Greg Davies (I)

Taskmaster is the kind of Dave thing that shouldn't quite work but is actually wildly stupid fun. Mainly thanks to Alex Horne, late of so much splendid radio, and Greg Davies, and regulars such as Frank Skinner and Romesh Ranganathan. And eating a watermelon in a minute, and having to paint a horse while riding a horse and other activities that would have been unsuited to, say, Queen Victoria's funeral. A winner.

Great comedians can make anything funny. Eric Morecambe bleeding a radiator or Les Dawson reading out AutoTrader would be hilarious by default, but could modern standups work that same magic when, say, eating an entire watermelon or emptying a bathtub? Dave's new panel show hinges precariously on that premise, with a quintet of comics - this week including Frank Skinner, Tim Key and Roisin Conaty - performing acts at the behest of titular taskmaster Greg Davies. In practice, a premise unlikely to tickle the titter glands of many.

Radio Times review

As a civilisation, we're starting to realise that asking questions about news or trivia from behind a desk isn't the best way to wring semi-improvised laughs out of moderately popular comedians. Far wiser to make them do something less restrictive, where the thing itself is funny before anyone starts. So we come to this fun new jolly, where titular Taskmaster Greg Davies - flanked by the show's creator Alex Horne - awards comics marks for eating as much watermelon as they can in a minute, emptying a bathtub without pulling the plug out, or painting a horse while riding a horse.

The comfortingly familiar guests are Frank Skinner, Josh Widdicombe, Roisin Conaty, Romesh Ranganathan and Tim Key. Skinner is a good weathervane, since he's been around far too long to bother laughing politely at unfunny jokes. Here, he laughs a lot.

Greg Davies, Alex Horne and Tim Key talk Taskmaster

'I can't believe I actually cared.' That was the verdict of Greg Davies after one of the challenges set in the new gameshow Taskmaster.

Alex Horne interview

Alex Horne spent a whole year setting silly tasks for his mates for an hour's worth of fun at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2010 and 2011. Now, he's bringing Taskmaster to TV with the help of Greg Davies and Dave.

Greg Davies talks about Taskmaster

I was lucky enough to catch up with Greg Davies at the official press launch of Taskmaster which tests the wiles, wit, wisdom and skills of five super competitive well known comedians.

Man Down, series 2 review

One of the silliest, most ludicrous new sitcoms from the last few years is finally back on our screens; Greg Davies writes and stars in the highly anticipated second series of Man Down.

The second series of Greg Davies's crude, clever comedy continues to deliver, despite the hole left by Rik Mayall. This week, Davies's world-worn protagonist Dan is horrified to discover that his former school bully has the lead role in a play that he is attending with his students. Cue group therapy and a lesson in resilience from Aunt Nesta (Stephanie Cole). As per, disaster-prone pals Jo (Roisin Conaty) and Brian (Mike Wozniak) get into a variety of scrapes, too.

Radio Times review

It's bananas that Channel 4 have scheduled their sitcom gem directly opposite BBC Two's Episodes. There are few enough new comedies around without the best of them clashing head-on.

This week, Greg Davies and co-writers summon creative new humiliations for Dan, their sublime clot of a hero. These revolve around a trip to the theatre organised by Dan for his pupils, though he realises too late that the play stars Geoff Doogan, his old school bully. "He made my life hell! Why do you think I'm all Pip Schofield?" he cries, pointing to his grey hair.

Elsewhere, there's aunt Nesta's idea of helpful role-play, Jo's misunderstanding of how theatre works and, in an icon-endangering moment, Brian without his moustache.