by 
Paul Merton may have to give up one his most enduring comic creations.
The longtime panellist of Have I Got News For You has portrayed the role of the ridiculous politician, Arlene Foster, for many year now.
“Ah well, it was a good run while it lasted,” commented Merton, removing the bare minimum of make-up he requires to convincingly portray Arlene Foster.
“The character really took off during the blink-and-you-miss-it Theresa May years. She was Prime Minister once, do you remember?
“Anyway, Arlene/me got some real traction then. Remember when we got a billion pounds to side with the government and then half the time we didn’t do that at all? Proper funny that was.
“Some people still don’t understand that was a joke, or that Arlene Foster is just me, Paul Merton, pissing about in a dress. I mean how could you NOT have seen that?
“She has the same constant expression I do whenever someone I don’t like tells a joke on Have I Got News for You – which is nearly everyone, now that I’m a bit older.”
