Ian Hislop amuses viewers as he jokes about cab 'shooting' on Have I Got News For You
The comedian poked fun at the incident on the BBC show
What did you miss?
Ian Hislop kicked off Have I Got News For You by joking that he was “glad to be here” after it was reported that a shot was fired at his black cab.
The comedian was in the news after a black cab driver - who was driving the star in central London - said he suspected a bullet had struck one of the back windows, causing it to shatter. Police looked into the incident but said they had found "no evidence of a firearms discharge".
It was suggested that a “mechanical fault” could have caused the damage to the window of the cab.
What, how and why?
Hislop was on the panel as the new series of Have I Got News For You started on Friday (4 October) and had a laugh about the whole thing before the panel show got under way.
“I always say at this point I’m glad to be here, but this week I really mean it,” he said as the show opened.
Laughter broke out in the studio, and the star went on: “There was one high point when a policeman investigating me said, ‘This may be a silly question, but is there anyone who might have a grudge against you?'"
Hislop’s co-stars started laughing and fellow comic Paul Merton joked: “I have an alibi!”
What did viewers say?
Fans were tickled by Hislop referencing the taxi incident and several posted about it on X.
One wrote: “HIGNFY is back! And Ian Hislop referred to his taxi adventure at the beginning. Paul Merton pleaded he had an alibi when Ian mentioned police asking about those having a grudge against him..."
“Yes, good to see Ian Hislop still alive for Have I Got News For You!” posted somebody else.
Another fan joked: “Paul Merton not wearing a bulletproof vest at the start feels like a missed opportunity.”
“He might get hit by an olive that was attacked by a champagne bottle being hit by a frisbee whilst getting away from the fridge,” teased another amused viewer.
What else has Ian Hislop said about the taxi incident?
Private Eye editor Hislop addressed the incident after it happened, with a statement saying he wanted "to thank everyone for their concern which is greatly appreciated".
It went on: "He can confirm that there was an incident in a taxi yesterday in which a rear window shattered, and the police are investigating. They were initially looking into the possibility of a shot having been fired but have now indicated that there may be another more innocent explanation for what happened."
Police then said in a statement that they had "found no evidence of a firearms discharge at this time" and that "initial indications suggest a mechanical fault might have caused the window to shatter".