Have I Got News For You star Ian Hislop hit by electric bike in London

Ian Hislop was pictured with a bandage on his head after being struck by an electric bike on the busy streets of London.

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Ian Hislop took a bump to the head after being hit by an electric bike in London this week
Ian Hislop took a bump to the head after being hit by an electric bike in London this week

Ian Hislop was left with a bandaged head after being "hit by an electric bike" in London on Wednesday (12.12.24).

The 64-year-old journalist - who is known for his stints as a team captain on satirical panel show 'Have I Got News For You' - was crossing the road when he was struck by the bike and was later seen with a bandage on his head.

A representative for his magazine Private Eye - which he has edited since 1986 - confirmed Ian had been "hit by an electric bike whilst crossing the road yesterday afternoon."

The satirist reportedly received medical attention and escaped with no serious injuries.

The TV star's run-in with an electric bike comes after he was left "freaked out" after being told he was shot at in a taxi in October.

Ian was in the back of a black cab on Soho’s Dean Street when the driver said a bullet had struck the rear window after it shattered – fortunately, police later put the incident down to a mechanical issue with the car.

A BBC source told the Evening Standard about Ian’s nervous wait to find out if he had been targeted by a gunman: “(He was) actually quite freaked out by it all. For nearly a whole day he genuinely thought he’d been shot at.”

Staff at Private Eye, known for its in-depth investigations into politicians and businesses, were also understood to be nervous after the events.

One told the outlet: “It hasn’t been a terribly funny 24 hours... it’s all been rather tense here.”

No-one was injured in the incident, which occurred at around 10am on October 1, and after reviewing CCTV footage and forensically examining the taxi, police concluded there is “no evidence of a firearms discharge at this time”.

Father-of-two Ian said in a statement he wanted to “thank everyone for their concern”, adding it was “greatly appreciated”.

He said: “The police investigating the incident in the taxi have now advised me that they have completed their forensic tests, have found no evidence of a firearm discharge and will be concentrating their investigations on indications that a mechanical fault caused the window to shatter.

“Thanks again to all concerned for their support and concern.”