Taskmaster's Biggest Fails & Stupid Mistakes (Part 1)

Unfortunately things don't always go the way you plan them to... which is very entertaining for us. Here are some of Taskmaster's best task fails.
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In this Broadcast Award-winning, BAFTA and Emmy Award-nominated entertainment show, Taskmaster tyrant Greg Davies (Man Down, Cuckoo), with the help of his loyal assistant Alex Horne (The Horne Section and the show’s creator), sets out to test the wiles, wit and wisdom of five hyper-competitive comedians.
Comedians that have risked life, limb, and dignity in the hope of making the Taskmaster proud so far include: Frank Skinner (The Frank Skinner Show), Mel Giedroyc (The Great British Bake Off), Romesh Ranganathan (Asian Provocateur), Hugh Dennis (Outnumbered), Sally Phillips (Bridget Jones’ Diary), Rose Matafeo (Edinburgh Comedy Award Winner 2018), and Russell Howard (The Russell Howard Hour). Unaware of what awaits them in each wax-sealed envelope, only one competitor can become the victorious owner of His Royal Task-ness’ golden head and be crowned the next Taskmaster Champion.

[@Audiodump]

Part 1 of 63.

[@yoyu8641]

You misspelled series

[@annabelaitken2600]

@@yoyu8641 Lol 😂

[@qjustleft3427]

You could have gone for that sweet 69,so close.

[@Audiodump]

@@qjustleft3427 69 implies some level of success.

[@ObsidianGloria]

One can only hope for so much Taskmaster content

[@willbill6449]

Phil Wang in that tracksuit still haunts my dreams

[@alotofthings22]

Phil Wang's wang still phils your dreams.

[@fredsmith-kingofthelunatic7810]

My therapist has just upped the does of my meds, I'm still working through the trauma of the yellow jump suit, particularly when hula-hooping.

[@rontanamo_bae]

@@fredsmith-kingofthelunatic7810 I hope it gets better mate, good luck my thought be with you and your PTSD.

[@zyaicob]

Phil's Wang

[@emmacheese6107]

Yes

[@louis559]

"He's eaten his own child, which is an act of..." "h-hap-happiness"

[@SeventhEve]

James Acaster's choking on his first hula attempt was an even bigger tragedy than Joe Wilkinson's potato hole-in-one.

[@James_taylor810]

Big call

[@StanSays]

He won the task though

[@gharbihamza4370]

No

[@Edhelvar]

Acaster's more tragic, Wilkinson's more heartbreaking because of the reaction.

[@uniquerebeljaney3639]

No, Joe's was devastating.

[@jenniferbloomfield3656]

"It doesn't matter how ornate the grandfather clock is, the pendulum draws the eye" think is has to be the best line ever! 😂😂😂

[@MinekEzQM]

It made it to the episode title. :) For me the best line is Rhod's little stung "... the Escaped Easter Island monument - you called the Taskmaster."

[@joegreenslade7577]

Ian's "You may not touch the sand, well I've done that. You may not move the bucket, done that. You may not leave the room f**k it let's do that as well" better be in the next video

[@JossieMimo]

Forgot about that one. That definitely deserves being in part 2.

[@bambam2686]

Did one of the contestants fall of the stage on an episode i think itwas either Sally Phillip's or Jessica

[@JossieMimo]

@@bambam2686 That's Jessica, but she actually won that task because her walk was the best, so not really a fail.

[@bambam2686]

@@JossieMimo lol oh yea ty that was funny glad she was ok

[@RickeGnool]

That one was so good.

[@Jayk-kz7sh]

List of fails that are definitely candidates for a part 2: - “Without moving the fishbowls” - Hugh’s fat bald white man - Russell Howard’s big announcement - Roisin failing to eat any melon in a minute

[@Tellysayhi]

The egg task that was so easy everyone was able to do it sasily

[@The_Xman8]

Joe Wilkinson throwing the potato in the hole in one take only to realize in the replay that a millimeter of his shoe was on the red green. I also have to add James Acaster is single handedly my favorite contestant in Taskmaster history.

[@logan_page]

Jess falling off of the stage while NOT blindfolded

[@JossieMimo]

Aisling's bread cutting is also a candidate.

[@emilygleeson2018]

Remember the make the most circles on this circle that Jess completely missed that there was a time limit until there was like 30 seconds left? Or throwing the coconut that had 3 epic fails? Bob messing up the throw, Nish's coconut rolling back to him, and Mark getting all the way to the river before stepping on the ground and rendering his attempt null and void

[@jadeyxboox]

"I've had a fit of rage and the Weetabix has been compromised" is such an excellent sentence 😂

[@_HGT_]

Yeah 😂

[@Virdeus]

James' hula heartbreak belongs in a different video; "Most Devastating Taskmaster Moments" along with Mark Watson's Cheeky Texts, Aisling Bea's missed country handshake and, OF COURSE, Joe Wilkinson's illegal potato chuck.

[@chelseawildflowerloftinwey1945]

agreed

[@finsmylie8382]

Ian's volcano belongs in that one too

[@Babyteef]

Can we add Johnny Vegas’ card tower

[@annika066]

Gregs ruling on Hughs ringtone dance belongs there as well

[@ytisfulloffreaks4189]

You Taskmaster fans have always been weird? Eh...

[@___jd]

"He's eaten his own child, which is an act of?" "Hap- happiness." lmao

[@nommyyt]

The things that come out of Alex's mouth when he's caught off guard. I think this is up there with "I owned a cat that was owned by Dali."

[@ThisCharmingMan1984]

@@nommyyt And don’t forget his incredible line: “It’s tight at the bottom…as mummy used to say” I love it when you only realise, half way through a sentence, that you actually have no idea where you were planning to go, when you began; your mouth just takes over, and says something that your brain would usually have prevented, if you’d had a chance to actually think about it first haha.

[@cassindra438]

when the volcano flopped though after he announced his wishes of joining rhe champions of champions i felt his sadness

[@AlwaysAPotterhead]

You can see the pain in his eyes 😂

[@simontay4851]

But why did it fail?

[@GiovanniBoss]

@@simontay4851 Why wouldn't it? He needed a much smaller choke point so the gas produced would "launch" properly, for starters.

[@julier92]

I think he also used regular coke. You need diet for the best reaction. Sugar inhibits the reaction and aspertame increases it. Regular coke will react, but not as spectacularly. Mythbusters tried many combos back in the day and proved why diet is best

[@GiovanniBoss]

@@julier92 True, Diet Coke works a lot better than regular. Thanks for pointing that out.

[@cvde95]

I've always been so confused before why Iain's volcano didn't work but now I see the puddles to the side of his volcano I think the coke all seeped out during his epic speech.

[@JT-xj1pg]

Also you need to throw the mentos as fast as the bottle is open because the reaction needs the CO2 of the soda for it to works

[@taryth.]

Pouring the coke out was the biggest mistake, just leaving the bottle inside the tube would have been fine.

[@Tconl]

Too much space/air inside, no real funnel.

[@nahblue]

Normally, the mentos agitate the cola to release its CO2, here it was agitated by just being poured out already.

[@tstratt2]

Also, it needs to be diet coke. They'll react a bit to regular coke, but the aspartame in diet coke is what causes the huge reaction

[@MichaelCoombes776]

Romesh descent from "OK, I've got a plan" to "mild annoyance" to "swearing and shouting at teabags" was hilarious. That and "I've just realised I should probably wet them". But then he gets on in and it's like he's the champion of the world. This is why I love Taskmaster.

[@michaelccozens]

If I were Romesh, I think I might have argued Frank's cardboard-assisted throws. The instructions were to throw a teabag into a mug, not to throw a teabag and then have it slide into a mug. And, really, is it a true TaskMaster task if it doesn't involve at least some petty bickering over semantics? Lol

[@PaolaEnergya]

I really hope we get to see the deleted tasks one day - like the tie-breaker tasks and other stuff that is edited out

[@kisbie]

There have been a few tasks that weren’t shown at all. Alex tried really hard to get a ‘pop the most bubble wrap bubbles’ challenge in the first few series but each and every time it was felt too dull to bother showing. There is also a vid on KZbin of a deleted task from series 5 where they had to build a base and cast a flag.

[@brandond.7228]

​@@kisbie I hope they do a physical release. I would love to have my hands on a bluray copy and potentially have the deleted tasks/tie breaks as extras.

[@AlwaysAPotterhead]

Brandon D. Would love for things like the boxed sets and the board game to be sold in the States tho I haven’t a clue how actually feasible that’ll be

[@CaptNaptastic]

I've been wanting a compilation of all of the tie breakers for awhile. Lol

[@logan_page]

Jess falling off of the stage while NOT blindfolded will definitely be in part 2.

[@sparo_splat]

Looking forward to seeing Lolly's "without moving the fishbowls". Or Roisin's watermelon task. Edit: also Joe and Jon's balls on the hill task.

[@squalloogal]

What about Roisin NOT riding a horse and painting it? The girls are great.

[@GuanoLad]

Jessica's fall.

[@TheHutchy01]

That's certainly one way of phrasing it. It makes it sound like we saw more than Wang's wang.

[@Kernel15]

Aisling Bea's can stacking task. Short and sweet

[@MikeDCWeld]

It's not Roisin's fault they didn't provide a melon buffet!

[@emilyche1101]

Iain's tribute volcano fail was so funny all with "genuinely don't want to talk about it". Mel touching EVERYTHING at egg moving task is candidate for next one.

[@kaijohnson3730]

The comment Skinner makes about wetting the teabags with Ranganathan's immediate cut is the greatest editing I've seen since being born, top notch!

[@motelghost477]

The best part of Ian's volcano failure is when he runs for cover so he doesn't get injured in the blast.

[@LittleGrandpaSimpson]

- Watching all seasons chronologically, - Watching individual tasks randomly, - Watching best moments of individual contestants. Me: I guess there is no other way to enjoy the same bits all over again... This channel: Hold my beer.

[@Awelbeckk]

The channel drinks beer ?????

[@aquilegia9734]

Surely, Ed Gamble not realizing that he was throwing a bouncy rubber egg was a much bigger and more spectacular fail than David Baddiel's attempt at that task??

[@Adrianovaz2007]

I love Baddiel's fail because it was caused mainly by Jo's lazy and to the point approach, and iirc she nabbed what, 4 points in that one didn't she?

[@calumburgess-wylie4316]

The best part of David's attempt is Ed's excitement when the egg turns back towards the line, perfect after their show animosity earlier

[@zyaicob]

Greg: "It's such a shame I've gotta take his first attempt" Rhod, ever the pragmatist: "Maybe just take his second attempt, I would suggest"

[@mrmalone9157]

Nothing was more sad than Joe’s toe touching the line, letting the poor man celebrate like he never has before then watch him beg for the points, genuinely heartbreaking!

[@dougswamprat5275]

Sometimes it doesn't matter how ornate the grandfather clock is, the pendulum draws the eye... will be the greatest analogy for Phil's yellow jumpsuit.

[@keanee]

No Jess Knappett falling off the stage??!?

[@jlust6660]

That was kind of a win considering she fell due to her bomb ass walk which was a part of the challenge

[@keanee]

Jakob Lust I guess she got the bonus point!

[@logan_page]

It'll probably be in part 2

[@oddaudio6646]

I thought the same thing... especially right after it had been asked how they would not fall off the stage & pointed out the blindfolds would NOT be on during the walk, so this shouldn't be a concern.

[@Koko-pm4qq]

Hilarious ngl

[@doing_aok]

james’s hula hoop success will hurt to no end

[@DieNextInLINE]

I absolutely would have accepted Phil's great answer of Homer writing the Iliad. He could have even said his story drew inspiration from Kronos!

[@ruthviknadiger9205]

How is the legendary "Bastard's crying innit" not included in this?

[@Pashizzle500]

That was a masterpiece not a failure

[@kcolloran]

@Taylor The way Paul Choudhury was definitely wrong. But so charming, innit?

[@sfshinz]

Work of Art, innit.

[@partlyironic]

James’ hula hooping fiasco seriously had me screaming at the tele, finally understanding people who like sports.

[@explosiveramennoodles]

I hope Aisling's "loaf of bread *in the lab* " moment is in here EDIT: It wasn't, but these are all just as good, so I'm happy with it

[@cdmonmcginn7561]

or rhod gilberts glasses one

[@lancingknight]

Or James' circle task

[@tessbolick6605]

@@lancingknight my eyes are circles

[@MinekEzQM]

I'm still wondering if there was a knife hidden in the caravan loaf. Knowing Alex - there might have been.

[@ytisfulloffreaks4189]

Weirdo eh

[@therranolleo468]

the red carpet potato fail HAS to make it to part 2, that one just broke my heart

[@tobyb1018]

These clips are all great but my favourite moment is when Greg turns to Alex to finish the sentence re the ogres story “which is an act of..” and Alex panics and says “happiness “

[@721deco8]

"It doesn't matter sometimes how ornate the grandfather clock is, the pendulum draws the eye" One of my favs

[@PJSproductions97]

The teabag task was the first time I realized this show was more about outside-the-box thinking and not making assumptions than just being arbitrarily good at inane things.

[@ClipCrew]

"He's eaten his own child, which is an act of... Ha- Happiness"

[@hayreddinbarbarossa661]

When are we going to get a compilation of all the extra tasks individuals are given that the others don't have to do?

[@Friendlysociopath]

For anyone who feels bad for James and the Hula-Hoop bit- IIRC Greg *does* actually still make him the winner somehow because he believes James actually practiced while he doubted the other guy so much as touched one since the first part of the task.

[@heatherwhited5735]

The other guy?! That sir is Phillip Wang, and he is a consummate haggler.

[@Friendlysociopath]

@@heatherwhited5735 I couldn't remember if it was Wang or Wong and didn't want to be Wrong.

[@hunbi1875]

@@Friendlysociopath its not wrong. its wang.

[@thewanderingmistnull2451]

The task was who improved the most adn during their first attempt James clearly had a lower negative growth than Phillip since they lasted about the same time but Phillip's initial performance was so much longer.

[@kevinw712]

well done for including just one David Baddiel bit as this could've literally been just him.

[@wiiuandmii7619]

Before watching the video: Any water cooler moment that was not Sally's. Noel's impressive throw. "Without moving the fishbowls." Roisin not eating a melon. Will edit later to check for correctness. Edit: ...maybe in part two?

[@squalloogal]

Still would love to see a Best of the Worst competition. Could you imagine? They’re all so entertaining. There should be two prizes, the winner of that series and a opposite of champions trophy, the worst of the worst, bottom of the pile brilliance. ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Love them so much.

[@steved8193]

I'd love a compilation of people completely misreading (or forgetting limitations on) tasks, such as Aisling cutting the loaf in the wrong room.

[@jfarrmhouse]

And cutting herself repeatedly while doing it! 😆 Would like to think Alex would have stopped her from, at the very least, MULTIPLE cuts, had she went to the proper area 😆

[@JohnSmithShields]

Without moving the bowls.

[@Halinspark]

​@@JohnSmithShieldsDara holding the milk jugs.

[@zyaicob]

Phil Wang's story task fills me with great joy.

[@homagetogorto]

I love it when the contestants mistake game items for snacks. Like Mel eating Alex’s dinner, or when they were told not to eat chocolate but they did anyway.

[@ytisfulloffreaks4189]

They weren't told not to eat it lmao They just didn't read it so

[@omniscient.nescience]

Ed and David's "Draw a picture on the back of your opponent should be here!"

[@whip-poor-wont]

"What's happened here is, I've had a bit of the ol' fit of rage" Relatable

[@octoBadger]

How was Phil's oral tradition story a fail? Solid win in my book, the guy's a genius (yeah, ok he missed the pen and paper, but composing in his brain is arguably more impressive). I love Phil and his oh-so-prominent Wang

[@doom3798]

if any phil moment was going to be in this video, it shouldve been ‘A LIME’

[@maiarostved]

I will never get over James failing the hula hoop challenge in the studio. I felt so bad for him

[@wystxrr]

the fact that there are multiple parts to this says enough, i love this show so much

[@laurenjcoates]

Joe Wilkinson stepping on the line... when you realize for the first time what’s happened, it’s just soul-crushing

[@stevenlowdon7786]

David Baddiel’s “I’d like to point out I was the only one not to get a round of applause”.

[@gromcom]

My favourite fail has to be Nish immediately breaking his egg on the 'toss the egg through the basketball hoop task'.

[@DanGolag]

And him trying to lob a coconut, hitting a pylon, and having it roll back to him.

[@TrevorCopter]

The thing about David’s rubber egg is that it probably would’ve rolled back into the safe zone if he hadn’t freaked out 😂😂

[@CamAlmeida]

The real part 1 was that video of Alex's attempts to get a greeting from James.

[@joebleasdale5557]

Iain Stirling wanting to be a champion of champions and then producing THAT wet fart of a volcano just about sums up the fact that an actual champion of champions never ASPIRES TO BE a champion of champions.

[@dion789]

Katherine, Kerry and Lou did. They were the most competitive ones in their groups. They were in it for the win rather than the fun.

[@no_peace]

You gotta want it

[@iliketrains3495]

Nah, because... Ed Gamble exists.

[@user-mn1wn9mh2q]

"It's not how grand the grandfather clock is, the pendulum draws the eye"😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@jess228]

I always sit through the ads for Taskmaster's channel. What can I say, I'm a hero.

[@haleycarpenter7606]

Phil’s giggle at 4:57 is adorable ☺️

[@Sunprism]

If anyone is wondering, the reason Iain's volcano didn't work was because he poured the cola out of the bottle, thereby releasing too much of the carbonation

[@dimensionalremi]

i hope in the next part of this we get mawaan trying to fill an egg with helium. genuinely made me laugh just thinking about it now

[@Onionjellysarcasm]

I hope Jessica Knappet’s circle-drawing failure is on the next list. Always makes me laugh

[@katekrauss112]

Gotta be the most spectacular walk/fall.

[@Tafyra]

James Acaster’s elevator task better be in here (I haven’t finished the video)

[@Yashirmare]

No-one gonna mention how genius Frank's use of the cardboard box was?

[@keithgraham8588]

I have a suggestion for when you do compilation videos. Maybe put the series and episode number so people can go back and watch episodes they might have missed.

[@PortsTM]

Love how the opening shot is just Paul separating the plastic walls with the phrase in his head being "I'm ready!"

[@rageagainstmyhairline5574]

No-one pointed out it's _DIET_ coke to him lol.

[@GiovanniBoss]

It also works with regular coke, just not as well.

[@aquilegia9734]

I think the more obvious mistake was wasting loads of time between opening the cola bottle and throwing the mentos in!

[@rageagainstmyhairline5574]

@@GiovanniBoss The reaction he was going for is Diet Coke, though. That's like saying steel is combustible, just not as much as potassium. While you're teaching a science class about combustible metals. And have given the students a strip of steel to get the potassium reaction to fire. Yes, I edited this. Yes, it's long-winded and a dubious metaphor; but goddamn it, I've had five beers and I feel like being pompous and stupid at the same time.

[@GiovanniBoss]

@@rageagainstmyhairline5574 Weird analogy, and a bit of an over exaggerated one, but I see your point. It would still have worked well if he had a decent choke point and, as Aquilegia said above, haven't wasted the carbon dioxide.

[@dansmart3182]

Also the shape of the bottle helps shoot out the cola.

[@davidhoward437]

The Homer reference was brilliant!

[@blackrocket4382]

We need to see potato tossing in another part, that was just so heartbreaking

[@TraitorsEra]

11 months later: Still waiting for a part 2

[@katiehouston2960]

David Baddiel annoying Ed Gamble during the live task is my favourite and it saddens me that it isn't here

[@squalloogal]

Phil Wang...Nish...Roisin...Rose... so many epically wondrous fails. This could be a series on its own.

[@jk7690]

the volcano was truly heartbreaking. He put so much effort into it haha

[@slothfulcobra]

they really should've juxtaposed frank skinner being great at throwing teabags with his video of impressively standing up backwards

[@michaelscott9325]

My favourite part of the week is Thursday when a taskmaster episode airs on KZbin. This show is amazing

[@tbz1551]

Romesh at the end celebrating a failure becoming slightly less failure-ish. 😂

[@lottewinter8831]

All these Taskmaster videos are just what I need

[@HarlequinSkin]

I hope that Mel's meltdown in the task "Move an egg into an eggcup, without touching the two" is added to Part 2. They were advised that each item they touched could add 2 minutes.. and Mel immediately touched every single item.

[@HarlequinSkin]

@soiung toiue Yep, S4 E2

[@nikbol43below]

I'm still mad about that James Acaster one. He was so good at hula hooping!

[@Dabbtrabb]

You missed the key point to the tea bag task, the epic Box rant!! And all the box jokes that followed.

[@keiraroberts2113]

James Acaster’s This Is My Best Noise task should be in here. 😂

[@mylatahiri2572]

So quickly I forgot the video title and really expected that first volcano to be epic

[@Miranda-yw8il]

" that will collapse, that will collapse, it WILL collapse"

[@sophiad348]

I am convinced that the guy in the thumbnail is the love child of Greg and Alex

[@whatyousaidbud]

Even though this is a fail reel, I fully expected the volcano to be spectacular!!

[@flamingowilliams9664]

This is such wholesome fun x

[@williambarnes5023]

"Throw the teabag into the mug from the furthest distance." Alright, I'm gonna need one of those tee shirt cannons, and a reaaaaaally big mug.

[@levimcglinchey5843]

I love that Iain is the thumbnail.

[@heatherwhited5735]

Phil is so damn goofy and I definitely want to marry him just a little bit.

[@simontay4851]

"...and I definitely want to marry him just a little bit." I would've thought a lot with that big bulge.

[@heatherwhited5735]

Ah well 😉

[@MegaFastbro]

I love how the people in the background of the series 5 task don't question what's happening

[@iliketrains3495]

15:10 *Aisling Bea has entered the chat*

[@karinhammarsten9264]

the hula hoop clip is genuinely heartbreaking to watch

[@Madfattdeeb]

Thank you for this video. I needed some funny 😊

[@123Sunshinexox]

Frank Skinner’s reverse push-up!!!

[@pontifexcellence6648]

Ian’s ‘vol’ and ‘cano’ argument is actually fairly sensible.

[@lottewinter8831]

Part two should have Noel Fielding playing hide and seek, Hugh Denis's 'fat bald white man' drawing and Tim Key's horse/rat

[@chelseawildflowerloftinwey1945]

Mel getting up close to the canvas and painting a gibbon

[@emolgana]

if we're talking "most heartbreaking moments" def joe touching the red green in the potato golf task

[@mylahobbit1815]

this is great! can't believe y'all didn't include 'there was no box' on the last one though

[@Mr_Grimbley]

Dammit! I'm watching Taskmaster videos I've seen multiple times yet again!

[@13strong]

This needs to be updated with Katherine Parkinson putting wellies on the table legs and calling it a spider.

[@doom3798]

ian: that’ll go up like a christmas narrator: unfortunately, it did not go up like a christmas

[@JHnat]

Where is Iain's can't touch the bucket, I've done that and so on and so forth? That had me in stitches.