{"id":3546,"date":"2025-04-01T15:04:04","date_gmt":"2025-04-01T15:04:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pilotshopworld.com\/?p=3546"},"modified":"2025-04-02T18:39:59","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T18:39:59","slug":"bbc-star-defends-allowable-bullying-on-controversial-show-3-years-after-axe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/01\/bbc-star-defends-allowable-bullying-on-controversial-show-3-years-after-axe\/","title":{"rendered":"BBC star defends \u2018allowable bullying\u2019 on controversial show 3 years after axe"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t\t\"Mock\t<\/div>
Dara \u00d3 Briain has defended Mock the Week over bullying allegations (Picture: BBC\/Angst\/Neil Genower)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dara \u00d3 Briain<\/a> has hit back at claims that he was \u2018bullied\u2019 on Mock the Week<\/a> three years after the show was axed.<\/p>\n

The Irish comedian, 53, fronted more than 200 episodes of the BBC<\/a> Two programme from 2005 until 2022, when it was cancelled<\/a> \u2018in order to create room for new shows\u2019.<\/p>\n

The basic format of the show involved six comedians answering questions about the week\u2019s news.<\/p>\n

Previously, Dara agreed that criticism directed at Mock The Week over a lack of diversity among the show\u2019s panellists was \u2018bang on\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Asked whether the treatment he received was a form of bullying, the 53-year-old told The Times<\/a>: \u2018No. It really wasn\u2019t. If I was in a low-status position it would be bullying.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Editorial\t<\/div>
The comedian has fronted over 200 episodes (Picture: Ken McKay\/ITV\/Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018But I\u2019m the one pressing the buzzer and handing out the points and I have a kind of high-status mien about myself. So actually it\u2019s fine. It\u2019s grand. <\/p>\n

\u2018And a lot of it was from Ed Byrne, who is one of my closest friends. So I think it\u2019s allowable.\u2019<\/p>\n

He also added: \u2018I don\u2019t think you need to give young men licence to slag each other off. We didn\u2019t invent the notion of people joking at each other. We just basically stepped into thousands of years of it.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\t\tWhy was Mock the Week cancelled?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
\n

After deciding to cancel the show in 2022, the BBC said in a statement: \u2018We are really proud of the show but after 21 series we have taken the difficult decision in order to create room for new shows.<\/p>\n

\u2018We would like to thank Angst Productions, host Dara O\u2019Briain, panellist Hugh Dennis and all the guest comedians involved in the show across the 21 series.\u2019<\/p>\n

The show’s creator Dan Patterson expressed his disappointment following the news.<\/p>\n

He added: \u2018It\u2019s been announced that the next series of Mock the Week will be the last after 17 great years on the BBC.<\/p>\n

\u2018Desperately disappointing but hopefully we will resurface again soon. Huge thanks to Dara and Hugh and all the wonderful performers over the years. It\u2019s been a privilege.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Mock The Week has been credited with launching a number of comedians into household names, including the likes of Frankie Boyle<\/a>, Angela Barnes <\/a>and Russell Howard<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Previously, the show\u2019s creator, Dan Patterson, told Metro <\/strong>that Dara learnt the show had been cancelled while he was on a family holiday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018I called him,\u2019 Dan explained. \u2018The unfortunate thing was that he was on holiday with his family.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Television\t<\/div>
Mock the Week was cancelled by the BBC in 2022 (Picture: Angst Productions)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

After learning that his show had been cancelled, Dara confirmed the news, sarcastically saying the \u2018UK has finally run out of news\u2019<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2018The storylines were getting crazier and crazier \u2013 global pandemics, divorce from Europe, novelty short-term prime ministers,\u2019 he said. \u2018It couldn\u2019t go on.<\/p>\n

\u2018And so, regretfully, we are closing the doors on Dara and Hugh\u2019s Academy for Baby Comedians.<\/p>\n

\u2018We just couldn\u2019t 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!\u2019<\/p>\n

Mock the Week is available to stream on U.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Got a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk<\/a> entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff<\/a> page – we\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dara \u00d3 Briain has defended Mock the Week over bullying allegations (Picture: BBC\/Angst\/Neil Genower) Dara \u00d3 Briain has hit back at claims that he was \u2018bullied\u2019 on Mock the Week<\/p>\n

Continue reading <\/use> <\/svg>BBC star defends \u2018allowable bullying\u2019 on controversial show 3 years after axe<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3548,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3546"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3546"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3546\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3552,"href":"http:\/\/pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3546\/revisions\/3552"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3548"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3546"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3546"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pilotshopworld.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3546"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}