If you’ve ever wondered what happens when you combine a heavily pregnant, award-winning comedian with a bunch of nonsensical challenges and a very competitive middle-aged podcaster, look no further than Series 10. Honestly, Daisy May Cooper Taskmaster moments are basically the gold standard for why this show works. It’s pure, unadulterated chaos.
She didn't just participate; she steamrolled through the series. Most people knew her as the brilliant mind behind This Country, but seeing her face-to-face with Greg Davies was something else entirely. She brought this "I don't give a toss" energy that felt so real, especially since she was literally about to give birth.
The Hippo Incident: A Breakdown for the Ages
We have to talk about the hippo. You know the one. If you search for her name and the show, this is the first thing that pops up. It’s legendary.
The task was simple: draw an animal on a card using only straight lines. One teammate draws, the other guesses. Daisy was paired with Richard Herring, and let's just say the "chemistry" was more like a chemical fire. Daisy drew a hippopotamus. Or, what she thought was a hippopotamus. To Richard, it looked like... well, not a hippo.
The resulting explosion was genuinely terrifying and hilarious. Daisy was screaming. Richard was baffled. The "straight line" rule turned her hippo into a jagged, unrecognizable mess, but in her mind, it was Da Vinci level. She was so convinced he was being "thick" that she almost took his head off. Greg Davies sitting there, absolutely loving the breakdown, is still one of the best bits of television from 2020.
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Why the Richard Herring "Feud" Worked
People often ask if they actually hated each other. Sorta. But not really. Richard later talked about it on his podcast (RHLSTP), basically saying that Daisy’s competitive streak was amplified by the fact she was incredibly pregnant and exhausted.
It wasn't a "mean" feud. It was more like two siblings forced to share a toy they both hate.
- Richard was trying to be "the good student."
- Daisy was there to cause maximum carnage.
- The contrast made the team tasks better than the solo ones.
They eventually made up (mostly), but the tension between the "Achievement Woman" (her self-proclaimed nickname) and Richard’s calculated approach was the engine of the season.
The Outfits and the "Achievement Woman" Persona
Can we talk about the costume? Most contestants pick something comfortable or a weird jumpsuit. Daisy went full "Superhero of the Suburbs." She wore this blue and red number that looked like a DIY Wonder Woman outfit, which, when you're eight months pregnant, is a bold choice.
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She leaned into it. She called herself Achievement Woman.
There was this one task where she had to land an egg in a frying pan from a balcony. When she succeeded (partially through luck and a bonus point), she did this victory dance that looked like it might actually induce labor. It was peak Daisy. She didn't care about the dignity of the "serious actor" brand. She just wanted the points.
The Prize Tasks: A Masterclass in Low Effort
Honestly, her prize tasks were a joke, but in the best way. While Richard Herring was probably scouring eBay for meaningful artifacts, Daisy would show up with, like, a crumpet. Or a bottle of wine she’d clearly just grabbed from the fridge on the way out the door.
One time she brought in a "wine rack" that was just a piece of plastic. Greg would berate her, she’d give him a look that could wither a cactus, and somehow she’d still walk away with three points. It’s that West Country charm, isn't it? You can’t teach that.
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What Actually Happened Behind the Scenes?
A lot of fans wondered if the production was worried about her health. Alex Horne has mentioned in interviews that they had to be a bit careful, but Daisy was a trooper. She was doing high kicks and screaming at Richard while carrying a whole human inside her.
Interestingly, the "Hippo-gate" incident actually led to them being split up for the final live task. The producers claimed it was because they might actually kill each other, but Richard later hinted it was to keep the series standings tense. They were the two frontrunners. If they were on the same team, the points wouldn't shift the lead.
Is She the Best Contestant Ever?
That’s a big claim. You’ve got your James Acasters and your Mike Wozniaks. But Daisy brought a specific type of "realness" that the show sometimes loses when people try too hard to be "wacky."
She wasn't trying to be funny. She was just being Daisy. When she was annoyed, she was annoyed. When she laughed, she nearly collapsed. That authenticity is why series 10, despite being filmed under weird COVID restrictions with no studio audience, feels so alive.
Actionable Takeaways for Taskmaster Fans
If you're looking to revisit her best moments or are a new fan wanting to see why she's a big deal, do this:
- Watch Episode 6 ("Hippopotamus") first. It’s the origin of the meme and explains their entire dynamic.
- Check out the "Chicken Town" film. It’s her upside-down cinema task and it’s surprisingly dark and brilliant.
- Listen to the Taskmaster Podcast episodes where Richard Herring talks about her. It adds a lot of context to the "anger" you see on screen.
- Look for the outtakes. There’s a lot of stuff that was too sweary or too long for the Channel 4 edit, especially involving her and Johnny Vegas just losing their minds.
Daisy May Cooper basically proved that you don't need a strategy to win (or almost win) Taskmaster. You just need a lot of opinions, a complete lack of shame, and maybe a hippo that looks like a lumpy rock.