Boris Johnson doesn’t have ‘get-out-of-jail-free card’ because he caught coronavirus, says Charlie Brooker
The writer is presenting ‘Charlie Brooker’s Antiviral Wipe’ on Thursday
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker has said that Boris Johnson should not be immune to criticism for his handling of the coronavirus crisis just because he personally contracted the disease.
The TV writer is set to provide a satirical look at the pandemic in Charlie Brooker’s Antiviral Wipe, a one-off special of his Screenwipe review series, airing on BBC2 on Thursday 14 May.
Speaking to The Guardian, Brooker admitted to struggling to find humour in such a negative time, saying that he’d even found himself worrying about the Prime Minister during the pandemic.
“If you look at Boris Johnson getting ill, when he was in intensive care, I’m not a fan of Boris Johnson but I was worried about him on some level,” the TV personality said. “He’s a human being with a kid on the way.”
He continued: “Worrying about that doesn’t mean you’re not worried about everything else. It doesn’t mean you’re not critical of things he’s done or decisions he’s taken. And also it doesn’t give him a get-out-of-jail-free card.
“Now he’s back in the saddle, it doesn’t mean you can’t criticise the decisions that he’s made.”
Last week, Brooker said that he hoped the pandemic didn’t make “psychotic strongman politicians more secure,” adding: “I pivoted quite early to an optimistic view that this is terrible but, at the end of it, there’s a possibility that we’ll have the stomach to realign society a little.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments