Taskmaster host Greg Davies shared why he and Taskmaster assistant Alex Horne stepped back from the show's spinoff series.
During an interview with Radio Times, Davies opened up, explaining that he felt the show "needed a different vibe."
"Alex and I thought it was a far better idea for someone else to do the kids' version," Davies said. "I probably would be far too scary for children and I wouldn't be able to moderate myself."
The brand new spinoff series, Junior Taskmaster, will see 25 contestants aged nine to 11 compete in five heats and two semi-finals before the top five players progress to the Grand Final, where one will become the first Junior Taskmaster champion.
Guiding them through the games in place of Davies and Horne will be ex-Taskmaster contestants Rose Matafeo and Mike Wozniak, who appeared on the ninth and 11th seasons of the original show, respectively.
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Commenting on her upcoming role, Rose said: "To be appointed as Junior Taskmaster is one of the greatest honours of my already wildly successful career." She added: "I am greatly looking forward to the power going to my head."
Wozniak echoed a similar sentiment:
"All I ever wanted to be when I grew up was a Little Alex Horne," the Taskmaster alum said, before adding: "I hereby vow to do my utmost to hold the office of Junior Taskmaster's Assistant in the spirit of the original Little Alex Horne: with his courage, his grit and his dignity."
Junior Taskmaster debuts on Friday, November 8, and will be the first spinoff in the history of the franchise.
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When speaking of the future of Taskmaster and the possibility of other extensions Horne revealed that others had been in the pipeline.
"We did a pilot for Foodmaster," Horne told Radio Times.
"We've talked about Dogmaster and Carmaster and so on, but I think we're pretty happy with where we are. There's obviously a danger of diluting the product. I think, currently, junior and senior are our lot."
Taskmaster airs and streams on Channel 4. Junior Taskmaster will air and stream on Channel 4 from November 8.
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
