Have I Got News For You

University Challenge presenter and BBC journalist Amol Rajan guest hosts for the first time. The guest panellists are Miles Jupp and former Conservative MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns.

University Challenge presenter and BBC journalist Amol Rajan. On making his guest host debut, Rajan said: "Well I think it's about time I put all the news in my head to work in the world of satire. I am honoured, obviously, to join the extended HIGNFY family, and will do my utmost to ensure Ian and Paul obey the rules. My main objective is to avoid saying 'fingers on buzzers, here's your Starter for Ten'. If I can do that, it will be a triumph."

Joining Rajan and team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton on the panels are former Conservative MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns, making her debut, and Miles Jupp, making his 17th appearance on the show.

As Labour marked their first 100 days in Downing Street, the Tory leadership race was whittled down to its final two candidates, and the US election campaign provided further big talking points in the week's news for the panels.

It was announced this week that Sue Gray had quit her post as Prime Minister Starmer's chief of staff, after debate about her pay, saying she 'risked becoming a distraction' as Labour hit their first 100 days in office.

"How would you rate Starmer's first 100 days Ian? A success?" asked Rajan.

"Well, he's still Prime Minister. And in recent terms, that's pretty good going," laughed Hislop.

"What might have hastened Sue Gray's departure?" asked Rajan.

"Free passes at number 10?" pointed out Dame Andrea Jenkyns.

"Was she caught snorting coke off a lilo?" joked Merton, quickly clarifying, "I don't think she was, just for the benefit of the lawyer that's listening. I don't think that's true at all."

"According to The Times, Gray showed inexperience dealing with the press and shocked colleagues by referring to 'scumbag journalists'. Good to see Private Eye's still being read in number 10..." joked Rajan, looking over to Hislop.

Later in the episode, the conversation turned to the Tory leadership race, with James Cleverly being knocked out this week. That leaves two candidates in the final, Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch, and Ian Hislop was keen to get the former Conservative MP Dame Andrea Jenkyns' thoughts on who she would support. Jenkyns said she felt that neither candidate was right wing enough to have her backing.

"We are down now to Robert Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch. Let's ask someone who really, really understands the Tory party... Paul, who's your money on?" joked Rajan, turning to Merton.

"Is the answer Newport Pagnell?" Merton responded, jolting upright out of a pretend daydream. "What was the point of asking me that? Have you not seen this show over the last 35 years? I'm waiting for the story that comes up with the monkey playing the harmonium... that's when I come alive! I don't watch the first ten minutes of this show, I turn the sound down and play Boney M..." Merton quipped.

"Which one? Is it Ra Ra Rasputin?" asked Hislop.

"Bit too political for me, that one, Ian!" Merton joked.

"What do you think happened?" Hislop queried, turning to Dame Andrea Jenkyns.

"I mean, I think Cleverly got lent votes and they wanted 'Bobby J' and 'Kemi B' in the final anyway," replied Jenkyns.

"Would you have voted for either of them, had you still been able to have a vote, which you can't, cause you're not an MP?" asked Hislop.

"I'm actually not backing any of them," she replied.

"Really? I mean, you're on the right of the party, you must be thrilled, mustn't you?" pointed out Hislop.

"If you look at the voting record, they're more 'one nation', to me anyway," replied Jenkyns.

"What, those two? God, you are right wing aren't you!" laughed Hislop.

After a question about which motorway had been voted Britain's worst, the panel went on to have some fun with Rajan replicating the format of his show University Challenge.

"That was your starter for 10, I'm now going to give you three bonus questions on Britain's roads, and you may confer, OK?" Rajan started.

Hitting his buzzer, Hislop called out in classic University Challenge style, "Hislop, Maudlin..." [a reference to Magdalen College, Oxford]

"Merton, slightly more cheerful..." Paul quipped, buzzing in straight after.

"That's not how it works on University Challenge, because you can't actually buzz in on the bonuses, but sod it," laughed Rajan.

"Can you not? How do you know?" Hislop asked.

"Well I am involved, so..." Rajan replied, laughing.

"Are you?" Hislop replied, feigning exaggerated surprise.

"Yeah, he was the mystery object one week..." joked Merton.