Boris Johnson, the frontrunner to become Britain’s next prime minister, has joked that Work and Pensions Secretary Amber Rudd should win reality TV hit Love Island.
At the final head-to-head Tory leadership debate on Monday, Boris Johnson and his rival Jeremy Hunt were asked who should win and take the £50,000 ($62,000) cash prize.
While Hunt acknowledged he didn’t watch the show – to the crowd’s audible disappointment – Johnson said he had been watching it “very dimly”.
"Seems to involve these people with very few clothes on", he added.
He then asked the audience who they would tip to win, with some people clamouring for "Amber" – the 21-year-old participant Amber Gill.
But Johnson replied, "Amber? Amber is in Love Island!" jokingly referring to Secretary Amber Rudd, an ardent Remainer who has recently u-turned on her opposition to a no-deal Brexit.
Boris Johnson is thrown by the final question in the leadership debate: "Amber Rudd is in Love Island!?"@BorisJohnson | @Jeremy_Hunt | #FinalShowdown | #LoveIsland | https://t.co/sv3MZUm41c pic.twitter.com/wEHQi5Zhd6
— talkRADIO (@talkRADIO) 15 июля 2019 г.
Earlier this month, Johnson said he had “occasionally glimpsed” a few Love Island episodes but failed to understand the show.
“It’s all these bodybuilders crying", he said. “Terrible things seem to have happened in their lives".
“I just don’t understand why they are so upset. I’ve watched it but I’m totally baffled by it".
Monday’s debate was the second and final stop for Johnson and Hunt in the Tory leadership race. The voting for the Conservative Party’s 160,000 members began on 6 July, and it will be announced on 23 July who will become the party leader as well as the UK's next prime minister.
According to a recent poll, conducted by Opinium insight agency and The Guardian newspaper, just over half of Tory voters would cast a vote for Johnson, while Hunt had the support of less than a third of voters.
