Taskmaster

Flanked by his efficient assistant Alex Horne, Greg Davies returns to remorselessly judge five quaking comics desperate to get their hands on his fabled golden head trophy. Joanne McNally, John Robins, Nick Mohammed, Sophie Willan and Steve Pemberton are the contestants hoping they still have a career after tasks involving roller blinds, a floating primate and, as is traditional, eggs.

Taskmaster Greg Davies has to find a way to award points after watching Nick Mohammed sheath a water bottle with a sock, Joanne McNally tie a noose for a soft toy and Steve Pemberton repeatedly express a hankering for pancakes. Meanwhile, Little Alex Horne jots down all the facts and figures as John Robins puts his faith in honey and Sophie Willan attempts to take flight.

The answers to a great many questions will be answered within this episode. Will Steve Pemberton's 'no vowels' gamble pay off? Why does Sophie Willan love to balance items on her head? Can John Robins make formula milk? What does Nick think is going to happen to those eggs?

All five contestants vying to win Taskmaster Greg Davies's coveted golden head are forced to wrangle some wild animals, with unpleasant consequences for Sophie Willan and Steve Pemberton. Greg's loyal valet Alex Horne watches on as Joanne McNally demonstrates a traditional Irish handshake, John Robins reveals a love of pickled onions and Nick Mohammed sparks controversy with a cardboard tube.

Steve Pemberton experiments with G-force, Joanne McNally rocks a traffic cone and Sophie Willan splatters a human pigeon, which makes scoring a little tricky for the all-powerful Taskmaster, Greg Davies. In other news, Nick Mohammed gets trapped under a bed and John Robins constructs a lengthy homage to Little Alex Horne's hero.

As the series passes the halfway stage and the epic battle to win Greg Davies's beautiful bonce begins to intensify, Steve Pemberton delivers a timely message of peace. Elsewhere, Joanne McNally invents a new catchphrase, Nick Mohammed and Sophie Willan both struggle with a bottle of water, John Robins gets creative with beans and Little Alex Horne feels the thrill of victory.

John Robins demonstrates the power of his forearms, Steve Pemberton stains his shirt with orange juice and Sophie Willan repeatedly shouts the name of a body part in Little Alex Horne's little flustered face. Greg Davies has his usual task of trying to award points for things like Nick Mohammed constructing a bottle orchestra and Joanne McNally trying to act out the word 'beer'.

Greg Davies has been presented with a great many bizarre moments during his glorious reign as the Taskmaster, but this episode ups the ante in the strangeness stakes. Why has John Robins attached oars to his arms? Why does Nick Mohammed keep winking at Alex Horne?

As the series nears its climax, Little Alex Horne risks raising the hackles of the notoriously prickly Greg Davies with a Task in celebration of himself. Sophie Willan is baffled by mirror writing, John Robins proves to be a talented tailor, Steve Pemberton has an expletive-laden row with a bin, Joanne McNally finds a novel use for a cow's ear and Nick Mohammed brings a tear to Greg's eye.

It's the Grand Final, which means one superior competitor will end the episode by clutching Greg Davies's gilded bonce to their proud chest. But before that glorious moment, Sophie Willan will impress on keyboards, Steve Pemberton will be surprised in a field, John Robins will refuse a biscuit.