The Panel is a talk show produced by Happy Endings Productions for RTÉ, based on the Australian programme The Panel, produced by Working Dog Productions for Network Ten. The theme song was "Waterfall" by The Stone Roses.
Until 2006 it was hosted by Dara Ó Briain. Ó Briain, having presented Echo Island, came to popular acclaim at home through his regular appearances in Don't Feed the Gondolas, a topical comedy show in the same Monday night slot on Network 2.
Recorded at various locations around Dublin—including Belvedere College's O'Reilly Theatre, Dublin City University's Helix Theatre and Blanchardstown's Draíocht Theatre—its sudden apparent cancellation in December 2005 annoyed fans but The Panel returned with a largely unchanged format in October 2006. Until early 2008 it aired on Network 2 (later RTÉ Two), usually on a Monday night. A disastrous move to RTÉ One (with the role of presenter rotated among the likes of Ray D'Arcy, Charlie Bird, and Dáithí Ó Sé) preceded the show's demise; one last run began on 7 October 2010 and ran each Thursday at 22:15 on RTÉ One until 26 January 2011, with Craig Doyle presenting.
Format The show had a host who chaired the discussion, along with four panellists who changed from week to week. Regular panellists included Colin Murphy, Andrew Maxwell, Neil Delamere, Mairead Farrell and Eleanor Tiernan. They discussed current events, interspersed with interviews with special guests. Panelists were typically professional comedians, and as such the show aimed for pure comedy, rather than any hybrid of discussion or analysis and topical jokes. The producers and regular performers were clear that the show was distinguished from other panel shows by the absence of games, rounds, scores or other contrivances.
Panelists
Original and recurring panelists included: Ed Byrne Neil Delamere Mairead Farrell Andrew Maxwell Colin Murphy1 Dara Ó Briain2 Dermot Whelan
List of episodes
First series The first series aired on Network 2 live from The Helix in Dublin City University (9:30 – 10:30 pm) each Monday between 15 September and 17 November 2003. It was repeated on Saturdays at 10:05 pm.
Second series The second series aired on Network 2/RTÉ Two (the channel's name changed mid-series) live from Vicar Street at 10.00 pm each Monday between 13 September and 8 November 2004. It was preceded on Monday 6 September with a Best Of… from the first series.
Third series The third series aired on RTÉ Two on Sunday evenings at 9:30 in early 2005. It was recorded in advance at The Mermaid Arts Centre in Bray and the O'Reilly Theatre in Belvedere College.
Next series Date Host Panelists Guests Details 16 October 2006 O'Briain Ed Byrne, Delamare, Murphy, Nolan Gordon D'Arcy, Jack L 23 October 2006 O'Briain Delamare, Maxwell, Murphy, Nolan Éanna ni Lamhna, Albert Jack Details 30 October 2006 O'Briain Delamare, Maxwell, Murphy, Ní Shúilleabháin John Simpson 6 November 2006 O'Briain Ed Byrne, Murphy, Nolan, Spain Christopher Brookmyre, Derval O'Rourke Details 13 November 2006 O'Briain Ed Byrne, Farrell, Maxwell, Murphy Tom Dunne, Stephen Grey Details 20 November 2006 Murphy Ed Byrne, Farrell, Delamare, Maxwell Allen Pease, Bill O'Herlily Details 27 November 2006 O'Briain Delamare, Bowman, Byrne, Murphy Howard Marks, Jason Byrne Details 4 December 2006 O'Briain Delamare, Farrell, Murphy, Maxwell, Ed Byrne Jilly Goolden, Adrian Dooley Details 11 December 2006 O'Briain Ed Byrne, Delamare, Murphy, Ní Shúilleabháin Heston Blumenthal, Richard Dawkins Details 18 December 2006 O'Briain Ed Byrne, Maxwell, McLynn, Murphy Simon Delaney, Martin King Details 27 December 2006 O'Briain Ed Byrne, Delamare, Farrell, Murphy Éanna ni Lamhna, Mary O'Conor Details 8 January 2007 Murphy J.Byrne, Delamare, Farrell, Spain Bernard Dunne, Manchán Magan Details 15 January 2007 Murphy Delamare, Farrell, Maxwell, Spain, O'Briain Ian Robertson, Ruth Bradley Details 22 January 2007 Murphy Delamare, Ní Shúilleabháin, Maxwell, Ed Byrne David Norris, Ray D'Arcy Details 29 January 2007 O'Briain Ed Byrne, Farrell, Maxwell, Murphy Danny Baker, Ben Goldacre Details
The People Decide In which the panellists discussed the 2007 general election. A special run of shows previewing the election, presented by Colin Murphy.
Date Host Panelists Guests Details 2 May 2007 Murphy Delamere, Spain, Bishop, Loughrey Grant Philippe Legrain, David Coffey 9 May 2007 Murphy Spain, Ní Shúilleabháin, Delamere, Maxwell Damian Corless, Dr. Mark Hamilton Details 10 May 2007 Details 16 May 2007 Murphy Spain, Ní Shúilleabháin, Delamere, Maxwell John Waters, Ivan Yates Details 23 May 2007 Murphy Delamere, Ní Shúilleabháin, Spain, Maxwell Kevin Dundon, Alex Barclay Details 30 May 2007 Murphy J. Bishop, Farrell, Delamere, Maxwell Senator David Norris, Iain Dale Details
Sixth series When the show returned for the 2007–2008 season there was no longer a single presenter; Neil Delamere or Colin Murphy presented in the absence of Ó Briain. Ó Briain returned to present one episode during this series, marking what would be his final appearance on the show, having moved on to employment in the neighbouring United Kingdom. The company he co-founded, Happy Endings Productions, continued to produce the show, and he retained an advisory relationship. Neil Delamere hosted The Panel for the first time on 8 October 2007.
Date Host Panelists Guests Details 1 October 2007 Murphy J. Bishop, Farrell, Delamere, Byrne Ben Pridmore, James Cromwell Details 8 October 2007 Delamere Murphy, Farrell, Whelan, Maxwell Justine Delaney-Wilson, Chris Terrill Details 15 October 2007 Delamere Murphy, Farrell, Whelan, J. Bishop Charley Boorman, Lisa O'Doherty Details 22 October 2007 O'Briain Murphy, Byrne, Maxwell, Ní Shúilleabháin Sebastian Horley, Bryan Dobson Details 29 October 2007 Delamere Murphy, Farrell, Maxwell, Byrne Steve Parsons, John Duddy Details 5 November 2007 Delamere Murphy, Farrell, Whelan, J. Bishop Paul Costelloe, Dominic Streatfeild Details 12 November 2007 Murphy Maxwell, Farrell, Whelan, Byrne Michael Stebbins, Katie Taylor Details 19 November 2007 Murphy Maxwell, Ní Shúilleabháin, Delamere, Byrne Alison Jackson, Colin Bateman Details 3 December 2007 Delamere Murphy, Farrell, Bishop, Byrne Trevor Baylis, Paddy Breathnach Details 10 December 2007 Delamere Murphy, Farrell, Whelan, Maxwell Joe Simpson, Tony Fenton Details 17 December 2007 Murphy Maxwell, Farrell, Whelan, Delamere Feargus O'Sullivan, René Caroyel Details 27 December 2007 Delamere Murphy, Farrell, Whelan, Byrne Richard Corrigan, Dr. Mark Hamilton Details 7 January 2008 Delamere Murphy, Farrell, Whelan, Byrne John Cooper Clarke, Gerry Robinson Details 14 January 2008 Delamere Murphy, Farrell, Whelan, Maxwell Suzi Quatro, Eileen O'Keefe Details 21 January 2008 Murphy Maxwell, Farrell, Delamere, J. Bishop Colm Meaney, Kevin Myers Details 28 January 2008 Murphy Whelan, Farrell, Delamere, Maxwell Rita Carter, James Caan Details
Move to RTÉ One RTÉ moved The Panel to RTÉ One in 2008, to be shown on Thursday evenings. In addition, RTÉ deployed a different presenter for each episode – these included Ray D'Arcy, Charlie Bird, Dáithí Ó Sé and Craig Doyle, the latter of whom was given the role on a more permanent basis before The Panel was brought to an end, all humour eked out of it. The first RTÉ One episode was, in what would become commonplace, criticised for being too serious; the panellists blamed this on their new setting.
In September 2008, RTÉ moved The Panel to its flagship television channel RTÉ One. A 14-episode run was announced, to begin airing on that channel at 22.15 on 30 October with a new presenter. Several prominent Irish broadcasters were screen-tested to fill the role of presenter, but a combination of unfortunate factors meant that show returned with rotating guest hosts, rather than any one person in a permanent position. Shortly before the airdate, RTÉ changed its schedules and the series began on 6 November at 22.15 with its original timescale of 45 minutes. Ray D'Arcy was the guest presenter for the week and was followed by a string of others including Gráinne Seoige, Dáithí Ó Sé, Marty Whelan, Charlie Bird, Phill Jupitus and Pauline McLynn. Producer Seamus Cassidy told The Irish Times that ""a reasonably big name, a very big name actually" would take over as permanent anchor in January 2009. On 23 November 2008, the Sunday Tribune reported that comedian Ardal O'Hanlon would be announced as the new permanent host. Former presenter Ó Briain indicated his awareness of the presenter in question, and was quoted as saying on a breakfast radio show that "HE is very funny" but refused to discuss the matter any further.The Ian Dempsey Breakfast Show. Today FM. 1 December 2008. However, in early 2009 it emerged there would be a further delay in obtaining a permanent host for "at least another couple of weeks", with Craig Doyle presenting the first show of the new year. In the event, the guest host format continued for the entire 2008–2009 series. Following a short run with David McWilliams at the helm in 2009, the show was thought to have been de-commissioned. However, at the launch of RTÉ's Autumn schedule in August 2010, Craig Doyle was announced as presenter for a new run of 14 shows.
2008–9 Jarlath Regan, Ian Coppinger, Carol Tobin, Alan Shortt and Evelyn O'Rourke made their debuts on the show as panellists in the 2008–09 season. Karl Spain also made a return in the fifth episode. Upon Ivan Yates's appearance in the sixth episode it was claimed that he was now the record holder of guest appearances on The Panel and the political bookmaker went on to guest-host an episode of the show in 2009. For the first three episodes of 2009 no female was present on The Panel for the first time; this was rectified in the fourth episode of the year with the addition of Evelyn O'Rourke.
Date Host Panelists Guests Details 6 November 2008 Ray D'Arcy Murphy, Delamere, J. Regan, Ní Shúilleabháin Kevin Myers and Duke Special Details 13 November 2008 Gráinne Seoige Murphy, Farrell, Delamere, Maxwell Fionan Sheehan and Gerry Anderson Details 20 November 2008 Marty Whelan Delamere, Farrell, J. Regan, Maxwell John Drennan and Gerald Kean Details 27 November 2008 Charlie Bird Murphy, Delamere, Ní Shúilleabháin, Coppinger Philip Boucher-Hayes and Kenny Egan Details 4 December 2008 Dáithí Ó Sé Maxwell, Ní Shúilleabháin, Spain, Delamere Monica Loughman and Niall Stanage Details 11 December 2008 Phill Jupitus Murphy, Farrell, Delamere, Maxwell Derek Acorah, Ivan Yates Details 18 December 2008 Diarmuid Gavin Murphy, Tobin, Whelan, Delamere Keith Barry, Marty Morrissey Details
The Panel Unwrapped Shown on Tuesday, 30 December 2008 Date Host Panelists Guests Details 30 December 2008 Pauline McLynn Murphy, Ní Shúilleabháin, Delamere, Maxwell David Van Day, Derry Clarke Details
Date Host Panelists Guests Details 8 January 2009 Craig Doyle Murphy, Delamere, Alan Shortt, Maxwell Karl Henry and Shane O'Donoghue Details 15 January 2009 Tom McGurk Murphy, Alan Shortt, Whelan, Delamere Mikey Graham Details 22 January 2009 George Hamilton Murphy, Delamere, Alan Shortt, Maxwell Antony Worrall Thompson Details 29 January 2009 Ivan Yates Murphy, Delamere, O'Rourke, Maxwell Mark Hamilton Details 5 February 2009 Baz Ashmawy Delamere, Alan Shortt, Gildea, Maxwell Terry Christian Details 12 February 2009 Will Leahy Murphy, Delamere, Farrell, Maxwell Patrick Bergin, Niall O'Farrell
2009–10 The first episode attracted an average audience share of 23 per cent. New presenter David McWilliams apologised to broadcaster Miriam O'Callaghan for comments of a sexist nature about her he had included in his latest book.
2010–11