Taskmaster Series 11

[Absofruitly]

Did anyone watch this last night? I'm so glad it's back. We've been watching the old ones practically every day recently with the kids in anticipation of this new series. It's still odd and flat in the studio with no audience there and the big gaps between everyone, but the tasks themselves are golden.
I think Mike Wozniak is going to emerge as the star of this series. The combo of his 'nature is weird' song, his balalaika playing of the theme tune and the super cautious plates on a hoverboard task absolutely sold him to me.

I think Mike is the breakout of this series. He's just adorable. And it doesn't seem like a front, he's impeccably polite during every task, even under pressure.

Mike has certainly gained a lot of new fans - including me!

This interview with Mike on the Taskmaster YouTube channel is insane and wonderful in equal measure. He really gives it his all. I lufs him.

Mike was brilliant last night - face based geometry!

I loved last nights episode. for me a really funny combination of tasks.

I unashamedly love Mike Wozniak. I thought I might have been the only one but clearly not!

Yup I'm crushing on Mike Wozniak too. Lockdown crushes are keeping me alive. It was the bloke from Cobra Kai a few weeks ago.

Meanwhile we have been happy to see Sarah Kendall as we saw her live in about 2004 and I can still remember some of the funny stuff she said!

Enjoying the series but yes, not the same with the audience being somewhere secret and distanced.

My Little Alex Horne story: when the Taskmaster book came out, my OH and I went to a book signing in Chesham Waterstones and were really excited to meet him. By the time we got there, though, all the books had sold out (you had to buy one and then queue up to get it signed), but Alex still had a chat/photo with us, and said that anyone who hadn't been able to buy a book could preorder one and leave their name with the shop staff, and he would come back later when more books were in, and sign them all so they could be posted on to us! (turns out he lives in the area, so he could just pop in when the books arrived).

Sure enough, a couple of weeks later our book arrived in the post with a lovely message. Yes, it meant he sold more books, but it was just such a lovely, kind, non-celeb thing to do - he went up about 100% in my already high estimation after that :-)

He sounds so nice!

Has anyone watched the game Alex Horne, Tim Key, and Mark Watson have been playing every week during lockdown?

Its called No More Jockeys and its on YouTube (I think).

Ive watched Taskmaster since it started, it seemed to take ages for people to catch on.

Two of my favourite lines ever are Katherine Parkinson's "Am I spider??" and Bob Mortimer singing "Roaslind's a fucking nightmare"

@BelfastBloke I just discovered No More Jockeys on YouTube last week and have already worked my way through the Set 1 games. You can really tell that they are good mates of a longtime standing. I'd love to do a pub quiz with them. Can you imagine!?

My favourite part is when Key (inevitably) throws Penelope Pitstop into the ring.

Mike Wozniak fans should listen to his podcast - "St Elwick's Community Newsletter Podcast". It's on Spotify and he plays a man called Malcolm doing a local podcast. It's very funny and has guests played by other comedians, eg Greg Davies, James Acaster.

I absolutely second the advice to listen to Mike Wozniak's St Elwicks podcast. Hilarious take on middle class micro aggression in small communities

The St Elwick's podcast is glorious, isn't it. I also love when Wozniak shows up as a voice on The Beef and Dairy Network podcast, especially as bovine arse vet Bob Trescothick. He has a fabulous voice. Sarah Kendall's revelation on the Taskmaster podcast this week gives us a clue as to its seductive rasp: apparently he's a furious vapist, prior to that a serious fag smoker.

Wasn't Mike the original winner of the Edinburgh taskmaster?

He sure was:

St Elwicks is wonderful, though I don't know how Malcolm will cope with all the subscribers from outside of the St Elwicks parish area.
His voice is so mellifluous, chain vaping aside. I'm not sure why people are surprised about Sarah's podcast revelation about him having a good body - he was often in shorts as Brian in man down and he has wonderful thighs 🤣

Bob Mortimer singing "Roaslind's a fucking nightmare"

That’s the best thing that ever happened on TV. Ever.

“She jumps quite far, for a woman of her age”

Hahaha @alwaysbetteronholiday, I loved the frequency of poor Brian being made to wear short shorts or similar on Man Down. The scene of him in his vest and pants waiting to change into costume in the historical reenactment museum in the last series was a particular highlight.
I hate that they left Brian hanging at the end of that series though: did he get to have regular access to his kids after his wife moved them to Scotland? Did he ever get together with the local MP? The Brians fans need to know!

@absofruitly indeed a highlight, may need to watch it all again for research purposes.
It would have been nice to get some conclusions about Brian's story #justiceforbrian. I imagine he is with a nice woman (and the kids) washing the Scenic somewhere...

Has Man Down finished or is there another series planned?

I think I read somewhere that C4 cancelled it after S4, which was aired back in 2017.

Gosh you people are committed. But when I clicked through to MW’s agent’s page I noticed he’s a blatant cheat!

Tonight's episode is going to be a doozy:

Anyone watching