Mark Dolan is a comedian, writer and presenter who made his name in the 2002 hidden camera series, The Richard Taylor Interviews, in which he gave job applicants horrendous interviews.

He has fronted The Last Word debate show on More 4 and appeared on Sky One's movie review show Popcorn, but is probably best known for hosting Channel 4's Friday night entertainment show, Balls of Steel in 2005 and 2006.

Dolan started his career on the live circuit, where he still appears, making it to the finals of new act competition So You Think You’re Funny in 2000.

At the end of 2006 he became host of the 4Radio Weekly Show, a topical comedy on Channel 4’s internet ratio station.

Mark Dolan: Sharing Too Much
Live Review

There are a few moments during his show where some audience members seem to consider Dolan to have ‘shared too much’. They are usually indicated by a sharp intake of breath closely followed by that telltale naughty chuckle indicating that they're shocked, but found it funny all the same.

To be fair there are some particularly disturbing images here, conjured up with a cheeky smirk, but the one that will probably endure in the memory is of his mother wrapped in Woollies gaffer tape, pleasuring herself with a Wayne Rooney calendar as inspiration.

You'd imagine that anyone in the room that remembered Dolan as the presenter of Channel 4's Balls of Steel - the show where performers competed against each other to act the weirdest or most provocative in front of unsuspecting members of the public – would be prepared for such gleeful filth. Maybe it's down to the teatime slot, and therefore the lack of alcohol in their system.

It's also a pleasing incongruity that how Dolan looks and what comes out of his mouth are so disparate. He issues forth with these joyfully naughty gags dressed impeccably and respectably in white blazer, striped shirt and tidy jeans. Ever the genteel, middle class southerner.

Perhaps realising that this vision of Englishness could easily alienate what turned out to be a surprisingly Scottish-heavy audience he sips from a mug with the Saltire on it and tests the room with some throwaway gags about Scottish stereotypes featuring rainy weather and heroin.

But the big disappointment here is that aside from the close to the bone material, the set that surrounds is obvious and pedestrian. There are routines about the lack of a sex life with his wife, Argos being like a safe betting shop and feeling emasculated by the builders in his house. Dolan certainly leans towards the more familiar joke.

Though he's not consistently innovative he is consistently measured in his delivery. But the punchier elements of his set are the more provocative ones, wanking over royalty and a great gag about going out with a girl who sports a virginity pledge ring.

Frankly more filth is required.

I fkn hate this dick. He's currently doing a documentary on the cat man. Why does he have to degrade everything? So what if the man was abused, why does this numb nut have to make it the be all and end all? He's making the artistic gentleman out to be deranged. I hate this one sided documentary. People aren;t interested in Mark Dolan's retrospective, we're interested in the cat mans and making our own opinion! He does this in every documentary he makes...

Natasha Ward, July 2010

Watchin the worlds fattest pets - who is this Louis-Theroux throw away? Done already mate, move on...

andi lane, June 2008

Not quite bright enough to realise how unfunny he is. This combination of stupid and smug is really boring. Go to any office in the UK and you will find this guy (probably wearing a comedy tie). I hope for the sake of British comedy he returns to his rightful role of office geek soon!

Lisa Norris, May 2008

Seen him compere ages ago at the Kings Head and he made it seem effortless.

mike O'D, March 2007

Mark Dolan has a dry sense of humor, which is great! Hope to see more of you Mark

Amy, February 2007