Good Morning Britain’s Susanna Reid was left in hysterics as Rob Beckett did an impression of MP Dominic Raab after he was interviewed on the programme on Tuesday morning.
The comedian appeared remotely from his home to promote his new book on the ITV morning programme, but immediately asked co-hosts Susanna and Richard Madeley about the MP’s grilling earlier in the show.
Raab was quizzed on the government’s precarious position in the wake of the vote of confidence in Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday evening, which saw him narrowly retain his premiership.
Rob asked the Good Morning Britain hosts: “How do you put up with those politicians everyday? Oh my God, they do my head in. It’s absolute madness.”
He then adopted one of Raab’s hand gestures he often uses while doing the media rounds, as Rob said: “The fat hand is the worst bit because they can’t point, pointing’s too aggressive, so it’s like he’s doing a pancake.
“Oh shut up. Boring,” he continued before he adopted a Raab-like voice and imitated: “‘Susanna if you let me finish’. What are you doing? What’s the little thumb point? No one does that.”
In the ITV studio, Susanna collapsed over her desk in fits of giggles as Richard coyly replied: “We couldn't possibly comment.”
Susanna said of the hand gesture: “It is a new thing. I think it started with Tony Blair, that hand movement for emphasis. You’re right.”
Rob then joked that the presenting pair managed to leave Raab “stressed” as he “whipped out the flat hand”.
Rob added: “The more stressed he got, the closer a point came out. If you ever get a point, you’ve got them, I think.”
Richard said: “Obviously the government ministers are on a really sticky wicket this morning, we understand that. We know what they’ve got to say.
“At least he actually, on the whole, tended to answer the questions. By and large on this programme, they don’t.
“You ask them how much is fish in the market at the moment and they say, there’s some wonderful steak out there that I want to talk about. They think the public can’t see them doing it.”
Rob replied: “What makes me laugh is you saying they’re on a sticky wicket. It’s their choice. It’s not jury service. You’re not forced to be a politician.”
As the interview came to a conclusion, Susanna asked: “Are you a political person, Rob?”
Again adopting his Raab voice, Rob replied: “Well, Susanna, I’m going to stop you there, if you would just let me – I’m not not a political person.”
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays at 6am on ITV.
