I think it's already been established by my previous Taskmaster contestant ranking list that I'm a pretty huge fan of the show, but as a fan of the show that doesn't mean I'm always right about everything with it, or that my opinions can't change. That being said, you'll undoubtedly notice there are a few placements on here that will be about (or just about) the same as the last time, and several others that will be pretty different. That's one of the things I love about making lists like this, seeing how much my opinion changes makes me happy and is a reminder of how I'm a living person capable of growth and change.
70. Paul Sinha
Previous ranking: 53 of 55
After watching through this season about 4-5 times, I still can only list on half of one hand the number of actually good/funny/memorable moments contributed by Paul Sinha. I don't find him to be a particularly comforting presence, and with his fairly consistent references to his own health and ailments (not counting the previously undiagnosed) he really just strikes me as someone who didn't want to be there and wasn't having much fun. Instead of contrasting the intense competition of Lou Sanders and Iain Stirling, he instead just feels like a wet blanket weighing everything down.
69. Katy Wix
Previous ranking: 52 of 55
Another instance of a contestant becoming less and less likeable for me with every subsequent rewatch, Katy Wix doesn't have many inspired moments, regularly gets over-scored, and often makes rude/whiny (and unfunny) comments under her breath. While she mostly seems to be a pretty pleasant person outside of the show (and even sometimes on it), she still didn't do much to impress me with her responses to tasks or anything about her performance as a whole. Besides, she's featured alongside 4 other contestants who I find genuinely a lot of fun.
68. Madeleine Sami
Previous ranking: N/A
Pretty easily my least-favorite New Zealand contestant so far, Madeleine is one of the most cringe-inducingly unfunny people on the panel, which is honestly kind of amazing when you consider who else was in the room with her. But unlike he-who-will-soon-be-named, Madeleine doesn't seem aware of just how unfunny and smugly unlikeable she really is, making her presence all the more irritating to me. Her decent task performances are eclipsed by the terrible jokes she makes in the studio and absolutely desperate pandering to the Taskmaster himself. Embarrassing, really.
67. Lolly Adefope
Previous ranking: 54 of 55
Just like her Ghosts co-star Katy Wix, Lolly honestly suffers most from being by far the least interesting or entertaining on an otherwise fantastic series. While she never comes across as quite as negative as Katy, Lolly has even less original and inspired ideas, which just makes her more of a flatline than anything. A bit of a time-waster contestant who never does particularly well (outside of prize tasks, which she gets more points at than possibly anyone else in the history of the show) but doesn't irritate me most of the time.
66. Dave Gorman
Previous ranking: 48 of 55
This is a tough one for me, because more than finding his attempts to cheat upsetting to me like so many others, I more dislike Gorman as a contestant for just rarely having any standout moments. He's not particularly funny, and there's not much more to say about it than that.
65. Sara Pascoe
Previous ranking: 49 of 55
Sara is probably a little better than Dave just because she has a few tasks where she thought outside the box a bit, but the results are similarly unmemorable and not particularly amusing. She didn't try to cheat or anything, and often ran face-first into the more physical tasks, so I can't fault her for not trying, but she still didn't do much to entertain.
64. Al Murray
Previous ranking: 45 of 55
My favorite of the trio of bleh that make up the bottom end of one of the weakest seasons of the show, Al definitely has passion on his side and has proven time and time again to be a massive fan of the show, but it all seemed to come out of his wallet more than as anything too amazing. While he definitely has his moments, Al Murray is still a bit one-note a lot of the time.
63. Asim Chaudhry
Previous ranking: 46 of 55
With a couple inspired moments (his multi-episode execution of one task in particular is a stroke of pure genius), Asim rises above the bottom of the pile, but sits very near it for mostly just being a dull presence on an already mellow and unenergetic series. Often pretty self-congratulatory in prizes, Asim seemed to appear on the show as an advertisement more than because he really wanted to have a good time.
62. Sian Gibson
Previous ranking: 44 of 55
Unlike some of the previous people on the list who I've made special note of with their seemingly disinterested attitude towards the show, Sian definitely did want to be there and seemed to be having a great time throughout. Unfortunately, her having fun doesn't always translate to fun for the audience. She isn't much for terribly creative ideas, and just rarely stands out in any particular way.
61. Richard Herring
Previous ranking: 47 of 55
Richard Herring is a very desperate person. If you watch/listen to his stand up, podcasts, or pretty much anything he's involved in, that becomes evident almost immediately. Sadly, his desperation (to win, in this situation) doesn't allow for much more than instinctive route-one responses to virtually everything. The result is someone who's trying to maintain a certain level of outward composure in the studio, while also trying to blast his way through the tasks for the big win. Not super interesting to watch a lot of the time, but honestly fills a pretty usefully straight forward role in an otherwise insane series.
60. Guy Williams
Previous ranking: N/A
Here's one many people familiar with would probably disagree with me about, but Guy Williams, as annoying as he obviously is, serves a very important role in the first series of the NZ Taskmaster. Deliberately going out of his way to antagonize and liven up the studio segments by being as obnoxious as possible, Guy is totally willing to make an ass out of himself at all times in order to keep the show from being as boring and subdued as it easily could have been. That being said, he does mellow out in the latter half of the series, but it isn't really enough to keep him from being an overall irritant. I appreciate what he was trying to do, but it was still annoying.
59. Alice Levine
Previous ranking: 50 of 55
A personal friend of Alex Horne and his wife, Alice clearly was trying to use this connection for humor (and not for pandering, as many others might), but that's one of the only things she really does bring to the table here. Series 6 was a notoriously mediocre series (bad by TM standards, though), and Alice was a perfectly mediocre contestant.
58. Kerry Godliman
Previous ranking: 51 of 55
I'd be lying if I said Kerry not landing lower on the list had anything to do with how well I liked her on this show, but it kind of doesn't. Much like Richard from series 10, Kerry filled the role of the straight-forward just get it done type of contestant that worked in hilarious contrast to the madness provided by the likes of James and Rhod, but that doesn't really do her any favors here. She's got some genuinely funny moments that I really did enjoy, but her whining and generally boring task attempts didn't do anything to make her like her much.
57. Roisin Conaty
Previous ranking: 42 of 55
The first "dumb" contestant, Roisin is a bit of a mixed bag for me. Yes, there are times when her idiot persona can be quite amusing, but more often than not I just find her annoying on Taskmaster. Pair that with the intense (Romesh), creative (Tim), driven (Josh), and anecdotal (Frank) personalities that surround here on this first series, and you wind up with a contestant that I generally found more annoying than charming. Still has her moments, but doesn't usually stand out in a positive way.
56. Phil Wang
Previous ranking: 41 of 55
Part of me feels pretty bad for Phil. He's easily the most forgotten/forgettable contestant on a wild series that's filled with so many standout moments from the other cast members, it was hard for Phil to ever really separate himself. That being said, he often didn't approach the tasks with much energy, and apart from a few running jokes and his ridiculous Bruce Lee ball costume, wasn't terribly fun to watch most of the time. In the studio he looked largely uncomfortable during all the arguments, and just sunk into the background.
55. Sarah Kendall
Previous ranking: 31 of 55
I definitely suffered from a bit of recency bias when I first made this list. Sarah Kendall, while funny later on in the series during the studio segments, was not a terribly interesting contestant to watch during the tasks themselves. She very much filled the straight-forward no B.S. role for the season, and I generally don't find those people particularly interesting. It's nothing against her, the others on series 11 were just much more entertaining for me.
54. Tim Vine
Previous ranking: 39 of 55
A pretty pleasant guy with some solid jokes interspersed here and there, Tim's biggest downfall isn't even really his fault. He's a one-liner comedian being put on a show where crafted jokes just don't fully work, so he's a bit out of his element here. Still, he's an alright contestant on a season filled with mediocrity.
53. Richard Osman
Previous ranking: 40 of 55
One of the most influential contestants on the show, Osman is the guy who dissected the meaning behind each word on a task and forced Alex and his team to really think about how they were going to write tasks moving forward. Osman wasn't a terribly entertaining contestant, but he's not a comedian, so to expect him to bring laughs nonstop would be unreasonable.
52. Doc Brown
Previous ranking: 37 of 55
A hugely unpopular contestant who has gone on the record as absolutely hating his experience on the show, Doc Brown still manages to pack each episode with at least one or two pretty great moments. He may not be the flashiest or funniest at all times, but he's definitely one I think gets overlooked more often than he should.
51. Russell Howard
Previous ranking: 34 of 55
I'm very torn with how I feel about Russell Howard, both as a contestant and a comedian. While he sometimes is pretty hilarious, what he does often feels a bit forced and unnatural. He's sometimes running face-first into what he does, and other times totally lazy and uninspired. I still enjoy him more than several other series 6 contestants, but that just goes to show how weak the series was as a whole.
50. Daisy May Cooper
Previous ranking: 43 of 55
Daisy is a force to be reckoned with. While she isn't a particularly funny comedian if you ask me, what she does bring to the table here is an amount of physical effort and overwhelming confidence that's almost insane. Heavily pregnant and abundant with rage, Daisy may sometimes be the most unpleasant contestant the show has ever had, but has the kind of passion and energy few others have come close to matching, and it's difficult to look away from.
49. Leigh Hart
Previous ranking: N/A
No, he isn't the most creative guy in the room, but Leigh is consistently fun in the studio, being one of the only people in the first series who is able to regularly bring laughs without the huge asterisk of being cringy or insanely awkward. A gruff dude who doesn't look like the type to dabble in the absurd, Leigh was always game and totally willing to be the butt of the joke.
48. Josh Widdicombe
Previous ranking: 35 of 55
Occasionally inspired, but always thirsty for points, Josh had a desperation to him that definitely came across from early on, helping to really set the bar for how far contestants would be willing to go for the show. He may not always be the most exciting, and I don't find him terribly funny, but he had some of the defining moments of the series.
47. Lou Sanders
Previous ranking: 55 of 55
Yes, Lou Sanders was my bottom pick for my entire list last time around, but upon reflection I realized how many hilarious and insane moments she really has. This time, I decided to punish mediocrity and boredom more, which I have to say Lou never brought to the table. She's a bit much to handle sometimes and does have her fair share of whiny/bratty moments, but she's still pretty funny a lot of the time.
46. Brynley Stent
Previous ranking: N/A
A bit hit-or-miss in the first half of the series, Brynley starts to show off her weirder side later on in the show and definitely came around to being one of the highlights of the otherwise mediocre first NZ series. She seemed pretty giggly for the first few episodes but largely uncomfortable during the studio segments, but eventually (like with her pre-recorded tasks) really came into her own.
45. Paul Chowdhry
Previous ranking: 36 of 55
Quite possibly the weirdest contestant that's ever been on the show, Paul is the kind of character comedian whose actual personality is never really made clear, on the show or otherwise. The result is a crazy and unpredictable contestant who always seems uneasy, and puts everyone else in that same place after a very short period of time. Sometimes the results are hilarious, other times they're incredibly off-putting. But at least he's memorable.
44. Charlotte Ritchie
Previous ranking: 32 of 55
One of the most popular contestants of the past few seasons, I largely felt Charlotte was relatively uncomfortable during her time on the show, and that never makes me terribly happy when watching someone. She was the resident "idiot" contestant for the season, and I generally don't find those particularly funny, but she definitely had her moments. Funny, sweet, and a different sort of contestant for a show that never seems to become redundant.
43. Frank Skinner
Previous ranking: 30 of 55
He might very well be the single most important contestant Alex has ever booked on the show, as it was essentially his clout that sold everyone involved on actually doing the series, but entertainment value is my main concern here, and when it comes to task performances Frank is one of the most forgettable of the first few seasons. But his studio presence is wonderful, filled with anecdotes and witty responses. He's a funny guy who always manages to spin a story out of nowhere.
42. Katherine Parkinson
Previous ranking: 28 of 55
Out of touch incompetence is a great and reductive way to distill Katherine's appearance on Taskmaster, but I struggle to find a more genuine way to express how it feels to watch her here. She's panicked and out of her element, like a deer staring down oncoming traffic, and the things she does when the timer kicks in shows just how difficult the wacky tasks in the show can be to someone who doesn't fully understand what they've signed up for. She gets marked down some for me here due to how lazy some of her attempts really were, but not much.
41. Urzila Carlson
Previous ranking: N/A
My least-favorite of the second series of New Zealand's version of the show, and still higher on this list than 4 of the 5 from the first season -- just to put into perspective how great series 2 was. She's a slow-moving, witty, and antagonistic force for the Taskmaster's assistant to contend with, and worked quite well as a foil to the otherwise chaotic series. Not always the funniest in the room, but rarely does she drop a joke that bombs.
40. Liza Tarbuck
Previous ranking: 38 of 55
Pretty chilled out and low energy (like the rest of the contestants on series 6), Liza stood above the rest for being easily the most imaginative and original of the bunch, in spite of not ever really putting out any actual effort. Some tasks she unashamedly phoned in, while others are some of the most memorable and hilarious in the entire show's history. I've definitely warmed up to her over time.
39. Katherine Ryan
Previous ranking: 29 of 55
Katherine Ryan is very hit-or-miss for me in general, and that is still very much the case here, but when she hits she really hits. She has maybe the most embarrassing and shocking task moment I've ever seen, and that alone would put her above so many others. She played the game well, but wasn't always great fun. Still, I enjoyed her quite a bit here.
38. Matt Heath
Previous ranking: N/A
Not the highest energy contestant of the season, but much like Urzila, manages to find a niche as a pretty relaxed presence. But what he lacks in manic behavior, he makes up for by being totally out of his element, but fully leaning into everything. I always enjoy seeing people out of their comfort zones on Taskmaster, especially when they completely give themselves over to the absurdity of everything they're doing. Fun stuff.
37. Desiree Burch
Previous ranking: N/A
Putting Desiree on the bottom of the Series 12 pile is a little difficult, because she is loads of fun to watch, but someone had to be there. Ultimately, the deciding factor was just that American accents and brash personalities sometimes clash with Britishness in a way that can be a little jarring. That's really the worst thing I can say about her here.
36. Jessica Knappett
Previous ranking: 27 of 55
A total goober and pretty great in the studio, Jessica doesn't stand out for me as much as she does for others (Series 7 is too crazy for her to be a real highlight), but she's still got plenty of classic moments that always bring the laughs. Not an all-time favorite of mine, but really fun.
35. Alan Davies
Previous ranking: N/A
Alan is the perfect kind of personality for this show in that he is, and always has been, fully capable of being the butt of the joke and just rolling with the punches. In the studio, he's clearly having a load of fun laughing at himself, and even tossing around little quips and jokes for everyone else while he's at it. Just a really welcome, warm-seeming guy with a great sense of humor about himself.
34. Rob Beckett
Previous ranking: 19 of 55
I've become a bit harsher on Rob over time when in re-watching I've started to question how much he actually enjoyed his time on the show, which may seem like a silly complaint, but does sort of sour the whole thing for me a tad. Still, he's got great moments and made me laugh about 10x as much as most other contestants on Series 3, so even if he wasn't having a ton of fun, I found him one of the only redeeming qualities of his series.
33. Nish Kumar
Previous ranking: 33 of 55
I'm a bit back and forth on Nish, as he is my least favorite of his series, but still has some of the defining moments of the entire show. He may be a total idiot half the time, but other times he completely steals the show, and is loving every single minute of the show, regardless of how good he's doing. He's one of the "worst" contestants the show has ever seen, but he makes me laugh quite a bit, and I love his energy.
32. Iain Stirling
Previous ranking: 21 of 55
Probably one of my more controversial placements, as a good number of people absolutely hated Iain on the show. But honestly, he's one of the few redeeming things about Series 8, which I mostly found dull apart from him. While he was obviously playing up his competitive nature to insane degrees early on, I think his whining and tantrum-throwing came off as a lot funnier than it might have been, due to how often he completely failed and embarrassed himself. Maybe not a fan favorite, but I liked him.
31. David Baddiel
Previous ranking: 22 of 55
Pretty much the gold standard of "smart guy who sucks at everything", David Baddiel isn't the funniest or most ingenious at his tasks, but that's part of what makes him so much fun to watch, because you could tell he thought going into it that he was doing so well. Often hilariously inept and equally embarrassing, there's something almost heart-warming about watching David on the show as he's a constant reminder that it doesn't matter how clever or successful you are on Taskmaster, because odds are you're just going to be awful regardless, so you might as well just have fun with it.
30. Mark Watson
Previous ranking: 25 of 55
One of the most awkward people I've ever seen on TV, Mark Watson clearly did everything he could to win the show, but he was too much of an easy target for Greg to pick on for him to ever get as many points as he probably deserved. Maybe not always the funniest to watch in tasks, but his team stuff with Nish is some of the best the show has ever seen, and his supreme discomfort during the show is hilarious to watch.
29. Mawaan Rizwan
Previous ranking: 23 of 55
A definite fan favorite for a multitude of reasons, Mawaan is one of those guys who either does a pretty crap job or pulls something genius out of nowhere that totally floors you. The result is one of those contestants who is as unpredictable as he is exciting to watch. Also, the man tried to inflate an egg with helium. Only Taskmaster could put someone in the mindset to try to pull something like that off.
28. Jo Brand
Previous ranking: 18 of 55
Almost certainly the laziest contestant in the history of the show, Jo took every possible opportunity to not do anything as much as humanly possible, and the result is every bit as hilarious as it is frustrating. I couldn't have expected or hoped for anything more or less than exactly what she gave, and I found her very amusing.
27. Tim Key
Previous ranking: 26 of 55
He might not have always been the funniest, sometimes he goes all-out and sometimes he clearly half-assed it and was just trying to make everything into a joke, but it's due to that weird inconsistency in his performance that makes him so interesting to watch. He's the first person to put on a real task outfit, and while he wasn't the only one in season 1 to go to crazy lengths to get the tasks done, he was still one of several to help set the bar.
26. Angella Dravid
Previous ranking: N/A
The first really good contestant on the NZ version of the show, Angella suffers at times from repeating the same type of joke again and again (maybe I'm the only one who noticed this, but it's not a huge deal), but was still the most creative and consistently entertaining person on her series. Super awkward and often quite creative.
25. Morgana Robinson
Previous ranking: N/A
Morgana pretty much flew out the gate as an early fan favorite in series 12, and managed to pretty consistently offer up funny and creative moments for the entire duration of the show. Alex Horne clearly expected her to play characters during her time here, but what we got was much more fun to watch, because we really got to see just how weird and eccentric Morgana is underneath all the character stuff. Very entertaining.
24. Lee Mack
Previous ranking: 15 of 55
I find it a little weird that Lee has had such mediocre reactions for his appearance on Taskmaster, with him commonly landing on the bottom of the Series 11 group (or very near it) when people rank contestants by each series, as he's honestly got tons of hilarious and memorable moments here. His biggest problem is really that he thrives in a live setting, and the studio segments for his series were recorded without the audience. But if that's the worst thing I can say about him here, I'd say he's doing pretty well.
23. Laura Daniel
Previous ranking: N/A
One of several easily excitable and competitive members of the second series NZ cast, Laura was filled with all sorts of weirdness and ingenious moments that I never could have expected. Granted, I had never heard of her prior to the show, but she still wound up leaving a pretty big mark on the series, which considering some of her co-stars, is a pretty impressive feat.
22. Aisling Bea
Previous ranking: 14 of 55
Sometimes I feel like I'm one of relatively few people who really enjoys Aisling Bea and her particular brand of self-deprecation. That all translates wonderfully to her appearance on TM, which offers her up more than a few opportunities to be completely hilarious in unexpectedly weird ways. She's an odd comedian who I feel would get more positive returns had she not been on such an amazing series, as she tends to get overshadowed a lot.
21. Sally Phillips
Previous ranking: 20 of 55
Yeah, Sally is pretty amazing here, providing a few of the series' defining moments, not to mention just being an absolutely lovely and hilarious presence in the studio. I really don't have a bad thing to say about her, other than maybe her flipbook video being confusing and not a very good task effort. The horror.
20. Jamali Maddix
Previous ranking: 24 of 55
Jamali took a while for me to really warm up to, but at this point I consider him one of the more entertaining and unique contestants the show has seen. Clearly not being a fan of the show going in, Jamali just sort of wandered through, occasionally stomping on things and bringing in terrible prizes. He's a weird dude with an odd charm that makes him hard to look away from.
19. Jon Richardson
Previous ranking: 13 of 55
One of my picks for the most underrated of all Taskmaster contestants, Jon had pretty wonderful moments in every episode of his series, which sadly ended after only 5 episodes. He's an awkward, competitive, and borderline psychotic dude who does some of the most bizarre (and sometimes painfully embarrassing) things the show had seen up to that point, and I loved everything about it. Funny, clever, with just the right amount of competitiveness.
18. Victoria Coren Mitchell
Previous ranking: N/A
I was kind of surprised by how high VCM wound up on this list, but when I really think about it I can't think of a single good reason why she wouldn't wind up at least in my top 25 every time. Fully capable of laughing at herself, but also very obviously embarrassed by how poorly she did at nearly everything, Victoria is a perfect example of the "bad contestant" by my standards. She was almost surprised by how awful she was at so much of what she had to do here, and was always a joy to watch.
17. Joe Wilkinson
Previous ranking: 12 of 55
If Joe's entire existence within the Taskmaster universe was simply the potato golf hole task, he would still deserve to be near the top of this list, but then he had to go and be hilariously inept in so many other ways. One of the most impossibly lovable contestants in the early seasons of the show, Joe is the kind of perfect fit for the show that very rarely comes by. And I'm only sad about the fact he was only there for 5 episodes. What a waste.
16. Ed Gamble
Previous ranking: 9 of 55
Previously barely squeaking into my top 10, I feel like Ed took a bit of a hit this time around, but that's not to say I don't love the guy. He's one of the few contestants who you can tell in a single instant that, not only is he incredibly competitive in general, but is a massive fan of the show who loves everything about the world Alex Horne has created here. He's always running face-first into everything, and served as a hilarious contrast to Jo and David.
15. Joe Lycett
Previous ranking: 10 of 55
As far as Series 4 goes, it really is an all-star lineup (apart from Lolly, obviously) where putting those 4 in order was almost an impossible task for me to do, so Joe just kind of landed on the bottom just because I couldn't settle on anything else this time around. He's a great all-round contestant who genuinely seemed to love every minute of it, and that exuberance never failed to translate.
14. Rose Matafeo
Previous ranking: 16 of 55
Equally as competitive as Ed Gamble, Rose and him are actually friends outside of the show, which to me begs the question: "how have they not murdered each other?" Really, it was pretty tough for me to decide which of these two I preferred, but overall I probably laughed more at Rose, as she wasn't quite as straight-forward or aggressive as Ed. Still, consistently loads of fun to watch.
13. Hugh Dennis
Previous ranking: 17 of 55
Often seen as the "bad contestant" of his series (which is odd, considering by nearly every possible metric Lolly was worse than him), Hugh was perhaps the most underscored contestant of the entire show so far, as his (mis)interpretation of many of the tasks often led to him being disqualified or under-pointed just because Greg found it funny. Regardless, I love how often he tried to outsmart the show, and he was always fun to watch.
12. Joe Thomas
Previous ranking: 11 of 55
Another competitor for the title of most awkward contestant ever, Joe has a sort of adorability that made him impossible not to root for, especially considering the very mediocre contestants he was surrounded by. Much like Hugh in series 4, Joe was often unjustly punished and underscored (mainly for his prize tasks, which he himself said he approached more like data entry than as entertainment), but that couldn't stop him from being far and away my favorite of his group.
11. Guy Montgomery
Previous ranking: N/A
The more I think back on this series, the more I find myself loving Guy Montgomery. Super competitive, but always with a big smile on his face, Guy was the complete package, both inventive in tasks and hilarious in studio. I still regularly quote him on a near daily basis, and that's just one small aspect of what he brought to the table here. Simply one of the funniest contestants across the board.
10. Noel Fielding
Previous ranking: 7 of 55
One of the most naturally talented and creative people the show has ever seen, it almost felt like an inevitability that Noel was going to totally nail it and be one of the best contestants the show has ever seen. Absurd, witty, inventive, and surprisingly athletically competent, Noel pretty much has no weak points as a contestant, and that also translates over to his overall entertainment value. He's able to be good at pretty much everything and funny at the same time. It's frankly ridiculous.
9. Guz Khan
Previous ranking: N/A
As much as I enjoyed the other 4 on Series 12, by the second half of his run on the show it became increasingly obvious to me that Guz was the one to watch. One of the most effortlessly charming and affable contestants the show has ever had, Guz is able to win you over in a heartbeat every time he opens his mouth or shoots one of his childlike smiles. Not only this, but he's a very funny guy who is pretty much incapable of not making you laugh with nearly every comment he makes.
8. Bob Mortimer
Previous ranking: 2 of 55
My opinion of Bob's time on Taskmaster is riddled with a certain amount of issues, as he does tend to feel a little burnt out and unaffected by the show as a whole -- I usually like when you can feel the passion and energy of people who love the show and want to be there. But Bob makes all the absurdity of the format itself feel almost too natural. He's just going about his day in the same way you might expect him to regardless of the cameras, and that makes him both incredibly memorable and almost disappointing. I guess what I'm saying is what makes him so amazing is the same thing that works against him. But I love the guy, and this was the show that made me realize that.
7. Romesh Ranganathan
Previous ranking: 6 of 55
One of the angriest contestants the show has ever seen, Romesh established himself within the first pre-recorded task of the show that he was not messing around here, and was totally in it to win. Much to his detriment, Greg found it very fun to underscore Romesh, seeing as how mad he would visibly get about it, but that never stopped him from being absolutely hilarious every single episode. So, just as is the case with many others I loved on the earlier seasons of the show, my only issue with Romesh is that there just wasn't enough time spent with him in his 6 episodes. I wanted more, but what we got was still amazing.
6. Mel Giedroyc
Previous ranking: 8 of 55
I feel like I'm repeating myself a lot when I say things like this, but Mel is one of the most lovable personalities the show has ever seen. Always chipper and a pure delight, Mel is the kind of person who you might not think of immediately as the standout contestant of her series, but is one who I can't think of a single negative thing to say about. She's funny, in her own dorky sort of way, but what really makes her so special is just how absolutely lovely she is from start to finish. She's just having a great time, and is impossible not to enjoy watching.
5. Rhod Gilbert
Previous ranking: 5 of 55
And now for the exact opposite of Mel, you've got Rhod here to make an absolute mess of everything he touches. He doesn't seem to understand how the show works half the time, while spending the other half being an absolute madman who does the kind of things only a genius might come up with. Rhod really is an all-or-nothing type, and his ability to rile everyone up and humiliate both Greg and Alex sets him apart in many ways. He has more than a few duds, but his overall impact on the series and sheer number of amazing/hilarious moments more than outweigh anything negative I can say about him.
4. David Correos
Previous ranking: N/A
You have officially entered the chaos region of the list, which will pretty much round out the remainder of this countdown. When I was initially planning on this list, it was ultimately due to David that I decided I needed to include NZ contestants on this updated post, as he pretty much instantly stood out as one of the most energetic, psychotic, and hilarious people the show has ever seen. As much as I love the other contestants on his series, David was really the guy I couldn't wait to see more from, eagerly anticipating his next mental breakdown time and time again. And he never disappointed. Over and over again I found myself laughing my ass off at his bizarre and honestly insane task efforts, and that doesn't stop when entering the studio. He's just crazy, and I loved it.
3. James Acaster
Previous ranking: 4 of 55
James Acaster can pretty much do no wrong as far as I'm concerned, and getting to see him in the Taskmaster setting - where he can pretty much do whatever he wants at any time - is never not going to be a joy for me to watch. I honestly don't know what I even need to say here, other than that James clearly had a blast here, even if much of what he did wound up completely disastrous: in part due to how panicked and chaotic he is, and in equal parts due to how much fun Greg had giving him very few points.
2. Johnny Vegas
Previous ranking: 3 of 55
One of the few contestants on the show who I found myself having an emotional connection to throughout, Johnny is probably the single most tragic person ever on Taskmaster. As Greg notes at one point, he seems like the only person there who needs this to go well, Johnny often sees everything collapse around him. Equally chaotic and hilariously morose, Johnny takes every jab with a sense of humor, and is always totally willing to laugh at himself. He's an incredibly lovable person who throws himself into everything and never seems to reap the benefits of his efforts. And that just makes him even more lovable.
1. Mike Wozniak
Previous ranking: 1 of 55
Obviously Mike was gonna be #1 again. I don't think it's possible that anyone even in future series' of the show could veer dethrone Mike, as he is in every sense of the word a perfect Taskmaster contestant. Yes, he's trying his hardest to win, but he's never overly competitive or anything less than absolutely lovely. He's hilarious, absurd, witty, charming, and offers multiple of the greatest moments in the history of the show. In a Reddit poll made shortly after the finale of series 11, Mike was voted the overall favorite contestant of the entire show by a significant margin, and there's nothing I can say to disagree with that in any way. I'm jealous of anyone who can watch through series 11 for the first time, and 90% of the reason for that is because of Mike. The best the show has ever seen.
Thank you to anyone who read through this massive post, or even just breezed through it. I tried to be a little more fair this time around, but honestly every time I watch through the show I find myself changing my mind on people, so here in 6-7 months when Series 13 is done, this list might be totally different yet again. I'm excited at the views I've been getting on that first TM post, and I hope the passion of the Taskmaster fandom doesn't turn to hate when they read some of my unpopular opinions here. I'd love to hear back from some people, so leave a comment if you have any disagreements, and maybe we can have a little discussion about it. I love having my opinions challenged, and I really really love talking about Taskmaster, so it's a win-win for me. I might be making more TM-themed posts in the future that aren't just countdowns, so be sure to check back in if you want to hear what I have to say about it. Until then, have a lovely day and keep watching Taskmaster!
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