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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Miriam Burrell

Joe Lycett ‘rejoices’ in Liz Truss victory after controversial BBC appearance

Comedian Joe Lycett has said he is having “such a fun ride being right wing” and “recommends it everyone” following his appearance on Laura Kuenssberg’s new political show that made headlines.

He told Radio Times on Monday: “I’m having so much fun with this...I don’t know why I wasn’t doing it sooner.

“It’s really fun. Like..if somebody says, ‘Oh, we should probably look after the poor, you go, ‘Rubbish!’ It’s so easy.”

The comedian said he was “very right wing” while appearing as a panel guest on the new BBC Sunday morning show, which caused many laughs from his fans.

The 34-year-old was questioned by Ms Kussenberg about interview answers that Liz Truss gave earlier on the programme.

“I’m actually very right wing, I loved it,” Mr Lycett replied on the show.

“She gave very clear answers. The haters will say we’ve had 12 years of the Tories and...Liz Truss is the backwash of the available MPs. I wouldn’t say that because I’m incredibly right wing, but some people might say that.”

His appearance made the front page of Monday’s Daily Mail newspaper, and attracted widespread praise and criticism.

On Monday he told Radio Times he doesn’t think the BBC is upset about it.

“I spoke to Laura and her team beforehand. And they said they wanted to go in a slightly different direction. They wanted to try and make it sort of bring it out to different viewpoints.

“I suppose they maybe didn’t realise that I’m really right-wing now that I think maybe they thought I was left-wing. I have you know, I have changed my viewpoints over the years.

“But so has Liz Truss, you know, she was a Lib Dem now she’s a Tory, she was Remainer. Now she’s a Brexiteer. People change their minds. And you’ve got to keep up with that.

“I think that I think they maybe were slightly surprised that I’m incredibly right wing now. But it happens, doesn’t it? Somebody said you get 8 per cent More right-wing with every year you get old. So I think I just leapfrogged it?”

Mr Lycett added that Liz Truss “got up quicker than she had been told to” in reaction to his appearance.

“My BBC source said that she had. And this is a direct quote, ‘a face like a slapped arse’. So I don’t know whether - I didn’t know what that means. But I’d be very sad if I’d made Liz Truss sad in any way because she is my favourite politician. And I’m thrilled that she’s going to be the prime minister.”

On being on the front page of the Daily Mail, he said: “It’s not something I expected for my life. But here we are.”

When host Matt Chorley asked if he had been booked by GB News, Mr Lycett replied: “Oh, no, I’m far too expensive at GB News. Even with my new politics.”

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