As an alternative to the BBC’s annual broadcast of a Christmas message from Queen Elizabeth II, Channel 4 shared its own message using a fake version of the head of the UK monarchy.
In the video, this digital version of the Queen takes a few hits on targets like Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Canada, and jokes about the toilet paper crisis that many people faced in the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then she starts dancing to watch a TikTok video before taking a more serious step and advising people to be cautious about what they see online and on TV, because not everything can be as it seems. At the end of the video, the varnish comes off and we see the green screen defined and the actor playing the Queen.
It’s a fun way for Channel 4 to publicize deepfakes and also remind people to be diligent about the media they consume, although that particular deepfake isn’t exactly high quality.