The final episode of Stephen Colbert's Late Show aired last night, a sombre moment that sent a shiver down the collective spine of American democracy. The nation's designated 'Funny Man in a Suit' has clocked off, leaving a gaping vacuum where satire used to live. Step forward, the BBC.
Yes, that BBC. The one that brings you genteel nature documentaries and the stiff upper lip of Radio 4. They are reportedly 'in talks' to fill the void with...
something. What, exactly? A panel of tweed-clad commentators explaining the absurdity of Trump via cautious, declawed analysis?
A gentle mockery that sounds like an apology? Perhaps they'll import Graham Norton to laugh nervously at a parade of American oddities. In a world where satire is the last line of defence, the BBC arrives with a ping-pong paddle.
The empire strikes back with polite applause. The Colbert gap is now a chasm of despair, and the BBC is handing out tea and biscuits while the republic burns.
