Have I Got News For You is one of the few TV shows where comedy may be experimental.
When Kirsty Young returned as a presenter on Friday night’s broadcast, she treated viewers to one of her own risqué jokes.
Tonight’s programme featured Armando Lannucci and Phil Wang joining team leaders Paul Merton and Ian Hislop to debate the government’s Rwanda vote.
This week, the Conservatives won a crucial vote to keep its controversial immigration plan, which aims to’stop the boats’ by putting asylum seekers who come via ‘irregular channels’ on a one-way aircraft to Rwanda.
‘It was a great week for Rishi Sunak, who emerged from the Rwanda debate with his MPs under complete control and his integrity entirely intact,’ Kirsty initially joked after the PM failed to secure a big majority.
She went on to describe how the law was enacted with no Conservative MPs voting against it, despite several abstentions.
As the third meeting in January approaches, Scottish broadcaster Kirsty, 55, recounted how Climate Minister Graham Stuart returned from the COP summit to vote on the procedures.
‘He flew back into the country to vote for something that stops people getting into the country and then flew back out to vote for something that advises everyone to cut down their flying,’ mocked Armando.
Kirsty then quotes a headline on how the vote was so close that ‘even Peter Bone – currently suspended from the Conservative Party for exposing himself to an aide – came to Parliament.’
Nailing the comedic timing, the Scottish star quipped: ‘There were hopes that he might swing it for Rishi.’
Kirsty’s NSFW joke elicited uproarious laughter, with panellist Ian particularly amused.
‘When you think about exposure, the name Peter Bone is rather…’, Paul chipped in.
HIGNFY viewers were loving having Kirsty back behind the desk.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, John Foster posted: ‘How great was #kirstyyoung on #hignfy ? Brilliant’.
Kate Linderholm agreed: ‘She is such a joy’.
‘Kirsty Young is always one of the best hosts’, penned Rob Stowers.
Others hailed her a ‘class act’ and said she was ‘knocking it out of the park’.
‘Kirsty is an all-round super trooper!’, posted user Johninpompano.
The HIGNFY host has made folks sputter with a racy joke for the second week in a row.
When playing ‘Odd One Out,’ BBC Breakfast anchor Naga Munchetty made a raunchy remark about’size’ last week.
God I love Kirsty Young #hignfy
— C L Λ S H (@rupertclash) December 15, 2023
Kirsty Young knocking it out of the park on #HIGNFY. One class act.
— milominder 🌹 (@milominder) December 15, 2023
Kirsty Young is always one of the best hosts 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 #hignfy
— Kiboko (@robstowers) December 15, 2023
How great was #kirstyyoung on #hignfy ? Brilliant pic.twitter.com/r4zjpu3kYA
— John Foster (@johnfostervoice) December 15, 2023
The panellists were shown photographs of Australia, Mo Salah, an iceberg, and King Charles’ curtains, and they had to decide which one was the odd one out.
Buzzing in, Paul explained that the iceberg was ‘the big iceberg that has floated away from all the other ice.’
‘Is it five times the size of Britain, or something like that?’, he asked
Correcting him, Naga replied: ‘It’s twice the size of Greater London.’
Naga made an astonishing dig after Paul refused to accept her reference.
‘It’s so unlike a man to exaggerate size, isn’t it?’, she said sarcastically, leaving her fellow guests in fits of laughter.
Have I Got News For You? airs Fridays on BBC One and iPlayer.