Greg Davies reveals heartbreaking reason he isn’t hosting Junior Taskmaster
Junior Taskmaster is just about to kick off, and fans will quickly notice that Greg Davies and Alex Horne aren't at the helm this time. The fresh spin-off series, which starts on Friday, 8th November, will feature 25 contestants aged between nine and 11, ready to tackle a range of puzzling tasks purely for our amusement. Instead of Greg and Alex running the show, Rose Matafeo will be judging the quirky challenges as the Taskmaster, while Mike Wozniak will be in his element overseeing each task.
In an exclusive chat with Radio Times, Greg revealed that he and Alex felt the Junior Taskmaster spin-off "needed a different vibe", with former Taskmaster contestants Rose and Mike stepping up to the plate. "I think Alex and I thought it was a far better idea for someone else to do the kids' version," Greg shared. "I think I probably would be far too scary for children and I wouldn't be able to moderate myself." When asked if he had any tips for the duo as they lead the new spin-off coming to Channel 4, Greg added: "I think Rose and Mike are a great choice and I think that'll be a great combination.
"I think the show will be its own show [and] I'm looking forward to watching it, but they don't need my advice."
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Chatting about potential future versions of Taskmaster, Alex recently told Radio Times: "We did a pilot for Foodmaster. 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."
As the series unfolds, the young contestants will battle it out across five heats and two semi-finals before the top five players make their way to the Grand Final, all vying for the title of the first-ever Junior Taskmaster Champion.
In 2023, Greg opened up about his most embarrassing celebrity encounters - including the time he met his famous crush, Blue Peter star Janet Ellis. The comedian told OK! that he ran into Janet - who is the mum of singer Sophie Ellis Bextor - in a chip shop but ended up "humiliating" himself.
"I met Janet Ellis once in a fish and chip shop. I used to have a terrible crush on her, all throughout my childhood," he said. "Then I finally met her and said something humiliating, I think chips-based, that guaranteed I would never end up in the relationship I craved."