Mr Lycett “trolled” Liz Truss this morning, applauding her enthusiastically and telling BBC viewers he was “very right-wing” – despite his history of criticizing the Conservative government. The 34-year-old comedian, who also presented The Great British Sewing Bee, was on Laura Kuensberg’s debut show Today on Sunday alongside political adviser Cleo Watson and shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry. But some top industry figures questioned why a comedian was booked for the show when it was an opportunity for the two leadership candidates, Ms Truss and Rishi Sunak, to present their plan to the nation ahead of the announcement of the new prime minister tomorrow. . Mr Lycett initially reacted to Ms Truss’ interview by loudly clapping, cheering and shouting “Fantastic Liz”. Ms Kuenssberg returned to the panel as the interview ended, telling Mr Lycett: “I’m going to let you calm down a bit before I come to you.” Mr Lycett smiled and told the panel he ‘loved it’ emphatically, adding: ‘You said earlier than I’m not left or right or right. I’m actually very right-wing and I loved it. I thought she was very clear, she gave very clear answers. Joe Lycett said: “She was very clear in what she said. I think you know exactly what’s going to happen. ‘I’m reassured, are you reassured, are you reassured?’
What did Joe Lycett say?
Throughout Sunday Morning with Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC, Joe Lycett entertained viewers by maintaining dead-on support for Liz Truss and the Conservative party. But what did he say?
In the leadership contest
“It’s been a big use of resources, a big use of our media, to have infighting in the Tory party while a huge cost-of-living crisis is looming.”
Janet Daly claims Liz Truss is ‘stronger than you think’
“Fair play, Janet. I think the haters will say that we’ve had 12 years of the Tories and we’re kind of at the bottom of what they’ve got and that Liz Truss is kind of the antithesis of Tory MPs.
“I wouldn’t say that because ‘I’m incredibly right-wing, but some people might say that.’
About Liz Truss and energy bills:
‘I loved it.
“You said earlier that I’m not left or right or right. I’m actually very right-wing and I loved it. I thought she was very clear, she gave very clear answers.
“I know exactly what he’s doing, and I think most people watching at home worried about their bills will feel [reassured]…”.
“She was very clear in what she said. I think you know exactly what’s going to happen. I’m reassured, are you reassured, are you reassured?’
“I liked what he had to say about let’s not make predictions and see what happens, I think he did the right thing there.”
In Rishi Sunak:
“It was nice to hear Rishi Sunak. He’s not going to be Prime Minister, so you might as well have interviewed Peter Andre.”
On plans to reduce the cost of living of the crisis:
“I would like to see some plan, something concrete, we need help now.
‘Why not now? Oh, I slipped on the left wing.’
“I know exactly what he’s doing, and I think most people watching at home worried about their bills will feel [reassured]…”.
At this point Ms Kuensberg pressed the comedian, who is not known to be a supporter of the right, and said: “This is a serious point, Joe.”
The comedian replied: “I’m not being sarcastic.”
He added: “She was very clear in what she said. I think you know exactly what’s going to happen. I’m reassured, are you reassured, are you reassured?’
Ms Thornberry, who was described as a ‘smiler in the corner’ by the BBC’s former political editor, replied: ‘I am so reassured. I try not to smile.’
Mr Lycett has often spoken out against right-wing politics, including most recently at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
At the opening ceremony of the Games, Mr Lycett made his political leanings clear and said: “I’m going to do something the government doesn’t always do and welcome some outsiders!”
She later tweeted about the moment, writing: “Soz Priti Patel, just a piece of banter.”
At the start of the Sunday programme, he told Laura Kuensberg that the Conservative leadership election was “a great use of resources, a great use of our media, to have infighting in the Tory party while there is a huge cost of living crisis . ‘
He sarcastically dismissed Mrs. Kuenssberg’s suggestion of cynicism: “No. From me?’
Many fans loved Mr Lycett’s appearance, which quickly went viral on social media – but some raised concerns about the seriousness of a BBC political program with a comedian on the panel.
New Statesman deputy political editor Rachel Wearmouth tweeted: “Not sure inviting comedian Joe Lycett on a serious political show was the best idea. The cheers of the Truss interview were a bit strange.’
But Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy praised the comic: “I just found out about Joe Lycett’s new political show on Sunday morning. I think he’s a winner.’
Meanwhile, Rob Burley, the BBC’s former head of politics, said: “Memo: don’t put comedians on Question Time or any other serious political show.
“This is no time for this nonsense.”
But retweeting Mr Lycett’s own post, where he joked he was going to ‘Would I Lie to You’ this morning, he added: “Well, to be fair, Joe wasn’t hiding the plan!”
He shared his final verdict with his online followers: “Final verdict from me on the new show: swish, modern, great production tracks, very powerful interview with Liz Truss from LK.
“Sunak felt a bit desperate, but still great that he attracted both candidates.
“I think the panel was awkward and needs work, but that will come.”
Ms Thornberry, also on the panel, previously said Liz Truss has a “thick skin” but can be “quite light” as she is not “into the detail”.
The deadlocked response followed Liz Truss’s refusal to be drawn on any concrete measures she will introduce to help families struggling with the rising cost of energy bills.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Mrs Truss said: “I will act if I am elected prime minister.
“I will act immediately on the bills and the energy supply because I think these two things go hand in hand.
“We have to deal with the immediate problem, we have to help people. We need to help businesses. But we also have to solve the supply issues.’
Pressing repeatedly on what form that action would take, Ms Truss said: “Before you’re elected prime minister, you don’t have all the tools to get things done.
“Well, that’s why it’s going to take a week to sort out the exact plans and make sure we’re able to announce them. That’s why I can’t go into details at this stage.
“It would be wrong. But what I want to be very clear with the public is that I understand that this is a huge problem.
“I understand that people are concerned and I want to reassure people that I am absolutely determined to resolve this issue and within a month, to present a full plan of how we are going to cut taxes, how we are going to get the British economy going and how we will find our way out of these very difficult times.’
He refused to say whether he would freeze energy bills, as Labor has proposed.
Mr Lycett said at the end of the programme: “It was great to hear Rishi Sunak.
Liz Truss interviewed Laura Kuenssberg but refused to specify what measures she would introduce to keep cost of living prices low
Laura Kuensberg was joined by Boris Johnson’s former deputy chief of staff Cleo Watson, Joe Lycett and Labor frontbencher Emily Thornberry (left to right)
Laura Kuenssberg started her new BBC show, replacing Andrew Marr’s slot, this morning
“He’s not going to be Prime Minister, so you might as well have interviewed Peter Andre.
“But I would like to see a plan, something concrete, we need help now.”
When Ms Kuenssberg went on to say the UK could hear Ms Truss’s plan within a week, the comedian said: ‘Why not now?
“Oh, I slipped on the left wing.”
After the show, My Lycett posted on social media: “If you want to hear more of my right-wing views, I’m on tour.”
On the cost of living crisis, Ms Truss told the programme: “Inflation is set to peak. Inflation will fall.’
He told Mrs Kuenssberg: “There will be difficult circumstances and there will be difficult decisions to be made.
“Not all of these decisions will be popular, but I will be honest about what we should do.
“But I’m also someone who is positive… Britain has had worse, frankly, in the past. We have the ability, we have the will and the spirit to face the challenges.’
Ms Thornberry said it was “extraordinary” that the Tory leadership candidates “can’t give a concrete answer to the one question that frankly everyone wants an answer to” – what is going to happen to the Tories’ energy bills. citizens.
He said: “It’s not just the poorest. They are also people with middle incomes.
“We will have the majority of the country in fuel poverty unless something is done.
“What he’s saying is, ‘Oh well, I can’t tell you, I’ll tell you in a week.’ Why not?’
At the start of the show, the former BBC Political Editor told viewers: “We’re here to ask important questions, the ones you want answered by the people who make the decisions that affect us all.
“We will see what is true and what is not.
“But we will try to have more discussions than arguments. I can’t promise you that this is always what will happen. But sometimes we’ll have fun this morning too, I hope.”
“I’m so glad you’re here. Right, let’s crack.’
She was joined by Mr Lycett, Ms Thornberry and Cleo Watson, who have been advising Boris Johnson during the pandemic.
While many understood Mr. Lycett’s response…
