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Joe Lycett trolls new PM Liz Truss: ‘absolutely smashed it babe’

"I’m actually very right wing and I love it," Joe Lycett declared on Sundays with Laura Kuenssberg.

By Emily Maskell

Words: Emily Maskell; pictures: Instagram/@joelycett

Joe Lycett has been making headlines in the past couple of days for his expert trolling of the newly appointed PM, Liz Truss.

Following the announcement of her win in the Conservative leadership race on Monday (5 August) the comedian, 34, tweeted: “Yes
@trussliz absolutely smashed it babe!!!”

It follows his appearance as a guest on the political show Sundays with Laura Kuenssberg (4 September), where the Birmingham comedian declared he is now right-wing and that he supported Truss’ “clear” PM plan.

Lycett joined Labour MP Emily Thornberry and No 10 former staffer Cleo Watson to analyse Kuenssberg’s interview with Truss, a moment that saw Lycett applaud Truss after Kuenssberg wrapped their interview.

“I know there’s been criticism in The Mail on Sunday today about leftie liberal wokie comedians on the BBC. I’m actually very right wing and I love it. I thought she gave great clear answers. I know exactly what she’s up to,” Lycet cheekily remarked on the show. 

Lycett’s feigning of enthusiastic support for Truss continued with the comedian tweeting “Yes [Liz Truss] absolutely smashed it babe!!!” moments after Truss’ leadership campaign was proven successful and she was declared the new PM.

Following Lycett’s comedian antics on the show, the Daily Mail’s front page on Monday (5 September) referenced Lycett’s joke with the headline ‘Now BBC Comic Mocks Liz Truss’.

Sharing an image of the front page, Lycett shared: “I’ll be off to the framers in the morning.”

The Daily Mail claimed that Truss’ interview was “overshadowed by Joe Lycett, who sarcastically applauded and cheered he, before ridiculing her promises”.

Clips of Lycett on the Laura Kuenssberg-helmed show have been doing the rounds on Twitter with many applauding the comedian for refusing to take the interview seriously.

“Haters will say: 12 years of the Tories and that we’re at the dregs of what they’ve got available and that Liz Truss is the backwash of the available MPs,” Lycett continued. “I wouldn’t say that because I’m incredibly right-wing.”

Lycett’s appearance on the show proved a goldmine for viral moments.

Another sees Lycett joke about his appearance on the show.

“[Rishi Sunak] is not going to be prime minister, so you might as well have interviewed Peter Andre but I would like to see some sort of plan […] something concrete. We need help now,” Lycett said.

MP Jess Philips also shared her thoughts on Lycett’s appearance on Sundays with Laura Kuenssberg in a tweet: “I’m biased for sure, but refusing to take the deeply unserious performance and proposals from Liz Truss seriously showed exactly how seriously Joe Lycett thinks politics and the energy crisis is.”

His performance was better and more honest than Truss by a country mile,” Philips continued.

Joe Lycett is currently on tour with More, More, More! How Do You Lycett? How Do You Lycett? in the UK and Ireland, you can see available tickets here

The Attitude September/October issue is out now.