Ricky Gervais jokes about becoming prime minister after Liz Truss resigns

‘It wouldn’t even be in the top 10 weirdest news stories of the year,’ comedian reasoned

Ricky Gervais has joked about running for prime minister following the resignation of Liz Truss.

Truss announced on Wednesday (20 October) that she was stepping down from the leadership position, marking the shortest-serving prime minister in the country’s history.

Shortly after the news was announced, Gervais shared a photoshopped image of himself outside 10 Downing Street on Twitter.

“And it wouldn’t even be in the top 10 weirdest news stories of the year,” wrote the Office star, alongside a “crying laughing” emoji.

Gervais is one of several prominent celebrities to have weighed in after the dramatic period of upheaval in government.

Piers Morgan unleashed a furious tirade against the Conservative government on his TalkTV show, condemning the suggestion that Boris Johnson could return to the role of prime minister after his ignominious departure earlier this year.

“Politics can be full of exaggeration. Everything is unprecedented, a crisis, treachery, a war. But let me be very, very clear tonight. It is literally impossible to exaggerate the scale of the bedlam that this government has unleashed on our country in the last few weeks,” he told viewers.

“It’s by far the worst thing that I’ve ever seen by any government. These useless clowns have basically ravaged our country – sinking the pound, trashing the markets, and sending our interest rates soaring.”

Comedian Joe Lycett, who has been a mischievous satirist of Truss in recent weeks, jokingly encouraged the prime minister to re-enter the leadership race next week, writing on Twitter: “OMG just heard there’s a leadership election nxt week????? u shud run babe youd be perfect!!!”

TV duo Dick and Dom have voiced support for a general election, writing on social media: “GeneralElectionNow you twisted f***s.”