Dara O'Briain is a stand-up comedian, and television presenter, popularly known in the UK for Hosting BBC 2's Mock the Week, and in Ireland for hosting RTE 2's the Panel. He is one the few performers to host succcesful comedy shows in both the UK and his native Ireland at the same time.
He started his career in television as a children's presenter on RTÉ whilst performing his first stand-up gigs on the Irish comedy circuit, after studying at University College, Dublin, where he did a degree in Mathematical Physics.
He spent three years as a presenter on the bilingual (Irish and English) children's programme Echo Island but came to prominence as a team captain on the topical panel show Don't Feed The Gondolas (1998-2000). He left the show midway through its fifth season in order to perform at the Adelaide and Melbourne comedy festivals.
Dara later co-founded the televison production company Happy Endings Productions, whose most famous show in Ireland is The Panel (2003-onwards).
The show has become one of the most talked about shows in Ireland and was twice nominated for the Best Entertainment show IFTA (Irish Film and Televison Award).
His big break in UK television came in 2003 when he became host of BBC2's Live Floor Show. This was led to an appearance as guest and, ultimately, four appearances as guest host of the popular news quiz, Have I Got News For You.
By this stage he had moved to the UK and was working on the British circuit full-time. He sold out the entire run in Edinburgh in 2002, a feat he was to repeat for the next three years. By 2005, he was the biggest selling solo stand-up comedy show on the Edinburgh Fringe.
He has just finished hosting the third series of the comedy panel game Mock the Week on BBC television, and other notable televison work includes two documentaries re-creating the legendary British comedy novel "Three Men in a Boat", where he rowed down the Thames with Griff Rhys Jones and Rory McGrath, also for the BBC and the comedy interview programme "Turn Back Time".
In 2006, he conducted his third and largest national tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland. This included 66 shows across the UK as well as 9 nights sold out in Dublin. His second night in The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London was recorded for his first live DVD, released on November 13 2006.
Website
Dara's agents' website is offthekerb.co.uk
TV Shows
The stuff at the front of my cv:
Mock the Week - Presenter, BBC2
The Panel (Ireland) - Presenter and Producer RTE 2
Have I Got News For You - Guest Presenter, BBC1
Three Men In A Boat, BBC2
Jack Dee Live at the Apollo - Performer, BBC1
Turn Back Time - Presenter, BBC2
And if I had space i might mention:
The Meteor Ireland Music Awards 2003 and 2004 - Presenter, RTE
Live Floor Show - Presenter, BBC2
The Last Laugh - Presenter, BBC3
Let's not forget my dusty forgotten past in RTE:
Echo Island - Presenter
Don't Feed The Gondolas - Team captain
It's a Family Affair - Presenter
Buried Alive - Presenter
And sample, assorted guest appearances in Britain:
Room 101 - Guest
QI - Guest
Parkinson - Guest
Friday Night With Jonathan Ross - Guest
Richard and Judy - Guest
Never Mind The Buzzcocks
Today With Des and Mel - Guest
28 Acts in 28 Minutes - Performer
The World Stands Up - Performer
Dara O Briain's Tough Gig, ITV1 Tuesday 19th June 2007
Films
Mock the Week –Best of Series 4 –BBC 2 January 19 2007 – Part 3
QI Christmas special –BBC2 December 22 2006
QI Christmas special –BBC2 December 22 2006 – Part 2
QI Christmas special –BBC2 December 22 2006 Part 3
Albums
The Panel interviews Eanna Ni Lamhna, wildlife expert and better talker than any of us....RTE, Oct 2006
About me: All right, this is all new to me...
This page was set-up on my behalf (In a kind of, unbeknownst to me, behind-my-back way, but for all the best reasons so it's cool...) and i've decided to take it over and see what i can put up here.
Ideally, loads of funny clips, so that the Brits can get a taste of The Panel, and the Micks can get a flavour of Mock The week (without relying on BBC NI not putting it out at 2am).
I'll also blog the live gigs, so you can get an idea of the people I'm meeting on the road and the weird shows i get to do.
But mainly, I'll use it like everyone else does i.e. to plug the shit out of my own stuff. For example...
Dara's upcoming DVD, "Dara O'Briain: Live at the Theatre Royal" is released on November 13th 2006, and is available for pre-order by clicking the picture below:
NO2ID Glasgow & Edinburgh in court on the 24th of July after being detained during a peaceful protest against closed consultations about the NIR and identity card scheme. We want the gov to talk to the PUBLIC about this legislation not the business community and we dont expect to be arrested for exercising our right to peaceful protest - time for a change?
Hi there did you have a nice weekend? I've just uploaded another track from my debut album "This is Joy". Have a listen and leave a comment if you wish, James.
hiya dara! how did ed's wedding go? i'm sure your speech was something wonderful! ok so i have a score to settle wit you. i am possibly one of your biggest fan. i've watched your dvd about a million times. but thats the problem...i've never seen you live! i'm 16 years old and all your gigs in ireland are over 18's. please please please help me wit my dilemma! i'm DYING to see you in person and not through the medium of my tv =[ get back to me soon please.
Dara woop woop I watched u on an episode of 'Would i lie to you?' n it was so funny. U made me laugh so much when u said that u got a txt message n Urika was 'lyk of course your irish' haha n u was talkin about that there is only 7 irish ppl n u all live in the same house n dance hehe it was soo funny =] Hopin 4 sum more Mock the week gdness (hopin 4 a new series in otha words)
LOL. Love you btw, watch mock the week religiously, i watched that toughest gig thing too, funny as f***. Im tryin to raise money for cancer research can you sponsor me? doin the 5k. Thanks if you do. Are you doin glasgow anytime soon?
Saw you tonight at Bristol and once more you had me crying with laughter - brilliant. I'm still amazed by your ad libs and the speed your brain works at. Hope to see you again soon - you were better than a dose of homeopathy water anyway. :-)
Look after yourself "on the road" - why are all your hotel stories like an episode from the twi-light zone? What next we wonder....?
Hi I saw you at St Albains with my older brother and his gf you were so funny had a great time, cant wait to see you again. Would you be able to send me a signed photo would really like that. Tom
Thanks for a great show in Canterbury last night Dara, and it was great to see you again. Thanx also for stopping to chat with us outside afterwards, we'll tell Elm you said hi!!! Don't forget if you ever get the urge to beat somebody with a padded stick, you're always welcome back at Skullduggery!!! :D xx
hi dara love your shows. wondering when and if your every doing Mock The Week again love it if you could tell me since im going to the U.S.A for the net six months and i dont know if i'll be able to watch it over there
Can't wait to see you in Salford on 26 April! You're an extremely funny man, sir. Hmm I'll be in minority at the gig as the only Norwegian. Maybe I'll be the only Norwegian that get to see you live during your entire tour. That's something!
