Exclusive

Youtubers who tricked Piers Corbyn tell LBC they're more 'sorry for those he's conning'

1 August 2021, 13:11

Youtubers justify sting of antivaxxer Piers Corbyn

By Seán Hickey

The pair posed as AstraZeneca investors and filmed Piers Corbyn accepting money to stop spreading misinformation about the jab.

Josh Pieters and Archie Manners are Youtubers who have gained fame for their notorious sting operations which have in the past, embarrassed celebrities and royal commentators.

They spoke to Tom Swarbrick after their latest prank, which showed antivax campaigner Piers Corbyn to be accepting money from what he thought were AstraZeneca investors in a bid to stop spreading disinformation about the vaccine and focus his vitriol on Pfizer and Moderna instead.

"The whole thing is just an embarrassing disaster," Tom said, wondering if the pair felt sorry for Mr Corbyn after the sting.

Read More: Son of anti-vax nurse: My mum is too far gone to be helped

"It's never our place to tell people they should or shouldn't be taking the vaccine, we just want to ensure that where people get their information from is from a good place," Mr Pieters replied.

Youtubers refute Piers Corbyn's claims he was 'distracted' in video

Read More: Why we need the Covid jab: James O'Brien's powerful analogy for anti-vaxxers

Mr Manners elaborated to state that the objective was to see whether Mr Corbyn "was a man of principle."

"It's not a particularly nice thing to do, to put him in the middle of a media firestorm but I feel a lot more sorry for those he's conning with extraordinary misinformation," he added.

"It's not very pleasant but maybe there's a bigger thing at play."

Tom noted that Mr Corbyn has claimed to have been "distracted" during the sting and the money was "placed" into his bag by Mr Pieters and Mr Manners.

We Exposed the UK's Leading Anti-Vaxxer

Read More: Vaccine sceptic father, 34, dies from Covid after wishing to 'turn back time'

"What was his mood to you when you were offering the cash and saying you were investors in AstraZeneca?"

"He was absolutely thrilled" Mr Manners claimed.

Mr Pieters admitted to being nervous about "offering" the antivaxxer £10,000: "It was just about all of our money we had taken out so I was less happy about seeing the money than he was."

Mr Manners joked that if he got the switch wrong "it would have been a very expensive mistake."

After being asked whether supporters of Mr Corbyn have been in touch, Mr Manners admitted they "heard from a few of his supporters – the kind of people that think the Queen is a reptile have messaged us on Twitter – we're not, to be honest, deeply concerned about that."

More Tom Swarbrick

See more More Tom Swarbrick

Emma Webber (left) speaking to LBC

Mother of Nottingham attack victim Barnaby Webber blasts police ‘mistruths’ after force is put in special measures

Lord Harrington said there should be a cap on the number of asylum seekers the UK takes.

Former refugees minister Lord Harrington calls for a cap on the number of asylum seekers the UK takes

Mel Stride has backed the PM

Rishi Sunak has 'absolutely not' betrayed nation over Rwanda plan, insists minister after Braverman's attack on PM

Tom and caller

'Our family is there': Mother shares heartbreaking experience of being a British Jew during Israel-Hamas conflict

The ban will be brought into effect in months

'Children should be in the classroom to learn': Gillian Keegan orders 'blanket ban' of mobile phones in schools

Exclusive
Tributes have been paid to Elianne after she was stabbed to death in Croydon

Fellow pupil of schoolgirl stabbed to death in Croydon describes heartbreaking moment students were told of her killing

Scotland's first safe drug consumption space set to be openned

'Isn't this just decriminalising heroin?': Tom Swarbrick questions Labour MSP over first safe drug consumption room

The education secretary discusses educational reforms with Tom Swarbrick

Shadow education secretary says 'Building Schools for the Future Programme' would have prevented Raac crisis

Tom Swabrick

'Is it not completely mental?': Tom Swarbrick astonished as schools shut due to crumble-risk concrete before new term

Exam results

Equation sheets given to GCSE cohort in attempt lessen reduced grade inflation blow, schools minister says

Crime commentator on Adam Provan

Internal review of rapist ex-Met officer is the equivalent of 'marking your own homework', says crime commentator

Education Secretary discuss new Eton free schools on LBC

‘Bailed out by Eton’: Education Secretary discusses new free schools with Tom Swarbrick

Lucy Letby: We have to know what went so 'catastrophically wrong' says Tom Swarbrick

Lucy Letby: We have to know what went so 'catastrophically wrong' says Tom Swarbrick

Exclusive
Lord Edward Garnier has called for a public inquiry into Andrew Malkinson's case

Top lawyer blasts Andrew Malkinson rape case as the 'worst miscarriage of justice of the 21st century'

Suella Barge

Suella Braverman can't be blamed for housing migrants on barge with Legionella, ConservativeHome editor says

Tom Swarbrick on mortgages

It would be 'manifestly unfair' to use taxpayers' money to subsidise mortgages, Tom Swarbrick says