Amol Rajan made his hosting debut on Have I Got News For You last night. He brought his trademark humour to the show, joking that he must be on the wrong program and pretending to leave the set.
The episode featured panellists Andrea Jenkyns, a former Conservative MP, and actor-comedian Miles Jupp. Regular team captains Paul Merton and Ian Hislop were also there. As always, the show involved a satirical quiz about current affairs and the week’s headlines.
Andrea Jenkyns Defends Boris Johnson
Jenkyns took the opportunity to express her continued support for Boris Johnson. She said, “I still think Boris Johnson was one of our better Prime Ministers.”
Her comment was met with groans from the audience. In response, Jenkyns accused the host of selecting an audience that didn’t like Boris or the Conservative Party.
Ian Hislop quickly jumped in. “You can’t just say, ‘You’ve selected the audience!’ You’ve got no evidence for that, no proof. It’s just b*******… This isn’t GB News!”
Amol Rajan’s Comedic Exit
Amol seized the moment for a joke. He pretended to realize he was on the wrong show and stood up, saying, “Hang on, this isn’t GB News? I thought I was on GB News. I’m in the wrong place altogether!” He made as if to leave but quickly returned to his seat, making the audience burst into laughter.
Ian Hislop Takes Aim at Boris Johnson’s Book
The banter between Hislop and Jenkyns didn’t end there. Hislop asked, “Did Boris Johnson’s book launch go well?”
Jenkyns replied, “It was amazing, Boris was on fire.”
“Were you there?” Hislop asked.
“I was getting my book signed,” Jenkyns said.
“What did he write?” Hislop quipped. “‘This is fiction’?”
Jenkyns laughed but said, “You’re in the book. You should claim royalties.”
Hislop responded, “I’m in the book? He accuses me of being a liar, which is pretty funny.”
“I have to disagree,” Jenkyns replied.
“You think I’m a liar?” Hislop pressed.
“No, I think you’re lovely… behind,” Jenkyns joked.
“A lovely liar?” Hislop shot back.
Jenkyns said, “Backstage, you’re a different person, very supportive.”
Hislop’s final quip? “Now that is libellous!” He then added, “Boris Johnson did say that the only thing he regretted was apologising over his behaviour during COVID. So, when he said, ‘I’m sorry,’ according to him, he was lying. That’s it—the top headline in the book: ‘I lied when I apologised for my behaviour during COVID. I shouldn’t have apologised.'”
Social Media Reactions
The episode quickly sparked reactions on social media. One viewer tweeted, “Typical #BBC… a lefty audience booing Boris. But Ian Hislop was on fire!” Another commented, “This is why I still watch #HIGNFY. That was brilliant.”
It was a night filled with humor, political jabs, and plenty of laughs—a classic episode for Have I Got News For You.
You may also like: No10 forced to clarify Keir Starmer’s false Falklands claim about his uncle
