Comedy Stars Join Taskmaster.
Taskmaster Season 22 Reveals Celebrity Cast; Airs This September On Channel 4.
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Key Points
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Avalon Television and the show’s press release framed the new series as “another triumphant task tournament” with Greg and Alex announcing “a brand-new five-piece set of distinguished comedians… to determine who will emerge victorious… and become a Taskmaster Champion,” using the show’s signature mock-formal language.
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While the broadcaster said the run is expected in autumn, Avalon Television also teased a more specific window: series 22 is expected to “launch late in September.”
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A Digital Spy report notes that in March, series creator and co-host Alex Horne said filming for season 22 was “almost complete,” and he even teased a future-season possibility involving an “Oscar winner.”
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An NME piece highlighted that last year a recording of Taskmaster’s original stage show (its source material) emerged online, and it included tasks such as “Please deposit a sum of money into my Barclay’s Bank account,” “Find a hedgehog,” and “Send me something large through the post.”
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After winning series 21, Joanna Page told Metro about why she chose to “go for it”: “I thought: ‘For God’s sake, [your family] will absolutely kill you if you do not do it… This would be the one thing that they would be like: “Oh my God, you are the best mother in the world.”’”
Taskmaster has revealed its five-comedian lineup for series 22, and it includes two of British comedy's biggest names. Matt Lucas and Richard Ayoade will compete alongside Isy Suttie, Nina Conti, and Chloe Petts, with Greg Davies judging and Alex Horne assisting, according to Channel 4.
The announcement came just weeks after Joanna Page was crowned series 21 champion. Series 22 is expected to launch in late September 2026, Largs and Millport News reports. The reveal lands amid a landmark deal: Channel 4 has recommissioned the show for six more series over three years, keeping it on air through 2029.
Richard Ayoade Finally Takes His Seat at the Table
For years, fans treated Richard Ayoade's absence from Taskmaster as the show's greatest unsolved mystery. The IT Crowd actor was widely considered the most requested contestant in the show's history. His casting has triggered an explosion of positive reaction on social media, with many fans calling it long overdue.
Matt Lucas, the Little Britain and former Great British Bake Off star, fills the other high-profile slot. Isy Suttie, known for Peep Show, brings a whimsical comedy style. Ventriloquist Nina Conti has sparked debate over whether her puppets will count as separate entities during tasks. Chloe Petts rounds out the lineup as a rising name in UK stand-up, according to East Lothian Courier.
Fan Backlash Targets Matt Lucas Casting
Not everyone is celebrating the lineup. A segment of the core fanbase has pushed back against the choice of Matt Lucas. Some critics argue his heavy television exposure — particularly on Bake Off — may not fit the organic, self-deprecating style that Taskmaster rewards.
The show's official press release leaned into its signature mock-formal tone. It described the cast as "a brand-new five-piece set of distinguished comedians" set to compete in "another triumphant task tournament." The backlash, noted by NW Evening Mail, sits alongside genuine excitement — a split that reflects how much the show's audience has grown beyond its cult roots.
Filming Nearly Done, an Oscar Winner Teased for Later
Series 22 is already close to finished. In March, creator Alex Horne told Digital Spy that filming was "almost complete." The show typically records well ahead of its broadcast window, so a late September premiere is well within reach.
Horne also dropped a bigger tease: a future series could feature an unnamed "Oscar winner." That hint points to Taskmaster's growing global ambitions. North American YouTube impressions for series 21 rose 39% year-over-year. The six-series recommissioning also includes New Year specials and a Champion of Champions event, where Joanna Page will eventually defend her title.
Joanna Page on Why She Said Yes to Series 21
Before the series 22 buzz, there was Joanna Page's victory in series 21. The actress told Metro that family pressure played a big role in her decision to compete. "I thought: 'For God's sake, [your family] will absolutely kill you if you do not do it,'" she said.
She added that her family told her it would make her "the best mother in the world." Her win closed out a series that helped drive the show's 39% North American growth spike. Page is now set to return for a future Champion of Champions special, facing whoever emerges from the series 22 competition.
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