The final regular episode of long-running topical comedy show Mock The Week is set to air as planned on Friday, amid the ongoing UK political chaos.
Show producers confirmed that the final episode, coming after 17 years and 21 series of the show, will not be re-recorded despite the resignation of Prime Minister Liz Truss on Thursday.
Show stalwarts Dara O’Briain and Hugh Dennis will discuss the week’s fast-moving events with panelists Angela Barnes, Alasdair Beckett-King, Rhys James, Zoe Lyons and Ahir Shah.
Producers had hoped that the Government would “provide a further content boost” by installing the seventh prime minister of the show’s run, though the departure of Ms Truss had not been confirmed at the time of recording.
The PA news agency understands that there was “lively discussion” at the top of the more than two-hour recording, about the fate of the PM and the possible future of UK politics.
Show-runners were “very conscious” that the political landscape was changing “moment by moment”.
We recorded the final Mock the Week last night. Jesus, she can’t even get that right. https://t.co/d7JIBElBbU
— Dara Ó Briain (@daraobriain) October 20, 2022
“Ideally they would have liked to know (about Ms Truss’s departure) but it’s part of the fun of the show,” a source close to the show told PA.
Following the news about Ms Truss’s exit from Downing Street, the show’s official Twitter account tweeted: “I know there are bigger ramifications to the Prime Minister resigning but that has really messed up Mock the Week this week.”
Comedian Angela Barnes added: “Liz Truss has done some terrible things, but resigning the day after we record the last ever episode of Mock The Week is up there.”
Liz Truss has done some terrible things, but resigning the day after we record the last ever episode of Mock The Week is up there
— Angela Barnes (@AngelaBarnes) October 20, 2022
Announcing the final show previously, O’Briain acknowledged that news storylines were getting “crazier and crazier” with “global pandemics, divorce from Europe (and) novelty short-term prime ministers”.
The final regular show, airing on Friday, will be the 232nd episode, and be followed by two specials looking back over the history of Mock The Week, concluding the series officially on November 4.
Mock The Week first aired in June 2005, and over the years it has featured comedy stars including Chris Addison, Frankie Boyle, Rory Bremner and Russell Howard.