Joe Lycett says Liz Truss had ‘a face like a slapped arse’ after BBC interview

Joe Lycett was apparently told that Liz Truss was unimpressed by his stunt in which he pretended to be a “very right wing” fan of the Tory MP.

The comedian appeared on the first episode of Laura Kuenssberg’s new BBC politics programme on Sunday (4 September) ahead of the winner of the Conservative leadership contest being announced.

During the interview, Lycett cheered for Truss before explaining that he was now “extremely right wing”.

“I know there’s been criticism in the The Mail on Sunday today about leftie liberal wokie comedians on the BBC,” he said. “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.”

On Monday (5 September), Lycett appeared on Times Radio, where he told presenter Matt Chorley that he’d heard Truss was not pleased with the interview.

“Apparently she got up quicker than she’d been told to,” Lycett said. “My BBC source said that she had – and this is a direct quote – a face like a slapped arse.

“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 is going to be the prime minister.”

The comic explained that he didn’t believe the production team at the BBC were “upset” about the interview and that he’d been told by “Laura and her team” that they were looking to go in a “slightly different direction” with the interview.

“I suppose they maybe didn’t realise that I’m really right wing now. I think maybe they thought I was left wing,” he added.

“I have changed my viewpoints over the year, but then so has Liz Truss. She was a Lib Dem, now she’s a Tory. She was Remain, now she’s [a] Brexiteer. People change their minds and you’ve gotta keep up with that… Somebody said you get eight per cent more right wing with every year you get older. I think I’ve just leap-frogged it.”

Asked for his advice for Truss, he said: “Trust your instincts. Channel Thatcher, that can’t go wrong… There is still the BBC, Channel 4 and the NHS which you can still sell off. It would be nice to have ‘Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg with Nivea’. Get it all privatised.”

Lycett’s interview has been criticised by those on the right, with The Daily Mail writing on its front page that the BBC had been accused of “anti-Tory bias” as a result.

Lycett, however, saw the funny side, sharing the cover on social media and captioning it: “I’ll be off to the framers in the morning.”

During Monday’s episode of Good Morning Britain, Susanna Reid and Martin Lewis defended Lycett.

“You invite a comedian on a programme, expect them to do comedy,” Lewis argued.

Lycett’s interview came hours before Truss was voted in as the new prime minister after beating Rishi Sunak in the Tory leadership race. You can follow The Independent’s live blog here.

As the results were announced, the comic tweeted: “Yes @trussliz absolutely smashed it babe!!!”

You can read more of Lycett’s political pranks here.