Channel 4 star Richard Ayoade has been involved in a horrific car crash on Saturday afternoon in East Dulwich, South East London. Witnesses reported that a speeding Renault smashed into the comedian's Mercedes SUV, causing a woman to be sent flying. A second woman was also reportedly hit in the accident.
The Incident
The 49-year-old actor and comedian was seen getting out of his vehicle, holding onto his neck, as paramedics and police swarmed the area near a roundabout. According to The Sun, one witness said: “The Renault came speeding along the road and hit a woman — she ended up on the other side of the roundabout.” They added: “We heard one of the pedestrians who was hit screaming and crying.”
The London Ambulance Service stated: “We treated two women at the scene before taking them to a major trauma centre.” The Metropolitan Police are investigating the crash. Express.co.uk has contacted Richard's representatives for comment.
Taskmaster Announcement
The collision follows news that Richard Ayoade has been confirmed as one of the latest stars to compete in the upcoming 22nd series of the popular Channel 4 show Taskmaster. He will be joined by Chloe Petts, Isy Suttie, Matt Lucas, and Nina Conti. The current contestants, Amy Gledhill, Armando Iannucci, Joanna Page, Joel Dommett, and Kumail Nanjiani, will be leaving the show.
Channel 4 said that the comics have willingly submitted themselves to the toughest physical and mental examination on television, adding that only one can take home the glory. The show challenges five celebrities, typically comedians, to complete a series of often-absurd tasks. Their attempts are then judged and scored by Greg Davies, who awards points based on performance, interpretation, or arbitrary comedic factors.
Background
Taskmaster first aired on Channel 4 in 2020, after its first nine series originally aired on the UKTV channel Dave starting in July 2015. Richard famously portrayed the socially awkward IT technician Maurice Moss in Channel 4’s sitcom The IT Crowd from 2006 until 2013. Most recently, he came second in the first season of the hit comedy show Last One Laughing, losing to comedy legend Bob Mortimer.
