Friday night sees Mock The Week come to an end on BBC Two — and just as predicted by anchor panellist Hugh Dennis earlier this week, the show has indeed outlasted the prime minister.
Mock the Week, which ran for 17 years, with 21 series and more than 200 episodes hosted by Irish comedian Dara O’Briain, was axed by the BBC in an announcement made early in August. It brought to an end a popular and sometimes controversial show, with Dennis and other panellists taking a pop at current affairs and politics in particular.
A few days before the Mock the Week finale, Dennis pointed out that the BBC Two show may last longer than the current prime minister of just over 40 days, Liz Truss. Speaking to RadioTimes.com Dennis – who appeared in all 21 series – said satirising politics was no more difficult than it was when the programme first aired.
He said: "We knew Mock the Week was being taken off air, but I don't think we realised that we might out-survive the new prime minister. If she goes – wow! [Although] I don't think we can claim any role in that." Two days after the interview was published on the Radio Times website, Ms Truss did indeed resign.
The final episode of Mock the Week will see Ó Briain in the chair, with Dennis looking back on the week's events for the last time, accompanied by Angela Barnes, Alasdair Beckett-King, Rhys James, Zoe Lyons and Ahir Shah.
The programme first aired in June 2005, featuring comedy stars including Chris Addison, Frankie Boyle, Rory Bremner, Milton Jones, Ed Byrne, Miles Jupp, Gary Delaney, Andy Parsons, Ed Gamble and Russell Howard. Following criticism that the show was male-dominated, a number of women guests began appearing, including Gina Yashere, Shaparak Khorsandi, Holly Walsh, Andi Osho, Katherine Ryan, Sara Pascoe, Ellie Taylor, Ria Lina and Sindhu Vee.
The final live recorded show of Mock the Week airs on BBC Two tonight (Friday, October 21) at 10pm, but there will be two specials airing in the following two weeks.
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