Have I Got News For You guest hits back at ‘blinking’ criticism from viewer

Charlotte Ivers appeared as a panellist on Ian Hislop’s team

Charlotte Ivers, a guest panellist on the latest episode of Have I Got News For You, has responded to criticism of her blinking on Twitter.

On last night’s episode (14 April) of the BBC One comedy current affairs show, Ivers was introduced by host Charlie Brooker as a “Sunday Times journalist and broadcaster who worked as a special adviser to Theresa May in 2019”. He quipped: “That special advice presumably being ‘quit’.”

While the show was airing, one viewer felt compelled to ask Twitter: “Why does Charlotte Ivers keep blinking?”

On Saturday morning (15 April), Ivers quoted the tweet, writing: “I don’t f***ing know Jack are we not meant to be blinking at the moment I can’t keep up with the trends Jesus.”

In a follow-up tweet, she wrote: “(This is mildly unfair I know I do a weird fluttering thing with my eyes but I DONT KNOW WHY IT HAPPENS AND GOD DO I NOT HAVE THE TIME TO BOTHER TO FIND OUT.)”

She then added: “Morning everyone!”

Her initial post has been liked 2,490 times at the time of writing.

Last night’s episode was the first of the show’s 65th series, and marked Brooker’s fifth time as host.

Ian Hislop and Charlotte Ivers on ‘HIGNFY’ (BBC)

Comedian Miles Jupp served as the other guest panellist alongside regular team captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton.

Last year, Hislop received huge praise for calling out guest host Gary Neville on the show over his involvement in the Qatar World Cup. Read more here.