Taskmaster's Alex Horne reveals his dream contestant for a future series

Virgin Radio

14 Oct 2022, 13:07

Taskmaster has had so many cracking celebrity contestants over its 14 series, but the Taskmaster’s assistant, Alex Horne, has spoken about one particular comedian who has yet to be on the show, and how he'd love for them to appear. 

The list of comedy stars that have appeared on Taskmaster goes on and on… Bob Mortimer, Katherine Ryan, Frank Skinner, Noel Fielding, Rose Matafeo, James Acaster, Sophie Duker, and so on, but show creator Alex Horne revealed the name of a dream future contestant from the red carpet of the National Television Awards last night.

Speaking to virginradio.co.uk and other press, he said: “Jack Dee. I say this every time anyone asks me this question. I think it's the only way to persuade them to do it. So Jack Dee, if you're listening, please do the show!”

As well as trying to persuade comedy royalty Jack Dee to do Taskmaster, Alex also said: “Apart from that, I went to Edinburgh this year, for the first time for ages, with my kids. And there's so many amazing new comics.

“Nowadays we've got a responsibility to put fresh, good people on telly. So, the big names are great, but I do think the ones coming up are just as great.”

Speaking about how he comes up with the tasks for the show, Little Alex Horne said: “They just come to me, which makes me sound a bit like I think I’m Mozart, but it's not. I just think it's not that clever. It's more I think, 'Oh, there's a colander, we could do something with a colander'. So yeah, I'm just on the lookout for tasks all the time. That's my life. But yeah, there's no system.”

Alex also spoke to us about his upcoming new project, The Horne Section TV Show. “It is really exciting. Because it's me and my old friend from primary school. We met when we were one years old. And now I'm 44. So it's been a long time in the making of the show,” he said.

“It's really fun to make a show with your mates. And there's not enough music on telly. So we're trying to do that again.”

Taskmaster airs on Channel 4 at 9pm on Thursdays. The Horne Section TV Show is set to arrive on Channel 4 later this autumn.