Mock the Week Host Celebrates Freedom from BBC Balance Rules on New Channel
Comedian Dara Ó Briain has expressed relief that he won't have to adhere to strict BBC balance requirements when his satirical panel show Mock the Week returns to television screens next month. The popular programme is making a comeback on an entirely new channel three years after the BBC cancelled it.
New Home for Classic Satire
The Irish comedian, who has hosted the show since its inception, revealed that moving to free-to-air channel TLC means producers won't be "breathing down his neck" about political balance. Mock the Week was originally axed by the BBC in 2022 after seventeen successful years, with the corporation stating it wanted "to create room for new shows".
Ó Briain told The Telegraph: "What I won't miss is the people with stopwatches timing how much we did of each political party, because you had to have BBC balance." The 53-year-old presenter emphasised that while the change liberates the comedy from certain restrictions, the essence of the show remains intact.
Enhanced Format and Familiar Faces
The revived series will feature nine brand new episodes, each extending to one hour in length - double the original thirty-minute format. Despite the expanded runtime, the programme will maintain its classic structure, including beloved rounds like "If This Is the Answer, What Is the Question?" and "Scenes We'd Like to See".
Ó Briain was quick to praise the BBC for their handling of the show's conclusion, stating: "The BBC, to their eternal credit, gave us a victory lap. We got to sit there in tuxedos and play montages of old panellists. We've done the full arc on the show. And now we have a fourth act. This is gravy, my friend."
Star-Studded Lineup Returns
The new series will welcome back many familiar faces from the show's history alongside fresh talent. Regular panellists include comedy favourites Katherine Ryan, Rhys James, Sara Pascoe and Mock the Week legends Hugh Dennis - who appeared in every episode of the original run - Russell Howard and Ed Byrne.
Additional comedians joining the panel include Angela Barnes, Ahir Shah, Milton Jones, Sarah Keyworth, Lou Sanders, Glenn Moore and Ellie Taylor, with more names expected to be announced before the premiere.
Addressing Past Controversies
Ó Briain also took the opportunity to clarify comments he made in 2014 regarding the BBC's announcement about ending "all-male panels" on comedy shows. At the time, he suggested that publicly declaring such rules might make female comedians appear as "token" appointments.
"I didn't object to the rule; I objected to the publication of the rule," he explained in his recent interview. "I felt that it would make people go, 'Oh, is that the state-sanctioned token woman?'"
Challenging but Rewarding Format
The host acknowledged that Mock the Week presents a particular challenge for comedians, describing it as "not an easy booking" with seven people competing to be heard. He referenced comedian Ava Vidal's 2010 description of the show as "the toughest gig in television", adding: "It suits some people better than others. It wouldn't suit me. I could never guest on Mock the Week."
The format sees six comedians responding to questions about recent news events, with points awarded for the wittiest responses. Despite the competitive element, the show has cultivated a loyal following over nearly two decades.
Broadcast Details
Mock the Week will make its highly anticipated return to television screens on 1st February at 9pm on new channel TLC. The extended episodes promise more of the sharp political satire and quick-fire comedy that made the original series a staple of British television, now with greater freedom to tackle political subjects without BBC balance constraints.
