Laura Kuenssberg gives comedian Joe Lycett death stare as he threatens to derail new show

Joe Lycett appears on Laura Kuenssberg’s new show

Joe Lycett mocked Tory leader hopeful Liz Truss who repeatedly declined on Sunday to spell out her plans to tackle soaring energy bills. The comedian was reminded on BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme that it was a “serious point” he was commenting on. Mr Lycett : “You said earlier that I’m not left or right. I know there’s been criticism in the Mail on Sunday about lefty, liberal comedians on the BBC.

“I’m actually very right wing and I loved it. I thought [Liz Truss] was very clear.

“She gave great clear answers. I know exactly what she’s up to.”

Ms Kuenssberg interjected: “There is a serious point, Joe. She said there was a big package of help coming this week.”

Mr Lycett continued: “Yeah. She was very clear what she said and I think you know exactly what’s going to happen. You’re reassured, I’m reassured.”

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Laura Kuenssberg appeared visibly frustrated at comedian Joe Lycett (Image: BBC)

Joe Lycett mocked Tory leader hopeful Liz Truss on the cost of living crisis (Image: BBC)

Twitter users were quick to respond to the awkward moment.

Brenda wrote: “This is spectacular, and if you look closely, you can see the instant in which Kuenssberg resolves to bury whoever booked Joe Lycett.”

While Tom Hamilton added: “I’ve seen the Joe Lycett bit on the Kuenssberg show and I – quite genuinely – don’t understand what he’s supposed to have done wrong, or what they expected him to do, or why it was damaging for the programme. It was fine.”

Matt Thomas noted: “Joe Lycett was clearly being massively sarcastic, made Truss and Kuenssberg look ludicrous, not sure how he got on but won’t be invited back.”

While former head of the BBC’s political programming Rob Burley said: “It’s not the time for that nonsense.”

SNP MP Pete Wishart added that the BBC should “maybe rethink the ‘comedian’ spot”.

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The Foreign Secretary, who will find out on Monday if she has defeated rival Rishi Sunak in the Tory leadership contest, promised to act “immediately” to tackle the energy crisis upon entering Number 10 but would not offer clear detail of the support struggling households can expect.

There have been ever-louder calls in recent weeks for the Government to intervene to support the most vulnerable, with energy bills set to rise to around £3,500 this winter for the average household.

Ms Truss, who denied she was being “coy”, said she wanted to reassure voters that help is coming but indicated they would need to wait for a few days yet to find out what exactly such support might look like.

In an interview with Ms Laura Kuenssberg’s programme, she said: “I will act if I’m elected as prime minister. I will act immediately on bills and on energy supply because I think those two things go hand in hand.

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TV licence fees (Image: EXPRESS)

“We need to deal with the immediate problem, we need to help people. We need to help businesses. But we also need to sort out the supply issues.”

Repeatedly pressed on what form that action would take, Ms Truss said: “Before you have been elected as prime minister, you don’t have all the wherewithal to get the things done.

“This is why it will take a week to sort out the precise plans and make sure we are able to announce them. That is why I cannot go into details at this stage. It would be wrong.

“I understand people are worried and I want to reassure people that I am absolutely determined to sort out this issue as well within a month, present a full plan for how we are going to reduce taxes, how we’re going to get the British economy going, and how we are going to find our way out of these very difficult times.”