Richard Ayoade returned to the Have I Got News For You host’s chair on Friday night and delivered one of the sharpest jokes of the opening episode at Nigel Farage’s expense.
The BBC panel show returned for its 72nd series, with Ayoade hosting for the 15th time alongside regular captains Ian Hislop and Paul Merton. Gyles Brandreth and Charlotte Church were the first guests of the new run.
During one of the show’s rounds, Ayoade introduced footage involving the Reform UK leader with a line that immediately caught viewers’ attention.
He said:
“In Essex, one local man tries to walk normally despite having a wedge of bank notes stuck up his arse.”
The clip was quickly shared online, with viewers praising Ayoade’s timing and the rather unsubtle reference to the huge sums of money that have surrounded Farage and Reform over the past year.
Richard Ayoade -In Essex, one local man tries to walk normally despite having a wedge of bank notes stuck up his arse.#hignfypic.twitter.com/XAdZcJQJmv
Farage has spent months facing questions over a £5 million personal gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, received in 2024 shortly before he reversed his decision not to stand in that year’s general election.
The existence of the payment was not publicly known until April 2026. Farage has said the gift was personal, unconditional and originally intended to help with his security, while Harborne has said he expected nothing in return. Farage has repeatedly denied doing anything wrong.
The issue remains very much alive.
Farage confirmed this weekend that he had been interviewed by parliamentary commissioner for standards Daniel Greenberg as part of an investigation into whether the gift should have been declared under Commons rules.
New MPs are generally required to register gifts worth more than £300 received during the previous 12 months where they could reasonably be considered connected to their political activities. Farage’s case turns on whether the £5m fell into that category.
Farage insists it did not.
He has argued that the money was a private gift and therefore outside the parliamentary declaration rules, and no finding has yet been made that he breached those rules.
The timing of the money has attracted scrutiny
One reason the gift has generated so many questions is its timing.
Farage initially said in May 2024 that he would not stand in the general election, only to reverse that decision days later and announce that he would run in Clacton.
Harborne’s lawyers have said the gift was made on 5 April 2024. Reporting later suggested that some of the money may not have reached Farage until late May, shortly before he announced his candidacy on 3 June.
Further reporting in July claimed Farage had told senior Reform figures in March 2024 that standing for Parliament would cost him around £1m a year in lost earnings and that he would therefore need £5m to cover a full parliamentary term.
Farage’s office did not deny that he made those remarks, while Harborne’s lawyers have maintained that the gift was unconditional and unrelated to any expectation that Farage would return to frontline politics.
Farage has also given different descriptions of what the money represented. He initially said it was intended to ensure his long-term safety and security, but later described it as a reward for his work campaigning for Brexit.
In June, he went further and argued that because the gift was unconditional, what he chose to spend it on was nobody else’s business.
He said he could theoretically use it on Ferraris or gambling on horses if he wanted.
That background made Ayoade’s image of Farage trying to walk with a bundle of cash concealed about his person rather more topical than it might initially sound.
Reform has attracted enormous donations too
The joke also comes amid much broader scrutiny of Reform UK’s finances.
Harborne is not only Farage’s personal benefactor. He has also given millions directly to Reform, while fellow crypto billionaire Ben Delo has become another huge donor.
Together, Harborne and Delo have donated £72 million to the party, according to reporting on the latest declarations.
Those enormous gifts have renewed arguments over whether Britain should impose a cap on political donations.
Supporters of the present system argue that parties should be free to raise money from legally eligible donors and that all significant donations are subject to disclosure rules.
Critics say allowing individuals to hand political parties tens of millions of pounds gives a tiny number of wealthy people extraordinary potential influence over British politics.
Farage has defended the donations and told the Sunday Times that he had expected a much worse reaction, saying some people instead showed “grudging respect” for the scale of the money Reform had managed to raise.
Viewers loved Ayoade’s delivery
The HIGNFY clip was shared by @mikoh123, who posted the full line from Ayoade.
@HavelockRoadBtn wrote:
“@RichardAyoade has such superb comic timing. Spent thirty minute giggling last night. 😊”
@MrPabphotograph wrote:
“Brilliant”
@FranS199 wrote:
“Chef’s kiss! 👌”
@Davebale wrote:
“Enjoyed last nights show 👍”
@TRAINSFLYWINE wrote:
“I choked on my Malbec when this came on last night. 😂😂👏👏”
Jordon Scott is a digital media specialist and editor at The Daily Britain. He focuses on political coverage, platform strategy, and ensuring journalism remains accessible without compromising editorial standards.
He oversees publication structure, reach, and transparency across the site.
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