New Taskmaster series

[ChedderGorgeous]

AIBU to have never heard of any of the contestants on the new series ? I love taskmaster so trust they have picked a line up that "works" but my god they seem to have run out of people who are in any way famous.
Had to Google the whole cast. From what I can see :
JOANNE MCNALLY – Irish stand up apparently
JOHN ROBINS - Seems to be a Freddie Mercury impersonator who doesn't look anything like him. Also 5live presenter ?

NICK MOHAMMED - Mr Swallow??!
SOPHIE WILLAN – stand up it seems STEVE PEMBERTON - used to be in 'Benidorm' which I have heard of but hate.

Anyone else scratching their head?

You've never heard of Steve Pemberton?

Totally agree. Pemberton is the only one i recognised kinda but really didn't excite me. Sigh.

I was just about to say this! He’s been in loads OP, far more than just Benidorm.

Steve Pemberton and Nick Mohammed are well known though.

I know all of them except Sophie. Maybe you just don’t follow comedy that closely OP?

Also I don’t think it really matters if they’re known or not in Taskmaster. Some of my favourite all time contestants have been ones I’d never heard of before the show.

I'm sure Steve Pemberton would love to know he's known as 'used to be in Benidorm'

I've heard of all of them if that helps?

Steve Pemberton - used to be on Benidorm

Bloody hell. Poor Steve.

No
Steve Pemberton is a big name comedy actor and writer. League of gentlemen 25yrs old.
Nick Muhammed is one of my faves, Mr swallow, intelligence, Ted lasso, a bbc kids show, often on panel shows
John Robbins, reasonably well known stand up and writer/broadcaster, done radio and pod casts, used to be in relationship with Sarah pascoe.

Seems a good line up to me

The only one I didn’t recognise was John Robins. If you don’t even know who Steve Pemberton is then maybe not the show for you!

John Robins has been a low key crush for a while.

I know Sophie and Joanne too now I have googled (not great with names)

Did you used to watch The Job Lot? I loved that series.

Sophie Willan wrote and starred in Alma's Not Normal, which was brilliant.

She's been around for a while and has won many awards.

I was just about the write an almost identical post!

Surely anyone interested in British comedy will have heard of her

‘Used to be on Benidorm’ - I imagine Steve Pemberton would find that hilarious. 😆 Maybe it could be his epitaph?
The only one I’m not familiar with is Joanne McNally but I’m not worried, there’s always one unfamiliar face and they often end up being the funniest. The format of the show makes it so.

This!

Steve Pemberton is also in Inside No 9 which is great!

Sometimes the comedians I haven't heard of before end up being favourites.
I'd not come across Sam Campbell before series 16 and found him hilarious.
Steve Pemberton has a huge back catalogue and Nick Mohammed has been in lots of shows. I've heard John Robins on the radio.
I'm not familiar with Sophie's work, but that's great a new comedian for me to discover.

John Robins is really well known. Both he and Sara Pascoe did comedy tours about their break up- he was much more famous than her when they were together

Steve Pemberton is probably once of the best known and most respected comedy writers and actors in the UK today (also an actor and director). Bafta winner, just starred with Lily Allen in pillow man to critical acclaim

Sophia Willan is also a Bafta winner.

I know. I thought that, too.

I shall watch it for Steve alone. Incredibly intelligent and talented writer and actor.

Steve Pemberton is a legend. He's been around for 25 years.

With comedy isn't the point to see new acts not just the same ones over and over again? If you do you will hear the same routines plenty of times!

I went to watch one episode be filmed, only recognised Nick but they were very funny and I very much enjoyed the filming so looking forward to seeing the series!

Steve Pemberton has done a lot more than Benidorm - very intelligent guy and looking forward to him being either brilliant or terrible on Taskmaster
Mr Swallow - seen him on 8 out 10 cats and again liked him
I don't know the others but am looking forward to them because Alex has such a knack of finding people who are great.
I was not familiar with Fern Brady/ Bridget Christie or Munya Chawawa before TM and they were some of my favourites. So many series in - I have learnt to not have pre conceived ideas and it has introduced me to some great comedians.

I have just read Fern Brady's book /memoir on autism and it was brilliant - funny/ poignant and would not have read it without seeing her on TM