Lockdown three is happening. Yes, we knew it was coming and we understand it has to be done to help the NHS. But it’s still totally OK to also feel frustrated, angry, sad and anxious over the news. And many, many people will have a lot of questions they want the government to answer – including This Country star Daisy May Cooper. 

The comedian and actor has been a bit of a legend on Instagram and TikTok throughout the pandemic, reminding us to find lightness through laughter in dark times. And her latest video – a response to “tier five” – is no exception. 

Cooper shared the clip on Monday 4 January, using her on-brand humour to nail the collective confusion and frustration we’re experiencing.

“Right Boris, little question for you…right?” she says. 

“You’ve just put a nation in lockdown. Tier five, right? And you’re telling me that we can only go to work if it’s critical. What does that even mean? What job is a critical job?”

To make her point, Cooper hilariously continues: “What if I’m like a cat trainer and a cat I’ve got to fucking train lives in Barkshire. And I’ve got to train him up to ride a bicycle or whatever because that’s what cat trainers do right? And Boris is going to go to me ‘Oh well can’t you do that via Zoom?’ And I’m like no I can’t do it via Zoom because I haven’t trained the cat to use Zoom yet.”

At a time when most of us want any excuse to laugh rather than cry, it’s little wonder that the clip has been watched, liked and shared thousands of times on Instagram.

“I needed this tonight, thank you,” commented radio DJ Kate Lawler.

“This has made tier five so much more OKable,” added documentary maker Cherry Healy. 

And celebrities such as Vicky McClure and Fearne Cotton laughed so much that they could only respond with strings of “crying with laughter” emojis.

Of course, there is a serious message behind the joke: people are getting really fed up with vague advice given around guidelines and constant mixed messages. But the other lesson here is that sometimes, to help get through it all, you’ve just got to laugh for a moment or two.

Images: Tom Van Schelven