Mock the Week Makes Comeback: Beloved Comedy Panel Show Returns to British Television
The Return of a Comedy Institution
The revived Mock the Week will launch on February 1 – with Dara Ó Briain back as host. After being cancelled by the BBC in 2022, this beloved satirical panel show is making a triumphant return to British television, finding a new home on the TLC channel. In October 2025, it was announced that the British series would return in 2026 on TLC; a nine-episode series is set to be broadcast from 1 February 2026. This marks a significant moment for fans who have missed the show’s unique brand of topical humour over the past three years.
What’s New in the Revival
One change is that the show is now 60 minutes long rather than 30, with additional rounds added for the extended format. Rhys James, Sara Pascoe, Angela Barnes, Ed Byrne, Ahir Shah, Milton Jones, Katherine Ryan, Hugh Dennis, Sarah Keyworth, Lou Sanders, Glenn Moore, Ellie Taylor and Russell Howard have all been announced for the first series. The show will retain beloved segments such as ‘If This Is the Answer, What Is the Question?’, ‘Wheel of News’, ‘Picture of the Week’, and the legendary ‘Scenes We’d Like to See’.
The revival will launch on Sunday, 1 February at 9pm on the channel TLC, which just relaunched as a free-to-air channel on Freeview, Freely and Freesat as of today. This accessibility means more viewers across the UK can enjoy the show without requiring a subscription.
A New Political Landscape to Satirise
The biggest change for us is that it’s no longer a Conservative government. People used to say, ‘You always talk about the Tories.’ Yes, because they were the ones doing stuff! Now, it’ll be about Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves. Host Dara Ó Briain noted that the political landscape has shifted significantly since the show last aired, providing fresh material for the comedians to work with.
The timing of Mock the Week’s return is particularly significant. The world has got more pantomimic and ludicrous as time has gone by, Ó Briain told the Radio Times, suggesting that there is no shortage of material for the revived series. The show’s format thrives on current events, and with a changed political environment and evolving social landscape, the comedians will have plenty to dissect and satirise.
Why This Matters for British Comedy
Mock the Week’s return represents more than just another panel show on television. Mock the Week was a fixture on BBC2, a giving comedians the chance to cast a satirical eye over the week’s news, in a less formal setting than Have I Got News For You? The show has historically served as a platform for both established and emerging comedy talent, helping to launch the careers of numerous British comedians.
For viewers, the revival offers a welcome return to intelligent, topical comedy at a time when political and social commentary feels more relevant than ever. With its expanded format and star-studded lineup, Mock the Week is poised to reclaim its place as a staple of British comedy television, providing weekly doses of satirical humour that help audiences make sense of the chaotic world of current events.