Mock the Week

Mock the Week
White 3D writing over globe reads "Mock the Week"
GenreComedy panel game
Created byDan Patterson
Mark Leveson
Presented byDara Ó Briain
Starring
Opening theme"News of the World" by The Jam
ComposerBruce Foxton
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series21
No. of episodes245 (list of episodes)
Production
ProducersDan Patterson
Mark Leveson
Ewan Phillips
Ruth Wallace
Production locationsBBC Television Centre
(series 1–11, 17–21[1])
The London Studios[2]
(series 12–16)
EditorMykola Pawluk
Running time29 minutes
Production companyAngst Productions
Original release
NetworkBBC Two
Release5 June 2005 (2005-06-05) –
4 November 2022 (2022-11-04)
Related
Whose Line Is It Anyway?
Have I Got News for You
Russell Howard's Good News
Fast and Loose
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

Mock the Week is a topical satirical celebrity panel show, created by Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson. It was produced by Angst Productions for BBC Two,[3] and was broadcast from 5 June 2005 to 4 November 2022.[4] Presenter Dara Ó Briain and panellist Hugh Dennis appeared in every episode, with a variety of other stand-up comedians being regular, frequent, occasional or one-off guest panellists during the show's history.

The format of the programme saw six comedians divided into two teams and performing on a faux game show, in which the quiz aspect of answering questions relating to major and regional news items, all taken from the week before each episode's filming, is sidelined to focus on satirical, topical discussions on news items, stand-up routines, and the use of improvisational comedy.[5][6] Every series also included a compilation episode featuring notable scenes, out-takes and additional footage cut out after filming, with repeats of episodes being frequently shown on the channel U&Dave, with high viewing figures.

An American version of the series is in development for Amazon Freevee.

  1. ^ "Mock The Week". BBC Studioworks. Retrieved 13 January 2019.
  2. ^ "Mock The Week is back in full close-up HD glory" (Press release). BBC. 20 May 2013. Retrieved 20 May 2013.
  3. ^ "The Company". Mock the Week. Retrieved 28 December 2007.
  4. ^ Dara Ó Briain. "That's all folks! "History of Mock The Week" parts 1 and 2 will be on over the next two weeks, but there ends the most funny, energetic, sharp and silly of all the panel shows, I think. Huge thanks to all the comics, and production staff, who joined us and made it great. X pbs.twimg.com/media/Ffn6xD7X0BUIlgO?format=jpg&name=orig". Twitter. Twitter. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  5. ^ Logan, Brian (29 October 2013). "Ross Noble mocks Mock the Week". The Guardian.
  6. ^ Jefferies, Mark (20 August 2013). "Mock The Week gags are pre-planned admits TV comedian Alan Davies". Daily Mirror.