Taskmaster star Alex Horne has spoken about his regrets regarding the show's structure and how he envisions its format evolving in the future.
The hit show, which airs on Channel 4, features Greg Davies and Alex Horne guiding a group of five celebrities - mainly comedians - through a series of quirky challenges. Horne acts as the umpire during each task, while Davies, the titular "Taskmaster," judges the contestants' performances and awards points based on their efforts.
Originally airing on Dave in 2015, the show moved to Channel 4 in 2020, where it continues to air.
The series has been a major success on British television, leading to international versions in countries such as Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, New Zealand, and the United States. A spin-off show, Junior Taskmaster, was announced in March 2023.
Horne has candidly opened up about some of the early choices made for Taskmaster, particularly its first international US version. He reflected on how they’d approach it differently if they got another shot.
“We made a few mistakes,” the comedian told Radio Times. “We sort of did everything the channel told us to do, so we halved the length of the show. It was 22 minutes in total. And all the tasks were tasks we’d already done, because we thought we’d play it safe.
“We made a few compromises, which we regret. Greg and I would jump at the chance at doing it in America again, but on our own terms.”
Meanwhile speaking out about the show's success in an interview with The Independent, Greg said: “With Taskmaster, we consciously tried very hard to foster a playful and joyful environment. Instead of pitting comics against each other we want to give them space to enjoy what their opponents are doing.
“I mean, it’s less relaxed in the studio because we’re always pedalling like mad to make it look like a joyful event. And looking joyful is hard work. But we all want everyone to come out of that show feeling both celebrated and roundly mocked.”
Alex previously opened up about how he came up with the show's concept, which sprung from not attending the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2009.
He said: "I sent an email to 20 comedians saying: ‘Would you be up for taking part in this thing called Taskmaster? I’m going to set you a task once a month, and you’ve got to do your best to do them.”
You can read the full interview in this week's Radio Times out now
