Hugh Dennis: 'Mock the Week might out-survive the Prime Minister'
The Mock the Week panellist spoke about the BBC Two show ending after 17 years.
After 17 years, Mock the Week's live shows are coming to an end on Friday, with Dara Ó Briain and Hugh Dennis taking a pop at current affairs on the panel show for the last time.
However, while there's just a few days to go before the Mock the Week finale, regular panellist Dennis has pointed out that the BBC Two show may last longer than the current prime minister of just over 40 days, Liz Truss.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com in an exclusive interview, Dennis – who has appeared in all 21 seasons of Mock the Week – said that he doesn't think satirising politics is any harder than it was when the programme first aired.
"It's kind of an interesting age where you seem to be able to say anything, you know, that sort of fake news-y stuff is kind of interesting.
"But I don't think it's more difficult to satirise at all. I think if you look back over the 17 years, it's all been pretty silly."
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He added: "Somebody had said at the beginning of the series, you know, we knew Mock the Week was being taken off air, but I don't think we realised that we might out-survive the new prime minister.
"If she goes – wow! [Although] I don't think we can claim any role in that."
On the recent news of Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng leaving his Cabinet position last week, Dennis said: "Well again, you kind of think, wow. In the world of politics, you can be Chancellor for 38 days so lasting 17 years doing something is really remarkable."
Truss has been in the headlines this week after her new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt, reversed a lot of the economic policies she had brought into office six weeks ago.
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Many are speculating that the Prime Minister may step down following reports of her pulling out of public events.
The final episode of Mock the Week will see Ó Briain and Dennis look back on the week's events for the last time, with Angela Barnes, Alasdair Beckett-King, Rhys James, Zoe Lyons and Ahir Shah sat on the panel.
Mock the Week airs on BBC Two at 10pm on Friday 21st October, with two specials airing in the following two weeks. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Comedy hub.
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