Comedian Joe Lycett has responded to a tabloid cover following his viral interview on a BBC politics show over the weekend.
During an appearance on the newly-launched Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg yesterday (September 4), Lycett shouted: “You smashed it, Liz!” after Tory leadership frontrunner Liz Truss was interviewed on the programme, and later gave a sarcastic response during a panel interview, joking he was “extremely right-wing”.
Following the exchange, The Daily Mail published a front page with the headline: “Now BBC comic mocks Liz Truss,” with the article claiming “anti-Tory bias” from the corporation.
Tweeting the image, Lycett responded: “I’ll be off to the framers in the morning”.
Iâll be off to the framers in the morning pic.twitter.com/tJLFwtSnBU
— Joe Lycett (@joelycett) September 4, 2022
During the TV exchange, the comedian was asked about his thoughts on Truss’s interview, responding: “I know thereâs been criticism in The Mail on Sunday today about leftie liberal wokie comedians on the BBC. Iâm actually very right-wing and I loved it. I thought she gave great clear answers. I know exactly what sheâs up to.”
When Kuenssberg said it was a “serious point”, Lycett said he was “not being sarcastic” as the presenter touched upon Truss’s claim that a package of help was coming amid the cost-of-living crisis.
“She was very clear what she said, and I think you know exactly what’s going to happen. You’re reassured, I’m reassured,” he added, before turning to fellow guest Emily Thornberry: “Are you reassured?”
Big fan of @joelycett refusing to take an unserious person seriously pic.twitter.com/KETihwgRbV
— Nooruddean (@BeardedGenius) September 4, 2022
Later, when the panel were shown a newspaper column that suggested Truss may be “stronger” than people think, Lycett said: “I think the haters will say that weâve had 12 years of the Tories, and that weâre sort of at the dregs of what theyâve got available, and that Liz Truss is sort of like the backwash of the available MPs.
“I wouldnât say that, because Iâm incredibly right-wing, but some people might say that,” he further quipped.
When Kuenssberg suggested the “consensus” in politics can be wrong, the comedian went on to joke: “As Liz said there, it would be ‘wrong to predict the future.’ Even though loads of people have predicted that we’re going to have real issues with paying energy bills.
“But I think she’s right to just basically say, ‘well let’s not predict and see what happens next week.’ I think she did the right thing there!”
Truss and Rishi Sunak are currently competing to become the next Tory leader and thus Prime Minister, with the result expected to be announced this afternoon (September 5) around 12.30pm BST.
Meanwhile, a few months ago Lycett revealed that a person reported him to the police after finding one of his jokes too offensive. Earlier this year, the star also created a “panic” in government after releasing a mock Sue Gray report into the Downing Street parties.
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