Taskmaster’s Maisie Adam: “You look at early series of Mock the Week and it was all the same kind of male”

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What’s the view from your sofa?

What have you been watching?

We’re really enjoying *The White Lotus* – it’s fantastic! The premise is amazing: getting to travel to beautiful places and play characters who are hilariously awful. It almost makes you wish that was a real job!

Who controls the TV remote?

I often get carried away imagining how I would react in situations we’re watching, and I drive my husband crazy by constantly pausing to ask, “What if I were in that spot?” He usually just wants to get back to watching!

How big a deal was it when you got the call from Taskmaster?

Everyone wants to be a part of this show, so I was thrilled when I was offered the opportunity! I’d been hoping for a chance to work on it for a long time. It felt a bit like when your parents suggest you apply for a job, even when you’ve been wanting to for ages. It’s not that I haven’t tried – I’ve been actively pursuing it for the last five years.

Did anything surprise you about being on the show?

I always used to think it was simple – just stay calm and think outside the box. But actually being *in* that situation is completely different. Filming is intense, with tasks happening one after another from morning until night, and it all happens in real time. Plus, they don’t give you any clues, which makes you feel really vulnerable. I’ve definitely realized I don’t handle pressure very well!

What have you learnt from being on panel shows?

When I first began doing this kind of show, it was all about being really assertive – everyone would talk over each other, and whoever talked the loudest would make it into the final edit. That could be exhausting during a three-hour recording session! But things have changed, likely influenced by the popularity of podcasts. Now, people want a more relaxed and natural conversation. They want to hear comedians genuinely chatting, creating a funny and engaging discussion, like a really clever dinner party.

Looking back at the early seasons of Mock the Week, you’ll notice it featured a very uniform group of male comedians. I was fortunate to start appearing on panel shows just as people were beginning to realize that needed to change. Take the current series of Taskmaster – the variety in humor and age is fantastic and makes for a much better show. Of course, skill is always the most important thing, but if you consistently book comedians who are all very similar, you end up with the same type of joke repeated, and that gets old quickly.

Your mother organizes Louder than Words, a literary festival in Manchester. Do you think growing up in that creative environment influenced your decision to become a comedian?

She launched that festival herself a decade ago, and it’s still running – I’m so impressed! I think it’s really fostered that enthusiastic, ‘dive right in’ spirit that’s essential for doing stand-up comedy. Unlike her, my dad is much more reserved.

Did growing up in Yorkshire shape your sense of humour?

Yorkshire is known for a unique mix of directness and warmth, and I believe that really highlights its sense of humor. Some people, especially those in academic circles or from London, might dismiss it as simple comedy. However, its broad appeal makes it just as valuable and clever as the more sophisticated comedy you’d find at places like Oxford and Cambridge.

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2025-10-14 03:11