Here is the speech Saturday Night Live comedian Colin Jost gave at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner last night.

‘Like many of you here tonight I pretend to do the news on TV,’ he told the assembled journalists. Later he quipped: ‘I would really like to take a moment to recognize all the print journalists in this room. Your words speak truth to power. Your words bring light to the darkness. And most importantly, your words train the AI programs that will soon replace you.’

Jost took to the dais after President Joe Biden had given a speech and joked: ‘I have to admit, it’s not easy following President Biden. I mean, it’s not always easy following what he’s saying.’

The comic received a mixed response at the event, with gags at the expense of Biden going down less well than those about his predecessor.

‘Can we just acknowledge how refreshing it is to see a president of the United States at an event that doesn’t begin with a bailiff saying "all rise"?,’ he quipped.

Donald Trump took time out from being a defendant to watch the show, and posted on his Truth Social platform: ‘The White House Correspondents’ Dinner was really bad. Colin Jost BOMBED, and Crooked Joe was an absolute disaster! Doesn’t get much worse than this!’