Mark Lamarr prohibited from driving despite claims of exceptional hardship arguments 

Much-loved former host of Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Mark Lamarr, has been disqualified as a driver despite stating that the disqualification would impose an exceptional hardship on him.

At around 6:30 a.m in June last year, the comedian was charged with driving a 2019 Volvo XC60 at 46mph in a 40 mph area in Twickenham, south-west London, and pleaded guilty to this offence.
Lamarr, 59 of Chiswick, west London, was given three points, fined £76 and disqualified for six months. On Tuesday, he was ordered to pay a £30 surcharge and £130 in prosecution expenses at the Willesden Magistrates ‘ Court, which he did.

But he attempted to escape a driving suspension by claiming that he needed the vehicle to carry his young daughter and to see his mother, who has arthritis.

The former TV presenter explained that he is affected by Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and that on a bad day, using a bus stop would have been out of the question and walking to the train station can be rather tiresome to him.

He said that on “bad days” he will have to lie down for a day or two, and will be unable to walk for weeks. 

Lamarr also informed the court that he is effectively retired and now dealing with records, and that he drives his car to find stock. 

The magistrate who heard the case said that three earlier speeding offences by Lamarr, from August 2023 to May 2025, resulted in nine points on his driving licence.

On the recent offences, 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.”

Magistrates’ bench chairman Margaret Mansi said that he would suffer some hardship but no exceptional hardship.

In the 1900s, Lamarr rose to fame with television series such as The Word, The Big Breakfast and Shooting Stars.

It was aired on Never Mind The Buzzcocks by the former Radio 2 DJ between 1996 and 2005.