When long-running BBC comedy show “Mock the Week” returned to television screens after a three-year hiatus this past spring, fans may have noticed some changes: not only was the show longer and “looser” but it was also airing on TLC, the Warner Bros. But this past February the satirical news show (think “SNL’s” Weekend Update but more off the cuff) finally returned with a new length — 45 minutes instead of 30, excluding ad breaks — and slightly different feel after it was resurrected by TLC. With such a venerable IP, it may have seemed nabbing the show from under the BBC’s nose was a no-brainer but Patterson admits there were never any guarantees “Mock the Week” would return to screens after it was axed.
Hopes that Channel 4 or U.K. TV might pick it up fell through, as did a U.S. version for Amazon, “So we sat there for a long time without it,” he says. By the time TLC (formerly The Learning Channel) finally called, he was doubtful they’d make a real offer.
But not only was it real, they revealed they wanted to relaunch TLC as a free-to-air comedy and entertainment-focused channel with “Mock the Week” as their flagship show. For TLC, a venerable IP with a built-in audience might have seemed like an obvious choice, but Graham Lafferty, SVP for content strategy & networks for WBD U.K. & Ireland, say it was “more risky than it may have looked” since they wouldn’t be able to deliver “BBC numbers” in terms of ratings (the BBC being the most prominent broadcaster in the U.K.) and the format would need to change slightly to accommodate commercial breaks (as the BBC is publicly funded it has no commercials). But with the show’s proven audience and the fact that news viewing is “through the roof” more generally, a satirical news discussion show was deemed worth the risk.
In a way, the three-year hiatus was also helpful. Both shows returned for a second season this past weekend: “SNL U.K.” on Saturday Sept. 12 and “Mock the Week” on Sunday Sept. 13. They will both air weekly, on Sky and TLC respectively, although “SNL U.K.” has a number of hiatus weeks built in.
Interestingly, Lafferty says it isn’t just the viewing figures for “Mock the Week” but also the audience profile that ticks the right boxes, given TLC is a commercial channel that relies on ad sales. In fact, he was so happy with the results of the first season he quickly ordered a summer special plus four more seasons, taking the show through to Season 5 in 2027. It goes with the flow a bit more, people are a bit more present.” Patterson agrees, although said he had a few sleepless nights about the extra 15 minutes before they launched.
James, Ó Briain and Barnes all say that when it first started, “Mock the Week” had a reputation for predominantly male comedians talking over each other as they each tried to get in their best jokes. That has now dissipated almost entirely. As well as the longer format, James puts it down to the fact most comedians now have podcasts, so they’re better at listening, while Ó Briain thinks it might be age and experience that have simply made them more mellow.
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