BBC Breakfast host Dan Walker came in for a lots of praise from viewers after he blindsided Liz Truss with the reveal of a damning photo revealing Russian financial links with the Conservative government.
The Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom appeared on Wednesday's episode of the popular daytime show when Dan, who hosts alongside Sally Nugent, put her on the spot about Russian financial donations that have benefited high profile ministers like Rishi Sunak and Dominic Raab, since Boris Johnson has been prime minister.
Reports claimed that Russian donors had given in the region of £2 million to the government and, putting Truss on the spot, BBC presenter Dan asked: "How damaging is that for the government at the moment?"
READ MORE: Call The Midwife's Stephen McGann shares personal tragedy after series finale
Truss replied: "Any donation to any political party has to be fully declared. The person donating has to be on the electoral register here in Britain.
"And of course, there are people who have moved out of Russia and become British citizens, who are part of our country.
"And what is important is that the people we are targeting with sanctions are oligarch close to Vladimir Putin; that is not general comment about Russian citizens or people from Russia who may have become British citizens."
After listening to Truss' response, Dan then took the interview down another route when he showed her a photo from her own Instagram, uploaded in April 2019 when Theresa May was PM.
One of the women in the revealing photo was the wife of a former Russian minister who Dan claimed had given the Conservatives £1.8m, making her "the biggest female donor in recent British political history."
Dan added: "Her wealth comes from her husband who has strong links to the Kremlin.
"In that picture, at the times, there were six female Cabinet members. Liz Truss that shows us doesn't it, the closeness of the British government to Russian money?"
Looking startled at the image that appeared on screen, Truss replied: "What I can say to you today is that we will target anybody who we believe has links to the Putin regime, who is helping support prop up of the Putin government and nothing is off the table."
Backing Dan, one BBC viewer took to Twitter to react: "Bravo @mrdanwalker - not exactly hard to make Liz Truss look like a moron admittedly, but great work nonetheless..."
A second posted: " @mrdanwalker doesn’t have jam on his toast for breakfast, he has Liz Truss," and a third tweeted: "Her face and the pause when Dan Walker shows her that photo…BUSTED with NO explanation from @trussliz on that picture. Well done."
For the latest What's On news, announcements and reviews direct to your inbox, go here to sign up to our free newsletter
