The National:

THE wacky world of Neil Oliver’s GB News show thankfully stays largely confined to its conspiracy-obsessed corner of the internet.

However, one claim made on the show by Boris Johnson’s former mistress Jennifer Arcuri has sparked more widespread interest for all the wrong reasons.

Appearing alongside Oliver and a glass of sparkling wine, Arcuri seemed to tell GB News viewers that Boris Johnson had been replaced with some sort of clone.

“There is something that happens to you before you take office when you become a world leader,” Arcuri said. “There are certain rituals, let’s say, let’s call them for fun, that happen.”

Speaking from Florida, the “technology entrepreneur” has clearly been watching a little too many poorly produced YouTube videos about the Freemasons.

But the craziest was yet to come. Although Arcuri and Oliver had initially been talking about a perceived change in Johnson’s values since she knew him closely, she went on to suggest something a lot wilder.

Arcuri said: “The entire nation watched one man entering the hospital [when Johnson got Covid] and another one leaving.

“I've had several sources confirm this isn't the same man... someone should be looking into this.

“This isn’t the same man by a long shot. Not just in spirit, in character, in demeanor, we’re talking completely different.”

Journalist Neil Throp joked: "Look will someone please just investigate whether Boris Johnson was spirited away in hospital and replaced by some sort of body double after doing satanic rituals.

"Typical MSM [mainstream media] ignoring this obvious story!"

Conspiracy theory aficionados may recognise the trope from one of the more mental enduring hoaxes.

The theory goes that Paul McCartney, the Beatle, died in November 1966 and was replaced by a body double.

In reality, McCartney is still alive even now and - unfortunately - Boris Johnson is still very much the prime minister.

Amazingly though, Arcuri wasn't giving up. Responding to the video on Twitter, she wrote: "The only conspiracy is the mass cover up of the truth." 

"Shame those who mock," she added, followed by a clown emoji.

She also shared a website link, presumably to some sort of proof for her claim. Fittingly, the link is broken.