Dara O'Briain

Dara O'Briain is a stand-up comedian, and television presenter, best known in the UK for hosting Mock the Week, The Panel and The Apprentice: You’re Fired! The Irish comedian globally tours his brilliantly funny gigs, leaving international audiences in stitches.

Dara has developed an enormous reputation as an awards host at ceremonies and corporate events, his diversity as a presenter is exemplified by his work as a host on television panel shows, his sets as a stand-up comedian and his experience as a presenter.

The comedian is one of a few performers to host successful 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 gig on the Irish comedy circuit, after studying at University College, Dublin, where he studied Mathematical Physics.

After spending three years as a presenter on the bilingual (Irish and English) children's programme Echo Island, Dara truly started gaining fame when he performed internationally at the Adelaide and Melbourne comedy festivals.

His big break in UK television came in 2003, when he became host of BBC2's Live Floor Show. This 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 time, he had moved to the UK and was working on the British circuit full-time.

By 2005 the Irish comedian show was the biggest selling solo comedy show of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival that year.

Dara co-founded the television production company Happy Endings Productions, whose most famous show in Ireland is The Panel. 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 Television Award).

The basis for this success is Dara’s place at the very top of the stand-up circuit. Winner of the Chortle award for ‘Best Headline Act’ in both 2003 and 2004, Dara has performed virtually all over the world, from Dubai to Shanghai, and at all the major festivals from Melbourne to Montreal. He has performed at the world famous Just for Laughs Festival Gala, and has appeared in the UK’s ultimate showcase for entertainers, The Royal Variety Performance.

Since the beginning of the millennium Dara has maintained a stronghold over the comedy circuit, continually touring, hosting gigs at the Apollo and other leading comedy venues, the comedian continues to keep busy with other ventures too such as BBC Two’s Dara O’Briain’s Science Club, a high profile programme which tackles how great science changes the world we live in.

His topical comedy show for the BBC, Mock The Week, continues to be one of the best-loved comedy shows aired on our screens, hosting hilarious celebrity guests each week and always entertaining its huge viewership.

Additionally, he has shown his versatility as fabulous presenter on the BBC series Apprentice - You're Fired.

When not touring or televising, Dara O'Briain can either be found fronting prominent awards ceremonies and corporate events, or devising more telly projects with his company. He is the perfect addition to any event.