With Easter just around the corner, Alex Horne unexpectedly arrived at TopMob with a sealed task, four gold envelopes, and a rather unusual six-pack of eggs. Happy Easter!
To mark the start of Taskmaster‘s 21st series – launching on Channel 4 on Thursday, April 9th, shortly after Easter – Alex Horne has designed a special, one-off task just for RT readers.
To really capture the Taskmaster spirit, we asked two contestants from this season – Armando Iannucci and Joel Dommett – to test it out. And for the winner, we’ve got a special trophy: a Greg Davies figurine wearing bunny ears – we’re calling it ‘Easter Greg’!
I created this Easter challenge on short notice,” Horne explained to RT. “I’m often asked to create tasks for events like stag and hen parties, and by teachers, so I keep a list of ideas I can adapt for different situations.
After so many years, creating bizarre and hilarious challenges is now completely natural for Alex Horne and the Taskmaster team. They’ve designed hundreds of tasks for over 100 comedians throughout 21 seasons (plus specials), ranging from painting a horse while riding one, to managing a pretend hotel – all with Greg Davies as the judge.
You know, as a movie buff, I totally get what director Horne means when he talks about writing. It’s like brainstorming jokes – you always worry you’ll hit a wall, but ideas just keep popping into your head. It’s all about hoping for that unexpected spark, that completely fresh angle you hadn’t considered before.
He also points out that jokes aren’t truly finished until a comedian performs them. Surprisingly, the most memorable jokes are often the ones that didn’t read very well initially.
Today’s challenge for Iannucci and Dommett is definitely a tricky one. They have to identify and break a single boiled egg from a group of three, with two being raw. Each egg has descriptions on it, and while golden envelopes offer extra clues, they might also mislead them. It’s a race to see whether the celebrities or the eggs will crack first under the stress!
Dommett admitted, right after completing the challenge, that he, like with previous tasks in the series, wasn’t entirely sure what just happened.
The messy scene is representative of the show’s new season – the eleventh one, and now airing on Channel 4 after previously being on Dave. Joining Iannucci and Dommett are comedian Amy Gledhill and Joanna Page, who many will recognize from her role in Gavin & Stacey. Horne notes that people are often surprised by Page’s talent, as she’s so well known for that one role, and haven’t seen the full extent of her abilities.
Perhaps the biggest news is the addition of Kumail Nanjiani, known for his roles in major films like Marvel movies, Ghostbusters, Men in Black, and Star Wars. Just days before our photoshoot, he was presenting an award at the Oscars and landed a part in the upcoming season of The White Lotus.
I was surprised to see Kumail Nanjiani at the Oscars, because I know him personally,” Horne chuckled. “But it really highlights that everyone is just a normal person. I think the appeal of Taskmaster is that it doesn’t matter who you are—everyone struggles when faced with a silly challenge, like having to deal with three eggs!
He explained that things haven’t changed significantly since the show began in 2015. While the challenges evolve slightly, there are now a few more rules as they’ve covered the simpler concepts. Plus, contestants tend to be more familiar with the show going in.
However, it seems like obvious things are still being overlooked – people still aren’t checking the simple spots. Greg’s judging remains unpredictable and inconsistent. Ultimately, the show still relies on getting comedians to perform silly tasks.
Fans can anticipate even more well-known faces on the show in the future. According to creator Alexander Horne, the current season (season 22) features someone he greatly admires, and the next season (season 23) is planned to be even more ambitious.
He hinted at some exciting news for a future project, revealing they’ve cast an Academy Award winner in an upcoming series.
Can you imagine Robert De Niro tossing a potato into a hole, or Meryl Streep finishing a whole watermelon in just three minutes? Think fast – time’s running out!
Photographer: Rob Parfitt @rob_parfitt_photography
HMU: Bryony Blake @bryony_blake
HMU: Holly Davies @hollylouisehmua
Set Dressing: Propped Up @propped_up_ltd
The new series of Taskmaster starts on Channel 4 at 9pm on Thursday, April 9th. You can also watch past series on Channel4.com.
Don’t miss Taskmaster! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app now for daily TV recommendations and exclusive content.
Authors
Huw Fullerton works as a Commissioning Editor at TopMob magazine, where he focuses on Entertainment, Comedy, and niche Dramatic content.
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