Taskmaster Series 22 Cast Confirmed: Matt Lucas, Richard Ayoade, and Three Others to Compete
Channel 4 has confirmed the five-person cast for Taskmaster series 22, headlined by comedians Matt Lucas and Richard Ayoade alongside Chloe Petts, Nina Conti, and Isy Suttie. The announcement came on the same night as the series 21 finale, which was won by Joanna Page. The casting has drawn both excitement and online backlash due to controversies surrounding Lucas and Ayoade's past associations.
Taskmaster series 22 will feature Matt Lucas, Richard Ayoade, Chloe Petts, Nina Conti, and Isy Suttie, as confirmed by Channel 4 following the series 21 finale. Joanna Page won series 21, defeating Kumail Nanjiani, Armando Iannucci, Amy Gledhill, and Joel Dommett. Lucas is widely known for Little Britain and Doctor Who, while Ayoade is best recognised for The IT Crowd and Garth Marenghi's Darkplace. Petts appeared in Hannah Gadsby's Netflix special, Suttie is known for playing Dobby in Peep Show, and Conti is a comedian and ventriloquist. The announcement has generated controversy online: Lucas has previously apologised for racially insensitive content in Little Britain, and Ayoade has faced criticism for his public support of IT Crowd writer Graham Linehan, who holds widely condemned views on transgender issues. No release date for series 22 has been announced, though the show typically airs two seasons per year, suggesting a fall debut is likely.
How coverage differed
AV Club focused primarily on the comedic appeal and public personas of the new cast with an enthusiastic tone, largely omitting the controversy angle. Metro.co.uk gave significant coverage to the fan backlash and the specific controversies surrounding both Lucas and Ayoade, framing the casting as 'contentious.'
What different sources said
- Metro.co.ukCenter
Taskmaster confirms series 22 line-up including Matt Lucas and Richard Ayoade
- AV ClubCenter
Matt Lucas and Richard Ayoade are both coming to Taskmaster
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