Dan Stevens left viewers in hysterics after making a hilariously brutal swipe at Boris Johnson during his appearance on The One Show.
And speaking out afterwards, the former Downton Abbey actor said that he had made the joke because he wanted to hold the prime minister to account over his "absolutely outrageous" behaviour.
The 39-year-old revealed that his remarks earned him "massive applause and laughter" in the studio and insisted that he hadn't been told off by BBC bosses.
It comes after Mr Johnson paid a fine for attending a lockdown-breaking birthday party - but shamelessly refused to resign.
On Wednesday, Dan had appeared on The One Show to promote his new drama, Gaslit, which is based on the events of the 1970s Watergate scandal that led to former US president Richard Nixon resigning.
Asked for the premise of the film by hosts Alex Jones and Jermaine Jenas, he said: "What you’ve got is a criminal for a leader who is wrapped in a messy war, embroiled in a stupid scandal and surrounded by ambitious idiots and really should resign..."
Pausing briefly, he then quipped: "I'm sorry that’s the intro to Boris Johnson."
Speaking to GQ following the appearance, he said: "It's hard to ignore the parallels really. And I think with a show, like Gaslit, you know, especially in this country, and people might wonder, 'well, this is a very American story. I'm not sure if there's anything that for me.'
"It's like, well, actually, a scandal's a scandal, corruption in a political administration is universally relevant, and it doesn't matter what country you're in.
"There's already some, there's always somebody up to some shady shit. It's very much headline news here. I hadn't really realised until I got on the ground. I mean, it's, it's one thing to sort of read about it from across the pond.
"But you know, I got here and it's on every radio bulletin. Absolutely outrageous. And yeah, it got me quite fired up. I thought it was worth highlighting the extraordinary similarities."
Stevens said politicians were now able to get away with things that would have previously led to their resignation.
He added: "I think people need to be held to account and yeah, not a huge amount changes."
Asked whether the producers had spoken to him after the incident, he aimed a quip at the Culture Secretary.
He said: "And Nadine Dorries storming in trying to privatise me? Yeah.
"No, I mean, it seemed to go down fairly well. There was massive applause and laughter.
"I think you know, sadly, it's all too rare to see someone speaking their mind and the truth on live television these days.
"Even our best political journalists are afraid to actually say what's going on, which makes me quite cross."
As a BBC programme, The One Show must follow the broadcaster's impartiality guidelines.
But Stevens added: "There's impartiality. And then there's just calling it like it is and just saying what is happening.
"And I don't think I said anything that should have been any surprise to anyone."
