Victoria Coren Mitchell may have taken things a little “too far” with her joke about her BBC co-star.

The Only Connect host appeared on Monday night’s episode of the hit BBC quiz show, where she saw the The Uisge Beathas and the Crushers go head to head. But while the episode was everything fans have come to expect for the most part, Victoria’s intended-to-be witty outro has caused a divide among viewers.

After referencing an old joke about her rumoured crush on former politician and journalist Michael Portillo, 71, the star, 52, chose to make light of her “secret” affection and made a joke that left viewers with their jaws on the floor due to how crude it came across.

Beginning her closing monologue with a lengthy speech, she said: “Coming up next on BBC Two is another episode in that wonderful series sponsored by the RSPB, where celebrities look after birds before handing them on to other celebrities to raise awareness of struggling avian numbers.”

While some may have been unsure where she was going with the gag, Victoria soon made it clear: “I have so enjoyed watching the big names of BBC Two passing their feathered dependents onto other presenters that I’ve decided to join in myself.” She added: “Tonight, I will eagerly be taking several swallows from Michael Portillo.”

Victoria made an dividing joke about Michael ( 
Image:
BBC / Naked West/Fremantle)
Viewers quickly rushed to social media to share their reactions with one person admitting the joke left her “somewhat traumatised”, while another was so shocked, they weren’t sure if they had heard her correctly and asked: “Did I imagine that she said that???” The reactions didn’t stop there either, another unamused person said: “Love Victoria Choren but have always hated the Portillo jokes. S3xist. Cheap. Not funny. Tonight’s was really unsuitable for a family quiz show.”

One viewer even quickly compared her comment to Greg Wallace’s career ending comments, insinuating that there is a double standard at play: “A pretty near the knuckle innuendo by Victoria Coren at the end. I have no problem with that. Innuendo was part of being British. But what is the difference between what VC said and what Greg Wallace said?”

It wasn’t all backlash, though, and Victoria did score brownie points with some viewers. One person wrote on X: “that was close to the knuckle Victoria! Bloody brilliant! #swallows Best line on TV since…. Your last one!” Another said, “Phenomenal Portillo gag in true ISIHAC style at the end of last night’s #OnlyConnect. Kudos, Victoria Coren, for the deadpan delivery.”

Victoria and Michael’s history goes back years after the star made a quip about the former Chief Secretary to the Treasury of the United Kingdom, stating he should donate his pants to charity before later adding in a 2016 column for the Guardian: “My Only Connect persona – who is very like me, but just different enough to maintain sanity – is always talking about Michael Portillo.”

She continued to say: “He’s perfect for her. Dark, enigmatic, faintly Spanish… Knowledgeable, quirky, with hints of a s3xually adventurous past… I once ended a show by saying: ‘I’m going to hurry back to my dressing room where I hope to find Michael Portillo, sitting naked atop a crate of rioja, challenging me to wrestle him off’.”