Mock the Week legend Dara Ó Briain: “It’s very worrying that the BBC has less money to do things”

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What’s the view from your sofa?

The seating arrangement in the room where we watch shows like The Traitors has two comfortable couches facing slightly sideways. It looks like it’s set up for conversation, but really we all end up facing forward, watching the TV and quietly listening for updates from the host, Claudia.

You’re clearly a fan – would you do The Celebrity Traitors?

After four years away from Mock the Week, did you have any doubts about returning as host?

Absolutely not. The idea of stepping aside and letting a new generation take over? Forget it. I have no intention of handing things over. I’ll keep going until I physically can’t anymore.

Has making the show for TLC, rather than the impartial BBC, given you more freedom?

Looking back, I think some of the criticism was exaggerated. I used to joke about the BBC gathering me, Fiona Bruce, and a representative from the government – like a current minister – to decide on the week’s talking points. Of course, that never happened. The people you discuss on television naturally change with a new government – now it’s people like Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves. But that’s simply because they’re the ones in charge now, not because of anything to do with being on the BBC.

It wasn’t a political decision that led to the cancellation – though it’s understandable why some might think that, especially considering The Mash Report, our show, and Frankie Boyle’s were all cancelled. The real reason is simply a lack of funding. It’s concerning that the BBC has less money to create content and provide services, and that’s because its funding has been reduced.

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You work a lot back home in Ireland, too. How different is Irish TV to British TV?

Irish television often has to produce shows with significantly lower budgets than their British counterparts due to the smaller Irish market. A local version of ‘The Apprentice’ existed for a time, and it was noticeably cheap in places. I remember one episode where the winning team’s prize was dinner inside a stationery company’s warehouse – surrounded by plastic containers and filing cabinets! They were acting like it was a fantastic reward, cheering and saying, ‘We won!’

That’s amazing…

I really believe people in the UK don’t fully understand how rich and independent Irish culture is. We focus on local news and Irish TV feels very personal – it’s like we actually know the people we see on screen, even if we haven’t met them. It’s common to casually greet Irish celebrities like Paul Mescal or Saoirse Ronan as if we’re old friends, even though we’ve never had a proper introduction. And we have our own national heroes. A version of a show like ‘Celebrity Traitors’ with Irish stars might seem unfamiliar to a UK audience, but here, those people are hugely popular and well-loved.

Authors

Huw FullertonCommissioning Editor

Huw Fullerton works as a Commissioning Editor at TopMob magazine, where he focuses on Entertainment, Comedy, and niche Drama content.

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2026-03-23 21:27