The Taskmaster effect: How a gameshow became the comedian’s golden ticket

  • 📰 i newspaper
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 71 sec. here
  • 3 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 32%
  • Publisher: 89%

United Kingdom Headlines News

United Kingdom Latest News,United Kingdom Headlines

Up-and-coming comedians aren't focused on creating the next big sitcom or being on Live at the Apollo, as they would have a decade ago. No, they all wanted a spot on Taskmaster

Up-and-coming comedians aren't focused on creating the next big sitcom or being on Live at the Apollo, as they would have a decade ago. No, they all wanted a spot on Taskmastermarks is one of the biggest moments of their career. After all, who wouldn’t want to spend a few weeks destroying cakes, solving riddles, and painting a picture of a horse while riding a horse? Sounds like a hoot.hall of fame: it can make you a star.

I’m not surprised. It’s hard to imagine James Acaster having the profile he does without his chaotic appearance on the show, the funniest moments of which have been packaged up in a 15-minute YouTube compilation watched more than five million times.

The original UK show has been sold to 94 different countries, while full episodes are now released to the 1.4 million subscribers of the official Taskmaster channel one day after they air domestically. There’s a particular interest in the US; it was New York, not London, where the series 17 premiere was held last week.

Viewers don’t love the show because it might make people more famous – they love it because it’s fun. “Probably the most fun I’ve ever had”, as Smith-Bynoe puts it. With their guards down, the comics can flaunt their improvisational muscles, while also displaying that elusive trait lusted after by modern society: authenticity.

Before Taskmaster, Smith-Bynoe had dreamed of starring in his own live improv show, but he “wasn’t really sure how or where to start” – or if anyone cared. Post-Taskmaster, they definitely did. Smith-Bynoe created Kool Story Bro, an improv show he’s bringing back to London’s Theatre Royal Stratford East this summer. That summer after Taskmaster, he performed the show for the first time at the Edinburgh Fringe, its three-night run in a 265-seat venue selling out well in advance.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 8. in UK

United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Championship football live: How to watch games live on Sky Sports and free match highlightsHere is how you can watch Sky Bet Championship matches live across Sky Sports in March and April as well as free match highlights throughout the season.
Source: SkySports - 🏆 58. / 63 Read more »

Premier League Darts: Luke Littler, Michael van Gerwen, Michael Smith and Luke Humphries in actionLive updates and live commentary from Premier League Darts as the 2024 tournament hits Brighton.
Source: SkySports - 🏆 58. / 63 Read more »

LIVE Cavan v Fermanagh; Cork v Armagh score updates from Allianz Football League Division Two gamesFermanagh need to defeat Cavan and hope that Louth don't defeat Kildare in order to stay in Division Two
Source: BelfastLive - 🏆 16. / 77 Read more »

Live Premier League football on Sky Sports - plus more fixtures, games, dates, kick-off timesAll the live football on Sky Sports, including key clashes in the Championship, WSL and the Premier League this weekend...
Source: SkySports - 🏆 58. / 63 Read more »

Live Premier League football on Sky Sports - plus more fixtures, games, dates, kick-off timesAll the live football on Sky Sports, including key clashes in the Championship, WSL and the Premier League this weekend...
Source: SkySportsNews - 🏆 60. / 63 Read more »

Live Premier League football on Sky Sports - plus more fixtures, games, dates, kick-off timesAll the live football on Sky Sports, including key clashes in the Championship, WSL and the Premier League this weekend...
Source: SkySports - 🏆 58. / 63 Read more »