The second series of Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back returns to deliver consumer justice and expose corporate wrongdoing.
Channel 4’s comedic answer to Watchdog stars Joe Lycett, a comedian famed for sketches about scams and customer service. These stand-up routines instigated a new career in consumer journalism, presenting a show about uncovering business blunders and holding them to account on the small screen. Whether it’s filthy clothes being sold by Boohoo or undelivered parcels being auctioned off, Lycett and his team tackle scandals with flair.
Each episode sees Lycett joined by fellow comedians and celebrities, who help embellish the show with their own comedic quirks – Mark Silcox’s deadpan style never fails to trigger a smile and Katherine Ryan is brilliant at saying what we’re all thinking. The humour is key to receiving responses and initiating change from offending companies; no company wants a rave outside their office or to be confronted on camera as it provides far too much attention. Businesses strive for good publicity, so becoming a joke on the show is a genius way to inspire better practice. Yet, commendably, it easily switches to serious for necessary cases and moments.
Lycett is an ardent supporter of customer rights, willing to go to extremes to see businesses change their ways. The first episode saw him change his name by deed poll to Hugo Boss in protest against the corporation using their influence to bully a small brewing business into removing “Boss” from their branding. He also spent nearly two years gathering evidence on fake Airbnb lettings. The comedian protects everyone: drivers, students, shoppers and more. Viewers will be on the edge of their seats when seeing Lycett clash with company owners, holding them accountable for misdeeds, and there’s something satisfying about actually seeing results, rather than the typical standardised statement.
On the surface it appears to be just another comedy, but it’s a prime example of investigative consumer journalism. Lycett acts as a watchdog, holding a new power to account. As the press scrutinises the government and holds them responsible for misdemeanours, Lycett does the same to iniquitous businesses. In doing so, he has protected children from hacked technology, educated naive students on their rights as renters and saved smaller businesses from losses. The series is thorough and as truthful as it can be, checking with experts and holding Trustpilot – one of its own sources – accountable for its review system which can show bias towards businesses playing the system. The show wasn’t flawless, but Lycett was quick to apologise and fix the mistake made regarding Raspberry Pi.
Since the first series, the episodes have doubled in time which feels more complete and gives room for cases to link into a theme, such as travel. The show adapts well to the lockdown restrictions in the last episodes, but lacks the expected colourful style and audience interaction. Though the second series outdoes the first, hands down; the stories are bigger and more scandalous, there’s an abundance of jokes, and the presenter seems more comfortable and confident due to practice.
Joe Lycett’s Got Your Back gives flair to consumer justice. He strives to uphold customer rights and uses humour to give issues the attention they deserve. Lycett claimed to be the UK’s best consumer journalist, and whilst there is no way of proving it, he certainly provides an excellent example of holding businesses accountable.
Words by Isla Glen