Britain’s long national nightmare ended on Thursday when Prime Minister Boris Johnson — who famously orchestrated the Brexit movement and bundled the country’s COVID-19 response — resigned in disgust. The week prior, Government Deputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher had been forced to resign over a scandal in which he had allegedly groped two men after drinking too much at a private club. After that, it didn’t take long to suss out that Johnson had been made aware of prior allegations before appointing Pincher to office.
It’s a fitting end to Johnson’s regime, who has taken out nearly 60 Members of Parliament with him as the government continues to implode amid the scandal. And while the leadership situation in the U.K. is becoming increasingly concerning, you also can’t deny how farcical the whole thing is — which is why protesters began blasting “Yakety Sax” by Boots Randolp, also known as The Benny Hill Show theme song, outside of Westminister on Thursday as Tory lawmaker Chris Philp was delivering remarks to Sky News.
For the uninitiated, The Benny Hill Show was a slapstick sketch comedy show that aired on British television from 1955 through 1989, perfectly encapsulated by “Yakety Sax,” which has now become synonymous with absurd or outlandishly hilarious situations. And as Brits scramble to cobble a working Parliament back together until Johnson formally leaves in October — what better soundtrack for the unfolding situation, as many others pointed out on Twitter.
But in an even odder and more surreal twist to what was already an odd and surreal situation, it turns out we actually have … Hugh Grant to thank? The Paddington 2 star tweeted at anti-Brexit activist Steve Bray earlier on Thursday morning, requesting that the song be played.
“Glad you have your speakers back,” Grant wrote. “Do you by any chance have the Benny Hill music to hand?
And of course, Bray obliged the 61-year-old actor, complete with his own footage of protesters dancing excitedly in the background.
With all of our ongoing problems and crumbling democracy in the United States, Americans could really stand to learn a thing from the Brits. Except, of course, a groping scandal would be the least of our problems on this side of the pond at this point.