Jonathan Pie

The first spoof news report featuring Pie, released just after the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party in September 2015, was responding to mainstream media reports that gave particular weight to Corbyn's past relationship with Diane Abbott.{{cite web|url=http://www.konbini.com/us/entertainment/interview-jonathan-pie-youtube/|title=Q&A with Jonathan Pie, the 'reporter' furiously delivering the real news|last1=Bienaimé|first1=Pierre|date=5 November 2015|website=Konbini|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151108034748/http://www.konbini.com/en/entertainment-2/talked-jonathan-pie-reporter-furiously-delivering-real-news/|archivedate=8 November 2015|accessdate=18 November 2015}} Walker was soon approached by several media companies, including RT UK. He worked with RT for several months before leaving in July 2016, just before his appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2016/jul/17/jonathan-pie-switches-channels-edinburgh-fringe|title=Mr Angry of TV comedy severs links with Putin network on way to Edinburgh fringe|last=Thorpe|first=Vanessa|date=17 July 2016|work=The Guardian|access-date=18 July 2016|archive-date=18 July 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160718143412/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2016/jul/17/jonathan-pie-switches-channels-edinburgh-fringe|url-status=live}}

The character received international coverage after the 2016 American presidential election, when his comments on Donald Trump's victory went viral and became a YouTube trending video.{{Cite news|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/jonathon-pie_uk_5825cb47e4b09ac74c52316b|title=Jonathan Pie Blames The Left For Trump, Tories And Brexit|last=York|first=Chris|date=11 November 2016|newspaper=The Huffington Post Comedy|language=en-GB|access-date=13 November 2016|archive-date=22 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122024522/http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/jonathon-pie_uk_5825cb47e4b09ac74c52316b|url-status=live}} As of 2022 the video had more than 4.5 million views, double that of the second-most popular.

Pie has occasionally appeared as the London correspondent for the Australian satirical news and current events programme The Weekly with Charlie Pickering.{{cite web|url=https://thebrag.com/jonathan-pie-explains-why-politics-has-lost-the-plot/|title=Jonathan Pie explains why politics has lost the plot|last=Quinn|first=Belinda|date=3 May 2018|website=The Brag|accessdate=1 June 2018|archive-date=25 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225134224/https://thebrag.com/jonathan-pie-explains-why-politics-has-lost-the-plot/|url-status=live}}

Pie went on his second tour in 2018 with Back to the Studio. He performed 45 dates in the UK, five dates in Australia, and six dates in the US.{{cite web|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Jonathan-Pie-Premieres-New-Show-in-US-This-Fall-BACK-TO-THE-STUDIO-in-Select-Cities-20180912|title=Jonathan Pie Premieres New Show in U.S. This Fall, Back to the Studio in Select Cities|author=BWW News Desk|website=BroadwayWorld.com|access-date=13 December 2018|archive-date=15 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215224247/https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Jonathan-Pie-Premieres-New-Show-in-US-This-Fall-BACK-TO-THE-STUDIO-in-Select-Cities-20180912|url-status=live}} In January 2020, a collaboration with environmental filmmaker Franny Armstrong led to a 13-minute mockumentary called Pie Net Zero.{{cite web |title=Pie Net Zero |url=https://pienetzero.com/ |access-date=13 February 2020 |archive-date=24 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200124220547/https://pienetzero.com/ |url-status=live }} Some episodes, including the post-US election episode, were co-written with Irish comedian Andrew Doyle, who contributed to the character's early portrayals,{{cite web |last1=Doyle |first1=Andrew |title=Jonathan Pie Said The Left Was Wrong, Not The Right Was Right |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/andrew-doyle/jonathan-pie-said-the-lef_b_13181278.html |website=Huffington Post: The Blog|accessdate=13 February 2020 |date=25 November 2016 |archive-date=25 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225025931/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/andrew-doyle/jonathan-pie-said-the-lef_b_13181278.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Andrew Doyle |url=https://thetopsecretcomedyclub.co.uk/comedians/andrew-doyle/ |website=Top Secret Comedy Club |access-date=24 April 2023 |language=en}} beginning when the live show started;{{cite web |title=The Comedian's Comedian Podcast with Stuart Goldsmith: Episode 233 – Jonathan Pie (Tom Walker and Andrew Doyle) |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/podcasts/comedians_comedian_podcast/episode_233_jonathan_pie/ |website=British Comedy Guide |access-date=13 February 2020 |date=7 February 2018 |archive-date=13 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213232524/https://www.comedy.co.uk/podcasts/comedians_comedian_podcast/episode_233_jonathan_pie/ |url-status=live }} however, in a 2023 interview with Mark Steel, Walker stated that he has not worked with Doyle since 2019.[https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/What-The-F-Is-Going-On-with-Mark-Steel-Ep-95-Podcast/B0CGNDYJTQ What The F*** Is Going On? with Mark Steel – Ep 95]; published 26 August 2023; retrieved 7 February 2024; 30m 12s

In February 2022, Pie made his first of several appearances on The New York Times website and YouTube channel as part of their "opinion" section. These videos comment on UK politics for an American audience. Topics have included Boris Johnson,{{cite news |last1=Pie|first1=Jonathan |title='The First Thing You Need to Know About Boris Johnson Is He's a Liar' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/04/opinion/boris-johnson-party-scandal.html |access-date=4 February 2022 |work=The New York Times Opinion |date=4 February 2022 |archive-date=4 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220204101947/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/04/opinion/boris-johnson-party-scandal.html |url-status=live }} the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the influence of Russian oligarchs' investments and political donations,{{Cite news |last1=Pie |first1=Jonathan |last2=Westbrook |first2=Adam |date=11 March 2022 |title=Opinion {{!}} Welcome to Londongrad, Where Kleptocrats Wash Their Money Clean |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/11/opinion/london-oligarchs-sanctions-putin.html |access-date=12 March 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=12 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220312235148/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/11/opinion/london-oligarchs-sanctions-putin.html |url-status=live }} as well as the UK energy crisis, rising inflation, and labour strikes during the Conservative Party leadership election of Prime Minister Liz Truss.{{cite web|title=Opinion {{!}} The Conservatives Made Everything in Britain Worse (Yes, Even the Weather)|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/05/opinion/liz-truss-prime-minister-inflation.html|author1=Pie, Jonathan|author2=Adam Westbrook|website=The New York Times|date=5 September 2022|access-date=6 September 2022|archive-date=6 September 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220906003744/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/05/opinion/liz-truss-prime-minister-inflation.html|url-status=live}}

In 2023 a BBC radio series called Call Jonathan Pie{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0frw494|work=BBC Sounds|title=Call Jonathan Pie|date=9 June 2023|access-date=11 June 2023}} featured the same character, unwillingly co-opted as the host of a phone-in radio show. Pie responds to fictional callers' opinions, sometimes agreeing but often not. He also engages with his production team who usually counter his own views. A range of views on complex subjects are thus encapsulated. Its ten episodes are: The BBC; Money; Brexit; Race; Online; Women; Comedy; Drugs; NHS; The Environment. Each episode begins with a warning about "very strong language".

{{Reflist}}

• {{YouTube|user=tomwalker78}}
• [https://www.jonathanpie.com/home-page/ Official website]

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Category:British YouTubers

Category:Fictional characters introduced in 2015

Category:Fictional English people

Category:Fictional reporters and correspondents

Category:2015 establishments in England