Taskmaster Series 20 returns to Channel 4 with five contestants

Taskmaster returns to Channel 4 on Thursday, October 16, for its 20th series, with hosts Greg Davies and Alex Horne presiding over five comedians competing in a new set of challenges. The series will air weekly at 9 p.m., run for 10 episodes through mid November, and each instalment is scheduled to last about an hour including commercial breaks.

The lineup for series 20, revealed after the conclusion of series 19 in July, features Ania Magliano, Maisie Adam, Phil Ellis, Reece Shearsmith and Sanjeev Bhaskar. Davies resumes his role as the show’s presenter and Horne returns as his assistant, continuing the format that has been central to the programme since it debuted in 2015 on Dave before moving to Channel 4.

A preview for tonight’s episode outlines several of the tasks viewers can expect as the series reaches its second half. Competitors attempt unconventional challenges such as building a ladder out of chopsticks, lassoing a weathervane and trying to crush an egg. The preview also notes moments of personal sacrifice and comic misfortune, including Horne surrendering a prized watch, and a sequence in which a contestant’s sunny disposition proves disadvantageous.