Taskmaster series 22 launches tonight on Channel 4 with starry cast

Taskmaster series 22 launches on Channel 4 tonight, with the new run beginning at 9pm BST. Chloe Petts, Isy Suttie, Matt Lucas, Nina Conti and Richard Ayoade form the five-person contestant line-up, while Greg Davies and Alex Horne return at the centre of the programme. Channel 4 and Radio Times are the named sources for the launch details.

The new series arrives as one of Thursday's main UK comedy events, with particular attention on how the latest group will approach the programme's challenges. Pre-launch coverage notes growing cast discussion ahead of the first episode, including anticipation around Richard Ayoade's deadpan style. No scores, results or details of tonight's tasks are included in the confirmed information.

Taskmaster series 22 starts at 9pm on Channel 4

Channel 4 has scheduled the series 22 launch for 9pm BST on Thursday 3 September. That is the central viewing information for audiences following the return. Radio Times also reports the launch, while the launch coverage identifies Taskmaster as a reliable UK comedy event with a high-profile new cast.

The confirmed contestant line-up for the new series is Chloe Petts, Isy Suttie, Matt Lucas, Nina Conti and Richard Ayoade. Greg Davies and Alex Horne remain the two established figures they will face on the programme. No episode totals, task descriptions or full transmission schedule beyond tonight's 9pm launch are included in the cited Channel 4 and Radio Times information.

• Programme: Taskmaster series 22.
• Launch: tonight, Thursday 3 September 2026.
• Time: 9pm BST.
• Channel: Channel 4.
• Contestants: Chloe Petts, Isy Suttie, Matt Lucas, Nina Conti and Richard Ayoade.
• Returning figures: Greg Davies and Alex Horne.

The Taskmaster series 22 cast

The five names announced for Taskmaster series 22 are at the heart of the launch-night interest. Channel 4 and Radio Times are the sources cited for the line-up. The launch information does not include individual task performances or advance results, leaving the competition free of verified spoilers in the cited launch reporting.

Chloe Petts, Isy Suttie, Matt Lucas, Nina Conti and Richard Ayoade will all face Greg Davies and Alex Horne as the new series gets under way. Beyond naming the participants, the launch information does not set out how any contestant performs in the opening episode, who wins particular challenges or how the first programme develops.

That absence of task-level detail is important on launch day. It means viewers can approach the 9pm episode with the core cast and scheduling information confirmed without having results presented as news in advance. Any claims circulating about outcomes would need separate verification before being treated as fact.

Richard Ayoade anticipation is part of the pre-launch buzz

The pre-launch coverage identifies Richard Ayoade as a particular focus of audience anticipation, with UK conversation building around the prospect of his deadpan style within Taskmaster. That is described as pre-broadcast interest rather than a report of anything that has already happened in the episode.

There is also broader cast speculation building ahead of tonight's programme. The confirmed names, however, are the five contestants already announced: Petts, Suttie, Lucas, Conti and Ayoade. No additional contestant is identified in the cited launch coverage, and no late change to the line-up is reported.

Pre-launch discussion has focused on how the new line-up will respond to the programme, with Ayoade's deadpan style singled out in UK conversation. The cited coverage does not support any prediction about who will perform best or how Greg Davies and Alex Horne will respond to individual contestants.

What is confirmed ahead of tonight's episode

There are several firm facts available before the 9pm start. Channel 4 is the broadcaster, series 22 begins tonight, and the five-person line-up has been named. Greg Davies and Alex Horne are also confirmed by Channel 4 and Radio Times as the figures the contestants will face.

1. The series launches at 9pm BST.
2. The date is Thursday 3 September 2026.
3. The broadcaster is Channel 4.
4. The contestants are Petts, Suttie, Lucas, Conti and Ayoade.
5. No opening-episode results are included in the launch information.

Those points allow for a clear launch report without filling gaps with assumptions. No ratings forecast, audience figure, episode score or review mark is included in the cited launch coverage. Likewise, there is no confirmed information here about later episodes beyond the fact that tonight marks the series 22 launch.

Why Taskmaster remains a Thursday-night talking point

The launch coverage describes Taskmaster as a dependable UK comedy event and singles out the new cast, particularly Ayoade, as a reason for heightened interest. On Thursday, that attention moves from line-up discussion to the first broadcast of the new run.

The timing also places the series alongside another major entertainment launch today, with The Gentlemen series 2 arriving on Netflix earlier in the day. The two releases are different kinds of event, but both are among the leading UK entertainment stories for 3 September in the day's coverage.

For Taskmaster specifically, the key distinction is that its new series has a fixed television launch time tonight. Viewers waiting for the first episode have a single confirmed appointment: Channel 4 at 9pm BST.

What happens next

Taskmaster series 22 begins tonight on Channel 4 at 9pm BST. Once the opening episode has aired, there will be a factual basis for reporting its tasks, outcomes and notable moments, but none of those details is part of the pre-broadcast information reported by Channel 4 and Radio Times.

For now, the story is the launch itself and the five-person cast entering the programme with Greg Davies and Alex Horne. Any subsequent ratings, results or episode details should be reported only when confirmed by an attributable source.

Frequently asked questions

What time does Taskmaster series 22 start tonight?

Taskmaster series 22 starts at 9pm BST on Channel 4 tonight, Thursday 3 September 2026. Channel 4 and Radio Times are the named sources for the launch information. The confirmed launch information does not provide a full later-series transmission schedule, so the confirmed timing here is for tonight's opening episode.

Who is in the Taskmaster series 22 cast?

The five contestants in Taskmaster series 22 are Chloe Petts, Isy Suttie, Matt Lucas, Nina Conti and Richard Ayoade. They will face Greg Davies and Alex Horne when the new series begins on Channel 4 at 9pm BST tonight, according to Channel 4 and Radio Times.

Why is Richard Ayoade attracting attention before Taskmaster starts?

Pre-launch coverage identifies anticipation around Richard Ayoade's deadpan style as one of the pre-launch talking points for Taskmaster series 22. That is audience interest ahead of transmission, not a report of how he performs. No task results, scores or opening-episode outcomes are included in the confirmed information.

Are there any spoilers for the Taskmaster series 22 launch?

The confirmed launch information does not include task descriptions, scores, winners or other results from tonight's Taskmaster series 22 launch. The confirmed information covers the 9pm Channel 4 start, the five contestants and the return of Greg Davies and Alex Horne, without giving away outcomes from the opening episode.