Dara Ó Briain has hit back at claims that he was ‘bullied’ on Mock the Week three years after the show was axed.
The Irish comedian, 53, fronted more than 200 episodes of the BBC Two programme from 2005 until 2022, when it was cancelled ‘in order to create room for new shows’.
The basic format of the show involved six comedians answering questions about the week’s news.
Previously, Dara agreed that criticism directed at Mock The Week over a lack of diversity among the show’s panellists was ‘bang on’.
Now, however, the comedian has defended the show after being asked about how he felt being the butt of many jokes, with panellists often making fun of his nationality, voice, weight and appearance.
Asked whether the treatment he received was a form of bullying, the 53-year-old told The Times: ‘No. It really wasn’t. If I was in a low-status position it would be bullying.
‘But I’m the one pressing the buzzer and handing out the points and I have a kind of high-status mien about myself. So actually it’s fine. It’s grand.
‘And a lot of it was from Ed Byrne, who is one of my closest friends. So I think it’s allowable.’
He also added: ‘I don’t think you need to give young men licence to slag each other off. We didn’t invent the notion of people joking at each other. We just basically stepped into thousands of years of it.’
Why was Mock the Week cancelled?
After deciding to cancel the show in 2022, the BBC said in a statement: ‘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 show’s creator Dan Patterson expressed his disappointment following the news.
He added: ‘It’s been announced that the next series of Mock the Week will be the last after 17 great years on the BBC.
‘Desperately disappointing but hopefully we will resurface again soon. Huge thanks to Dara and Hugh and all the wonderful performers over the years. It’s been a privilege.’
Mock The Week has been credited with launching a number of comedians into household names, including the likes of Frankie Boyle, Angela Barnes and Russell Howard.
Previously, the show’s creator, Dan Patterson, told Metro that Dara learnt the show had been cancelled while he was on a family holiday.
‘I called him,’ Dan explained. ‘The unfortunate thing was that he was on holiday with his family.’
After learning that his show had been cancelled, Dara confirmed the news, sarcastically saying 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,’ he said. ‘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!’
Mock the Week is available to stream on U.
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