Top 10 “Mock The Week” Panelists

After rising up from the depths of cancellation, “Mock The Week” made an unlikely comeback for its 22nd Season. Now on TLC, and with some new regulars on the roster, it looks like it’s here to stay once more.

Watching the recent season got me thinking – who would be on my Mount Rushmore of “Mock The Week” panelists? Better yet, who are my top ten favourite panelists in the show’s history? And yes, I’m only counting the panelists. Sorry Dara …

It’s worth noting that I’ll be looking at the show as a whole (all of its segments and minigames), not just the popular “Scenes We’d Like To See” … but I’ll admit that game plays a huge part in my ranking.

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

EVERY It’s Always Sunny Episode Ranked

EVERY Friends Episode Ranked

Rick and Morty – Season 4 Episodes Ranked and Reviewed

The Office – All 9 Seasons Ranked

10 – Gary Delaney

There were some comedians who almost made my top ten – Russell Howard and Andy Parsons were two regulars who fit the show well, and Sarah Pascoe and Ed Gamble were two semi-regulars who made me laugh more often than not.

In the end, I gave the tenth spot to a comedy sniper. Gary Delaney is a one-liner comedian, and those can be lethal on a high-energy show like this.

One-liner comedians shine in the panel segments when they butt in with the best joke of the day, and they naturally excel at the SWLTS parts. More often than not, Delaney’s jokes stole the show.

9 – Maisie Adam

She’s from The Dip and she has the most ridiculous haircut the show has ever broadcast. Needless to say, Maisie Adam has made an impression.

She always worked best when paired with the younger comedians like Ed Gamble, and her thick Yorkshire accent (“Dip” accent?) made everything slightly funnier.

8 – Glenn Moore

One of the more recent comedians on the show – I find Glenn Moore to be extremely intelligent and witty.

His humour very much aligns with mine, with an emphesis clever wordplay and subverting expectations. He’s also very good at the stand-up segment, which earns him some bonus points.

7 – Zoe Lyons

Keen-eyed readers may soon notice that there is a lack of female representation in my list. “Mock The Week” initially had a bad track record when it came to booking female comedians on the show – something they’re much better at now.

That being said, there was always one female comedian who stood above the rest, even now – Zoe Lyons. She’s sometimes self-deprecating, sometimes outrageous, and always funny.

6 – Chris Addison

The most underrated “Mock The Week” panelist. People forget that Chris Addison was a regular for quite a few years!

He was never the star of the show, but he supplied a steady stream of good jokes. Like with Hugh Dennis, sometimes you just need a reliable comedian to fill in the gaps and keep the spirits high.

5 – Milton Jones

Milton Jones’s mystified aura is the best part about him. He always looks like he stumbled onto the set after visiting the ridiculous shirts shop.

His comedy is slow and deliberate – he only tells a couple of one-liners every time he’s on, but more often than not they’re uproariously funny.

4 – Ed Byrne

We’ve now entered my Mount Rushmore of “Mock The Week” panelists – the four comedians who stood head and shoulders above the rest (when it comes to this particular news-satire format).

Ed Byrne’s chemistry with fellow Irishman Dara is always the highlight of his episodes, and he has such an impish glee with every joke he tells. More often than not, he’s not afraid to go down the crude and controversial route – much like my number one panelist …

3 – Rhys James

Rhys James was a semi-regular for the last few BBC seasons, and he was always a stand-out. Now that he’s a fully-fledged regular, I think he’s cemented himself as one of the GOATs.

He’s a master of quality AND quantity – especially now that he’s a main player. He tells the most jokes of any taping, the best jokes of any taping, and his SWLTS one-liners are legendary.

If Rhys sticks around as a regular for a few more seasons, he may eventually clinch the top spot one day.

2 – Hugh Dennis

Hugh Dennis couldn’t make it to most of the recent season’s tapings, and his absence was felt big-time. Like if Dara suddenly vanished, it wouldn’t be the same if Hugh ever hung up his boots.

Hugh has a been a constant and hilarious presence on the “Mock The Week” panel. He’s rarely the centre of attention (apart from his unofficial role of getting the correct answer), but when he tells a cracking joke or goes on a humorous tirade it always kills.

What impresses me most about Hugh is his versatility. He’s been a consistent figure in many political and comedic eras, and he has adapted his tone extremely well over the last two decades. Long may his appearances continue.

1 – Frankie Boyle

Yes, I was only a young boy when Frankie Boyle was on “Mock The Week”. Yes, a lot of my experiences of him came through YouTube compilations, and therefore I’m probably looking at his work through rose-tinted glasses. He’s still the funniest panelist in the show’s history.

He came from an era of television where people weren’t afraid to tell the controversial jokes. He always had the finger on the pulse of every news story, and his SWLTS one-liners are the stuff of dark humour legend.

If you haven’t already, please watch a compilation of Frankie Boyle’s SWLTS jokes. It’s the best laugh you’ll have all week.

Aaaand that’s my list! If you liked this post and want to support me, please consider giving me a one-time donation. Even a few pence (or whatever currency you use) is fantastic! I’ve never monetized this blog before, but it would be great if I could do this comfortably and not have to worry about the yearly website domain costs. Thank you so much!