Head of lettuce outlasts U.K.'s Liz Truss in viral tabloid gag

If you think your day is off to a bad start, well, at least you're not short-lived U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss, whose extremely-truncated tenure was outlived by a well-dressed head of lettuce.
The embattled Truss resigned from her position as leader on Thursday, after her policies triggered economic turmoil and inspired rebellion within her Conservative party. She served for just six weeks.
But independent British tabloid The Daily Star has been preparing for this moment since at least Oct. 14, when it shared a livestream titled "Can Liz Truss outlast a lettuce?" The popular video, reportedly inspired by a quip from The Economist, per The New York Times, originally featured a photo of Truss next to a bland head of lettuce purchased at a Tesco grocery store for about 68 cents, per the Times. The leafy green was later dressed up with eyes, a smile, and a floppy head of blonde hair, among other gags.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Of course, the lettuce won out in the end. After she resigned, "[s]omeone flipped the photo of [Truss] face-down on the table, colorful lights swirled, and a recording of 'God Save the King' played on repeat as nearly 20,000 people watched live," the Times writes.
As of 10 a.m. ET Thursday morning, the stream also featured some celebratory alcohol and a few fruit and vegetable friends to keep the lettuce company. The text "This lettuce outlasted Liz Truss" was plastered in big letters onto the screen, just above the ticker: "Breaking: The lettuce will make a speech to the nation at 18:00."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
The Week contest: Marriage pounds
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - March 27, 2025
Cartoons Thursday's cartoons - group chats, language lessons, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Playhouse Creatures: 'dream-like' play is 'lively, funny and sharp-witted'
Anna Chancellor offers a 'glinting performance' alongside a 'strong' supporting cast
By The Week UK Published
-
Israel detains director after West Bank settler clash
speed read The director of Oscar-winning documentary 'No Other Land' was arrested and beaten
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Turkey arrests Istanbul mayor, a top Erdogan rival
Speed Read Protests erupted in Turkey after authorities detained Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel strikes Gaza, breaking ceasefire
Speed Read 326 Palestinians were killed in the first major attack since Netanyahu's government signed a ceasefire agreement with Hamas
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Houthis vow retaliation amid US airstrikes
Speed Read Trump promises the US will use 'overwhelming lethal force' against the Houthis until they stop attacking Red Sea ships
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Pakistan train hostage standoff ends in bloodshed
Speed Read Pakistan's military stormed a train hijacked by separatist militants, killing 33 attackers and rescuing hundreds of hostages
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published