Mock The Week cancelled by the BBC after 17 years on air
- Mock The Week has been cancelled by the BBC. A final run of 8 episodes will be broadcast this autumn
- The BBC says: "We have taken the difficult decision in order to create room for new shows"
- Host Dara O Briain comments: "That's it folks; the UK has finally run out of news"
The BBC has announced that after 17 years on air, Mock The Week is to end. The forthcoming autumn run will be the show's final episodes.
The production company behind the show says: "Sometimes surprising, occasionally controversial but always funny, Mock The Week's unique combination of topical discussion, stand-up segments and performance rounds has provided an ideal showcase for multiple generations of top comic talent and, fronted throughout by the comedy genius of Dara O Briain, has grown into a much-loved institution.
"Since it began in June 2005, the series has covered six England football managers, soon to be six Prime Ministers, four US presidents (and four BBC director generals). It has lived through four World Cups, four Olympic Games, five UK elections and booked more than 130 different comedians."
In total, the show will have run for 235 episodes across 21 series.
The BBC confirms: "The next series of Mock The Week will be the last, we are really proud of the show but after 21 series we have taken the difficult decision in order to create room for new shows. We would like to thank Angst Productions, host Dara O Briain, panellist Hugh Dennis and all the guest comedians involved in the show across the 21 series."
The producers at Angst Productions says: "We're naturally hugely disappointed that Mock The Week is coming to an end and hope that we will be able to resurface somewhere some day in the future. However, the last seventeen years on BBC Two have been an absolute blast, it's been a great privilege to work closely with scores of truly incredible performers and we'd also like to take the opportunity to thank the BBC and all our many fans around the world for their support over the years."
Dara O Briain comments: "That's it folks; the UK has finally run out of news. The storylines were getting crazier and crazier; Global pandemics, divorce from Europe, novelty short-term Prime Ministers. It couldn't go on. And so, regretfully, we are closing the doors on Dara and Hugh's Academy for Baby Comedians. We just couldn't be more silly than the news was already. Huge thanks to all our guests over the years, so many of whom went on to huge successes of their own, and never write or call. It was a joy!"
The final eight episodes of Mock The Week will air on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer this autumn.