Taskmaster Australia

Taskmaster Australia
Company type	Television series
Industry	Entertainment
Founded	February 2, 2023; 3 years ago
Headquarters	Sydney, Melbourne, Australia
Area served	Australia, New Zealand
Key people	Tom Gleeson (Taskmaster), Tom Cashman (Assistant)
Products	Television panel game show
Owner	Network 10 (broadcaster)
Parent	Avalon Television, Kevin & Co.

Taskmaster Australia is a comedic Australian panel game show that debuted on Network 10 on 2 February 2023. Based on the British original created by comedian Alex Horne, the program features five celebrity contestants, mainly comedians, who undertake a variety of challenges overseen by the "Taskmaster," Tom Gleeson, and his assistant, comedian Tom Cashman, who is referred to as "Lesser Tom."

The inaugural season aired in early 2023, with the second and third seasons following in 2024. Season four was recorded in late 2024 and premiered on 27 March 2025. Season five was filmed in March 2025. Production is handled by Kevin & Co alongside Avalon Television, with studio segments shot in Sydney and Melbourne, while task recordings take place in Auckland, New Zealand.

Format

Taskmaster operates as a humorous panel show where five participants complete diverse tasks assigned by "The Taskmaster" (Tom Gleeson) and evaluated by the "Taskmaster's Assistant" (Tom Cashman). These challenges assess contestants' physical abilities, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

Following the format of the UK version, each episode involves competitors vying for five themed prizes they bring themselves, which are ranked to award points. Three pre-recorded challenges—either individual or group efforts—are filmed at the designated Taskmaster Retreat locations such as The Lounge, The Kitchen, The Lab, and The Caravan. Each episode concludes with a live task conducted in the studio. Winners are declared per episode, culminating in one contestant receiving the series trophy modeled after The Taskmaster’s head.

Cast

During studio portions, contestants are seated alphabetically by first name except during the live task.

Legend

Series winner
Runner-up; tie-break loser

Series	Year	Seating
Series	Year	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	2024	Aaron Chen *	Concetta Caristo	Mel Buttle	Peter Helliar	Rhys Nicholson
4	2025	Dave Hughes	Emma Holland *	Lisa McCune	Takashi Wakasugi	Tommy Little
5	2025	Anisa Nandaula	Brett Blake	Celia Pacquola	Joel Creasey	Rove McManus

Production

Originally created by Alex Horne, the Taskmaster franchise began in the UK in 2015 with Horne serving as the assistant to the Taskmaster. The Australian adaptation was announced in October 2022 and is produced by Avalon Television in partnership with New Zealand’s Kevin & Co., marking Kevin & Co.’s first production outside New Zealand for Network 10.

Pre-recorded challenges were shot at Jennie Hu's Boutique Venue located on Croft Lane, Riverhead, New Zealand—also utilized for Taskmaster NZ—and branded for Australia as "The Taskmaster Retreat." Filming sessions could extend up to ten hours per day.

Studio recordings took place in December 2022 at NEP Studios situated in Eveleigh, Sydney. Gleeson remarked that this was his first program to consistently attract sold-out audiences from its initial episode.

The writing team, including Sam Smith (also involved with the New Zealand version) and Cashman, crafted tasks under producer Cam Bakker’s supervision; all assignments received final approval from creator Alex Horne. Executive producer Sarah Thornton highlighted the importance of introducing new writers each season to keep content fresh.

Filming for a second season started in Melbourne in July 2023 for a planned release in 2024. The announced cast featured Peter Helliar, Mel Buttle, Aaron Chen, Concetta Caristo, and Rhys Nicholson. Studio filming for a third season occurred in March 2024 with confirmed participants including Anne Edmonds, Jenny Tian, Josh Thomas, Lloyd Langford, and Wil Anderson.

In May 2024, it was revealed that the third filmed season would be broadcast as season two in mid-2024, while the previously filmed second season would air later that year.

Series 1 (2023)

The debut season comprised 10 episodes, broadcast on Network 10 from 2 February to 6 April 2023. Participants included Danielle Walker, Jimmy Rees, Julia Morris, Luke McGregor, and Nina Oyama. Walker emerged as the winner, with Morris finishing second, followed by Rees, Oyama, and McGregor in that order.

Subsequently, the episodes were uploaded to the official Taskmaster YouTube channel for online viewing.

Series 2 (2024)

Although filmed as the third season, this second installment features ten episodes and premiered on Network 10 on 23 May 2024. The contestant lineup consisted of Anne Edmonds, Jenny Tian, Josh Thomas, Lloyd Langford, and Wil Anderson.

After a tie-breaker, Lloyd Langford secured the championship, with Edmonds as runner-up. Anderson placed third, Tian fourth, and Thomas fifth.

New episodes were made available weekly via the official Taskmaster YouTube channel.

Series 3 (2024)

Originally recorded as the second season, this third series was broadcast following the conclusion of Series 2. It began airing on Network 10 on 24 September 2024. Competitors included Aaron Chen, Concetta Caristo, Mel Buttle, Peter Helliar, and Rhys Nicholson.

Aaron Chen claimed victory in this series, while Caristo and Helliar shared the runner-up position. Nicholson came fourth, with Buttle finishing fifth.

Episode nine featured pre-recorded challenges showcasing former Series 2 contestant Lloyd Langford, renowned actress Cate Blanchett, and the show's creator and original assistant, Alex Horne, in the "Most Heavenly Voice" task.

Series 4 (2025)

The fourth season was filmed at NEP Studios Sydney between 16 and 20 September 2024. The episodes premiered on 27 March 2025, featuring contestants Dave Hughes, Emma Holland, Lisa McCune, Takashi Wakasugi, and Tommy Little. Holland won this series; Wakasugi was runner-up, followed by Little in third place, McCune fourth, and Hughes fifth.

Series 5 (2025)

Studio recordings for the fifth season occurred at NEP Studios Sydney from 17 to 21 March 2025. This season's contestants include Anisa Nandaula, Brett Blake, Celia Pacquola, Joel Creasey, and Rove McManus.

Critical reception

The first season received commendation from The Age, which highlighted that by the third episode the show had "continued to settle in nicely," closely mirroring the British original's format. Host Gleeson was described as a "cheerful, friendly-looking chap who has built a career on telling people they suck," offering a unique Taskmaster persona distinct from British host Greg Davies.

External links