As if being selected to host the relaunched Robot Wars wasn’t enough, Dara O Briain will also be heading up a new show about his favourite past time: video games.
The Irish comic is a huge gamer – he regularly presents the industry’s own Baftas – and Go 8 Bit, which is coming to Dave this autumn, will pit two celebrity guests against one another each week as they compete to become champion.
Go 8 Bit is inspired by the Edinburgh Fringe show of the same name, and Steve McNeil and Sam Pamphilon of the latter will be team captains for the TV version too.
Gaming expert Ellie Gibson also joins O Briain on the show as adjudicator, and contestants will play anything from retro classics like Pac-Man to newer blockbusters such as Grand Theft Auto or Fallout in front of a live studio audience.
O Briain said: “Put a video game controller in the hands of a nun and she’ll turn into a trash-talking bloodthirsty monster. Give a controller to a comedian and they’ll do that too, but be funny.
“In video games veritas, my friends. This show is a raucous, back-biting, properly competitive celebration of the world’s favourite pastime.”
Dara O Briain regularly tweets about his passion for gaming, as well as writing superb stand-up routines on the subject, such as this one on Metal Gear Solid.
