‘Have I Got News For You’ continues on BBC One tonight at 9pm, with Richard Ayoade in the guest host’s chair (his 6th time hosting the show). 

Broadcaster and writer Richard Osman and former co-Chairwoman of the Conservative Party Baroness Sayeeda Warsi join the regular team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton as this week’s panellists. 

The new episode came in the week that saw confusion over the country’s traffic light system introduced for international travel, Dominic Cummings threatening to reveal COVID strategy documents, a reported decline in the nation’s biscuit eating habits and a new Mr Men character being unveiled.  

The episode also sees the return of a live, socially distanced studio audience, in line with government guidelines, grouped by household and wearing masks. There was a further audience watching the record from a separate screening room. 

Paul Merton was quick to welcome back the return of a live studio audience. 

“As someone who responds to people Paul, how do you feel about there being an audience here?” asked host Richard Ayoade. 

“It’s great there’s an audience here! There’s somebody over here with a very distinctive laugh, which is great, because when people laugh, it’s inspiring. So I’m thrilled and pleased and excited that we can have people in front of us again,” Paul Merton replied to beaming applause from the audience.  

“And thank you for delaying that applause, it sounded just like the zoom audience when it was silent,” Merton joked. 

The panel’s attention turned to the government’s newly announced COVID advice on international travel, following widespread confusion about the new traffic light system. The former co-Chair of the Conservative Party Baroness Sayeeda Warsi was asked for her thoughts on how the new measures had been introduced. 

“This is the exciting news that everything is open, except it isn’t…” pointed out a confused Ian Hislop. 

“Yes, this is the now familiar confusion surrounding the government’s COVID advice on travel. What is the government’s position on foreign travel?” asked Ayoade.  

“It’s a traffic light. It’s a new system from the government and it’s… red, white and blue,” joked Hislop. 

“Red – don’t go. Amber – don’t go unless it’s an absolute family emergency. Green – you can go, and it’s only Portugal and the Falkland Islands, or something,” clarified Baroness Warsi. 

“That’s exactly right. Amber also, if you’re an Instagram influencer, you’re allowed to go,” joked Richard Osman. 

“Don’t go abroad, but it’s not illegal. That’s the position,” said Ayoade. 

“There are thousands of tourists who have gone on holiday to Portugal this week. If the government want to stop us going somewhere, presumably… they should stop us going somewhere. What is the problem? They stop us going to funerals, to care homes. But if you want to go on holiday to a place that’s a bit dodgy… fine! What is wrong with them?” asked Hislop.  

“And this is the point about the red list…” said Warsi, before being stopped by Hislop. 

“No… what is wrong with them?!” pushed Hislop. 

“How long have you got?” laughed Warsi, after a brief pause, before continuing, “I just think they’ve gone for a little wander off to the right, and they just need to find their way back into the central space.” 

The panel also discussed Matt Hancock’s ongoing performance as Health Minister, asking for Baroness Warsi’s thoughts on how he’s handled his part in the country’s response to the COVID pandemic. 

“What’s Matt Hancock like as a person, Sayeeda?” asked Osman. 

“Matt is actually quite nice. And I think he’s genuinely trying his best,” replied Warsi.  

“So how does he feel about being totally out of his depth?” jibed Merton. 

“Like I said, he’s genuinely trying his best. And as long as people try their best, we’re nice to them. Did you never go to nursery?” laughed Warsi.  

“Yeah, but he went beyond nursery…” joked Hislop.  

“And I met people there that are smarter than him!” laughed Merton. 

“I honestly think, look, joking aside, he’s had a really tough brief,” continued Warsi. 

“We’re not joking!” exclaimed Hislop.  

“Are you asking us to disregard his competence?” asked Ayoade. 

“I’m saying he got some things right and some things wrong,” replied Warsi. 

“But these days he just says ‘get jabbed’. And I think that’s quite good. I think it’s just nice to have someone telling everyone to get vaccinated. And we can all get behind that as a story,” Osman pointed out. 

Have I Got News For You, hosted by Richard Ayoade, BBC One, 9pm, Friday, May 21.

Photographer Credit: Hat Trick Productions