Alex Horne On the Origin of Taskmaster, Series 6 & The Horne Section | Sunday Brunch

Alex Horne talks with Tim & Simon about how Taskmaster came to be, details about series 6 of the show & the Horne Section!
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[@sundaybrunch9906]

Favourite Taskmaster task?? Watch Sunday Brunch on All 4: bit.ly/2JOVlR6

[@Ditcher2]

Anything Alex really gets to be a part of.

[@lwaves]

Joe Wilkinson's potato throw, closely followed by Mark Watson's solo texting to Greg. It's pretty hard to find a bad task though.

[@jenniferpearce1052]

Rhod, anything with Rhod.

[@CoLp0eSnED]

The egg one :P

[@k_drop]

"You're back for the sixth series of TaskMaster" "Okay"

[@TheAstronomyFloyd]

I like when he either goes “Okay” or “Pardon?”

[@hannahs9138]

@@TheAstronomyFloyd It always cracks me up when Tim says "Pardon?" to Alex on NMJ

[@CriticalRoleHighlights]

What I like the most about Taskmaster is that the tasks are written just ambiguously enough to allow the contestants to think outside the box and make the task something completely overblown yet stay within the rules.

[@lwaves]

It is a core element of why the show works. Sometimes there's even a very simple solution but your brain gets tricked into thinking 'out there', so the obvious becomes the unobvious. My only real 'issue' with the show is that they pretty much stick to comedy related contestants (which is understandable). It would be nice to see them branch out from that a little more.

[@michaelcolbourn6719]

@@lwaves that's not completely true. They've had presenters (Richard, Mel), radio DJs (Alice), Actors, (Joe Thomas), poets (Tim Key). Comedians are funny though, Nd the show needs to be funny.

[@lwaves]

@Michael Colbourn Which is why I said pretty much not completely and also comedy related, not comedians. Just to be completely accurate, Richard and Mel are both known for being funny presenters, Alice co-hosts a well known comedy podcast called My Dad Wrote a Porno, Joe is primarily known for comedies and Tim Key's writing and poetry is largely comedy based, he's even won comedy awards for it. The two exceptions I can think of are Doc Brown and Paul Sinha. So yes they are all pretty much comedy related, so what I said is very true. :-) I'd just like to see some musicians, non-comedy actors, presenters or whoever. The tasks will bring out the comedy IMO, you don't need comedians to do that. None of them have played their comedy personas during the tasks, they've all pretty much been themselves for the most part.

[@michaelcolbourn6719]

@@lwaves the two exceptions you said are both comedians. Yeah it would bring out the comedy side, which is what I think this show did for the people above. For example Mel is a presenter, not a comedian, just a funny presenter. So this brought out her funny side. Bring on people who arent funny (or as you call it comedy related) they wont be funny. I dont see why you would choose people who arent known to be funny.

[@lwaves]

@Michael Colbourn They're comedians? I didn't know that as Taskmaster is the only thing I really know them from. I only vaguely knew Doc Brown as a rapper and Paul Sinha as a trivia person on The Chase and a GP (or maybe ex-GP). That makes every contestant comedy related then. The fact that you say Mel is a funny presenter backs up my point, same for Richard. They were both known for their funnies long before Taskmaster. Even if we take all your examples as non-comedians, they are still vastly outweighed by the comedians. If the show can bring out the humour from presenters etc, it can do it for others. You have no idea if the non-comedy related people will be funny or not. Just because they don't work in the comedy area doesn't mean they can't be funny as themselves. You don't need to be a comedian to have and show a great sense of humour, so I don't see why you would limit it to those known for being funny. To be clear, I'm not suggesting the comedians be ignored, I completely get why they are there and they should be there. I just think it would be nice to get folks in from other areas, even if they are still media related areas. Whether it will happen or not is another and a Channel 4 show might attract more names than a Dave show, I don't know. I guess we'll see.

[@OhLilacc]

My brain is so confused by him not wearing a suit 😂 it feels really strange

[@ThestuffthatSaralikes]

Whenever I see out of a suit there is always a fun printed top whether it’s bananas or flamingos. And GREAT socks… I wanna have a boozy karaoke night with Alex, Greg D, and Kathryn. Heaven.

[@pia91]

How is he ALWAYS so in character?😂😍

[@elfenf3uer]

alex horne in casual fun clothes??! greg was feeling lenient that day ;)

[@budle89]

I'm drawn out more and more everytime I saw Alex outside of Taskmaster. He put on quite a persona in TM that seeing other sides of him is a bit of a surprise.

[@crosita1]

I am the opposite, I keep recognizing certain mannerisms and things and going OOH that's not just a TM thing 😆

[@bluejadeblue]

i love that mark sent alex 200 quid,,, he's always doing the most when it comes to tasks

[@rowm8436]

I love the way British interview shows look it's like the aughts never ended for those guys

[@flala2261]

Lol! You’re So right & when indie music was still popular & t4 was still on channel 4 etc etc

[@delirium341]

"Funny people doing funny things, it should work" 😆

[@jasonbenjamin1464]

one episode on the cw doesn’t seem fair to gauge a response accurately... perhaps netflix could do it better or a more popular channel

[@buggyboogle9]

Alex is just such a lovely guy.

[@Ditcher2]

Taskmaster is amazing!! 10 more seasons please.

[@michaelsteele4267]

Chris Burn I hope they do another 16 so that’s 25 seasons after the 5th 10th 15th 20th 25th do a champion of champions then after season 25 it’s the ultimate champion of champions! It’s possible, they have done 9 series in 4 years! Let’s get behind it and bake this happen! Like to agree! Let’s get a thousand likes 😀👍

[@lwaves]

@Michael Steele I was thinking the same awhile back, wondering if they'd make it to a Champion Of Champion Of Champions. There's also only season 10 to go before the next Champions season, so I hope Channel 4 honour that.

[@michaelsteele4267]

I’m not from the UK, hopefully our tv network let’s us see it, I have seen all episodes so far. I think channel 4 can ditch 8 out if 10 cats does countdown as task master is way better

[@lwaves]

@Michael Steele I definitely think Taskmaster is better than Cats Does Countdown but that doesn't mean they need to ditch it. They can run both shows as it's still a funny show IMO, although I wish they'd cut the overlong talking bits at the start as it takes too long to get to the actual game part.

[@oblyviate]

Wasnt it just renewed for 6 more seasons? But moving channels

[@steveharrison3007]

After conch, Alex is my second favourite Horne. Flugel is my other.

[@justincoleman3805]

What is flugel cream?

[@alexanderrose1071]

Come on, Netflix. It makes sense that the show would fail in an American 30 minute show format. This show needs more time to breathe. Netflix being an 45-60 minutes with no ads would kill on there.

[@fenhen]

They’re showing the British version in the US soon! :)

[@adamarens3520]

I’m American and Taskmaster is beyond the broadcast executives understanding. It’s best as a British show that’s imported here and not bastardized by an American adaptation.

[@KusaneHexaku]

@@adamarens3520 It WAS already bastardised in the US, so that's why they're sticking with importing.

[@adamarens3520]

Kusane Hexaku ah I’m just finding clips now. I don’t have cable, I’m a streamer and never knew about the American version .

[@adamarens3520]

They_Call_Me_ Pebbles 😎 what can I say, cable tv cost way too much for most of the shows being what they are. The premium channels offer the best shows and I always have friends who gave me the streaming passwords. Most of Broadcast and cable are struggling for eyeballs these days.

[@georgem3270]

His brain works at incredible speed. Fantastic Alex Horne.

[@CyberBeep_kenshi]

It helped us getting through this pandemic. THANK YOU

[@MukulVermamukulverma]

It's soooo weird to see him without the suit

[@Rockaria23]

When is this Sunday Brunch from? Taskmaster has just finished Series 9 this year.

[@bromley001]

Seems a bit odd and random uploading a clip from 18 months ago.

[@andyrooiam]

taskmaster is going to air on channel four from now on,hence the plugging

[@bromley001]

@@andyrooiam Oh yeah, I know that, it's just the use of such an old clip, and its being uploaded now that I find odd.

[@Dextrovix-42]

@@andyrooiam It is going to be on C4 from now, but notice how at the end, Alex says "...always on Dave" so if C4 wanted to promote it for themselves, you'd link they'd edit out the last few seconds of audio!

[@lwaves]

@dextrovix Yeah, they start to fade it out but are a bit too late and only kind of catch the second one. I just hope C4 don't change the show or stifle it in anyway. Also, there's only one more series to go before the next Champion Of Champions, so I hope they keep that going and don't consider it a fresh start.

[@DankerTVTimeCapsule]

@@lwaves be slightly awkward if a Champions of Champions 2 occurs on C4. They could do a joke about them coming from the otherside.

[@gaygoc]

the flamingos! 🥺

[@SjogrenChristoffer]

Not only Hollywood, Stockholm as well! "Bäst i test"! haha great idea for a show but the original beats all!

[@justincoleman3805]

Little Alex Horne in the morning.

[@Mogatron]

Hadnt heard of the button, but now it isnt available anywhere :-(

[@corinnel8875]

A ton of episodes are on the official KZbin channel!

[@captainblacktail8137]

New one out around noon (US Eastern) every thursday.

[@TikTok-lu7eu]

Season 43 is gonna be awesome

[@cheerfulcharlie9916]

“It should work” … famous last words 🥴

[@lumo]

Hang on, when was that? Early 2018?

[@omarcolombo3954]

love the showw

[@CYDeviant]

The kerning of the logo made me think it was 'Sunday Brundh'

[@cian2944]

Lovejoy steals a living 😂

[@mariellehamming5756]

Wait, there is actually a channel called Dave?! All this time I thought it was just someone trying to be funny. It’s mildly infuriating that I never saw the connection with the KZbin channel Dave and Dave being an actual channel

[@beeble2003]

Yes. It was originally called UK Gold Classics; had a couple of other names and became Dave in 2007.

[@mariellehamming5756]

Thank you! You are kind.

[@davimurph]

@@beeble2003 If the Channel hadn't been renamed, there's a chance we could be watching QIXL on UKTVG2+1HD

[@richardlloyd2589]

I always assumed this was the TV version of “I’m sorry I haven’t a clue.”

[@MrSceneNine]

I wouldn't be surprised if it had been an inspirations.

[@TierAsche]

5:01 that clap gotta be a Gary lmao

[@ballconei]

I love Taskmaster and old clips from shit daytime cooking shows.

[@stephengilmore2741]

How dare you!!! This shit cooking show is on in the morning-time.

[@Arkanaax]

Hang on, this is from 2018? Season 9 just finished airing at the end of this year.

[@Darkens101]

Channel 4 probably reposted this when they got the rights to TM for future series

[@hannahl8]

Love Simon's Morrissey reference

[@missyevitt8150]

Dave is a channel?

[@k_tara]

Yes

[@junemcdonald4892]

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️🤣🤣

[@DankerTVTimeCapsule]

i do miss the button. Hopefully this could become dave's replacement.

[@MrBrownnn696]

I live Alex haha very funny…

[@salmonesque]

How the fuck did those two ever get a presenting job?

[@jonjon9047]

Imagine being talented and creative and being interviewed by these bland muppets.

[@subplantant]

These are some of the worst it has to be said

[@mbate2253]

This is coming to US tv? I can stop watching all the episodes on KZbin as they are uploaded. Merry Christmas to me!

[@jeezuschryst]

They actually made a us version with reggie watts as the taskmaster. unfortunately it's edited to 30 minute episodes and it's not nearly as good

[@mbate2253]

@@jeezuschryst I like Reggie watts but I can't picture him pulling it off as well as Greg and Alex. Thanks for the info though.

[@samantha7549]

they are all available in Dailymotion

[@gsvalhalla]

At one point the US version was uploaded to youtube, but it's not as good as the UK version. The prize task basically doesn't exist and Reggie isn't the imposing, authoritative character that Greg Davis does so well which helps to make the show run so well.

[@justincoleman3805]

Why is he off his leash?

[@theyruinedyoutubeagain]

It's funny how the juxtaposition makes it obvious how Alex is in a league of his own comedy wise

[@gd7681]

In Taskmaster, they need to be more specific with the “no touching” rule that they often use. If you use a handkerchief to hold an untouchable object, you’re technically not touching it but it feels like it wouldn’t be in the spirit of the game. Where do you draw the line about what’s okay to use “without touching”?

[@morganga]

The Taskmaster draws the lines wherever he feels like at the time.

[@whynotanyting]

TIL there's a US version of Taskmaster, and as expected, it barely holds a candle to the British version. Made me realize just how integral a character like Greg Davies is to the show and his interaction with Alex Horne. Also, I can't pinpoint exactly why, but the humor is just lackluster. Maybe if the show wasn't edited down to just 20 minutes per episode there would be more time for funnier jokes, but we don't get that.

[@stevegreen5552]

I put a significant part down to the personalities of the contestants. The "win at all costs" and confrontational personas in the US show I saw are incompatible with what makes the show work. One can do one's best and foul up, but that's okay (for the viewer, funny failure beats boring success) and by taking it on the chin and coming fresh to the next task, that endears you to the viewer. Nastiness, unnecessary rudeness and blaming others is not the way to go. I've watched Norwegian (with subtitles), New Zealand and Australian versions. Yes, the presenters may not be Greg & Alex, but it's unimportant that they are different provided they control the show and have a degree of humour. The tasks are good and the contestants "get it". I've had some good laughs. I enjoyed season 1 of the Norwegian version and reliance on the subtitles didn't detract from that; I'd like to see more.

[@kevinw712]

ALEX: "So it [Taskmaster US] SHOULD work." NARRATOR: "It did not work." yeah, I'm an American myself, and hoo boy did that not work (thru little to no fault of Alex, tho)

[@flala2261]

They should get The Inbetweeners on an episode of Taskmaster

[@THEAWP_Official]

He said his over 6 foot 4 but he is just below 5 little Alex horne

[@jamespollard4866]

I get the impression that Lovejoy and Rimmer are only kept on because they'd whine like petulant teenagers if they were given the boot.

[@CouldBeSaladFingers]

:o

[@jimboindamix6232]

I'd like to point out that the Americans are butchering their version of the show. They need to put comedians in

[@SweetLoveTarot]

Didn't he say they used comics?

[@jimboindamix6232]

@@SweetLoveTarot how do you mean? I don't recall

[@SweetLoveTarot]

@@jimboindamix6232 In the interview when asked about the Taskmaster show starting in Hollywood Alex said "It's 5 comics"

[@jimboindamix6232]

@@SweetLoveTarot they have comedic actors rather than comedian's so in my opinion the American version has a kind of fakeness to it. It really shows if u watch the whole thing

[@SweetLoveTarot]

@@jimboindamix6232 I haven't seen the American Version. but if they screw it up as badly as Red Dwarf I can't expect much.

[@georgiegan]

The US version is so shit. Part of the success of Taskmaster is the quality of the contestants, on the UK version its all the funniest comedians in UK, the US version is just a bunch of random people.

[@beeble2003]

They said they found it very hard to get people for series 1 in the UK, because nobody knew what it was and everyone feared that the show would mostly be about humiliating them. It wasn't until Frank Skinner agreed that the concept gained enough credibility to succeed. Maybe they had the same problem in the US, and didn't get a Frank Skinner.

[@1337menno]

@@beeble2003 No, Americans are just not as funny in general. No banter whatsoever

[@nation5743]

@@1337menno Yeah

[@TheCyberSpidey]

@@1337menno pretty much this, lol. I've seen the danish version (Stormester) and they lift heavily from the British version - even the 'little Alex horne' in high pitched voice but it just works. The contestants are hilarious, their onstage banter is lovely and the studio segments have plenty of interaction between the contestants and Taskmaster + his sidekick. A lot of haggling over points even. I don't understand danish very well but it's still amusing. American TM is just horrendous.

[@SourCherryBerry]

American one did not work

[@ThestuffthatSaralikes]

That’s because our “sense of humor” is SO flat compared to the Brits. We are just so easily offended and haven’t really ever learned how to “take the piss outta someone” the way they do. I really only watch Brit comedy…

[@KitagumaIgen]

Cut down on the fake-laughing...

[@marcuscross8051]

Thumb up if you're watching this while wearing trousers

[@marcuscross8051]

@@MagicMikey1 That's Christmas time for you

[@annother3350]

👎🏼

[@ThestuffthatSaralikes]

Thumbs up if you’re NOT wearing trousers whilst watching…👍🏻

[@murielkramer7674]

I always thought it was just the British Knockoff of 'Kongen befaler', the OG Norwegian Taskmaster

[@MisterAppleEsq]

Other way around, Kongen Befaler is a licensed version of the UK Taskmaster.

[@murielkramer7674]

@@MisterAppleEsq Ah okay, kudos to Alex for inspiring so many other countries to copy his format!

[@sharshabiel]

wtf is a christian name... you mean first name

[@dizzlebizzle8424]

I really wanted the American version to succeed, but I hated the cast. all the top American comedians are truth speakers but because they couldn't cast the best they got lower grade comics, which is a group inundated with unfunny leftists or blackballed righties.

[@michaelclayton1827]

"Comedian" with task master is a VERY LOOSE term!