18 January 2017
Dave's UKTV Original series Dara O Briain's Go 8 Bit was today named Best New Show of 2016 in a poll by the website UK GameShows. Hosted by Dara O Briain, with regular team captains Steve McNeil and Sam Pamphilon and resident gaming expert Ellie Gibson, each episode featured guests such as Russell Howard, Rachel Riley, Jason Manford and David James revealing their truly competitive natures across 5 rounds of video gaming mayhem, and was one of Dave's five biggest shows when it aired last year.
UK GameShows noted
For probably the first time since Gamesmaster there's a popular mainstream show about gaming that goes about its business without sounding like everything they're saying is in air quotes.
The poll also recognised another UKTV Original for Dave, Taskmaster, naming it one of the top 5 best shows of 2016, and calling out Joe Wilkinson's potato-throwing task in series 2 as one of the best moments of the year.
Both Dara O Brian's Go 8 Bit and Taskmaster will return for brand new series this year, with previous series available to catch-up on UKTV Play
About Dave
Sky 111/246, Virgin 128/194, Freeview 12, BT & TalkTalk 12 On demand on Sky, Virgin and UKTV Play
Dave's had a haircut and shave in recent years as it grows from awkward teenager to fully-fledged commissioner of new and original shows. And it's 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 Briain's 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 Dave's award win at the 2016 Broadcast Digital Awards for Best Entertainment Channel.
Dave is the UK's 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.