‘Right-wing’ Joe Lycett jokes he’s ‘available’ to replace Richard Sharp as BBC chairman

Comedian quipped he had ‘informed’ BBC he was willing to take the job

Joe Lycett has quipped he is “available” to become BBC chairman now Richard Sharp has quit.

On Friday (28 April), Sharp said he would resign to “prioritise” the corporation’s interests” following a report by Adam Heppinstall that found he breached the governance code for public appointments.

In a statement, Sharp said: “Mr Heppinstall’s view is that while I did breach the governance code for public appointments, he states that a breach does not necessarily invalidate an appointment.

“Indeed, I have always maintained the breach was inadvertent and not material, which the facts he lays out substantiate. The Secretary of State has consulted with the BBC Board who support that view.

“Nevertheless, I have decided that it is right to prioritise the interests of the BBC.”

In response to the news, Lycett wrote on Twitter: “I have informed the BBC that I am very much available to be chairman.”

He then shared a screenshot of his “genius” appearance on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, from September 2022, in which he sarcastically declared: “I’m actually very right-wing and I love it.”

Lycett made the joke claim while sarcastically sharing his candid thoughts on former prime minister Liz Truss and the Tory government.

He told Kuenssberg: “You said earlier I’m not left or right. I know there’s been criticism in the The Mail on Sunday today about leftie liberal wokie comedians on the BBC. I’m actually very right-wing and I love it.”

Joe Lycett jokes he should replace Richard Sharp as BBC chairman (Twitter)

The comedian was widely praised for his appearance, which made headlines – a front page of which he got framed.

Reflecting on the viral interview in December, Lycett said that his sarcasm stemmed from anger over the government’s “consistent lying” in regards to the Partygate scandal.