Taskmaster

Taskmaster series 19 air date confirmed

Headshots of the five contestants

The lineup of contestants vying for Greg Davies’s hard-earned approval was announced in January. Fatiha El-Ghorri (Live at the Apollo) will be amongst those competing for the golden bust of Davies. Also appearing will be American comedian and actor Jason Mantzoukas, known for his roles in Big Mouth and Parks and Recreation.

Joining them will be Horrible Histories and Ghosts veteran Mathew Baynton and Rosie Ramsey, co-host of the Sh**ged. Married. Annoyed. podcast. Stevie Martin (Mock the Week) rounds out the quintet.

Working Lives: Chief Creative Officer

As its Chief Creative Officer and Global Director of Acquisitions, BBC Studios and UKTV, he is also responsible, alongside his commissioning remit, for acquiring shows for the broadcaster and BBC Studios’ global channels. Current hits commissioned by Watsham’s team include The Marlow Murder Club for U&Drama and Will & Ralf Should Know Better for U&Dave.

What do you do?

Mathew Baynton and Rosie Ramsey on line-up for Taskmaster series 19

Competing for the golden bust of His Majesty the Taskmaster Greg Davies will be comedian and writer Fatiha El-Ghorri, who’s appeared on Live at the Apollo, American comedian and actor Jason Mantzoukas, best known for voicing the sex-obsessed Jay Bilzerian in Big Mouth, and Mathew Baynton from the Horrible Histories and Ghosts troupe. The co-host of the Sh**ged. Married. Annoyed podcast, Rosie Ramsey, and comedian and actor Stevie Martin (Starstruck), round out the five.

What's on TV: 27th December – 30th December

Stephen Mangan and Nicola Walker in The Split: Barcelona

Beyond Paradise

Friday

BBC One, 9pm


L-R: Dylan Llewellyn, Felicity Montagu, Sally Bretton, Kris Marshall, Melina Sinadinou,
Zhara Ahmadi and Barbara Flynn (Credit: BBC / Red Planet Pictures / Joss Barrett)

Detectives turn ghostbusters in this festive special of Beyond Paradise, as Humphrey (Kris Marshall) and Esther (Zahra Ahmadi) are called to investigate a haunting.

Judi Love confirmed as host for ITVX Edinburgh Fringe streaming event

Judi Love smiles to the camera in a blue dress, in front of a pastel blue and pink backdrop, which features white horizontal neon lights

A regular on Loose Women, Judi Love has been performing stand-up for a decade, and is known for her appearances on MasterChef and Strictly Come Dancing.

The new show from ITVX will see four showcase gigs streamed live from the festival, featuring material from some of the best comedians on the circuit. The shows are curated by NextUp, known to comedy fans as a leading specialist streamer for British stand-up.

Contestants for series 18 of Taskmaster announced

Photos of Andy Zaltzman, Babatunde Aléshé, Emma Sidi, Jack Dee and Rosie Jones in gold frames, against a black backdrop

The comedy gameshow is fronted, as ever, by the indomitable Greg Davies (Never Mind the Buzzcocks) and the… domitable Alex Horne (8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown).

Joining the duo will be comedians Rosie Jones (Live at the Apollo), Jack Dee (Lead Balloon) and Babatunde Aléshé (Celebrity Gogglebox). Andy Zaltzman (Celebrity Mastermind) and Emma Sidi (A Whole Lifetime with Jamie Demetriou) will also appear in the new series.

“I sit in a hot tub and let the bubbles inspire me”: Alex Horne and Greg Davies on 17 series of Taskmaster

Greg Davies sits next to Alex Horne

But when the duo Zoomed in from a press day in New York — testament to its trans-Atlantic, if not global appeal — there were no signs of a mutiny. The long-suffering sidekick still knew his place.

Read on to hear the true source of Horne’s boundless inspiration for task devising, and a disgruntled Davies ruing his breakfast order.

You’re 17 series in, how has your relationship evolved over the series?

Greg Davies and Alex Horne: Hmm…