GB News has been widely mocked after it brought a Winston Churchill impersonator on to commemorate the anniversary of the former prime minister’s funeral.
That’s not the anniversary of his death, but his funeral.
When that became a big date in British calendars is unclear.
But if GB News isn’t about fighting a culture war no-one else is interested in, what is it about?
Not only that, the impersonator came with his own detective impersonator (below, right), presumably protecting Churchill from all those woke lefties trying to ruin his legacy.
Byline Times journalist Sam Bright wrote: “GB News have invited on a Winston Churchill impersonator for the anniversary of his funeral.
“Satire has nothing on this.”
He added: “Some people invested literally millions and millions of pounds in this crazed nationalist pantomime.”
Fitting words, as the impersonator spent the show talking in the first person, as if he actually were Winston Churchill.
The presenters also indulged, saying they had been talking about "how popular you are, to this very day" and asking about incidents such as when “you yourself were pushed out after all your successes”.
We’re not sure such a performance would have been welcome at the funeral in question.
Eventually though, “Churchill” was asked to drop the act. We learned the man’s name is Stan - and he normally performs as “Winstan Churchill”.
But the praise didn’t stop.
“Even from the back you look like him,” one host exclaimed.
That seems slightly easier than from the front…
Regardless of Winstan’s abilities, his appearance on GB News has been overshadowed by the jingoist intentions of the channel’s producers.
“As someone who specialised in Churchill’s relationship with the press over the course of two degrees, I can safely say he’d never have appeared on GB News in any form,” Lisa Wade wrote on Twitter.
“A deranged television channel larping as news, and a man cosplaying as Churchill,” Adam Rutherford added.
Others highlighted that this January 30, the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, may not have been the best time for a Churchill impersonator to feature.
On #BloodySunday50, an actual TV Channel calling itself ‘GB News’ gets a Winston Churchill (the man who sent the Black and Tans to Ireland) -alike on and talks to him as the actual Churchill for over half the interview, all completely reverential.
— Stephen (@stephenwms123) January 30, 2022
Imperialist propaganda. https://t.co/0v4MQJH06d
One user wrote: “On #BloodySunday50, an actual TV channel calling itself ‘GB News’ gets a Winston Churchill (the man who sent the Black and Tans to Ireland)-alike on and talks to him as the actual Churchill for over half the interview, all completely reverential. Imperialist propaganda.”
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