Have I Got News For You

Alexander Armstrong guest hosts for a record 41st time. Jo Brand and Munya Chawawa are the guests.

Fan favourite Alexander Armstrong makes a record 41st appearance in the guest host's chair.

With the second most guest appearances on Have I Got News For You, joining Paul Merton's team is comedian Jo Brand.

Despite being the two people with the most guest appearances on the show, this episode is actually the first time Armstrong and Brand have ever appeared on the same episode.

Making his second appearance on the show is comedian Munya Chawawa, sat alongside Ian Hislop.

With former Prime Minister Liz Truss releasing her book this week with an account of her brief tenure in Number 10, MPs voting on the government's plans to create a 'smoke-free generation', Donald Trump arriving in court as a jury is chosen for the ex-president's hush-money trial, as well as the Gen-Z invention of an anti-wrinkle drinking straw to stop lines developing around your lips, it was an interesting week of news for the panel to pick apart.

Former Prime Minister Liz Truss released her book 10 Years To Save The West this week, heading on the publicity trail to promote it, as she detailed and discussed her 49 days as PM. As snippets of the book continued to be serialised across the papers, the panel picked out some of the more striking lines included.

"Liz Truss has been busy plugging her book 10 Years To Save The West," said host Alexander Armstrong.

"The Queen died and she said 'why me?'... which is a question we've all asked," quipped Ian Hislop.

"What was the Queen's one piece of advice to Liz Truss?" asked Armstrong.

"Was it 'pace yourself?' That's the exact same advice that you'd give to your unemployed, alcoholic uncle at Christmas," joked Munya Chawawa.

"What did Liz Truss say was her biggest problem with the TV leadership debates with Rishi Sunak? She said she had never debated on live TV before and found it difficult to generate energy, saying 'I had to be pumped up in the green room beforehand'," Armstrong informed the panels.

"We just get biscuits!" joked Merton.

Elsewhere in the episode, the panels also discussed the vote in the Commons this week on the government's plans to create a 'smoke-free generation', by applying restrictions to the sale of cigarettes related to age. The proposed plans mean that people born in or after 2009 will never be able to legally buy cigarettes, leading to an effective ban. Team captain Ian Hislop thought that Rishi Sunak's plans were a good idea.

"It's a big public health debate, the banning of smoking. On the one hand you have Liz Truss who's against it, on the other hand you have Chris Whitty... I just don't know who to believe..." said Hislop, rolling his eyes.

"What do you believe Ian?" asked Jo Brand.

"I believe they've identified something that could make health a lot better and a lot cheaper and Rishi Sunak is trying to do something about it. And, you know, this really hurts being pleasant about the Prime Minister... you've no idea.... but I think it might be a good idea," Hislop said.

"But a lot of things that are quite fun are also bad for our health," pointed out Armstrong.

"Seatbelts in cars," Merton replied, "There was a big fuss about that at the time as an 'infringement of our civil liberties'."

"Which individual thought car seats for children in cars shouldn't be allowed?" asked Hislop.

"Was it Rishi Sunak, cause he felt patronised?" quipped Chawawa.

"In 2006, it was Boris Johnson," Hislop replied, "but then he didn't have so many children!"

"Also, vape flavours will be restricted in order to make them less attractive to children... so broccoli or anchovy flavoured..." joked Armstrong.

"Can I add watermelon to that as well? My daughter made me try it and it was... well it was fruit wasn't it... made me feel sick," laughed Brand.

Later in the episode the panel also found time to go Stateside, as Donald Trump arrived in court for his hush-money trial. As the complex jury-selection process for the ex-president's trial enters its final stages, the panel discussed the possibility of jail time for Trump.

"What are the chances of Trump ending up in jail?" asked Armstrong.

"It doesn't matter does it, 'cause he has the same support even if he's in jail. So he can just campaign in an orange suit..." pointed out Hislop.

"Will we see him?!" joked Armstrong.

"Could someone who's actually in jail be President?" asked Jo Brand.

"You can be, yeah, there's no rule about it," said Merton.

"Yeah, they put you in the West Wing..." laughed Hislop.