The comedian was on the latest episode of the BBC series (September 4) alongside No 10 staffers Cleo Watson and Labour’s Emily Thornberry to discuss the divisive response to the cost of living rise from Boris Johnson’s potential prime minister replacement, Liz Tras. After Kuenssberg’s interview with Truss ended, Lycett could be heard cheering off-screen, shouting: “You nailed it, Liz!” Lycett then went on to sarcastically share his honest thoughts on the Tory government, but joked that they weren’t his sentiments as he is “extremely right-wing”. Asked what his “honest” thoughts were on Truss’s response, he replied: “You said earlier that I’m not left or right. I know there was criticism in the Mail on Sunday today about the left-liberal wookie comedians at the BBC. I’m actually very right-wing and I like it. I thought he gave very clear answers. I know exactly what he’s doing.” Here, Kuensberg interjected: “It’s a serious matter, Joe. Forgive me. It’s a serious point.” “I’m not being sarcastic,” Lycett said. Kuenssberg continued: “She said there was a big aid package coming this week to help people pay their bills.” Lycett replied: “Yes, she was very clear about what she said. I think you know exactly what’s going to happen. I am reassured, you are reassured.” Then he turned to Thornberry, who was stifling a laugh, and asked, “Are you reassured?” Joe Lycett and Emily Thornberry in “Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg” (BBC) Kuenssberg said, “Emily Thornberry, you’re smiling over there in the corner.” Later in the episode, when Kuenssberg highlighted a news report claiming that Truss is a “stronger” candidate “than you think”, Lycett said: “I think the haters will say we’ve had 12 years of the Tories and it’s kind of on the dregs of the available, and that Lizz Truss is sort of like the reverse washing of the available MPs. I wouldn’t say that because I’m incredibly right-wing, but some people might say that.” Kuenssberg then stated that “consensus in politics is often wrong and we don’t know what’s going to happen,” to which Lycett responded: “Yeah, like Liz said there, she said it would be wrong to predict the future even if many people have predicted that we will have real problems paying our energy bills. I think he’s right to say, basically, let’s not predict, let’s see what happens next week. I think he did the right thing there.” Many have praised Lycett for the look, with some calling him a “genius”. Joey Lycett pretended to be a right-wing Tory supporter on ‘Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg’ (BBC) “Kuensberg having no idea how to handle the situation because she technically isn’t saying anything she can editorially disagree with is just great,” one viewer wrote, while another called his appearance “awesome.” Ahead of his performance, Lycett told his followers on Twitter: “Really excited to be in this new version of Would I Lie To You.” Then, shortly after the episode ended, he quipped, “If you want to hear more of my right-wing views, I’m on tour.” In January, Lycett revealed that his funny version of Sue Gray’s findings at Downing Street parties that allegedly happened during the Covid-19 lockdown was read as a “serious report” to the government. The comedian got the news from someone who said he is a “verified” employee of a Conservative minister.
