Alex Horne

Who Do You Think You Are?

Monday 12^th October

BBC One, 9pm

The genealogy documentary series returns, with Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who) tracing her Yorkshire family tree in this opening episode.

Each series sees host Greg Davies and sidekick Alex Horne stump five comedian contestants with their tasks.

Ahead of the show’s October 2020 return on Channel 4, we take a look at who and what makes Taskmaster tick.

Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know about Taskmaster.

Taskmaster started off as a live show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, before airing on Dave for nine series and has now been acquired by Channel 4.

Greg Davies will once again sit on his throne with his trusty sidekick Alex Horne and score the comedians attempts at one of a kind wacky tasks, with hilarious and unpredictable outcomes.

The #hometasking challenge brings the premise of Taskmaster, where a group of comedians are tasked with completing seemingly simple tasks in the most inventive and amusing ways possible, to people at home.

The first task was to ‘throw a piece of A4 paper in the bin, the most spectacular throw wins’.

It's time for #hometasking no.1!

Created and written by comedian Alex Horne, the series stars Greg Davies as the Taskmaster, with Horne acting as Davies’ assistant and umpire during the tasks.

Each series, five contestants compete each week to score the highest mark on the bizarre tasks set by the Taskmaster.

Taskmaster originally aired on Dave, but will make the move to Channel 4 in 2020 following a new six series deal. 

With over 200 tasks to date so far, here is a roundup of some of our favourites.

​Initially a live show at the Edinburgh Fest Fringe, Taskmaster was originally developed with Channel 4 and then later commissioned by UKTV where it aired on Dave for nine series.

The series follows Greg Davies and show creator Alex Horne as they host a series of complex and comedic challenges that test the wit of a line-up of famous contestants.

Following the six series deal, new episodes of Taskmaster will air on Channel 4.

Greg Davies and Alex Horne will return to their golden thrones as they continue to test the competency of famous faces with an array of complex and comedic tasks.

This series will see comedians Jo Brand, David Baddiel, Ed Gamble, Rose Matafeo and actor Katy Wix battle it out for the title of Taskmaster champion.

Greg Davies and Alex Horne return to judge a new batch of famous competitors and will decide who is worthy of taking home the coveted 24-carat gold cast of Greg Davies’s face.

The new contestants include Love Island narrator Iain Stirling, actor Joe Thomas (White Gold), stand-up comic Lou Sanders, Paul Sinha (The Chase) and RTS award-winner Sian Gibson. 

They will be joined by stand-up Lou Sanders, Paul Sinha (The Chase) and Sian Gibson (Car Share), all set to bravely face the challenges set by Taskmaster Greg Davies.

Creator and stats keeper Alex Horne will also be returning to the game show, which was originally performed at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Previous contestants include Jessica Knappett (Drifters), James Acaster (Would I Lie to You?) and Rhod Gilbert (8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown).

My working life was turned on its head nine years ago, the summer after I became a father. Presumably out of panic, I began two projects that were meant to run alongside my normal stand-up comedy, but these now dominate the working week.

My three children seem not to mind both ventures – for now, at least – and actually help on occasion.

We are currently filming the bulk of the eighth and ninth series of Taskmaster. What started as a one-night stand at the Edinburgh Fringe took on a life of its own – and took over mine.