Eagle-eyed viewers swoon over 'hot podium guy' as he returns with lectern for Keir Starmer's farewell speech

Published: 10:57, 20 July 2026 | Updated: 11:28, 20 July 2026 The man who has outlived yet another prime minister took his prime place in Downing Street today, positioning the lectern for Keir Starmer's resignation speech.  Dubbed 'hot podium guy' by social media fans, Tobias Gough from Longfield in Kent first started gaining an army of adoring fans in 2019, when he appeared in a tight black T-shirt before Theresa May announced her departure.  He has been sending the nation into a fevered frenzy throughout times of political turmoil for the last seven years.  And having now outlasted five Prime Ministers, muscular sound technician Tobias Gough has become the antidote to the teary-eyed resignation speeches of Britain's leaders.  He has also been at the forefront of political proceedings for the resignations of Tory leaders Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak.  Swooning tweets flooded in as the sound technician appeared on screen, with one user writing: 'Rejoice! Hot Podium Guy has been spotted' and another: 'Yes! First sighting of Hot Podium Guy.'  Fears that he wouldn't show up yesterday were quelled, after rumours had swirled that incoming prime minister Andy Burnham would be delivering his first speech as leader podium-free.  One person wrote: 'Sounds like Andy Burnham, in an attempt to be different, is going podium free and thus denying us a second viewing of hot podium guy, one of our recent national traditions. Today: Tobias Gough (aka 'hot podium guy') appeared on screens this morning ahead of Keir Starmer's resignation  2019: Gough first started gaining an army of adoring fans when he appeared in a tight black T-shirt before Theresa May announced her departure 2022: The sound engineer tests the microphone ahead of Liz Truss announcing she was stepping down following her 49 day stint as PM  2024: He made a return to Downing Street in May 2024 when Rishi Sunak called a snap election Last month: Gough and other colleagues bring out the lectern ahead of Starmer's resignation speech 'This does not show a finger on the pulse and does not bode well.' It led his wife, Tina, to contact the Mail in May 2019 to shut down the hopes of his many admirers on social media, saying: 'He's my husband!' Yet it still hasn't stopped people from swooning over Gough every time he appears outside No10.  Today, he will be testing the microphone ahead of Keir Starmer's final speech as prime minister before the former Mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, takes over as leader.  After Keir Starmer delivers his speech, Mr Burnham will hold the stage and deliver his own speech in Downing Street. He is set to promise 'more breathing room' for Britain, while arguing for a more 'stable and responsible' politics.  But all eyes will be drawn to hot podium guy first and foremost - who already had viewers buzzing this morning.  One user described him as 'the one constant of British politics', while another simply said: 'Hot podium guy!!!!'  Another concerned user asked: 'No lecturn for Burnham? I hope he's not making hot podium guy redundant!'   Keir Starmer delivering his speech behind the lectern in Downing Street this morning  But viewers were fixated on 'hot podium guy' who appeared bright and early to set up the podium  The last sighting of 'hot podium guy' was last month, on June 22, when Keir Starmer delivered another emotional resignation speech accompanied by his family and staff. As always, it was the hotly anticipated arrival of the hunky Gough that had Brits salivating. As he arrived, his muscles bulging as he hauled in the lectern, the nation went into a predictable meltdown.  One social media user quipped that Gough was the 'only one' at Downing Street 'whose approval rating is still rising'. While another admired his muscle-toned body and suggested: 'Podium guy looks like he's been in the gym since the last time this happened.' Others hoped he would become Britain's next Prime Minister, and said 'he will have lots of fans'. Meg wrote on X: 'But may make a certain US leader very jealous.'  Gough threw admirers into a frenzy when he placed the Downing Street lectern and did a sound check during Liz Truss's departure in October 2022. The simple act - so crucial in speech scenarios - meant Liz Truss was able to make her leaving remarks and depart No 10 for good. Before Boris Johnson addressed the nation to announce his resignation as Prime Minister in July, 'Podium Guy' fans called on him to step into the breach: 'I vote that we keep 'Podium Guy' on as interim and let Boris leave today,' said one on Twitter. In 2019, Mr Gough revealed his surprise at the attention he had received, telling the Daily Mail at the time that he 'isn't model material'. He said: 'I have to say it was great lighting to make me look that good, the sun must have been at the right angle. 'I can assure people that I don't usually look as well as that - I won't be going into the modelling business just yet. 'I'm 36 so I think my best days may be well behind me. But it's been very funny reading all the comments on social media. 'My phone has been lit up all day by messages from friends and family all poking fun. Some of mates say that I should pose for a 2020 calendar, it's given me a big laugh. 'I must have done these sound checks hundreds of times in the 15-years I've been in the business and it's all gone as normal. 'I'm making sure all the microphones are connected properly ahead of the Prime Minister's resignation speech and about half an hour or so later I'm making the news. 'People nominating me for Prime Minister and showering me with compliments. It's been a very flattering - if funny - day that's for sure.' Gough married wife Tina just two weeks before the chaos of the pandemic in May 2019, in a quiet ceremony in Scotland. At the time, he said: 'I've not spoken to her yet and I'm wondering the reaction I'm going to get but she's messaged and taken in it all in good spirits.'