Fans of Taskmaster have expressed optimism about Richard Ayoade's participation after the first trailer for series 22, easing concerns that his deadpan persona would not suit the show's format.
First look at the new series
Channel 4 and Little Alex Horne, the Taskmaster's assistant and secret brains behind the show, released the first trailer for the 22nd series on August 19, 2026. The trailer featured the usual mix of over-the-top shenanigans, comedians having mental breakdowns, and plenty of tasking action. The new cast includes Chloe Petts, Isy Suttie, Matt Lucas, Nina Conti, and Richard Ayoade, who will compete under the tyrannical rule of Greg Davies.
Fans react to Richard Ayoade's involvement
A section of the Taskmaster fanbase had been concerned that Richard Ayoade's deadpan persona would not lend itself to the show's more cuddly format. However, after seeing a brief glimpse of Ayoade in the trailer, those fears have dissipated. On Reddit, user Hairy_Dirt3361 wrote: 'It's a tiny clip, but Richard Ayoade being confused and smiling makes me optimistic he'll engage with the game rather than being his aloof and above-it-all comedy persona.' Another user, SaltPomegranate4, added: 'I'm particularly here for Richard.' User Turbulent_Natural43 argued that concerns about Ayoade were overblown, stating: 'I think people were too concerned about that happening tbh. He only really does that persona heavily on things like Big Fat Quiz or Cats Does Countdown where the game doesn't actually matter. He's much more up for playing along on shows like Last One Laughing. And he's been doing sketch comedy type stuff for years; he's not always that aloof.'
Other contestants excite fans
Richard was not the only contestant to generate excitement. DoctorWhofan789eywim wrote that they think Isy Suttie is 'going to be an all-time contestant' after watching the trailer. Meanwhile, NateExpectations claimed: 'Chloe looks like she's going to give 110% effort to get 10% of the benefits.' The star of the show, however, was Patatas the cat, a stuffed cat toy that has been a fixture of Taskmaster since the second series. In a previous episode, Kumail Nanjani had chopped off some of Patatas's fur while attempting to fill an egg cup with lint. Fans were happy to see Patatas return, with YouTube user @stevematthews8028 joking: 'I can't believe after all this time, they finally got him on the show. Patatas returns!' Another user, @xdami4nx, agreed: 'Finally they acknowledged the real star of the show. God save Patatas.'
Controversy surrounding the cast
The new cast has proved surprisingly controversial, with some viewers saying they will boycott the new series. Richard Ayoade has been criticised in recent years after he endorsed gender critical writer Graham Linehan's memoir, which critics saw as an endorsement of Linehan's anti-trans positions. Meanwhile, others have criticised the decision to cast Matt Lucas, citing his history of blackface and jokes about the LGBTQ+ community. Lucas has apologised for his past behaviour, telling Big Issue in 2017: 'If I could go back and do Little Britain again, I wouldn't make those jokes about transvestites. I wouldn't play black characters. Basically, I wouldn't make that show now. It would upset people. We made a more cruel kind of comedy than I'd do now.' Taskmaster series 22 begins on September 3.
