Hugh Grant Trolls The Tories With 'Yakety Sax' Benny Hill Theme As Boris Johnson Resigns And His Government Falls Apart

July 7th, 2022 - 2:15 PM EDT by Aidan Walker

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Hugh Grant dancing in Love Actually, and a tweet by him requesting Yackety Sax.

As British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government fell apart in recent days, the novelty song "Yakety Sax" played at Westminister and was audible during interviews of lawmakers broadcast on national television.

The person responsible for playing the famous comedic tune, which traditionally accompanies slapstick routines and many memes, was Steve Bray, an activist who frequently protests the British government by playing music loudly. The reason Bray chose to play “Yakety Sax” earlier today (also known as the “Benny Hill Theme Tune”) was because actor Hugh Grant asked him to on Twitter.


Many thought “Yakety Sax” made the perfect soundtrack to Johnson’s largely self-inflicted fall. The highly memed Prime Minister has long been dogged by allegations of lying, corruption and unethical behavior. Boozy parties held by his office during coronavirus lockdowns, along with his subsequent cover-up of those parties, led to a loss of trust with the public.

The straw that broke the camel’s back this week was an attempt by Johnson to appoint Chris Pincher, a lawmaker accused of sexual harassment, to a high position. Johnson, when asked if he was aware of allegations against Pincher, said he wasn’t. When evidence emerged that Johnson was aware, the Prime Minister claimed to have simply forgotten.

Johnson was forced out of office by mass resignations of members of his own party, leaving him incapable of continuing to govern. A few weeks ago, Johnson narrowly survived a no-confidence vote in Parliament. This time, the Conservative party itself has ousted him as its leader.

While he has yet to officially resign as PM, it’s hard to imagine him being able to govern without a party behind him. As the viral video swept the web, many users were highly enthusiastic about “Yakety Sax.”


Others online joked about Boris Johnson’s clutching at power.

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A number of people also shared their appreciation for Hugh Grant, the iconic romantic comedy actor.


Some even humorously suggested that Grant, who famously played a Prime Minister in the film Love, Actually, should succeed Johnson.


Grant himself, who is staunchly anti-conservative, opined on Twitter about his view of the entanglement of the Conservative (or Tory) government with large media conglomerations, including the empire of Rupert Murdoch, who also controls Fox News in the United States.


Post-Brexit, the United Kingdom remains largely in political chaos in the eyes of many.

Johnson came to power following the collapse of Theresa May's government, which came into power following the collapse of David Cameron's. Many speculate that Johnson may stay on through autumn as a “caretaker” Prime Minister, and may be plotting to remain in power even longer than that.



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