Channel 4 has given the green light to a pilot for a brand new Taskmaster spin-off titled Your Time Starts Now, hosted by Taskmaster's Alex Horne. The programme will see British households go head-to-head in a series of challenges without ever stepping outside their front doors.
Concept and Inspiration
The show draws on the hugely popular HomeTasking series that unfolded online throughout the Covid lockdowns of 2020 and 2021, as well as Alex Horne's previous BBC programme The Button. Channel 4 has revealed that Your Time Starts Now is "set in the Taskmaster universe" and has been created by Horne alongside Taskmaster director and producer Andy Devonshire.
Alex Horne's Comments
Speaking about the pilot, Horne said: "I've had the pleasure of being in the room while countless comedians have tried and usually failed on Taskmaster and I've learnt that for the most part, that lot are sneaky loveable idiots. With Your Time Starts Now, I'm now excited and intrigued to see how the rest of the country can cope doing simple things under the pressure of time-constraints, dogged rivals and my own snarky gaze. Good luck people of the UK. I shall be watching."
Similarities to Previous Shows
The programme was initially rumoured in April 2026, when a casting call from production firm Avalon sought participants for a new entertainment show that fans noted bore a striking resemblance to The Button, which aired in 2018. That show featured teams of families receiving a giant talking button (voiced by Horne) in their lounge; whenever it illuminated, they had to complete a task quicker than rivals across the UK. At the end of each episode, the household with the most money could either pocket their winnings and sit out the next episode, or roll it over and risk losing everything.
Channel 4's Perspective
Channel 4's head of live events and commissioning editor Tom Beck said: "Wildly inventive, properly funny and rooted in real people being brilliant (and, occasionally, absolutely rubbish), Your Time Starts Now feels perfectly Channel 4. It's an utterly distinctive celebration of British family life in all shapes and sizes, and I can't wait to see how our families get on as they try and tackle Alex and Andy's ludicrous tasks. Why should comedians get all the fun?"
Executive Producer's View
Andy Devonshire, Director and Executive Producer, added: "It's a beautiful gift to have the chance to bring the joy and mischief of Taskmaster into homes and see how families cope with a direct dose of Alex Horne's invention."
Taskmaster Series 22
Meanwhile, Taskmaster continues with series 22, featuring comedians Chloe Petts, Isy Suttie, Matt Lucas, Nina Conti, and Richard Ayoade competing for Greg Davies's golden trophy. Episodes are due to air later this year. Taskmaster is available to watch on catch-up on Channel 4 and YouTube outside the UK.
