Panel show Mock the Week is returning to screens with all-new episodes for the first time in over three years following its cancellation by the BBC.
Fronted by Irish comedian Dara O’Briain, the show, which takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the week’s biggest headlines, will air on TLC from next month.
However, despite the popularity that kept it on air for 17 years while at the BBC, news of the show’s return hasn’t been unanimously warm.
Complaints have flooded social media, with many apprehensive that Mock the Week will revert to targeting certain politicians while letting more liberal-leaning figures get away scot-free.
Dara O’Briain will return to front Mock the Week
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Reacting to British Comedy Guide’s X post about the revival, one social media user hit out: “Oh for crying out loud. That bunch lost their funny years ago. Doubt a defibrillator could shock them back to comedy.”
“I’ll watch it when they have @rickygervais on the panel,” a second added, while a third sarcastically slammed: “Can’t wait for all the edgy jokes about Tories, Farage, white men and Trump. Groundbreaking stuff.”
Elsewhere, a fourth said: “Jesus, desperate stuff. And of course we already know who’ll be mocked, and it ain’t Starmer and Labour…”
And a fifth agreed: “It lost its way rather, which may also have had something to do with why it was dropped. Towards the end, they weren’t even trying to disguise that they were reading their jokes from a script.”
Meanwhile, a sixth echoed: “Not funny anymore like everything is turned into a left wing propagandist circle jerk.” (sic)
However, there have been messages of support for the reboot, particularly in response to Mr O’Briain’s Instagram announcement.
“Well, apart from Taskmaster (which, funnily enough, also had Dara), Mock the Week is my favourite panel show so yay,” one fan applauded, while a second felt emotional: “I actually could cry. SO GLAD TO SEE IT BACK.” (sic)
Mr O’Briain spoke to the Radio Times about the revival, admitting there had been musings about a reboot back in November.
Russell Howard will also return
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“It’s all moved pretty quickly, as befits the show,” he said. “Honestly, you can be too precious. I didn’t sit for a long time going, ‘Will this in any way damage the legacy of the show that we’ve left behind?’
“It’s just seven people in a room telling jokes. There’s no musical sequence now; there’s no nudity suddenly. I don’t think there’s anything particularly jarring. I just think there’ll be slightly more of it,” Mr O’Briain added.
Teasing differences to its BBC heyday, he went on: “But there was always more of it. We did two and a half hours that came down to a BBC half-hour, which was 28 minutes.
“There will apparently be new rounds. But I don’t think there’s anything that will scare the horses, that will be too drastic a change from us talking. ‘Us talking’ is the mission statement, to be honest.”
Hugh Dennis
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Mr O’Briain also addressed the change to the political makeup of the nation since the show was last on air.
“The world has got more pantomimic and ludicrous as time has gone by. The biggest change for us is that it’s no longer a Conservative government,” he said.
Allaying concerns that the new show will continue to pander to left-leaning audiences, Mr O’Briain clarified: “People used to say, ‘You always talk about the Tories.’ Yes, because they were the ones doing stuff!
“Now, it’ll be about Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves. Not because we’re not on the BBC any more – but because they’re the ones in power.”
Katherine Ryan will take part in the revival
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GETTYMr O’Briain will be joined by long-serving panellist Hugh Dennis when the panel show makes its way back onto screens.
Fellow former regulars Russell Howard, Angela Barnes, Ed Byrne, Milton Jones, Rhys James, Sara Pascoe, and Glenn Moore will also return.
Katherine Ryan will also make an appearance, as will guests Ahir Shah, Ellie Taylor, Sarah Keyworth, and Lou Sanders.
A release date and time are yet to be confirmed by TLC.