10 TV Shows That Are FINALLY Ending

Mock the Week is an undeniable institution of British TV comedy - a topical panel show which launched in 2005 and, offering up a more irreverent riff on Have I Got News For You, quickly became a major ratings success for the BBC.

Viewership has remained relatively consistent throughout the show's run, yet this past summer it was revealed that Mock the Week was finally coming to an end with its current 21st season.

The BBC's official reasoning for the cancellation was "to create room for new shows," yet many industry commentators noted that the decision reflected a general decline of panel shows over the last few years.

For one, panel shows now have to compete with the immediacy of social media, which is a losing battle given that they're typically taped a day or two before airing.

Mock the Week's formula also feels rather long in the tooth in 2022, and with the decline of shock comedy the series was known for during its peak with Frankie Boyle many years ago, the writing has been on the wall for quite some time.

Nothing can ever take away what a cultural monolith Mock the Week was for the British public, but it's been time to go for quite a while.