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The Room Next Door comedian Michael Spicer, from Ashford, reveals how he ended up on The Late Late Show with James Corden

He’s made a name for himself calling Priti Patel a brainless wasp, Prince Andrew a pompous nipple and Donald Trump a boiled egg.

Now, the comedian from Ashford with more than 40 million online views has been featured on America's popular Late Late Show with James Corden.

Michael's sketches have a huge internet following
Michael's sketches have a huge internet following

Mr Corden described Michael Spicer as "brilliant," as he acted out his performance of a fictional advisor 'feeding lines' to the US president via an earpiece at a recent press conference.

In the online video series, dubbed 'The Room Next Door' Michael has lampooned countless UK government officials, from the Prime Minister to health secretary Matt Hancock.

But how did the 42-year-old come up with the idea that has taken the internet by storm?

The comedian said: "It was when Boris Johnson was first running for the conservative leadership contest, and there were lots of interviews at the time.

"One of them was with Talk Radio, the interviewer said to him 'what do you do to relax' and he really struggled with it.

"It was almost like he was in two minds to tell the truth or make something up - lots of pauses, lots of stumbling about, and it suddenly struck me that it looked like he was waiting for answers to be fed to him through an earpiece."

After realising his idea had potential in June last year, Michael filmed and edited the piece after work and put it up online, and by the following morning it had gone viral.

He said: "There are people who have said they can't watch these interviews now without imagining I'm pulling my hair out next door."

Michael, originally from East London, moved to Sevenoaks before settling into Ashford with his two children.

The former copywriter used to work for a shipping company, but with more than 40 million views and 270,000 Twitter followers he was able to leave his job earlier this year and pursue his comedy writing and performing full-time.

Michael has lampooned countless UK politicians
Michael has lampooned countless UK politicians

He said: "It was a very convenient job but it wasn't what I wanted to do, and this was my opportunity and I've taken it.

"It just so happens that the world was gripped by a global pandemic a week later."

Luckily, the following he has amassed has meant he can still work on his writing and performing and support his family despite the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.

Although the videos have provided a lot of light relief on serious topics such as Brexit and the current pandemic, Michael said his satire is performing an important function.

The father-of-two said: "It's absolutely vital, because as this rolls on, you begin to see holes and flaws in government preparation on this.

'As this rolls on, you begin to see holes and flaws in government preparation on this...'

"And there's still a lot of hypocrisy and there's a lot of covering up, and a lot of blatant mistakes made by our leaders like Trump and Johnson.

"A few weeks ago Boris Johnson was saying, 'nothing to worry about, just wash your hands a lot,' and we now know that to be dangerously stupid and naive.

"By just ignoring that then I wouldn't be doing my job - it's about holding these people to account."

Despite his often-cutting attacks on members of the UK government, some of them actually follow him on Twitter, including Mr Hancock.

The Late Late Show host James Corden
The Late Late Show host James Corden

He said: "I have used him in sketches and have joked about his lack of effectiveness, but he still follows me."

Michael said people online have accused him of being left-wing in the past, because he focuses more of his attention on conservative politicians.

But he assures people that in reality nobody is safe from him.

He said: "The fact is, all the comedic gold is coming from the right, and if it changed and came from the middle or the left then I would parody them too.

"I am not funded by anybody so I can lampoon whoever I want to."

Michael also said he has ruled out ever working with politicians, because it would undo all the work he is doing pointing out their bumbling mistakes.

He took his show to the Gulbenkian in Canterbury earlier this year
He took his show to the Gulbenkian in Canterbury earlier this year

He said: "Tina Fey established her career on the back of viciously lampooning Sarah Palin every week, and then Sarah Palin came along to Saturday Night Live and they did a sketch together, and that totally undid all the good work.

"I would absolutely hate to be approached by a politicians to say 'oh can you do me?'

"Absolutely not, just do your job, and don't do it well so I can lampoon you."

Beware, local MPs.

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