August is approaching which means it’s time to scour the Edinbugh Festival Fringe programme for the best shows to see.
For fans of the hugely popular television series Taskmaster it’s tempting to see at least a couple of familiar faces from a show that was originally created as a Fringe show by Alex Horne.
Since then there have been 17 series, along with a number of special one-off episodes - first broadcast in 2014 on comedy channel Dave, before expanding its audience after being poached by Channel 4 in 2020.
That means there are plenty of former contestants, 13 of which are appearing in Edinburgh this year.
Here’s who to book on the Fringe website.
5. Kiell Smith-Bynoe
Ghosts star Kiell Smith-Bynoe must have enjoyed his visit to Edinburgh last year because he's back with his impov show 'Kiell Smith-Bynoe & Friends: Kool Story Bro'. It's on at the Pleasance Forth for one week only, from August 15-21. In 2023, Smith-Bynoe appeared as a contestant on Series 15, finishing second with 158 points. He returned in 2024 for Champion of Champions III, filling in the position of Mae Martin, finishing joint fourth with 15 points. | Contributed
6. Tim Key
Another late addition you won't see in the official programme is Tim Key - who appeared on Series 1 of Taskmaster, finishing in fourth place with 88 points. He remains a 'task consultant' on the show. He's bringing a work in progress to the Pleasance Queen Dome from August 11-25. "Tim Key returns to stamp about and drink a pot of beer and bark reflectively and tighten the screws." | Contributed
7. Joe Thomas
The Inbetweeners star Joe Thomas is a late addition to the programme at The Pleasance. In 2019 Joe appeared in Series 8 of Taskmaster, finishing third with 150 points. His new show 'Rule Breaker' is on at the Pleasance Above from August 12-14, then the Pleasance Cabaret Bar from August 15-23. "Joe talks about his difficulty saying no, first dates, buying a house out of embarassment, attempting to use his childhood as a model for fatherhood and trying to follow all the rules at once." | Contributed
8. Mark Watson
Another former Taskmaster contestant and another work in progress - this one from Mark Watson at The Stand Comedy Club from August 1-22. The knowing title is 'Work-In-Progress Is Not a Cop-Out, It Demonstrates Respect For The Paying Audience'. In 2017, Watson appeared in Series 5 of Taskmaster, finishing joint second with 130 points. | Contributed