Blab Entertainment
Taskmaster Invited to Hollywood Bowl After YouTube-Built U.S. Audience
After a surge of U.S. fans on YouTube, Taskmaster’s creators have secured a slot at one of America’s most iconic venues. The announcement came during Deadline’s Live Studio, where the team revealed that the live stage version of the show will perform at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
The invitation follows a string of sold‑out U.S. shows that began in early 2026. In each performance, two guest comedians team up with three audience members to tackle absurd tasks, a format that has drawn high‑profile contestants such as John Oliver and Seth Meyers. The shows filled venues in minutes, convincing the producers that the 17,500‑seat amphitheater—home to Monty Python in 1980—was the next logical step.
During the masterclass, Alex Horne, the show’s creator and assistant, and Greg Davies, the Taskmaster, were joined by producer Andy Cartwright, director Andy Devonshire, and executive producer Jon Thoday, co‑founder of Avalon. Thoday explained that the team had originally aimed to launch a U.S. version of Taskmaster. "In the early days, we had the ambition to make a U.S. version of Taskmaster," he said. "We did make a short show for Comedy Central. We actually changed the format for that, which probably was a mistake. Ultimately, we woke up one day and thought we’ll just put the show on YouTube. From that day till now it’s grown every week… to the point where a lot of the traditional channels would actually like to have Taskmaster, but we like the fact that we’re in so many homes." The statement highlighted how the free, day‑and‑date release of full UK episodes on YouTube built a fan base large enough to attract the Hollywood Bowl’s interest.
Taskmaster first aired on the UK channel Dave in 2015 and moved to Channel 4 in 2020. The format has spawned local versions in Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Canada, Sweden, Spain and the United States. The U.S. adaptation that aired in 2018 on Comedy Central featured Reggie Watts as Taskmaster and Alex Horne as assistant, but it lasted only one season. The current live tour, which began in January 2026, has been described by the team as a return to the show’s roots, with contestants performing tasks on stage in front of a live audience.
The Hollywood Bowl invitation is significant for several reasons. First, it signals that a show built largely through a streaming platform can translate into a major live event. Second, it demonstrates the continued relevance of the Taskmaster format in a crowded comedy landscape. Finally, it underscores the importance of the Hollywood Bowl as a venue that has historically hosted landmark comedy acts, including Monty Python.
The exact dates for the Hollywood Bowl run have not yet been announced, but the team confirmed that the venue will host a series of performances later this summer. The invitation follows a pattern of increasing demand for live comedy experiences in the United States, and it may open the door for other international formats to consider similar tours. For now, fans of Taskmaster can look forward to seeing the show in a new setting that has become a symbol of American entertainment history.
The invitation follows a string of sold‑out U.S. shows that began in early 2026. In each performance, two guest comedians team up with three audience members to tackle absurd tasks, a format that has drawn high‑profile contestants such as John Oliver and Seth Meyers. The shows filled venues in minutes, convincing the producers that the 17,500‑seat amphitheater—home to Monty Python in 1980—was the next logical step.
During the masterclass, Alex Horne, the show’s creator and assistant, and Greg Davies, the Taskmaster, were joined by producer Andy Cartwright, director Andy Devonshire, and executive producer Jon Thoday, co‑founder of Avalon. Thoday explained that the team had originally aimed to launch a U.S. version of Taskmaster. "In the early days, we had the ambition to make a U.S. version of Taskmaster," he said. "We did make a short show for Comedy Central. We actually changed the format for that, which probably was a mistake. Ultimately, we woke up one day and thought we’ll just put the show on YouTube. From that day till now it’s grown every week… to the point where a lot of the traditional channels would actually like to have Taskmaster, but we like the fact that we’re in so many homes." The statement highlighted how the free, day‑and‑date release of full UK episodes on YouTube built a fan base large enough to attract the Hollywood Bowl’s interest.
Taskmaster first aired on the UK channel Dave in 2015 and moved to Channel 4 in 2020. The format has spawned local versions in Australia, Belgium, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Canada, Sweden, Spain and the United States. The U.S. adaptation that aired in 2018 on Comedy Central featured Reggie Watts as Taskmaster and Alex Horne as assistant, but it lasted only one season. The current live tour, which began in January 2026, has been described by the team as a return to the show’s roots, with contestants performing tasks on stage in front of a live audience.
The Hollywood Bowl invitation is significant for several reasons. First, it signals that a show built largely through a streaming platform can translate into a major live event. Second, it demonstrates the continued relevance of the Taskmaster format in a crowded comedy landscape. Finally, it underscores the importance of the Hollywood Bowl as a venue that has historically hosted landmark comedy acts, including Monty Python.
The exact dates for the Hollywood Bowl run have not yet been announced, but the team confirmed that the venue will host a series of performances later this summer. The invitation follows a pattern of increasing demand for live comedy experiences in the United States, and it may open the door for other international formats to consider similar tours. For now, fans of Taskmaster can look forward to seeing the show in a new setting that has become a symbol of American entertainment history.
