Have I Got News For You

Richard Ayoade takes the host's chair for a seventh time. The guests are comedian Roisin Conaty and writer Andy Hamilton.

The episode in the week that saw the world's leaders debate the climate crisis at the COP26 Conference in Glasgow, an MP's resignation, a furore with France over fishing rights, and controversy as the long-tailed bat won New Zealand's 'Bird of the Year' award. The programme saw the panel discuss the Owen Paterson affair, the Government's vote to reform standards at Westminster and Paterson's subsequent resignation.

Richard Ayoade says: "This is the news that Boris Johnson has forced through a vote to reform standards at Westminster, following the suspension of Tory MP Owen Paterson, who was found to have breached the Parliamentary Code over his work for Randox and Lynn's Country Foods. Owen Paterson claimed he wasn't actually lobbying on behalf of these companies, he was raising concerns about milk and bacon standards. Which is ironic, because he milked the system and now he wants to save his own bacon..."

Ian Hislop gave his take: "This is the attempt to undermine democracy, transparency and accountability. And they failed, due to the fact that it was so bloody blatant".

Andy Hamilton said: "I think to give more transparency, it seems to me that the way to do it is that all MPs should have to wear the name of their sponsors on their shirts, like footballers."

Elsewhere in the episode, the panel also discussed this week's ongoing COP26 Conference in Glasgow. With talk about the hypocrisy of delegates' private jet travel arrangements to and from the conference and both the US President Joe Biden and the PM appearing to fall asleep during sessions.

The panel also took a look at the flamboyant influencer chef, Salt Bae's new restaurant in Knightsbridge, which has been criticised for extortionate prices and low wages for its chefs.

Conaty: "It's like £600 / £700 and he comes over and brings you some steak."

Ayoade: "Salt Bae... he's a chef otherwise known as Nusret Gökçe, who became an internet meme in 2017 for his unique salting style."

Paul Merton: "You're telling me that became an internet sensation?"

Hislop: "Is there not much on the internet?"

Ayoade: "Do you know what 'Bae' means, Ian?"

Hislop: "It's a sort of area of water..."

Ayoade: "'Before. Anyone. Else.' That's what it stands for."

Hislop: "Does he do pepper with the other arm?"

Ayoade: "He's been getting some bad reviews though for his gold leaf steak... it comes in at around £850."

Merton: "Yeah, next morning you're s******g ingots!"

Conaty: "What's the restaurant called, Richard?"

Merton: "'Taking The P*ss'."

Ayoade: "This is the news that a Knightsbridge restaurant run by Salt Bae, that serves a gold wrapped tomahawk steak costing nearly £1500, is paying its chefs just £12 an hour. That may not sound much, but it isn't peanuts... peanuts are £17.50."