cordell and Peter Holmes and John Morris.

ItsAirplanehumour very different toBlack Mirror.

And when is it likely to air?

I know its going to be on soon-ish.

Theyre very pleased with it.

Insanely pleased with it.

Disgustingly pleased with it.

So I think theyll wheel it out with the biggest ad campaign they can.

Unless theyre lying, and theyre going to bury it in a quarry!

Charlie Brooker, thank you very much.

Black Mirroris available on DVD from 27th February.