Boris Johnson and his populist approach to politics has long divided people and observers in Britain and beyond.
Some celebrities have regularly criticized his style and agenda, including Brexit and immigration policies.
So it was no surprise that stars agreed with their reactions when the 58-year-old confirmed on Thursday that he would step down as leader of the Conservative Party but planned to remain prime minister until a successor is chosen.
Hugh Grantwho famously portrayed a fictional British Prime Minister in love actuallyfamous anti-Brexit activist Steve Bray asked via Twitter to broadcast Johnson with the famous theme song from the sketch comedy show The Benny Hill Show, which aired on the BBC and later ITV between 1955 and 1989. “Do you happen to have the Benny Hill music handy?” Grant has made his request.
Bray agreed and within hours shared a video of the theme song playing during his latest protest in London on Thursday. “Only for [Hugh Grant] as requested here today at the media circus…” he tweeted.
Only for @HackedOffHugh as requested here today at the media circus… College Green. The Benny Hill theme. pic.twitter.com/Tazb57gT8e
— Steve Bray Activist Against Brexit + Corrupt Tories (@snb19692) July 7, 2022
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
“He goes! Bless my soul,” Stephen Fry posted on Twitter about Johnson’s announcement. “But not yet…”
Fry added: “He just couldn’t do the decent thing and step aside right away. He no doubt sees himself more as an unleashed buccaneer, cavalier swashbuckler than the rogue elephant he is, trampling on what is left of our democracy.”
Fry also posted a photo of Johnson with former US President Donald Trump at the 2019 G7 summit in Biarritz, France, commenting, “Oh and oy and oomph, such days.”
Meanwhile, Irish Aisling Bea (live with yourself† This side up) tweeted about the big political news with a reference to a Netflix hit show. “Not trying to burst the bye-Boris bubble, but at the end of each season of… Weird stuffwhen we think the bad thing is over and defeated, we learn that it has lived in the hearts and minds of frightened children… or is secretly funded and supported by the Russian government,” she wrote.
Piers Morgan, who now hosts TalkTV, a channel operated by Rupert Murdoch’s News UK, also criticized Johnson on Twitter. “Boris Johnson stops as he led – bragging, blathering and blaming everyone but himself,” he said. “What a terrible closing speech from a man who turned out to be a truly terrible prime minister.”
Morgan added: “It is impossible to allow Boris Johnson to hang around as the lame duck prime ministers, especially when most of his own ministers have not expressed confidence in him. We are dealing with a pandemic, war and financial crisis, we need real leadership, not this farce.”
Grant argued that media titans would play a key role in choosing Johnson’s successor. “Dear world, you may be wondering what is happening now with the British Constitution,” he tweeted. “The answer is that three newspaper owners – all of whom are not resident in the UK for tax purposes – come together and choose our next Prime Minister or ‘Poodle’. The queen then anoints them.”