The Panel is a weekly comedy chat show produced by Happy Endings Productions for Radio Telefís Éireann. Until 2006 it was hosted by Dara Ó Briain, although as of Autumn 2007 there is no longer a single regular host, but is presented by one of Ó Briain, Neil Delamere, or Colin Murphy. The show used to be recorded in The Helix but has since moved to the Draoicht Theatre in Blanchardstown in 2005. The show, which has run from September 2003 to the present day, has five panellists who change from week to week. They discuss current events, interspersed with celebrity interviews (3 per show originally, and then reduced to 2). It is one of RTÉ's most popular shows, and its sudden apparent cancellation in December 2005 annoyed many of the programme's fans but it returned with a largely unchanged format in October 2006. The format was derived from an Australian show of the same name. Until early 2008 the programme aired on RTÉ Two, usually on a Monday night. The show was performed live in the Olympia Theatre, Dublin from 11-13 September 2007 as part of the Bulmers Comedy Festival. These shows, following the format of the television show but a longer running time and stronger language, were chaired by Colin Murphy and were not recorded for television. The show has been recommissioned for another series, beginning on October 30th 2008. The show will move to RTÉ One with a new presenter who has yet to be announced.[1]
PanellistsRegular
Occasional
Summer 2008The Panel went on tour for its second turn, involving 8 stops at towns around Ireland. External links
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