"It wouldn’t be a bad idea to tell your ministers that The Thick Of It is a comedy show, not a training video," the actress who plays the political satire's Nicola Murray told David Cameron on Monday.
Appearing on ITV's The Agenda programme, the prime minister found himself sat next to Rebecca Front, who stars as the hapless Labour leader in Amando Iannucci's BBC show.
Cameron also had to sit and listen as Murray - sorry, Front - told him the reason his government was so unpopular was that people thought it was not looking after the vulnerable well enough.
In recent weeks the line between satire and reality appear to have blurred to such an extent that it is sometimes no longer clear which story is real life and which is from the mind of Iannucci.
Just last Friday the farcical scenes that unfolded as George Osborne was said to have attempted to travel first class witha standard class ticket on a train were arguably more absurd than any storyline seen on the programme.
In the wake of the so-called "omnishambles" Budget, a term taken straight from The Thick Of It, and the former chief whip's 'plebgate' encounter at the gates of Downing Street, the prime minister may do well to take Murray's - sorry Front's - advice.
Monday's meeting was not the first time The Thick Of It has collided with reality. In September Alastair Campbell had a 'swear off' with his TV alter ego Malcolm Tucker.