Mock The Week returns on Thursday 22nd October 2020 at 10pm, with Series 19 running through to February 2021.

The producers joke: "The summer of 2020 passed without Wimbledon, the Tokyo Olympics or the European Football Championships, there was no Chelsea Flower Show, Edinburgh Fringe or Glastonbury Festival, Wales postponed its Eisteddfod, the rowing boats of Oxbridge remained unraced and no cheese was rolled in Gloucestershire, but upsetting though each and every one of these non-events was, according to recent research, even in this year of unremitting bleakness it was actually the absence of Mock The Week from its traditional spot in the TV schedules that 99.9% of UK residents mourned most.*"

"However, all is not lost, winter may be coming but so too - finally - is series nineteen of the country's favourite topical comedy show hosted by Dara O Briain. From Thursday 22nd October at 10pm, viewers of BBC Two will be permitted to enjoy a weekly 30-minute slice of cutting edge satirical hilarity as we head into the least festive Christmas since Oliver Cromwell was in charge."

(*Figures based on an unofficial DARA poll for Mock The Week and may be open to alternative interpretation)

This series, the studio audience will watch via Zoom. The show says: "Filming a series of Mock The Week in the current climate won't be easy, there are so many things to consider and parts of the show might look slightly different but rest assured, we're ready - the only 'R numbers' that will rise on our watch will be our ratings! Am I right?"

Talking about the line-up, the producers say: "All being well, Dara and Hugh Dennis will once again be leading the way - albeit at an approved social distance and following the appropriate protocols. The pandemic duo will be joined by a reliable roster of regular favourites ranging from the duelling Eds:-Messrs Byrne and Gamble, cake-fondling national treasure Tom Allen, to home schooled youngster Rhys James, wacky shirted wise-cracker Milton Jones and the usefully underground bunker-obsessed Angela Barnes.

"There'll be triumphant returns for the likes of Glenn Moore, Sophie Duker, Eshaan Akbar, Mark Simmons, Nigel Ng and Maisie Adam and a cavalcade of exciting debutants including Athena Kugblenu, Michael Odewale, Chris McCausland, Sukh Ojla, Thanyia Moore, Laura Lexx and Catherine Bohart."