Brian Cox has issued Boris Johnson with a striking message in character as Succession’s Logan Roy.
The Scottish actor appeared on The Jeremy Vine Show on Friday (4 February), where he discussed the prime minister’s recent behaviour.
Earlier this week, senior civil servant Sue Gray’s report on lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street concluded that there had been “failures of leadership and judgment” in No 10 and the Cabinet Office. However, the findings were heavily censored.
Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, called the prime minister a “man without shame”. Johnson then brushed off demands for his resignation, instead promising to “fix” the problem with a shake-up of No 10 staff.
Cox, in character as the abrasive media mogul, said in a video shared by The Jeremy Vine Show’s Twitter account: “Listen, Boris. I think you really need psychiatric help. You're a compulsive liar and a country really does not need a compulsive liar running the show.”
He then added, censoring himself: So if I was you, I would... off.” In the acclaimed HBO show, his character is known for bellow “f*** off” at other characters.
During his appearance on the show, Cox, not in character, called the political situation “so depressing”.
When asked by Vine if he thinks Johnson could “survive the weekend” as prime minister, Cox replied: “Oh well, I hope not.”
He called out the “permitted lying in Parliament that goes on”, saying that “it’s got crazy”.
“I really do believe he needs psychiatric help,” Cox continued, stating: “Clearly a bunch of his advisors now feel the same.”
