You’re probably here because you saw a clip of a middle-aged comedian trying to eat a watermelon or camouflage themselves against a red phone box and thought, "What on earth is this?" That's the Taskmaster effect. It starts with a stray YouTube short and ends with you questioning how Greg Davies can be that tall while Alex Horne remains so perpetually awkward.
Watching the show used to be a massive headache if you didn't live in a house with a British TV license. It was a mess of "this video is not available in your country" messages and sketchy third-party streaming sites that looked like they’d give your laptop a digital cold. Honestly, things have changed. It's gotten way easier to figure out how to watch Taskmaster without breaking the law or your brain, but the method changes depending on exactly where you're sitting on the planet.
The YouTube Secret Most People Miss
For a long time, the official Taskmaster YouTube channel was a bit of a tease. They'd post "best of" clips but gatekeep the full episodes. That's largely a thing of the past now. Avalon (the production company) realized that the show has a massive global cult following, so they started uploading full episodes for free.
If you're in the US, Canada, or Australia, the official YouTube channel is your best friend. It’s surprisingly high quality. They’ve got almost every series uploaded in full, usually categorized by season. However, there is a catch. Sometimes the newest seasons lag behind. You might be seeing clips of Series 17 while the full episodes only go up to Series 15. It’s a rights thing. Broadcasters in different countries buy "first-run" rights, meaning YouTube has to wait its turn.
Also, don't sleep on Taskmaster Supermax+. It’s their own dedicated streaming service. Yeah, another subscription. I know. But if you’re a completionist who wants the New Year’s Treats and the Champion of Champions specials without hunting through weird playlists, it’s about $5.99 a month. It works basically everywhere because it’s their own platform.
Watching Taskmaster in the UK
If you are actually in the UK, stop looking for workarounds. It’s on Channel 4.
The app is called Channel 4 (it used to be All 4, but they rebranded because simple is better). It’s free as long as you have a TV license. The interface is... fine. It’s got ads unless you pay for the premium tier, but it has every single episode. If you want to watch the new episodes the second they air, this is where you go. Thursday nights at 9:00 PM is the ritual.
Why the Dave years matter
The show didn't start on Channel 4. The first nine series were on a smaller channel called Dave. This is why sometimes you'll notice a slight shift in the "vibes" or the budget when you jump from Series 9 to Series 10. Channel 4 has more money, so the house looks a bit shinier now. But the early Dave episodes are arguably some of the best television ever made—looking at you, Series 5 and the legendary Sally Phillips.
The International Struggle: Australia, NZ, and Beyond
Australians have it pretty good because Taskmaster is basically a national religion there now, especially since they launched Taskmaster Australia (which is actually great, by the way).
- Binge and Foxtel: They usually carry the UK version.
- SBS On Demand: They often have blocks of the show available for free streaming.
- TVNZ+: If you’re in New Zealand, this is a goldmine. It’s free, and they tend to be very quick with the UK uploads.
For everyone else, if YouTube is blocked or behind, a VPN is the old-school reliable method. You point your IP address to London, head over to the Channel 4 website, and suddenly you’re watching Mike Wozniak undermine his own dignity in high definition. Just remember you’ll need a UK postcode to sign up for Channel 4—any random London postcode from Google usually does the trick.
Is Taskmaster on Netflix or Hulu?
The short answer is: mostly no.
Netflix had a few seasons in certain territories for a minute, but they let the license lapse. Hulu in the US had it for a while too, but it’s a graveyard there now. The show’s creators seem to prefer keeping everything under their own umbrella or on YouTube. It makes sense. Why give a massive cut to Netflix when you can build your own "Supermax" empire?
Don't Forget the Spin-offs
Once you've exhausted the UK version—which will take you a while since there are over 150 episodes—you need to look at the international versions. This is where people get confused about how to watch Taskmaster content.
Stormester (Denmark) and Kongen Befaler (Norway) are legitimately fantastic. They have the same spirit but different cultural quirks. Taskmaster NZ is widely considered by die-hard fans to be just as good as the UK original, specifically Series 2 of the NZ version. It’s chaotic in a way that feels like a fever dream. Most of these are slowly making their way onto the Taskmaster YouTube channel under the "International" playlists, usually with subtitles.
Actionable Steps to Get Started Tonight
If you want to dive in right now, don't overcomplicate it. Follow this path:
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- Check YouTube First: Search for "Taskmaster Full Episodes." If the official channel shows up with playlists, you’re golden. No cost, no hassle.
- The NZ Shortcut: If you're bored of the UK format, find Taskmaster New Zealand Series 2. It's often cited by creator Alex Horne as some of his favorite "tasking" ever.
- The "All Access" Move: If you're a superfan and hate ads, just get the Taskmaster Supermax+ app. It’s the only way to ensure you aren’t regional-locked out of the specials.
- Live Viewings: If you want to watch as it airs in the UK and you're abroad, you'll need a VPN (NordVPN or ExpressVPN are the standards) set to the UK, then create a free account on the Channel 4 website.
The show is fundamentally about watching people fail at simple things. Don't let the process of finding the show be the first task you fail. Stick to the official channels where possible to make sure the comedians actually get paid for their embarrassment.