Mark Lamarr gets driving ban despite hardship plea

The former host of Never Mind the Buzzcocks Mark Lamarr has been banned from driving despite claiming it would cause him "exceptional hardship".

The comedian admitted driving 46mph in a 40mph zone in Twickenham, south west London at about 06:30 BST in June last year.

Willesden Magistrates' Court imposed three penalty points on Lamarr, fined him £236 and banned him from driving for six months.

Lamarr, 59, of Chiswick in west London, had argued he needed his own transport as he suffered chronic fatigue syndrome and he was often too exhausted to use public buses or walk to a railway station.

He said when his condition was bad, he had to "lie down for a day or two" and would be unable to walk for weeks.

He said he needed his car to transport his young daughter and to visit his mother, who had arthritis.

Lamarr also told the court he was "effectively retired" and is now dealing records, and uses his car to find stock.

The court heard that he already had nine points on his driving licence for three prior speeding offences between August 2023 and May 2025.

On the recent offence, Lamarr told the court: "It was very early in the morning, there wasn't anybody around.

"Sometimes when there's no other traffic around at all your mind isn't quite as concentrated on the few miles an hour of the speed limit you are exceeding."

Chairwoman of the magistrates' bench Margaret Mansi noted that while he would suffer some hardship, it would not amount to exceptional hardship.

Lamarr became famous in the 1990s with TV shows like The Word, The Big Breakfast and Shooting Stars.

The former Radio 2 DJ hosted Never Mind The Buzzcocks from 1996 to 2005.

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