Why do MPs go on Have I Got News for You?

[RobinRedBird]

Why do they do it when they must surely know that they are going to get ripped apart by the panellists? They are always so cringey and not going to outsmart Ian H or out funny Paul M.

Do they get paid a huge sum?
Does their party tell them they have to appear?

Edited to say post inspired by Louise Haigh being on the show tonight, who was found guilty of fraud years ago.

I was thinking the very same thing, when I was watching it tonight.

But, that said, the programme is what launched Boris Johnson to National fame.

Because they are ego maniacs?

Because their publicist assures them that they went to the same college as Ian so he will cut them some slack?

Boris Johnson appeared several times on HIGNFY before he was prime minister and happily took the piss out of himself. It is what made him popular and accessible to the public and ultimately led to him being prime minister.

Boris Johnson.

I think it can go well if you're a jovial sort that doesn't mind taking the piss out of themselves.
People over estimate the extend to which that it true.

They get paid, I believe.

When the expenses scandal happened I remember reading through various registers of interest and IIRC they get paid around £1500 for it.

ETA- at least the one I was reading was paid around that. I suspect a big name like BJ was able to negotiate more

Worked for Boris in the same way The Apprentice worked for Trump.

Jess Phillips usually does ok, or did before she was in government. Charles Kennedy always did well too. It depends really.

I suppose they think it's better to raise your profile however you can.

I guess it's profile raising and this above. It's just amazes me that they, or their agents, think they are funny or clever enough to hold their own. Especially when they've done something legally or morally wrong in the past - alleged or proven!

Because it's fun! I'd love to go on it.

I think Paul Merton and Ian Hislop are two of the smartest and funniest people on the planet so it’s always entertaining although the format is a bit stale now.

Slight aside, it's been going on so long I've started introducing it to my DD (I started watching it when it first started).
She LOVES it. It's been going long enough to find a new audience.

As to the original question, maybe they're just trying to raise their profile any way they can?

Erm, my Dad used to watch it and I am now in my 50s, so I think it has attracted more than 2 generations!

@Talltreesbythelake oops OK it's been going WAY longer than I thought 😂

I thought of this thread when watching it last night. Why on earth did Louise Haigh go on with her background. Ian in particular can be quite brutal with the MPs and that’s when they haven’t personally done anything wrong just their party. I was cringing on her behalf because she was trying to justify the unjustifiable. She’s not particularly witty or charismatic so she seemed to sit there for the whole programme squirming awkwardly.

Last night's was particularly difficlut to watch.

I understand why they do it though. If theyre a success it does their careers a lot of good. IMO HIGNFY appearances was largely responsible for Boris being elected Mayor and then PM.

I always thought Iam was a bit of a lefty, but he seems particularly brutal to Labour MPs (and Labour geberally) now they're in power.

IMO it's still the best thing on TV.

Farage used to go on it as well...

But Ken Livingstone and Tony Banks (loved him) used to be able to hold their own.

I felt like Ian kept trying to catch Louise H's eye a bit during the programme after his "attack" as though to say "It's a topical entertainment programme, I had to pick you up on the expenses".

It can really boost their popularity.
I remember Jacob Rees Mogg was pretty much hated, then coming across well on there. He was self-deprecating & witty.
I remember the lefties on twitter moaning 'don't all start liking JRM just because he was nice on HIGNFY!'
Didn't see last night's though.

Yes I enjoyed JRM on there. I still wouldn't vote for him, but I enjoyed his performances and the exposure must have done him good.

I couldn’t fathom why the BBC thought it was appropriate to invite her on to be honest, given the reason she had to resign from government. But it was pretty disastrous. She didn’t seem to have remembered it was an entertainment show and was completely unable to deal with the inevitable digs at her. If she was hoping for a post politics TV career, it wasn’t a great start.

Yes and the digs weren't off the wall. They were entirely predicable, based on the (few) things anyone would know about her. Why wouldn't she turn up with some comebacks or a mildly amusing we all make mistakes type response and some funny lines about current affairs ?