‘Both of these have ended me’: Viewers react after BBC and Channel 4 soundtrack Liz Truss exit with Rihanna and Taylor Swift

Your support helps us to tell the story

Support Now

My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.

Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.

Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond

Eric Garcia

Washington Bureau Chief

Find out more

BBC Two and Channel 4 have delighted viewers with their inspired soundtrack choices for reports on Prime Minister Liz Truss’s resignation.

The opening credits to Newsnight on Thursday (20 October) were a montage of Truss’s highlights and lowlights set to the soundtrack of Rihanna’s “Take a Bow”, which includes lyrics from “you look so dumb right now” to “don’t tell me you’re sorry ’cause you’re not”.

The song’s lyrics were matched impeccably with moments from Truss’s short-lived premiership.

Channel 4 News, meanwhile, played Taylor Swift’s “Blank Space” alongside clips of Truss – a self-proclaimed fan of Swift’s music.

“You look like my next mistake,” Swift can be heard singing, alongside a clip of Tory politicians applauding Truss.

Viewers found the music choices hilarious. “Absolutely DYING at @BBCNewsnight’s opening tonight!” tweeted one person. “Move over Channel 4…”

“BBC Two made a goddamn Liz Truss fancam set to Rihanna’s ‘Take A Bow’ to open their nightly newscast!!” tweeted another.

“This is unbelievably good,” added a third. “Missed a trick not having a clip of Liz Truss’s terrible curtsy when Rihanna says ‘go on and take a bow’. But it’s outstanding from start to finish...”

Another called the broadcasts “elite s***housery”, while a fifth said: “Both of these have ended me.”

“Whoever in Channel 4 News is responsible for playing Taylor Swifts ‘Blank Space’ over a montage of Liz Truss media footage deserves to have their genius recognised,” tweeted one viewer. “Never has lyric and film synced so well.”

Another called it “the funniest thing ever”.

Following Truss’s resignation on Thursday, celebrities from Ricky Gervais to Nish Kumar led reactions on Twitter.

Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke shared a fierce condemnation of the Tories, while comedian Joe Lycett joked that Truss should run again in the leadership race.

Truss’s resignation to make way for the third prime minister in just eight weeks has led to a surge in demand for a general election.

Within hours of her announcement, signatures onThe Independent’s campaign for an immediate election passed a quarter of a million.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the public “deserve a proper say on the country’s future”, while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey issued a call for Conservative MPs to “do their patriotic duty, put the country first and give the people a say”.