Politics
Boris Johnson

Comedian's parody of Tory MP being asked about PM's Savile comment is uncannily plausible

Comedian's parody of Tory MP being asked about PM's Savile comment is uncannily plausible
Comedian ridicules Sue Gray's delayed report into lockdown parties in mock interview
Twitter/RosieisaHolt

Comedian Rosie Holt is back with another on-point parody, and this time she's playing a Tory MP dodging questions about the prime minister's controversial Jimmy Savile comments.

Boris Johnson has been criticised for his comment where he suggested that Labour leader Keir Starmer failed to prosecute Savile when he was Director of Public Prosecutions, though fact-checkers have confirmed that Starmer was not directly involved in the case.

Johnson's policy chief Munira Mirza even resigned over his comment and in her resignation letter wrote to the prime minister: "You let yourself down by making a scurrilous accusation against the leader of the opposition."

Using clips of questions BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty posed to minister Greg Hands, Holt was able to edit the footage to make it look like she was a Tory MP appearing as guest instead.

To begin with, Munchetty read the definition of "scurrilous" which means "making or spreading scandalous claims about someone with the intention of damaging their reputation."

"Our prime minister did that according to his closest advisor," the presenter added.

"Well look, let's first recognise that the actual case here, the Jimmy Savile case was incredibly serious. But equally, Boris Johnson was using one of his funnyman quips as part of the cut and thrust of politics," Holt's Tory MP persona said.

"Also he was making a wider comment about the DPP which he clarified later by using different words than he used at the time," she added, making a cheeky dig at Johnson's U-turn where he admitted Starmer "had nothing to do personally with those decisions".

When asked by Munchetty whether she would have said those things, Holt perfectly executed deflection tactics by saying she was at home with Covid "after sitting too close to Liz Truss". Truss recently tested positive for the virus.

Munchetty pressed again on whether Johnson's comment was "scurrilous" and Holt offered her own definition of the word this time - "humorously insulting."

"What it humorously insulting? Well, maybe not if you don't like sexual abuse cases being used for political points, but that's the Labour front bench for you."

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Parodying a way of spinning staff resignations in Downing Street, she then added: "They resigned and Boris Johnson accepted their resignations. His changes".

The comedian ended the skit with her character displaying blind faith (or some may say delusion) in Johnson.

"There's a lot of us here standing by our prime minister. He delivered Brexit - regardless of what kind of 'state' it's in - and he got us through Covid letting off steam a bit as he did so.

"You know, Naga, this rat isn't going anywhere."

People have praised Holt for her perceptive performance, though her impression may just be too good for some to read as satire since there's been a few people who actually think she is a Tory MP.









It seems Labour MPs also love Holt's scathing impression of their political opponents.




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prime ministerkeir starmerjimmy savilebbc breakfastBoris Johnson
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