Frankie Boyle cleared by Ofcom after joking that he hopes Boris Johnson will be ‘dragged screaming into hell’

Channel 4 has been cleared by regulator OFCOM, following complaints about Frankie Boyle making a jibe at outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Last month, the Scottish comedian appeared on The Last Leg, where he said he hoped the PM would be “dragged screaming into hell”.

Boyle was responding to the quote Boris Johnson said when he finished his final Prime Minister’s Questions.

“Hasta la vista, baby,” Boris said.

The comments made by Frankie Boyle saw OFCOM receive 11 complaints, however the regulator have said they “did not raise issues warranting investigation”.

During the live broadcast, host Adam Hills later reminded audiences that the programme did “not wish Boris Johnson any ill.”

Frankie Boyle

Frankie Boyle is a Scottish comedian and writer.

Boyle first appeared on the stand-up comedy scene in 1995 and gained fame after appearing on Mock the Week in 2005.

The comedian is known for his controversial sense of humour that has landed him in trouble on multiple occasions.

During a recent episode of The Last Leg, a clip of Boris Johnson’s final appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions was shown.

In response Frankie Boyle said:“You finished with a quote from The Terminator ... I hope a vent opens up in the ground and clawed hands drag you screaming into hell.”

Later on in the programme, Boyle also discussed the final two candidates in the Conservative Leadership campaign.

Voicing his views, he said: “We’re going to have the next Prime Minister chosen by a very small group of elderly people during a heatwave and it’s going to be either Rishi Sunak, a guy whose greatest desire in life is to be p**** by Thatcher’s ghost, or Liz Truss, who would be the first Prime Minister to forget to breathe and just die.”

Connections

Dara O’Briain

Dara O’Briain is an Irish comedian and television presenter.

O’Briain is best known for presenting the topical panel show Mock the Week.

In 2010, Dara O’Briain was voted the 16th greatest stand-up comic on Channel 4’s 100 Greatest Stand-Ups.

Hugh Dennis

Hugh Dennis is an English comedian, presenter and actor.

Dennis was Boyle’s team mate on the panel show Mock the Week, which Hugh has been involved with since 2005.

Hugh Dennis is also known for playing the role of Pete Brockman in BBC comedy Outnumbered.

Andy Parsons

Andy Parsons is an English comedian and writer.

Parsons appeared as the captain of Boyle’s rival team on Mock the Week between series three to 14.

Andy Parsons is now performing stand-up comedy and his ‘Work in Progress’ tour resumes in September 2022.