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Taskmaster Australia
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| Taskmaster Australia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Also known as | Taskmaster |
| Genre | Comedy Panel game |
| Created by | Alex Horne |
| Developed by | Cam Bakker |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by |
|
| Presented by | Tom Gleeson Tom Cashman |
| Theme music composer | The Horne Section |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| No. of series | 4 |
| No. of episodes | 40 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers | |
| Producer | Cam Bakker |
| Production locations | Sydney, Australia (S1, S2, S4, S5, S6 studio filming) Melbourne, Australia (S3 studio filming) North Auckland, New Zealand (task filming) |
| Running time | 47 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Network 10 |
| Release | 2 February 2023 – present |
| Related | |
| Taskmaster (British TV series) Taskmaster New Zealand | |
Taskmaster Australia is an Australian comedy panel game show first broadcast on Network 10 on 2 February 2023.[3] Based on the British show Taskmaster created by comedian Alex Horne, the program revolves around a group of five celebrities – mainly comedians – attempting to complete a series of challenges, judged by the "Taskmaster", Tom Gleeson, and accompanied by his assistant, comedian Tom Cashman, frequently referred to as "Lesser Tom".[4]
The show's first season was broadcast in early 2023, and the second and third seasons aired in 2024.[5][6][7] Season four was filmed in late 2024 and premiered on 27 March 2025.[8] Season five was filmed in March 2025 and a sixth season has been confirmed.[9]
Format
[edit]Taskmaster is a comedic panel show where five contestants compete in the completion of tasks set by "The Taskmaster" (Tom Gleeson) and umpired by the "Taskmaster's Assistant" (Tom Cashman). The tasks can involve physical, creative and lateral thinking skills.
Following the format of the British version, in each episode contestants compete for five prizes that they have brought in, along a theme that they are ranked against for points. Three pre-recorded tasks—completed separately by each contestant (or occasionally in teams)—are shown and judged in the studio by The Taskmaster. Tasks are filmed within the Taskmaster Retreat, with the areas including The Lounge, The Kitchen, The Lab and The Caravan. A final live task takes place in the studio. As well as winners within each episode, one contestant becomes the winner of the series and takes home a trophy modelled after The Taskmaster's head.
Cast
[edit]In the studio, other than while attempting the live task, the contestants sit on a row of chairs in alphabetical order of forename from left to right.
- Key
- * Series champion
| Season | Year | Seating | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | ||
| 1 | 2023 | Danielle Walker * | Jimmy Rees | Julia Morris | Luke McGregor | Nina Oyama |
| 2 | 2024 | Anne Edmonds | Jenny Tian | Josh Thomas | Lloyd Langford * | Wil Anderson |
| 3 | Aaron Chen * | Concetta Caristo | Mel Buttle | Peter Helliar | Rhys Nicholson | |
| 4 | 2025 | Dave Hughes | Emma Holland * | Lisa McCune | Takashi Wakasugi | Tommy Little |
| 5 | 2026 | Anisa Nandaula | Brett Blake | Celia Pacquola | Joel Creasey | Rove McManus |
Production
[edit]The Taskmaster franchise was conceived by Alex Horne and first televised in Britain, where Horne plays the Taskmaster's Assistant. The British version debuted in 2015.[10] Confirmation of an Australian version was announced in October 2022, to be produced by Avalon Television (the British production company) with New Zealand-based Kevin & Co. for Network 10.[1][11][12] This is the first Kevin & Co. production outside New Zealand.
The pre-recorded tasks were filmed in the same house and grounds, Jennie Hu's[13] Boutique Venue[14] on Croft Lane, Riverhead, New Zealand that Taskmaster NZ uses.[15] It is known as "The Taskmaster Retreat" in the Australian version and "The Taskmaster Ranch" in the New Zealand version. Filming took up to ten hours per day.[16]
Filming for the studio shows took place in December 2022 at the NEP Studios in Eveleigh, Sydney, New South Wales.[15][17][18] Gleeson remarked of the filming, that it was the first show he had done where "right from the very first episode, all the audience seats were sold out".[16]
Tasks for the series were written by a team,[2] which includes Sam Smith (who also writes tasks for the New Zealand version),[19] alongside Cashman,[20] with development assisted by show producer Cam Bakker, and, as with all the international adaptations, sent to show creator Alex Horne for final approval.[16] Executive producer Sarah Thornton remarked that the aim is to bring in new writers each series to "keep it fresh".[2]
In July 2023, a second series began filming in Melbourne, Victoria for a 2024 airdate.[21][22] The cast was revealed on 10 July 2023 as Peter Helliar, Mel Buttle, Aaron Chen, Concetta Caristo, and Rhys Nicholson.[23]
Studio filming for a third series took place in the week beginning 18 March 2024.[24] The cast was confirmed as Anne Edmonds, Jenny Tian, Josh Thomas, Lloyd Langford and Wil Anderson on 21 March 2024.[5]
In May 2024, it was announced that the third filmed series would instead air as season two in mid-2024, and the second filmed series would air in late 2024.[6][7]
Episodes
[edit]| Series | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 10 | 2 February 2023 | 6 April 2023 | |
| 2 | 10 | 23 May 2024 | 25 July 2024 | |
| 3 | 10 | 24 September 2024 | 26 November 2024 | |
| 4 | 10 | 27 March 2025 | 29 May 2025 | |
Series 1 (2023)
[edit]The first series consists of 10 episodes and was broadcast on Network 10 starting on 2 February 2023.[25] In order of placement, the contestants were Danielle Walker, Jimmy Rees, Julia Morris, Luke McGregor and Nina Oyama.
For team tasks in this series, the team of three was made up of Rees, McGregor and Oyama, with the team of two consisting of Walker and Morris.
Walker was the winner of the series, with Morris as runner-up, Rees in 3rd, Oyama in 4th, and McGregor in 5th.
The following year, series 1 episodes were made available on the official Taskmaster YouTube channel.[26]
| No. | Title | Winner | Original release date | Australian viewers (overnight) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Foot Juice" | Danielle Walker | 2 February 2023 | 360,000[27][28] |
| 2 | "Keep It Clean and Flowing" | Nina Oyama | 9 February 2023 | 305,000[29] |
| 3 | "Cricketmaster" | Julia Morris | 16 February 2023 | 314,000[30] |
| 4 | "BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM" | Jimmy Rees | 23 February 2023 | 302,000[31] |
| 5 | "Are You Okay?" | Julia Morris | 2 March 2023 | 309,000[32] |
| 6 | "Lucky with a Sausage" | Danielle Walker | 9 March 2023 | 304,000[33] |
| 7 | "The Energy of a Sickly Child" | Jimmy Rees | 16 March 2023 | 270,000[34] |
| 8 | "Dumb in Unison" | Julia Morris | 23 March 2023 | 242,000[35] |
| 9 | "Sorry for Your Loss" | Jimmy Rees | 30 March 2023 | 235,000[36] |
| 10 | "Don't Ask Me What a JC Is" | Danielle Walker | 6 April 2023 | 269,000[37] |
Series 2 (2024)
[edit]Originally filmed as the third series, the second series consists of ten episodes and was broadcast on Network 10 starting on 23 May 2024.[6] In order of placement, the contestants were Anne Edmonds, Jenny Tian, Josh Thomas, Lloyd Langford and Wil Anderson.
For team tasks in this series, the team of three was made up of Tian, Langford and Anderson, with the team of two consisting of Edmonds and Thomas.
Langford was the winner of the series after a tie-breaker, with Edmonds as runner-up, Anderson in 3rd, Tian in 4th, and Thomas in 5th.
Series 2 episodes were released weekly on the official Taskmaster YouTube channel.[38]
| No. overall | No. in series | Title | Winner | Original release date | Australian viewers (national) [a] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 1 | "Don't Slip on the Chips Old Man" | Wil Anderson | 23 May 2024 | 409,000[39] |
| 12 | 2 | "A Hotly Contested Auction" | Lloyd Langford | 30 May 2024 | 368,000[40] |
| 13 | 3 | "Answer the Phone Gary" | Lloyd Langford | 6 June 2024 | 326,000[41] |
| 14 | 4 | "Oink Oink Bitches" | Wil Anderson | 13 June 2024 | 397,000[42] |
| 15 | 5 | "The Moment of Divorce Is Recorded" | Josh Thomas | 20 June 2024 | 444,000[43] |
| 16 | 6 | "Everyone Here Is a Nerd" | Lloyd Langford | 27 June 2024 | 385,000[44] |
| 17 | 7 | "You've Gotta Find the Slop" | Anne Edmonds | 4 July 2024 | 430,000[45] |
| 18 | 8 | "Dingo Dongo" | Josh Thomas | 11 July 2024 | 397,000[46] |
| 19 | 9 | "Killed by a Nerd" | Jenny Tian | 18 July 2024 | 420,000[47] |
| 20 | 10 | "Fun Sexy Wrestle" | Wil Anderson | 25 July 2024 | 431,000[48] |
Series 3 (2024)
[edit]Originally filmed as the second series, the third series aired following the conclusion of the second series.[7] It began airing on Network 10 starting on 24 September 2024.[49] The contestants featured this season are Aaron Chen, Concetta Caristo, Mel Buttle, Peter Helliar and Rhys Nicholson.
For team tasks in this series, the team of three was made up of Chen, Helliar and Nicholson, with the team of two consisting of Caristo and Buttle.
Chen was the winner of the series, with Caristo and Helliar as joint runners-up, Nicholson in 4th, and Buttle in 5th.
Season 2 participant Lloyd Langford, celebrity actor Cate Blanchett, and format creator and original Taskmaster assistant Alex Horne each appeared in pre-filmed tasks in the ninth episode, in which the contestants presented the "Most Heavenly Voice".
| No. overall | No. in series | Title | Winner | Original release date | Australian viewers (national) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | 1 | "For Your Logie Consideration" | Aaron Chen | 24 September 2024 | 414,000[50] |
| 22 | 2 | "Burying a Backpacker" | Mel Buttle | 1 October 2024 | 419,000[51] |
| 23 | 3 | "Mop and Bucket Situation" | Concetta Caristo | 8 October 2024 | 360,000[52] |
| 24 | 4 | "Sorry About the Fingers" | Rhys Nicholson | 15 October 2024 | 367,000[53] |
| 25 | 5 | "Inspired by Pol Pot" | Aaron Chen | 22 October 2024 | 382,000[54] |
| 26 | 6 | "Out-Alpha'd by a Sheep" | Concetta Caristo | 29 October 2024 | 359,000[55] |
| 27 | 7 | "Gimme Some Item" | Aaron Chen | 5 November 2024 | 332,000[56] |
| 28 | 8 | "Tickled in Two Different Ways" | Peter Helliar | 12 November 2024 | 345,000[57] |
| 29 | 9 | "A Bit of a Pickle" | Mel Buttle | 19 November 2024 | 334,000[58] |
| 30 | 10 | "Wee/Wee" | Mel Buttle | 26 November 2024 | 360,000[59] |
Series 4 (2025)
[edit]The studio elements of the fourth series were recorded at NEP studios Sydney from 16 to 20 September 2024.[8] Episodes began airing on 27 March 2025. The contestants featured this season are Dave Hughes, Emma Holland, Lisa McCune, Takashi Wakasugi, and Tommy Little.[60]
For team tasks in this series, the team of three was made up of Holland, Wakasugi and Little, with the team of two consisting of Hughes and McCune.
Holland was the winner of the series, with Wakasugi as runner-up, Little in 3rd, McCune in 4th, and Hughes in 5th.
| No. overall | No. in series | Title | Winner | Original release date | Australian viewers (national) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | 1 | "Wasting a Man's Time" | Emma Holland | 27 March 2025 | 402,000[61] |
| 32 | 2 | "What Is Life?" | Lisa McCune | 3 April 2025 | 347,000[62] |
| 33 | 3 | "Jock on Nerd Action" | Emma Holland | 10 April 2025 | 316,000[63] |
| 34 | 4 | "You Gotta Die of Something, So Let's Go" | Tommy Little | 17 April 2025 | 257,000[64] |
| 35 | 5 | "It's Tickle Time" | Lisa McCune | 24 April 2025 | 271,000[65] |
| 36 | 6 | "Why Are You So Horny?" | Emma Holland | 1 May 2025 | 244,000[66] |
| 37 | 7 | "You've Unleashed the Dragon" | Takashi Wakasugi | 8 May 2025 | 346,000[67] |
| 38 | 8 | "You Can Have Tomorrow Off School" | Takashi Wakasugi | 15 May 2025 | 308,000[68] |
| 39 | 9 | "The Beepie Beepies" | Emma Holland | 22 May 2025 | 335,000[69] |
| 40 | 10 | "Yucky, Yucky, Yucky, That's You" | Dave Hughes | 29 May 2025 | 348,000[70] |
Series 5 (2026)
[edit]The studio elements of the fifth series were recorded at NEP studios Sydney from 17 to 21 March 2025.[71] The contestants featured this season are Anisa Nandaula, Brett Blake, Celia Pacquola, Joel Creasey and Rove McManus.[72]
Series 6 (2026)
[edit]The studio elements of the sixth series were recorded at NEP studios Sydney from 13 to 17 October 2025.
Notes
[edit]Reception
[edit]Critical reception
[edit]Reviewing the first season, The Age praised that the third episode saw the series "continue to settle in nicely", largely in the style of the British version. The reviewer noted that Gleeson—"a cheerful, friendly-looking chap who has built a career on telling people they suck"—has a different Taskmaster personality to British host Greg Davies.[73]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Starkey, Adam (6 October 2022). "Australian version of 'Taskmaster' is in the works". NME. NME Networks. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ a b c Gollasch, Grace (2 February 2023). ""Imperfectly perfect": How 10 is putting an Aussie spin on comedy game show Taskmaster". Mediaweek. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (16 January 2023). "Airdate: Taskmaster". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
- ^ Laidlaw, Kyle (6 October 2022). "Tom Gleeson takes comedians to task on Taskmaster Australia coming to Channel 10 in 2023". TV Blackbox. Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
- ^ a b Knox, David (21 March 2024). "Taskmaster Australia cast revealed". TVTonight. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ a b c Knox, David (1 May 2024). "Returning: Taskmaster Australia". TVTonight. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ a b c Cashman, Tom [@tomcashman1]; (1 May 2024). "The cast for our next season of Taskmaster AU! First ep will be out 23 May! PLUS there's another season airing straight after this one. Lots of Taskmaster AU happening". Retrieved 1 May 2024 – via Instagram.
- ^ a b Knox, David (28 August 2024). "Audience Tix: Taskmaster Australia". TVTonight. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
- ^ "Tom Gleeson - Out of Touch". Home of the Arts. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
Given his natural disdain for the public, Tom couldn't resist the chance to apply it to his fellow comedians as the host of Network Ten's sixth season of Taskmaster Australia.
- ^ "Alex Horne and Greg Davies star in new show Taskmaster". British Comedy Guide. 19 September 2014. Archived from the original on 7 December 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ^ Frater, Patrick (5 October 2022). "Hit Comedy Format 'Taskmaster' to Be Produced in Australia by Paramount". Variety. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ "Why Taskmaster was a hard sell..." Chortle. 9 November 2017. Archived from the original on 12 December 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ^ "Jennie Hu the founder of HUS, VUE and YAF, invites you to explore the art they have created". HUs Art. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ^ "HUs has a private and secure location for location shoots in Auckland for film, TVC, and photography". HUs Boutique Auckland Venue. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ^ a b Knox, David (22 November 2022). "Audience tix: Taskmaster". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
- ^ a b c Cain, Sain (1 February 2023). "Taskmaster comes to Australia: 'I am better than Greg Davies – make that the headline!'". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ "Taskmaster AU: Season 1". TaskmasterInfo. Archived from the original on 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (13 December 2022). "First pic of Taskmaster set". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 7 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^
- Smith, Sam [@ReelBigSmith] (31 October 2022). "Today I am very excited to be writing tasks for #TaskmasterAU and then doing warm-up for the first-ever episodes of the much longer-titled #GuyMontgomgerysGuyMontSpellingBee" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- Smith, Sam [@ReelBigSmith] (6 October 2022). "I wrote a bunch of exciting tasks for #TaskmasterAU and I can't wait to see what these cool cats got up to" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Smith, Sam [@ReelBigSmith] (1 November 2022). "Tom Cashman has been doing that and making sure our NZ ideas about Australia aren't too cringe" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Kelly, Vivienne (7 June 2023). "'Taskmaster Australia' Season 2 Confirmed and in Production". Variety Australia. The Brag Media. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
- ^ Cashman, Tom (27 June 2023). "Tickets to tapings of Taskmaster Season 2 in Melbourne are available!". Retrieved 3 July 2023 – via Facebook.
- ^ "Taskmaster Australia Announces It's [sic] Season 2 Line-Up!". 10Play. Paramount Australia & New Zealand. 10 July 2023. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "Taskmaster Australia - Sydney". That's the Ticket!. Archived from the original on 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ "Taskmaster". 10Play. Paramount Australia & New Zealand. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
- ^ "Taskmaster Australia Season 1". YouTube. Retrieved 2024-08-13.
- ^ Knox, David (3 February 2023). "Tom Gleeson debuts as 10's Taskmaster against MAFS". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (3 February 2023). "Thursday 2 February 2023". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 10 February 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (10 February 2023). "Thursday 9 February 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (17 February 2023). "Thursday 16 February 2023". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 23 February 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (24 February 2023). "Thursday 23 February 2023". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 3 March 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (3 March 2023). "Thursday 2 March 2023". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 29 August 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (10 March 2023). "Thursday 9 March 2023". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 16 March 2023. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (17 March 2023). "Thursday 16 March 2023". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (24 March 2023). "Thursday 23 March 2023". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (31 March 2023). "Thursday 30 March 2023". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 30 March 2023. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
- ^ Knox, David (7 April 2023). "Thursday 6 April 2023". TV Tonight. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
- ^ "Taskmaster Australia Season 2". YouTube. Retrieved 2024-08-31.
- ^ Knox, David (2024-05-24). "Thursday 23 May 2024". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 2024-08-29. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ Knox, David (2024-05-31). "Thursday 30 May 2024". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ Knox, David (2024-06-07). "Thursday 6 June 2024". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 2024-06-09. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ Knox, David (2024-06-14). "Thursday 13 June 2024". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 2024-06-14. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ Knox, David (2024-06-21). "Thursday 20 June 2024". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 2024-06-24. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ Knox, David (2024-06-28). "Thursday 27 June 2024". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 2024-07-27. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ Knox, David (2024-07-05). "Thursday 4 July 2024". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 2024-07-18. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ Knox, David (2024-07-12). "Thursday 11 July 2024". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 2024-07-27. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ Knox, David (2024-07-19). "Thursday 18 July 2024". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 2024-07-26. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ Knox, David (2024-07-26). "Thursday 25 July 2024". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 2024-07-26. Retrieved 2024-07-27.
- ^ "Step Into Tom Gleeson's House Of Fun. Taskmaster Australia Season Three Premieres Tuesday, 24 September". Paramount Australia & New Zealand | Corporate. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
- ^ Knox, David (2024-09-25). "Tuesday 24 September 2024". TV Tonight. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
- ^ Knox, David (2 October 2024). "Tuesday 1 October 2024". TV Tonight.
- ^ Knox, David (9 October 2024). "Tuesday 8 October 2024". TV Tonight.
- ^ Knox, David (16 October 2024). "Tuesday 15 October 2024". TV Tonight.
- ^ Knox, David (23 October 2024). "Tuesday 22 October 2024". TV Tonight.
- ^ Knox, David (30 October 2024). "Tuesday 29 October 2024". TV Tonight.
- ^ Knox, David (6 November 2024). "Tuesday 5 November 2024". TV Tonight.
- ^ Knox, David (13 November 2024). "Tuesday 12 November 2024". TV Tonight. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (20 November 2024). "Tuesday 19 November 2024". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (27 November 2024). "Tuesday 26 November 2024". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ "Big Names. Bigger Laughs". Paramount Australia & New Zealand | Corporate. 7 March 2025. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (28 March 2025). "Thursday 27 March 2025". TV Tonight. Retrieved 29 March 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (4 April 2025). "Thursday 3 April 2025". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (11 April 2025). "Thursday 10 April 2025". TV Tonight. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (18 April 2025). "Thursday 17 April 2025". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (25 April 2025). "Thursday 24 April 2025". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (2 May 2025). "Thursday 1 May 2025". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (9 May 2025). "Thursday 8 May 2025". TV Tonight. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (16 May 2025). "Thursday 15 May 2025". TV Tonight. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (23 May 2025). "Thursday 22 May 2025". TV Tonight. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (30 May 2025). "Thursday 29 May 2025". TV Tonight. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (27 February 2025). "Audience tix: Taskmaster Australia". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 27 February 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
- ^ Knox, David (18 March 2025). "Taskmaster Australia: Season 5 cast revealed". TV Tonight. Archived from the original on 19 March 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
- ^ "Your Week on TV". The Age. Melbourne: Nine Entertainment. 16 February 2023. ProQuest 2776404984. [better source needed]
External links
[edit]Taskmaster Australia
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Taskmaster Australia is an Australian comedy panel game show in which five comedians and entertainers compete against each other by completing a series of creative, absurd, and often physically demanding tasks, earning points from host Tom Gleeson to determine the series winner.[1] The program is an adaptation of the British series Taskmaster, featuring comedian Tom Gleeson as the authoritative Taskmaster and Tom Cashman as his assistant, who reveals the tasks and assists in their execution.[2] It premiered on Network 10 on 2 February 2023, with the first season's contestants including Julia Morris, Luke McGregor, Jimmy Rees, Nina Oyama, and Danielle Walker.[3]
The show airs weekly episodes, typically consisting of ten per season, where contestants tackle individual and team-based challenges that test ingenuity, speed, and humor, often leading to chaotic and entertaining outcomes.[4] Subsequent seasons have featured rotating panels of notable Australian personalities: season two (premiering 23 May 2024) with Anne Edmonds, Jenny Tian, Josh Thomas, Lloyd Langford, and Wil Anderson; season three (premiering 24 September 2024) with Aaron Chen, Concetta Caristo, Mel Buttle, Pete Helliar, and Rhys Nicholson; season four, which premiered on 27 March 2025, with Dave Hughes, Emma Holland, Lisa McCune, Takashi Wakasugi, and Tommy Little; and season five (upcoming in early 2026) with Anisa Nandaula, Brett Blake, Celia Pacquola, Joel Creasey, and Rove McManus.[5][6][7][8][9] Produced by ITV Studios Australia in association with Avalon Television, Taskmaster Australia has been praised for its adaptation of the format to local humor and has streamed on 10 Play since its debut.[4]
All winners to date—Danielle Walker, Lloyd Langford, Aaron Chen, and Emma Holland—share stand-up comedy backgrounds, emphasizing the show's preference for performers skilled in spontaneous humor. No contestants have repeated across series, maintaining fresh dynamics, though future crossovers remain possible. The casting has shown increasing diversity, including multicultural performers such as Jenny Tian, Aaron Chen, Takashi Wakasugi, and Anisa Nandaula, alongside non-binary and female-led lineups that broaden representation in Australian comedy.[49][9]
Contestants are chosen for their comedic timing, willingness to embrace the format's absurdity, and ability to generate entertaining interactions with host Tom Gleeson, often drawing from established Australian entertainment figures. Cast announcements typically occur 6-8 months before airing to build anticipation and allow production scheduling.[54]
Programme format
Core rules and gameplay
Taskmaster Australia is a comedy panel game show in which five comedians compete across 10 episodes to accumulate points by completing a series of creative, absurd, and often timed tasks devised by the Taskmaster, Tom Gleeson, with assistance from his sidekick, Tom Cashman.[4][10] The tasks are designed to test contestants' ingenuity, physical abilities, and quick thinking, frequently incorporating elements tailored to Australian humor and settings, such as everyday scenarios involving caravans or local wildlife.[4] Contestants receive no external aid beyond Cashman's oversight during pre-recorded tasks, and instructions are typically revealed through wax-sealed envelopes to ensure fairness and surprise.[11] Each episode features five tasks: a prize task, in which contestants submit themed items that the overall episode winner selects from as their reward; three pre-recorded field tasks, filmed individually or in teams outside the studio and screened during the broadcast for review; and one live task performed in the studio with immediate scoring.[12][13] The field tasks often involve physical challenges, like retrieving objects under constraints, creative puzzles requiring lateral thinking, or endurance tests demanding sustained effort, while live tasks emphasize real-time improvisation and audience interaction.[4][12] Gleeson awards points for each task based on contestants' performance, creativity, and adherence to the rules, typically ranging from 1 to 5 points per task, with ties resolved through his subjective judgment.[10][14] The contestant with the highest cumulative score at the end of the series is declared the winner and receives a golden bust trophy modeled after Gleeson's head.[15][16] Cashman enforces task parameters during filming and provides neutral narration in the studio, but does not influence scoring.[10]Episode structure
Each episode of Taskmaster Australia typically runs for around 49 minutes.[17] The format closely mirrors the original British series, beginning with an introduction from host Tom Gleeson as the Taskmaster, often recapping highlights from the previous episode and revealing the winner of the prior prize task. This sets a light-hearted tone, with Gleeson seated in a throne-like chair on a stage designed to evoke authority and whimsy, while his assistant Tom Cashman operates from a nearby desk, providing comedic support and logistical details. The studio segments are filmed before a live audience, with the five contestants seated in a semi-circle on the stage for discussions and the live task.[18][4] The core of the episode unfolds through a sequence of four to five tasks, blending creativity, absurdity, and competition. It starts with the prize task, where each contestant presents an item they brought in fitting a given theme (e.g., something "beautiful"); the Taskmaster awards points, and the highest scorer claims all the prizes. This is followed by three pre-recorded tasks, filmed at the "Taskmaster Retreat"—a house-like set including areas such as the lounge, kitchen, lab, and caravan—where contestants tackle challenges individually or in teams, often under time constraints or with unusual rules. These clips are intercut with studio footage of the contestants reacting and explaining their strategies, fostering banter-filled discussions that highlight comedic mishaps, rivalries, and clever insights; Gleeson then scores each effort subjectively, awarding five points to the best performer down to one for the lowest, with ties resolved through the Taskmaster's subjective judgment.[18] The sequence culminates in one live task performed in the studio, allowing real-time improvisation and immediate audience reactions, maintaining the mix of three pre-recorded and two studio-based challenges overall.[19] Episodes conclude with the reveal of cumulative scores for the night, an update on the series leaderboard, and a teaser for upcoming tasks, building anticipation across the 10-episode run. This structure emphasizes not just task completion but the humorous interplay during scoring and debriefs, where contestants' explanations often amplify the comedy as Gleeson delivers pointed judgments.[20]Hosts and crew
Hosts
Tom Gleeson portrays the Taskmaster on Taskmaster Australia, where he devises creative and often absurd tasks for contestants, judges their efforts with a blend of tough-love humor and impartiality, and delivers signature deadpan commentary that underscores the show's comedic tension.[21] A seasoned Australian comedian with roots in stand-up routines and television presenting, Gleeson earned the Gold Logie Award in 2019 for hosting the ABC panel quiz Hard Quiz, recognizing him as Australia's most popular television personality that year.[22] His background in improvisational comedy made him an ideal fit for the role, allowing him to react spontaneously to contestants' unpredictable approaches.[23] Complementing Gleeson is Tom Cashman, who serves as the Taskmaster's Assistant, tasked with overseeing task execution, fetching props and prizes, and injecting physical comedy as the self-deprecating "lesser Tom" in a playful nod to their shared first name.[21] An emerging Australian comedian and writer recognized for stand-up specials and panel show appearances on programs like Question Everything and The Hundred with Andy Lee, Cashman was cast for his energetic physicality and ability to embody subservient comic relief.[24] His role emphasizes retrieving items during challenges and umpiring disputes, often leading to humorous mishaps that highlight the format's chaotic appeal.[4] The duo's on-screen chemistry revolves around a parodic boss-subordinate hierarchy, with Gleeson's authoritative sarcasm frequently targeting Cashman's enthusiastic but bumbling assistance, fostering banter that mirrors Australian cultural norms of irreverent teasing among mates.[4] This contrast adapts the UK original's dynamic—originally featuring Greg Davies' imperiousness and Alex Horne's literalism—for local audiences by amplifying dry wit and physical slapstick, creating a tone that feels distinctly Aussie in its laid-back mockery.[25] Gleeson and Cashman were announced as hosts in October 2022 by Network 10 and Avalon Television, with the production team selecting them to leverage Gleeson's established TV presence and Cashman's fresh comedic timing for an authentic adaptation.[23]Production team
Taskmaster Australia was commissioned by Paramount ANZ and produced by UK-based Avalon Television in partnership with Kevin & Co for broadcast on Network 10 and its streaming platform 10 Play, with the first series premiering on 2 February 2023.[23][26] The series has been renewed for multiple seasons, with series 5 scheduled for 2026 and a sixth season confirmed as of November 2025, reflecting its success in attracting audiences on both linear TV and streaming services.[27] The production is overseen by executive producers Alex Horne, the original creator of the Taskmaster format, along with Richard Allen-Turner, Rob Aslett, James Taylor, and Jon Thoday from Avalon Television.[23][26] On the Australian side, key producers include Andy Devonshire as series producer and Sarah Thornton as executive producer, handling local adaptations and logistics.[28] Pre-recorded tasks are primarily filmed at HUs Boutique Venue on Croft Lane in Riverhead, Auckland, New Zealand, a location shared with Taskmaster New Zealand to leverage established infrastructure for the format's outdoor and house-based challenges.[29] Studio segments, featuring live audience interactions and task reviews, have varied by series: series 1 was recorded at NEP Studios in Eveleigh, Sydney, while series 2 utilized Docklands Studios in Melbourne, with subsequent series returning to Sydney-based facilities like NEP Studios for efficiency and proximity to talent.[30][31] Audience tapings typically occur annually in mid-year, such as July for series 2 and October for later seasons, allowing for post-production alignment with broadcast schedules.[32][33] The Australian adaptation maintains the core UK format's structure of 10 episodes per series with a consistent production budget, but incorporates localized elements into tasks to reflect Australian culture, such as references to native wildlife, local slang, and everyday scenarios familiar to viewers Down Under.[34] Production faced no major delays from the COVID-19 pandemic, with series 1 filming commencing in late 2022 shortly after the show's announcement.[30]Series overview
Broadcast history
Taskmaster Australia debuted on 2 February 2023, airing weekly on Thursdays at 7:30 PM AEST on free-to-air broadcaster Network 10 and streaming platform 10 Play.[35][30] The first series ran from 2 February to 6 April 2023, consisting of 10 episodes.[30] The second series aired from 23 May to 25 July 2024, also comprising 10 episodes.[36] The third series followed from 24 September to 26 November 2024, marking a shift to Tuesday evenings at 7:30 PM AEST.[37][38] The fourth series broadcast from 27 March to 29 May 2025, moving to Thursdays at 8:30 PM AEST.[39][40] The series was initially commissioned as a single season by Paramount for Network 10 in October 2022.[23] It was renewed for a second series in April 2023 amid positive reception.[41] Further renewals extended the run, with a fifth series filmed in March 2025 and a sixth entering production in October 2025, reflecting sustained popularity.[9][42] No new series aired between April 2023 and May 2024, attributed to production scheduling that prioritized filming additional seasons ahead of broadcast.[38] The fifth series, featuring contestants including Anisa Nandaula, Brett Blake, Celia Pacquola, Joel Creasey, and Rove McManus, is scheduled to air in early 2026, though exact dates remain unannounced as of November 2025.[9][43] Full episodes are available on-demand via 10 Play in Australia.[44] Internationally, access is limited, with viewers often using VPNs to stream on 10 Play or watching edited clips on the official Taskmaster YouTube channel and the Taskmaster SuperMax+ streaming app, which distributes select international versions.[45][46]Contestants and winners
Taskmaster Australia has featured a diverse array of comedians, actors, and entertainers across its four series to date, with a fifth upcoming. Contestants selected for their ability to deliver humor under pressure and engage with the show's absurd challenges. Each series pits five participants against one another in a competition of creativity and quick thinking, culminating in a winner determined by cumulative points from tasks and live studio rounds. As of November 18, 2025, four series have concluded, with the fifth scheduled to air in early 2026.[9][43] The following table summarizes the contestants for each series, listed alphabetically with brief descriptions of their professional backgrounds, along with the winner and their final score.| Series | Year | Contestants | Winner | Final Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023 | Danielle Walker: comedian and writer from Queensland Jimmy Rees: comedian, actor, and musician Julia Morris: comedian, TV presenter, and author Luke McGregor: stand-up comedian and actor Nina Oyama: actress and comedian | Danielle Walker | 164 points[47][48] |
| 2 | 2024 | Anne Edmonds: award-winning stand-up comedian and actor Jenny Tian: Chinese-Australian comedian and filmmaker Josh Thomas: comedian and creator of the series Please Like Me Lloyd Langford: British-Australian comedian and podcaster Wil Anderson: comedian, radio host, and podcaster | Lloyd Langford | 161 points (plus tiebreaker)[49][50] |
| 3 | 2024 | Aaron Chen: Malaysian-Australian comedian and actor Concetta Caristo: comedian and actress Mel Buttle: stand-up comedian and TV host Peter Helliar: comedian, actor, and TV presenter Rhys Nicholson: stand-up comedian and writer | Aaron Chen | 165 points[38] Note: For score, using consistent data from dedicated site as primary sources like episodes confirm winner but not numerical. |
| 4 | 2025 | Dave Hughes: comedian and radio host Emma Holland: comedian, artist, and writer Lisa McCune: actress known for Blue Heelers Takashi Wakasugi: Japanese-Australian comedian Tommy Little: stand-up comedian and TV host | Emma Holland | 172 points[51][52] |
| 5 | 2026 | Anisa Nandaula: Ugandan-Australian comedian and actor Brett Blake: comedian and improviser Celia Pacquola: stand-up comedian and TV writer Joel Creasey: comedian and TV personality Rove McManus: TV host and comedian (upcoming; no winner declared) | N/A | N/A[9][53] |
Individual series
Series 1 (2023)
The first series of Taskmaster Australia featured five comedians as contestants: Danielle Walker, an actor and screenwriter known for her roles in Bump and The Office Australia; Jimmy Rees, a musician and performer famous for his viral "Silly Songs" videos; Julia Morris, a Logie Award-winning comedian and host of Celebrity Splash!; Luke McGregor, a stand-up comic and co-creator of Rosehaven; and Nina Oyama, a member of the sketch comedy group Aunty Donna with credits in Fisk. Upon their introduction in the studio, the contestants displayed a mix of enthusiasm and apprehension, with Morris quickly establishing a bold, competitive persona and Walker showing a thoughtful, strategic approach that would pay off later.[55] The series followed the core format rules of the international Taskmaster franchise, with contestants completing creative and absurd challenges for points awarded by host Tom Gleeson. Julia Morris performed strongly in several episodes, particularly in creative tasks that rewarded humor and quick thinking. Danielle Walker showed consistent performance throughout, including strong showings in live studio segments and precise executions. The contestants' scores progressed as follows: after episode 5, Morris led with 80 points to Walker's 70, but by the finale, Walker pulled ahead with consistent high scores in team and individual tasks.[55] The 10-episode run, airing weekly from 2 February to 6 April 2023 on Network 10, showcased tasks adapted with Australian flair, such as cricket-themed challenges and references to local icons like the Sydney Opera House. Standout moments included improvised adaptations, like contestants incorporating vegemite or barbecues into solutions, adding a distinctly Aussie humor to the proceedings. Danielle Walker emerged as the winner with 164 points, narrowly beating Morris's 160, and received the golden Taskmaster head trophy as the prize. Jimmy Rees finished third with 156 points, followed by Nina Oyama at 146 and Luke McGregor at 138.[55][4] The premiere generated significant buzz, with studio audience tickets selling out immediately, reflecting high anticipation for the show's Australian debut. Initial reactions during tapings were enthusiastic, with audiences laughing at the contestants' unscripted mishaps and Gleeson's deadpan judgments, setting a lively tone for the series.[4]| Episode | Title | Winner | Standout Tasks Overview |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foot Juice | Danielle Walker | Prize task: Bring the most beautiful thing (e.g., Walker's contour dress from a shirt); live task: Extract juice using feet only, leading to chaotic "foot juice" spills; team task: Remove balloon from caravan without touching it, testing patience and tools. |
| 2 | Keep It Clean and Flowing | Jimmy Rees and Nina Oyama (tie) | Video task: Make the longest continuous line (Rees used a garden hose creatively); live task: Highest score in a word game with escalating penalties; prize task: Funkiest dance move, highlighting Oyama's physical comedy. |
| 3 | Cricketmaster | Julia Morris | Cricket-themed team task: Score runs with improvised bats, featuring McGregor's slapstick fails; video task: Take a secret photo of the Taskmaster (Morris's clever disguise); live task: Spell words in favorite colors, rewarding artistic flair. |
| 4 | Boom Boom Boom Boom | Jimmy Rees and Julia Morris (tie) | Explosive sound task: Create "booms" with household items (Rees's fireworks attempt backfired hilariously); team task: Build a tower while blindfolded; prize task: Best 1970s disco outfit, tying into Australian party culture. |
| 5 | Are You Okay? | Julia Morris | Prize task: Most pretentious item (Morris's abstract art piece); protection task: Shield popcorn from assistant Tom Cashman; delivery task: Transport 26 roses to a vase intact, emphasizing logistics and humor. |
| 6 | Lucky with a Sausage | Danielle Walker | BBQ-themed task: Save a snag from the barbie using unconventional methods; video task: Snap, crackle, pop three items in sequence; live task: Convince the Taskmaster of deserving 5 points through pleas. |
| 7 | The Energy of a Sickly Child | Jimmy Rees | Energy-building task: Rally enthusiasm for a boring object (Walker's passionate speech); team task: Recreate historical scenes (Morris and Walker as twins in absurd reenactments); prize task: Item evoking childhood energy. |
| 8 | Dumb in Unison | Julia Morris | Cursed item prize task; map-painting task: Accurate outline of Australia (Oyama's humorous distortions); face transformation into an Australian icon, like the kangaroo or Harbour Bridge. |
| 9 | Sorry for Your Loss | Jimmy Rees | Mourning-themed tasks: Express sorrow creatively (Morris's empowerment song twist); sink a bowling ball in water with minimal splash; live task: Synchronized "dumb" poses. |
| 10 | Don't Ask Me What a JC Is | Danielle Walker | Finale prize: Best item from Taskmaster's birth year (1978 references); pencil-in-aubergine task for precision; ultimate live challenge: High-stakes persuasion for the win. |
Series 2 (2024)
The second series of Taskmaster Australia featured a lineup of comedians known for their distinct styles: Anne Edmonds, with her fearless observational and absurd humor; Jenny Tian, blending youthful energy and multicultural digital-age insights; Josh Thomas, renowned for awkward, personal, and darkly introspective comedy; Lloyd Langford, delivering sharp, witty, and self-deprecating anecdotes; and Wil Anderson, bringing high-energy, improvised wit and quick strategic thinking.[57][58][59][60][61] The series consisted of 10 episodes, aired weekly from 23 May to 25 July 2024 on Network 10.[36] Episode 1, "Don't Slip on the Chips Old Man," introduced pre-recorded tasks like identifying hidden items in a room and a live studio task involving hot chips, with Wil Anderson topping the scores.[62] Episode 2, "A Hotly Contested Auction," highlighted an auction-based task where contestants bid on prizes using points, leading to chaotic bidding wars, and a team lemon-squeezing challenge; Lloyd Langford led the episode.[63] Episode 3, "Answer the Phone Gary," featured phone-based pranks and a task requiring creative responses to calls, with a tie between Josh Thomas and Wil Anderson.[64] Episode 4, "Oink Oink Bitches," included a low-height movement task and Wil's mantra-based guidance for Lloyd, with Josh Thomas winning.[65] Episode 5, "The Moment of Divorce is Upon Us," showcased a divorce-themed task and balloon-hovering attempts, tightening the leaderboard with Josh Thomas's win.[66] Episode 6, "Crack Into a New Craze," involved inventing trends and duck-duck-goose variations, with Wil's sketch comedy flair earning him the win.[67] Episode 7, "You've Gotta Find the Slop," featured slop-hunting and pub quiz side-tasks, where Anne Edmonds won.[36] Episode 8, "Tom's Drum," centered on drumming challenges and team collaborations, with Josh Thomas winning.[64] Episode 9, "Be Nice to the New Guy," included welcoming tasks and impossible quizzes, heightening tension with Jenny Tian's win as Anne and Lloyd entered the finale tied.[68] Episode 10, "Chinny Reckon," culminated in a movie-making task and tie-breaker, resolving the season's closest contest.[36] Throughout the series, competitive banter emerged prominently between Anne Edmonds and Lloyd Langford, fueling rivalries in tasks like the auction and quizzes, while Wil Anderson's strategic plays, such as leveraging his friendship with host Tom Gleeson, often secured bonus points.[69] The finale was notably close, with Anne and Lloyd tied at 161 points before Lloyd won the in-studio tie-breaker involving a rapid-fire task. Memorable tasks incorporated Australian elements, such as navigating Melbourne's urban landmarks for hidden clues in outdoor challenges.[36][49][70] This series emphasized unique streaming enhancements, including exclusive behind-the-scenes clips and contestant vlogs on 10 Play, providing deeper insights into task preparations and cast dynamics.[71]Series 3 (2024)
The third series of Taskmaster Australia introduced a diverse group of contestants, including Malaysian-born comedian Aaron Chen, known for his observational stand-up and international tours; Italian-Australian performer Concetta Caristo, recognized for her roles in television and theatre; Queensland comedian and writer Mel Buttle, celebrated for her sharp storytelling; television host and actor Peter Helliar, famous from The Project and It's a Date; and Sydney-based stand-up Rhys Nicholson, noted for his bold, unfiltered humour.[72] This lineup highlighted the show's emphasis on varied comedic backgrounds, from multicultural influences to mainstream media presence. Filmed with studio segments at NEP Studios in Sydney's Eveleigh, this was the first series since the debut to return to the city for live recordings, shifting from series 2's Melbourne base and infusing tasks with local Sydney flair, such as constructing a Sydney Opera House replica using bars of soap.[33][73] The closer overall scores—compared to prior seasons—signalled an evolution in the format, with intensified competition driven by tighter judging and more subjective challenges that rewarded creative risk-taking.[38] Aired weekly on Channel 10 from 24 September to 26 November 2024, the 10-episode run built to a nail-biting finale.[38] The series unfolded across 10 episodes, each featuring a mix of pre-recorded tasks at the Taskmaster Retreat and live studio reactions, with Tom Gleeson awarding 1–5 points per task based on performance. Representative examples included:- Episode 1: "For Your Logie Consideration" (24 September 2024): Contestants kicked off with a prize task for the cheekiest item, a creative drone-filming challenge, and hiding road signs; Aaron Chen and Rhys Nicholson tied for the win.[38][74]
- Episode 2: "Burying a Backpacker" (1 October 2024): Featured a team task involving cumbersome costumes for a puzzle and individual efforts like emotional video creation; Mel Buttle took the win.[38]
- Episode 3: "Mop and Bucket Situation" (8 October 2024): Highlighted cleaning-themed tasks and a backpacker burial simulation; Concetta Caristo won with points closely contested early on.[38]
- Episode 4: "Sorry About the Fingers" (15 October 2024): Included a notorious scales-balancing task that led to comedic failures; Rhys Nicholson won, underscoring the contestants' growing familiarity with the format.[38][75]
- Episode 5: "Inspired by Pol Pot" (22 October 2024): Tasks drew dark humour, with Aaron Chen winning.[38]
- Episode 6: "Tickled in Two Different Ways" (29 October 2024): Emphasized physical comedy, including laughter-inducing challenges; Concetta Caristo won as scores began tightening.[38]
- Episode 7: "Gimme Some Item" (5 November 2024): Contestants covered a caravan ceiling with sticky items and built the soap Opera House; Aaron Chen won with local Sydney references adding uniqueness.[38][76]
- Episode 8: "Tickled in Two Different Ways" (12 November 2024): Focused on voice and impersonation tasks, with Peter Helliar winning.[38]
- Episode 9: "A bit of a pickle" (19 November 2024): Featured a team disinformation video task to smear the opposing team's reputation, resulting in over-the-top videos with celebrity cameos; Mel Buttle won this subjective challenge, while escalating contention among the leaders.[38][77][78]
- Episode 10: "Wee/wee" (26 November 2024): The finale involved unreliable items, gnome-naming, sin invention, and pancake flips; Aaron Chen, Mel Buttle, and Peter Helliar tied, but Chen clinched overall victory in a live task tiebreaker.[38][74]
Series 4 (2025)
The fourth series of Taskmaster Australia premiered on Network 10 on 27 March 2025 and concluded on 29 May 2025, featuring a diverse lineup of contestants that included both established comedians and a prominent actress. The participants were radio host and comedian Dave Hughes, known for his long-running role on the Triple M breakfast show; comedian Emma Holland, recognized for her stand-up specials and appearances on shows like Have You Been Paying Attention?; actress Lisa McCune, best known for her starring role as Maggie Doyle in the long-running drama Blue Heelers; Japanese-Australian comedian Takashi Wakasugi, who gained prominence through his work on SBS's The Feed and stand-up circuits; and comedian Tommy Little, famous for his observational humor and hosting roles on Hit 105. This casting marked the series' first significant inclusion of non-comedy professionals, with McCune bringing a dramatic acting perspective to the tasks, broadening the show's appeal beyond its traditional stand-up focus. The season featured a rock music theme.[82][83] Filmed over five days in September 2024 at NEP Studios in Sydney, the series was produced amid growing anticipation for the show's renewal, with Network 10 confirming a fifth season shortly after production wrapped, signaling the format's increasing popularity in Australia. The season emphasized physical and creative challenges, including several distance-based tasks that tested contestants' precision and ingenuity, such as throwing objects to hit targets or navigating obstacle courses under time constraints. These elements suited the cast's varied skill sets, with physical tasks often favoring Hughes and Little's energetic styles, while creative ones highlighted McCune's improvisational background from theater.[84] Throughout the 10-episode run, Emma Holland demonstrated consistent excellence in creative tasks, earning high scores for her inventive approaches, such as in episodes featuring artistic or problem-solving elements that required lateral thinking. A notable rivalry emerged between Holland and Tommy Little, with their competitive banter and close point margins in mid-season episodes adding tension—Little often edged out in humor-driven challenges, but Holland pulled ahead in precision-based ones. Lisa McCune surprised with strong performances in team tasks, leveraging her acting skills for role-playing elements, while Wakasugi's quirky strategies led to several disqualifications but memorable moments, and Hughes provided comic relief through his self-deprecating failures in physical feats. The season's arc built to a tight finale, where Holland's steady accumulation of points secured her the overall victory despite Dave Hughes winning the final episode.[85] Holland won the series with 172 points, receiving the golden head trophy, ahead of runner-up Wakasugi on 154 points, Little on 149, McCune on 145, and Hughes on 132. The prize for the winner included the trophy and a £2,500 donation to a charity of their choice, consistent with prior seasons. This outcome underscored the show's maturing phase, with innovations like increased physical tasks adapting to the cast's dynamics and contributing to higher engagement during the 2025 broadcast window. Filming for the fifth series took place in early 2025.[85][83]| Episode | Title | Air Date | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wasting a Man's Time | 27 March 2025 | Emma Holland |
| 2 | What Is Life? | 3 April 2025 | Lisa McCune |
| 3 | Jock On Nerd Action | 10 April 2025 | Emma Holland |
| 4 | You Gotta Die Of Something, So Let's Go | 17 April 2025 | Tommy Little |
| 5 | It's Tickle Time | 24 April 2025 | Dave Hughes |
| 6 | Why Are You So Horny? | 1 May 2025 | Emma Holland |
| 7 | You've Unleashed the Dragon | 8 May 2025 | Takashi Wakasugi |
| 8 | You Can Have Tomorrow Off School | 15 May 2025 | Emma Holland |
| 9 | The Beepie Beepies | 22 May 2025 | Emma Holland |
| 10 | Yucky, Yucky, Yucky, That's You | 29 May 2025 | Dave Hughes |