15th December 2016 Award winning entertainment channel Dave has ordered a second and third series of the hit UKTV Original gaming panel show Dara O Briains Go 8 Bit, extending its run to ten episodes per series. Host Dara O Briain will be returning alongside team captains Steve McNeil and Sam Pamphilon and resident gaming expert Ellie Gibson. The 20x60 commission follows the success of series one, which was one of Daves five biggest shows of 2016. Each episode, Dara O Briain will preside over five rounds of computer gaming inspired mayhem as two celebrity guests reveal their truly competitive natures and whether theyre secretly brilliant players, fast learners, or incredibly sore losers. Once again games featured will vary all the way from the very earliest, ground-breaking names up to the latest blockbuster titles and advances in technology, while also taking in the cult classic titles that challenge conventional gaming rules. And of course every episode ends with a super-sized, physical challenge that tests the competitors in all-new, ingenious ways.
Dara O Briains Go 8 Bit started life as an Edinburgh show created by Steve McNeil and Sam Pamphilon, and made the leap to TV earlier this year, with the likes of Russell Howard, Rachel Riley, Jason Manford, Bob Mortimer and David James all taking part.
Dara O Briain said,
What bittersweet news. The more time I spend making this fun exciting show about video games, the less time I have to play fun, exciting video games, and Im already pretty bad at video games. In fact, the more I make this show the less qualified I am to be a guest on it. Now theres an irony.
Iain Coyle, UKTV senior commissioning editor, said,
Im so made up were making more of these. Its been a real breakout hit for us and Im so delighted its been embraced by the gaming community and Dave viewers alike. I guess that means my kids are gonna carry on pushing for that revolving sofa.
Steve North, Dave general manager, said,
Its really exciting to be able to make more Go 8 Bit on Dave. We had a fantastic response to the first series, and with Taskmaster returning next year as well, weve got arguably two of the most exciting, individual panel shows on television.
Donald Taffner Jr., executive producer and president at DLT Entertainment, said,
Our team did a fantastic job of adapting a live Edinburgh Fringe show into the first video game driven TV show that has been embraced by viewers of all ages and critics alike. UKTV took a chance on this format when others did not. They have been a great partner and we all look forward to producing the next two series and beyond.
A DLT Entertainment production, series two and three of Dara O Brians Go 8 Bit have been ordered by director of commissioning Richard Watsham and Dave general manager Steve North, and executive produced for Dave by Iain Coyle. Executive producers for the series are Donald Taffner Jr. and Michaela Hennessy-Vass. The series producer is Darren Sole and the series director is Steve Smith. Dara O Briains Go 8 Bit joins other exciting 2017 UKTV Originals for Dave such as Red Dwarf XII, Taskmaster series four and five, Dave Gorman Modern Life Is Goodish series five, Crackanory series four and all-new Used Car Wars, Lizard Lick Touring and Joy Of Techs with Marcus Brigstocke and Alexis Conran.
Dara O Briains Go 8 Bit will return to Dave next year. Series one is available to catch up on UKTVPlay.
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Daves had a haircut and shave in recent years as it grows from awkward teenager to fully-fledged commissioner of new and original shows. And its not just comedy these days but entertainment and even some knock-out live sport. Hit UKTV Original commissions include Taskmaster, Dave Gorman Modern Life is Goodish, Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled, Dara O Briains Go 8 Bit and Crackanory, all laden with the biggest names in British comedy. Dave enjoyed critical success with two series of Hoff the Record, a mockumentary ensemble comedy led by the living legend David Hasselhoff.
As well as home-grown delights Dave also goes stateside, cherry-picking cult US Shows including the sharp-witted and sharp-suited Suits and much-loved Parks and Recreation along with Emmy-nominated The Last Man on Earth. This all contributed to Daves award win at the 2016 Broadcast Digital Awards for Best Entertainment Channel.
Dave is the UKs most watched non-PSB channel broadcasting to over 27 million people per month, and viewers continue to enjoy the ludicrously addictive American Pickers and UK remake of Storage Hunters. The channel continues to grow its original commissioning slate with political show Unspun With Matt Forde, Red Dwarf XI, fantasy comedy Zapped! and Celebrity Storage Hunters.
About UKTV UKTV is the biggest multichannel broadcaster in the UK.
The award-winning independent has eleven imaginative brands - UKTV Play, Dave, W, Gold, Alibi, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home, Eden and Good Food. These include the two most popular non-PSB channels in the UK and account for 9.31% of the British commercial TV market. The companys most recent financial results showed record-breaking year-end revenue of £319m and EBITDA of £82m. It invested £148m in programming and related launches last year, and is becoming an increasingly significant investor in UK creativity.
UKTV has a truly innovative model, curating brand-defining commissions, high-profile acquisitions and the very best of BBC, alongside programmes originally shown on ITV and Channel 4. The network embraces technology to deliver inspired channels to audiences through Freeview, Sky, V
