Taskmaster: Series 9, Episode 1 - Join Our Cult

TV comedy
Channel 4 / U&Dave
2015 - 2025
171 episodes (18 series)

TV format in which Greg Davies and Alex Horne set a group of comedians various outlandish challenges. Also features Romesh Ranganathan, Frank Skinner, Roisin Conaty, Josh Widdicombe, Tim Key and more.

Returns on Sunday 29th December on C4 at 9pm with New Year Special
Streaming rank this week: 117

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Series 9, Episode 1 - Join Our Cult

Greg Davies is the Taskmaster and he is back for a glorious ninth series of the show that bears his grand title. In one hand he brandishes his sparkling golden face-trophy, in the other sits Little Alex Horne, his ever-popular personal secretary. This season's brand new high-class hopefuls are: David Baddiel, Ed Gamble, Jo Brand, Katy Wix and Rose Matafeo.

Preview clips

Prize task: Most stressful thing.

* Katy Wix: A teapot she made, with the spout right next to the handle and the lid glazed shut. - 5
* David Baddiel: A cardboard tube from an empty toilet roll. - 4
* Jo Brand: The score for J. S. Bach's Toccata in D Minor, which she tried to learn for a concert at the Royal Albert Hall. - 3
* Ed Gamble: A compilation of stressful sounds, including a baby crying, nails down a blackboard, an announcement saying your plane/train has been cancelled, the sound of your train leaving as you arrive, and the sound of a chair breaking from under you. - 2
* Rose Matafeo: An unspooled cassette tape. - 2

Task 1: Hide three aubergines in this room. Longest time for Alex to find them wins. You have nine minutes, after which Alex will start searching for the three aubergines. Your time starts now.

* Ed: 13:53 - 5
* Rose: 9:03 - 4
* Jo: 7:38 - 3
* Katy: 5:25 - 2
* David: 2:00 - 1

Task 2: Arrange the lollies in rainbow order on the board in front of you. You may only take off your [blacked-out] goggles if you find the dodo. You may only accuse one thing of being a dodo. Most accurate rainbow order wins. You have seven minutes. Your time starts now.

* Ed and Rose - 5
* David and Jo - 3
* Katy - 1

Task 3: Make the most dramatic entrance. You have one hour. Your time starts now.

* Rose - 5
* Ed and Jo - 4
* Katy - 3
* David - 1

Live task: Draw the second-longest snake. You snake must be half-an-inch wide at all points. You snake must be neatly curled up again after three minutes. There is a bonus point for the best snake.

* David: Second-longest snake. - 5
* Rose: Bonus point for best snake. - 1
* Ed, Jo and Katy - 0

Final scores

* Rose - 17
* Ed - 16
* David - 14
* Jo and Katy - 12

Broadcast details

Date: Wednesday 4^th September 2019
Time: 9pm
Channel: U&Dave
Length: 60 minutes

Cast & crew

Cast
Greg Davies	Host / Presenter
Alex Horne	Host / Presenter
David Baddiel	Self
Ed Gamble	Self
Jo Brand	Self
Katy Wix	Self
Rose Matafeo	Self

Writing team
Alex Horne	Writer
Tim Key	Task Consultant

Production team
Andy Devonshire	Series Director
Andy Cartwright	Series Producer
Richard Allen-Turner	Executive Producer
James Taylor	Executive Producer
Jon Thoday	Executive Producer
Hilary Rosen	Executive Producer
Rob Aslett	Executive Producer
Andy Devonshire	Executive Producer
Alex Horne	Executive Producer
Dan Trelfer	Edit Producer
Vicky Winter	Line Producer
Thomas Perrett	Editor
Mark Sangster	Editor
Rebecca Bowker	Editor
James Dillon	Production Designer
Sam Montague	Director of Photography
Christina Baker (as Chrissie Baker)	Make-up Designer
Martin Kempton	Lighting Designer
Dru Masters	Composer
Tom Howe	Composer

Videos

Ed and Rose hide aubergines from Alex

Find the aubergine! The tables have turned and its little Alex Horne's turn to do a task as Rose Matafeo and Ed Gamble hide 3 aubergines from him.

Featuring: Greg Davies, Alex Horne, Ed Gamble & Rose Matafeo.

Make a dramatic entrance

See David Baddiel make the most dramatic entrance...

Featuring: Greg Davies, Alex Horne, David Baddiel, Ed Gamble, Jo Brand, Katy Wix & Rose Matafeo.

Press

Taskmaster Series 9 Episode 1 review

For the first time it might be a series which I slightly struggle with.

Alex Finch, Comedy To Watch, 5th September 2019

Preview: Taskmaster Series 9

Greg Davies seems to be playing increasingly fast and loose with the arbitrary scoring system this time round. We won't tell you who the winner of the first episode is, you'll have to watch it to find out. OK, we will tell you - the winner is the audience, who get to see the show back on top form again.

Bruce Dessau, Beyond The Joke, 4th September 2019

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