Nish Kumar announces he is leaving Late Night Mash

Nish Kumar has stepped down as the host of Late Night Mash after it was revived by TV channel Dave.

The comedian, 36, launched the programme, a satirical take on the week’s news, in 2017 as The Mash Report and it aired for four series on BBC Two.

The broadcaster announced in March it was cancelling the programme “to make room for new comedy shows” but in July UKTV-owned channel Dave announced it would return under a new name.

Kumar announced his departure on Twitter by posting a photo of a message handwritten on the back of a bloodstained script for the show.

He said: “It is true. I’m leaving Late Night Mash. After five years across the Beeb and Dave it felt like the time was right to move on.

“I’m writing this on the back of my final script. It’s covered in blood due to me slamming my hand into the staple by accident.

“It is a testament to how much of myself I put into the show, and also my ceaseless clumsiness.”

Kumar thanked the BBC for commissioning the show and Dave “for saving it”.

Describing the programme as a “labour of love”, he added: “When we started in 2017 we were told a show like this wouldn’t work on British TV.

“The fact that it has is the result of the talent and hard work of everyone involved in making the show. Most importantly, thanks for watching. Mash forever.”

Dave also shared a video filmed on the set of Late Night Mash in which Kumar jokes that he has “decided to step down to spend more time with my emotional problems”.

A statement from the channel said: “Nish has been an incredible host of Late Night Mash. We’d like to thank him for being part of the show and we look forward to working with him on more projects.

“The future of Late Night Mash on Dave will be decided in due course.”

Late Night Mash features regular contributors Rachel Parris, Ellie Taylor, Geoff Norcott and Steve N Allen.

In 2018, broadcaster Andrew Neil singled out The Mash Report while complaining that the BBC’s comedy output was too left-wing.