Dr Oliver Double, Reader in the Department of Drama and Theatre, was referenced by journalist Alan Beattie in the Financial Times last Saturday, 20 July 2019.

The article, entitled ‘Calling Boris Johnson a Clown is Unfair to Clowns’, argues that to compare the celebrity politician to a clown does a disservice to the clowning profession, which is an art form requiring skill and integrity.

The article reports Olly’s observation that ‘Johnson has carefully developed a persona as would a stand-up comic, complete with performative habit of constantly dishevelling his hair. But instead of using it simply to get laughs, he employs it to further his career.’

To read the full article (subscription required), please see the page here.