'Sh*t!': Former BBC Journo Can't Contain Her Reaction to Possible BoJo Comeback
13:44 GMT 21.10.2022 (Updated: 15:24 GMT 28.05.2023)
© AP Photo / Frank Augstein / Outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives to speak outside Downing Street
Subscribe
Despite not yet saying if he even wants his old job as prime minister back, Boris Johnson has already won the support of scores of fellow Tory MPs as well as more voters than his main rival — and nemesis — Rishi Sunak.
Boris Johnson's possible return to 10 Downing Street has prompted a potty-mouthed outburst from a senior political broadcaster.
Former top BBC political journalist Emily Maitlis uttered the indiscretion while recording the latest edition of The News Agents podcast for her new employer LBC radio on Thursday night.
Told of the breaking news that Johnson was considering participating in the Conservative Party leadership election triggered by the resignation of his successor Liz Truss that afternoon, Maitlis responded: "OK... Sh*t."
In case you missed this beautiful moment - @maitlis reacting to the news that Boris could be heading back to Downing Street...https://t.co/tcTlm4yndM pic.twitter.com/hvYitNOj3X
— Media Guido (@MediaGuido) October 21, 2022
Maitlis has never hidden her dislike of Boris. She left the BBC's flagship Newsnight programme for LBC in February this year after twice being reprimanded for breaching the state broadcaster's code of political impartiality for attacks on Johnson's government in 2020 and 2021.
Johnson has not yet confirmed whether he will make a comeback bid for the job he left just six weeks ago following a series of scandals. He is not even in the UK, but was set to fly home from a holiday in Caribbean on Friday.
But he already has the support of a reported 59 Tory MPs after less than 24 hours — more than half the 100-nomination threshold needed to get on the ballot in the fourth Tory leadership contest since 2016. And polls show him more popular than his rivals — including his nemesis Rishi Sunak.
Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told Sky News he was "leaning towards" backing his old boss out of concern that the public would not accept a second new PM who had not yet won an electoral mandate, as Johnson did overwhelmingly in December 2019.
"This will be our potentially third prime minister since the general election of 2019, that means we have to think about that legitimacy question that the public will be asking themselves and also about who could win the next election," Wallace said. "That is obviously important for any political party at the time so at the moment I would lean towards Boris Johnson."
BoJo-mania was sweeping Britain by Friday morning, with fishmongers in Birmingham begging Boris to come back.
'If you are watching Boris your country needs you'
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) October 21, 2022
Fishmonger Steve Waters who works at Birmingham Indoor Market told #BBCBreakfast his customers want Boris Johnson to replace Liz Truss as Prime Ministerhttps://t.co/fPE4c1ZPpT pic.twitter.com/VCcHoCdhkb
Twitter was buzzing with the #BringBackBoris hashtag on Friday, along with reactions to Maitlis' four-letter reaction.
Tweet about LBC radio presenter Emily Maitlis' sweary outburst on a podcast to the news that Boris Johnson could return as prime minister
Tweet commenting on LBC radio presenter Emily Maitlis' response to news that Boris Johnson could return as prime minister
Others were not so keen on the prospect of a second Johnson government after his handling of the Partygate and Chris Pincher groping scandals.
Tweet opposing a possible comeback by former British prime minister Boris Johnson
Tweet in opposition to Boris Johnson's possible second stint as prime minister
