Taskmaster dropped in the US after disastrous debut
The hit comedy panel show failed to find an audience stateside.
Popular comedy panel show Taskmaster has finally arrived in the United States, only to be dropped after airing only one episode due to low viewing figures.
The news comes as a surprise given the show's runaway success here in the UK, where it debuted on UKTV channel Dave, before being whisked away by Channel 4 late last year.
American broadcaster The CW, home to the US version of Whose Line is it Anyway?, acquired the rights to air Taskmaster as part of its comedy lineup - but the series has failed to resonate with American audiences.
Greg Davies and Alex Horne's celebrity game show made its debut on Sunday night, but only 212,000 people tuned in to watch their zany antics, one of the lowest numbers that The CW has posted all summer.
According to Variety, the network has pulled Taskmaster from schedules after just one episode as a result, with its future on the network now uncertain.
Some have speculated that the show could now go directly to the network's streaming service CW Seed, but these rumours are currently unconfirmed.
In its place, The CW will be airing repeats of the final season of Supernatural, which remains unfinished after coronavirus halted production on the fantasy series.
The timing could not be more shocking, as Taskmaster won the television BAFTA for Best Comedy Entertainment Programme just last week, ahead of its hotly anticipated debut on Channel 4 later this year.
The cast of series ten will be comprised of This Country's Daisy May Cooper, Johnny Vegas (Benidorm), BAFTA-winning actress Katherine Parkinson (The IT Crowd), stand-up comedian Mawaan Rizwan (Live at the Apollo), and podcaster Richard Herring.
Despite this setback, fans can rest assured that there will be plenty more Taskmaster in the future, as Channel 4 has commissioned the show for five more seasons.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com about leaving Dave, Greg Davies said: “It’ll be very much the same show is our plan with Taskmaster, because people seem to like the show and we like doing it the way it is.
“So I think you’ll barely notice a difference, other than I will be just that little bit older and fatter… and angrier!”
Taskmaster returns on Channel 4 later this year. If you're looking for something else to watch, check out our TV Guide.
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
