John Oliver’s Jokes About Queen Elizabeth Cut From U.K. Broadcast of Last Week Tonight

Comcast-owned British TV network Sky came under criticism for censoring John Oliver over a number of jokes he made about Queen Elizabeth’s death on Last Week Tonight.

The monarch’s passing was the lead subject of Oliver’s Monday night show as he exclaimed that the United Kingdom is “clearly still reeling from the shocking death of a 96-year-old woman from natural causes.” Oliver then brought up some of the more bizarre tributes to the late queen from Crazy Frog to Domino’s Pizza.

“Get your f*cking house in order Domino’s! A lady is dead!” Oliver exclaimed.

The bit went on as Oliver noted, “The queen’s death is sadly not the only traumatic event that Britain has had to deal with this week, because on Tuesday, Liz Truss — basically Margaret Thatcher if she were high on glue — became its new prime minister.” Oliver also used his opener to say Elizabeth’s death will overshadow the criticism Truss would otherwise be receiving today for her stance on windfall taxes or the U.K’s energy situation.

“You may not like this, but I’m going to say it because it’s true,” Oliver said. “The nicest thing the Queen of England ever did for anyone was die the week that woman became prime minister, because for at least a week, she’s not going to be getting justifiably destroyed for answers like that.”

When Last Week Tonight aired on Sky, the show conspicuously lacked Oliver’s first few jokes about the queen, and the opener cut in around the point when he made fun of Truss. The scrapping of jokes about Elizabeth drew outrage on Twitter, where people accused Sky of censorship.

Don’t censor my @LastWeekTonight. I am British, I am a monarchist and I CAN TAKE A JOKE!!! @SkyUK If @iamjohnoliver wants to have an intelligent, jovial, factual opinion about our queen I wanna hear it. FFS! The coverage and forced mourning here is getting real out of hand. :zipper_mouth_face::triumph:

— Lindsay Sargeant (@SargeantLc) September 13, 2022

Dear @SkyUK , there was a VERY obvious edit in tonight’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver – what gives? Presuming it was queen-related?

— James/Jim/whatever (@jimmybearlondon) September 12, 2022

@LastWeekTonight .@iamjohnoliver.
Sky cut out your joke about the queen last night. Cowards. Any chance you can put it up on here? They teased us with her picture and and truly amateurish cut.

— Patrick Barker (@Patbarker) September 13, 2022

@iamjohnoliver @LastWeekTonight any ideas as to why the segment covering the death of the Queen was cut from the latest episode by Sky Comedy? Was somebody upset?

— Tomás O’Donnell Bond (@LicenceToSmirk) September 12, 2022

We’re not children, @SkyUK, please do not censor Last Week Tonight With John Oliver again just because he says a few edgy things about the royal family.

— Andy #GTTO (@andrewdsweeney) September 12, 2022