Government is finally held to account… by GOGGLEBOX: Boris Johnson’s description of COVID-19 as a ‘silent and unexpected mugger’ is torn apart by contributors who say we ‘knew it was coming from China’
- Gogglebox contributors watched Boris Johnson’s press conference last Monday
- Prime Minister described coronavirus as a ‘silent and unexpected mugger’
- Comment raised eyebrows and contributors said there had been ‘warning’
- One said ‘we could see it coming over the hill’ and that it wasn’t ‘a surprise’
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Gogglebox has been praised for taking the Prime Minister to task over the Government response to the coronavirus crisis.
Contributors on the Channel 4 show mocked Boris Johnson’s description of COVID-19 as ‘a silent and unexpected mugger’, with several pointing out it was ‘no surprise’ and that ‘we could see it coming from China’.
The straight-talking comments were praised by viewers on Twitter, who said the TV stars had their ‘fingers on the pulse of the nation’ and were speaking for the public by holding the government to account.
It comes after polls published over the weekend indicated the majority of people would not feel safe returning to work or resuming ‘normal life’, even if the government announces plans to ease the lockdown restrictions.
Boris Johnson’s press conference on his return to Downing Street last Monday was among the clips shown to the contributors ahead of last Friday night’s episode. Mr Johnson raised eyebrows with viewers when he described COVID-19 as a ‘silent and unexpected mugger’
Sophie Sandiford, who appears on the show with her brother Pete, said: ‘It wasn’t really that unexpected though, was it?’ She was among the contributors who questioned Mr Johnson
Twitter users praised the contributors for asking the questions others are thinking
Boris Johnson’s press conference last Monday, his first after returning to Downing Street following his recovery from COVID-19, was among the clips shown to the contributors ahead of last Friday night’s episode.
Mr Johnson described COVID-19 as an ‘assailant’ and a ‘silent and unexpected mugger’ while speaking to press outside No 10.
The comments did not get past the contributors, with Sophie Sandiford, who appears on the show with her brother Pete, saying: ‘It wasn’t really that unexpected though, was it?’
Izzi Warner, of Leeds, added: ‘We saw this coming over the hill from China. So I didn’t think it was that much of a surprise.’
Baasit Siddiqui, of Derby, said: ‘If we were going to use that simile, that is like a mugger skipping down the street, doing a little dance number and a twirl [saying], “I’m going to mug you!”‘
Izzi Warner, of Leeds, pictured with her sister Ellie, added: ‘We saw this coming over the hill from China. So I didn’t think it was that much of a surprise’
The Siddiqui brothers, of Derby, mocked Mr Johnson for saying it was ‘unexpected’
Brother Umar agreed: ‘That’s like saying Jack the Ripper was unexpected after he murdered his fifth prostitute.’
Twitter users praised the contributors for holding the government to account, with one tweeting: ‘It always make me feel hopeful when I see this stuff on Gogglebox.’
Another wrote: ‘Love #Gogglebox – showing just what the public are really thinking.’
However other viewers claimed the response was too one-sided against the Prime Minister and criticised some contributors for making personal attacks on Mr Johnson.
The comments were met with praise by viewers who said contributors had their ‘finger on the pulse’
It comes after Britain’s death toll rose to 28,466 over the weekend. It is now bound to overtake Italy (28,884 deaths) this week, making the UK the new sick man of Europe and the second worst-hit country in the world, behind only the US (65,173).
The outbreak in the UK is two weeks behind Italy’s, meaning its daily death and infection jumps are decreasing at a slower rate.
Meanwhile the debate rumbles on about the best way to ease the lockdown restrictions and send the country back to work.
In the Sunday Times, a YouGov poll found that just 25 per cent of adults would feel safe returning to work and oppose reopening schools by 48 per cent to 28 per cent.
And 59 per cent of people polled by the Sunday Express said they would not feel comfortable going out and do not plan to resume a normal life next month.