I can’t say that I’m a Parky fan (well obviously I could if you put a gun to my head, but I’d be lying) and so his plans for a quiet retirement have left me happily unscathed. But now with the chat show giant about to enjoy Saga holidays and potting in his shed (isn’t that what all retired types do all day?), ITV are on the look out for a replacement and reports suggest that Irish funnyman Dara O’Briain could be top of their list.
Currently to be seen in Mof’s favourite Mock the Week on BBC on Thursdays, the comic starred on ITV earlier in the summer in their ratings flop Tough Gig. In this show, Dara had to run about in the woods with some imaginative fantasy role-players before performing a gig to them that he thought would raise a titter. I was one of the handful of people that actually tuned in for this, though it seems that it also caught the eye of ITV big-wigs with a source revealing that: “Tough Gig didn’t exactly set the world on fire with its ratings. But it showed Dara is an extremely likeable guy and one we should have on ITV more often.”
This more oftenness (yes, I know it’s not a real word but say it oftenness and it could catch on) will involve a show in a 5pm slot before moving to a more primetime audience. ITV chiefs have ruled out Dara filling Parky’s Saturday night slot considering it “redundant” for a chat show to occupy such a berth in the scheduling.
They have revealed that: “We love Dara and have great plans for him. He’s very warm and can get a lot out of people, which is what you want when you’re interviewing stars. He’s also extremely entertaining as he has a background in comedy. He’ll be more like Jonathan Ross than Parky, but he’s exactly the kind of upbeat host we need. It’s early days but he could well be a worthy successor to Parky.”
This direction is a definite move away from serious journalism to a more light-hearted, comedic route that has been pioneered by Wossy and continued with Frank Skinner, Mrs. Merton, Graham Norton and the Kumars each in their distinctive ways. By employing a presenter that is comfortable in the limelight, the pressure on the guests is diminished and when they, on occasion fail to sparkle, the host can more than compensate.
I would love to see Dara in this role and think that with his witty banter and Irish charm, he would be a natural.
[via The Sun]
