Taskmaster, hosted by the hilarious duo Greg Davies and (Little) Alex Horne, brings together some of the wittiest comedians in England for a wild ride of silly, pointless, and downright frustrating challenges. This wildly popular series has even inspired spin-offs in various countries, although the United States version didn’t quite hit the mark and sadly met its demise after just one season. However, fear not, as Horne continued to lend his expertise as the Taskmaster’s trusty sidekick.
If you’re a fan of beloved British comedians like James Acaster, Roisin Conaty, Lee Mack, and Noel Fielding, then you absolutely must give this show a whirl if you haven’t already.
What sets Taskmaster apart from the rest is its infectious lightheartedness. The contestants are faced with tasks that can be tackled in either straightforward or wildly creative ways, and the points they receive are solely at the mercy of the Taskmaster himself. This leads to moments of both nail-biting frustration and head-scratching confusion, but ultimately adds to the thrilling unpredictability of the series. Despite boasting an impressive 14 seasons and a seemingly endless array of tasks, audiences just can’t seem to get enough.
Dive into the world of Taskmaster and prepare to relish in the nostalgia of your favorite seasons. Just remember, this list only includes the main seasons and doesn’t feature the epic Champion of Champions specials where winners battle it out for ultimate glory. And, of course, no spoilers for the winners allowed!
1. TM – Season 7
Contestants of Taskmaster season 7:
– James Acaster
– Jessica Knappett
– Kerry Godliman
– Phil Wang
– Rhod Gilbert
Best task of the season:
The standout task of the season was “Build The Best Extension In 30 Minutes.” This was a unique group task where the contestants had to construct an extension to the Taskmaster’s cottage. It became evident that comedians are not particularly skilled builders, with one team even experiencing a breakdown and turning on each other during their attempt.
2. TM – Season 5
Contestants of Taskmaster season 5:
– Aisling Bea
– Bob Mortimer
– Mark Watson
– Nish Kumar
– Sally Phillips
Best task of the season:
The most remarkable water cooler moment task was a standout in season 5. Contestants were tasked with creating a water cooler moment using an actual water cooler. This task allowed for unlimited creativity. Bob Mortimer opted to impress everyone with his incredible Herculean strength, while Sally Phillips took a more NSFW (Not Safe for Work) approach, adding an ironic twist to her performance.
3. TM – Season 4
Here are the contestants of Taskmaster season 4:
– Hugh Dennis
– Joe Lycett
– Lolly Adefope
– Mel Giedroyc
– Noel Fielding
Now, let’s talk about the best task of the season. It was called “Camouflage Yourself.” As one would expect, Noel Fielding, the man behind Old Gregg, came up with a brilliant and imaginative way to blend in with his neon yellow jumpsuit. It was truly impressive. Another standout moment was Joe Lycett seamlessly blending in with a group of other beanie wearers. However, Mel Giedroyc didn’t quite nail this task, but that’s okay, we all have our off days.
4. TM – Season 12
Here are the contestants of Taskmaster season 12: Alan Davies, Desiree Burch, Guz Khan, Morgana Robinson, and Victoria Coren Mitchell.
The best task of the season was the one called “Sit on the Red Chair in the Secret Tower.” It appeared to be a simple task, but it came with a series of complex instructions that had to be shredded. Even the usually composed Victoria Coren Mitchell got flustered when she couldn’t find the chair. However, the cunning Morgana Robinson managed to find a clever workaround.
5. TM – Season 13
Contestants of Taskmaster season 13 include Ardal O’Hanlon, Bridget Christie, Chris Ramsey, Judi Love, and Sophie Duker.
One particularly entertaining task from the series was Ducks in a Basket. It was a nonsensical challenge where contestants had to race against each other to place ducks in the basket of a biking Alex Horne. To make things more interesting, they were allowed to say “magic words” to get Alex to pause. However, this task turned out to be more about testing the physical endurance of the participants rather than their strategic abilities.
6. TM – Season 2
Contestants of Taskmaster season 2 include Doc Brown, Joe Wilkinson, Jon Richardson, Katherine Ryan, and Richard Osman.
The best task of the season is “Get This Potato In The Golf Hole Without Touching The Green.” This task perfectly showcases each contestant’s unique approach. From Katherine Ryan’s hilariously inept throws to Richard Osman’s clever solutions and Joe Wilkinson’s unbelievable stroke of luck, this task truly brings out the individual style of each contestant.
7. TM – Season 14
Contestants of Taskmaster season 14 include Dara Ó Briain, Fern Brady, John Kearns, Munya Chawawa, and Sarah Millican.
One of the standout tasks of the season is “Find the Back of Your Hand.” This task is set up in a creepy location that resembles a serial killer’s lair. Contestants are challenged to locate a picture of their own hand from a wall of hands. You can either use the clever trick hidden within the room or, like Fern, simply find your own hand with precision due to the intense dislike you have for it.
8. TM – Season 11
Contestants of Taskmaster season 11:
– Charlotte Ritchie
– Jamali Maddix
– Lee Mack
– Mike Wozniak
– Sarah Kendall
The best task of the season was “Get this Loo Roll as Far Away as Possible.” In this task, contestants had to take a singular sheet of toilet paper as far away from the starting point without detaching it from the rest of the roll or taking the roll off the holder.
Charlotte Ritchie decided to unfurl her sheet out of the bathroom window, but unfortunately, it tore before reaching a significant distance. On the other hand, Lee Mack came up with a brilliant idea. He snapped the holder off and gave it to a passing stranger, who drove away with it, effectively taking the toilet paper a considerable distance from the starting point.
9. TM – Season 9
Contestants of Taskmaster season 9 were David Baddiel, Ed Gamble, Jo Brand, Katy Wix, and Rose Matafeo.
One of the standout tasks of the season was “Complete the Seven Tasks.” In this challenge, each contestant was given a set of tasks, listed in different envelopes. The catch was that they had to complete one task before moving on to the next envelope. The element of luck played a significant role in this challenge, as opening the envelopes in the “wrong” order could result in disastrous consequences.
10. TM – Season 1
Here are the contestants of Taskmaster season 1: Frank Skinner, Josh Widdicombe, Roisin Conaty, Romesh Ranganathan, and Tim Key.
One of the standout tasks of the season was “Eat The Most Watermelon In 1 Minute.” This task presented two contrasting approaches. Romesh Ranganathan went all out, smashing the watermelon onto the floor and using the remaining time to vacuum up as much as he could. On the other hand, Roisin Conaty didn’t anticipate that the melon would not be pre-cut, and ended up spending all her time just trying to open it up.
11. TM – Season 10
Here are the contestants for Taskmaster season 10: Daisy May Cooper, Johnny Vegas, Katherine Parkinson, Mawaan Rizwan, and Richard Herring.
One of the standout tasks of the season was “Make the Best Marble Run.” Don’t expect to find these marble runs in a soothing ASMR video on YouTube. Contestants had to get creative, using various items such as pipes and pool noodles to construct their runs. Some were truly impressive, while others fell a bit short. And to everyone’s surprise, Mawaan decided to chuck his marble run into the washing machine!