New Delhi: The current political climate in the United Kingdom remains unstable as ever, but Britons still have one constant: it’s not the monarchy—it’s Hot Podium Guy, aka Tobias Gough.
The sound engineer has quickly become the only thing that many Britons can rely on in these trying times. Gough is part of the team that sets up the podium outside 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the UK prime minister. The podium is set up any time the PM has any important announcement to make, which lately has mostly consisted of resignations.
Even as Keir Starmer delivered his tearful resignation speech, the internet was too busy ogling Gough. According to Buzzfeed, the sound tech first gained popularity in 2019 when viewers saw him setting up for Theresa May’s resignation address. Later that year, Gough told MailOnline that it was the “lighting” that made him look that good.
“The sun must have been at the right angle. I can assure people that I don’t usually look as well as that, I won’t going to be going into the modelling business just yet,” he said.
Also Read: Keir Starmer resigns as UK PM with ‘good grace’, 6th in 10 years. Here’s why
Social media weighs in
Over the years, Hot Podium Guy has outlasted five prime ministers.
“We’ve had more Prime Ministers than we’ve had hot podium guys in as many years,” wrote an X user.
However, social media users were quick to point out that Gough looked “as weary as the nation felt.” While others have dubbed him the “nation’s unlikely heartthrob.”
One X user said that Hot Podium Guy is “absolutely fit”. Another expressed their impatience with Starmer’s delay: “We need Starmer to hurry up and resign so we get to see Hot Podium Guy again.”
Katie Glass, journalist for The Times, wrote on X that Hot Podium Guy “cooled our anxiety.”
“His muscular arms powerful enough to cross any political divide, his kind face soothing our national anxiety ‘One, two, three, four,’ he pronounced into the mic, which would prove far more interesting than Starmer’s legacy,” Glass posted.
Even news organisations carried headlines stating that the Hot Podium Guy was back.
However, some online were quick to point out the casual sexism that Gough’s popularity represents.
“Let me get sexism right….It’s absolutely fine to objectify men….Women, on the other hand….Can’t we all just compliment each other when a compliment is warranted?” questioned Annunziata Rees-Mogg, former Member of the European Parliament.
Another commentator posted, “The hypocrisy around this is off the scale.”