Before Tom Gleeson became Australia’s official Taskmaster, he had absolutely no idea what the show was.
None. Zip. Nada. “When I was first asked, I had never watched the show,” he admits. “I was well aware of its reputation, but I just hadn’t gotten around to watching it.”
Not that this minor detail stopped him from saying yes.
Naturally, Gleeson did some homework. “I thought, ‘Well, I better sit down and watch what this show actually is.’ And I watched about four or five seasons,” he says.
But in true Gleeson fashion, he stopped once he’d cracked the code. “I thought, ‘Oh, I get it. Greg [Davies] is high-status. He’s in charge.’ Whatever he says goes, and that’s all I wanted to know.” From there, he did what he does best: “I thought the only thing that mattered was my status… So playing high status, to me, was playing to my natural game.”
How Gleeson ended up in the big chair
While most comedians dream of chasing gigs, Taskmaster Australia found Gleeson.
“I mean, I got asked to do it,” he says, with signature bluntness. “I didn’t know who else would get to be the Taskmaster, so I was uniquely placed.” And in a moment of accidental internet magic, Gleeson’s reputation had already been building in Taskmaster fan circles. “For years, I’ve received messages on social media from people saying that if there was an Australian version, I should host it. That’s actually how I learned about the show.”
It’s now clear Gleeson was born for the role. He’s got the dry authority, the relentless glare, and, crucially, the comedic muscle to toy with contestants who’ve just rolled down a hill in a wheelie bin trying to balance a pineapple.
And it’s working.
“I wanted to entertain the Network 10 audience, which I thought I had a handle on, and I thought everyone else would come along for the ride,” he said.
From Ten to ABC and back again… who’s the sellout now?
Gleeson’s return to Network 10 with Taskmaster Australia confused some fans of his ABC work, but he’s not buying into the criticism.
“What has amused me a little bit is that some people have said that I’m now a sellout for working with Network 10,” he says. “Network 10 offered me my first network TV gig. I was on Good News Week for years and years. If anything, the ABC cashed in on all the work I’ve done for Network 10.”
He’s also quick to remind viewers where one of his most recognisable segments originated: “I was on a Network 10 show called This Week Live, where I created a segment called I Hate You, Change My Mind, which ended up becoming Hard Chat on The Weekly with Charlie Pickering“
So to anyone accusing him of selling out? “You’ve got no f***ing idea what you’re talking about.”
Series 4 brings a twist
Looking ahead to Taskmaster Australia Series 4, Gleeson is embracing the unexpected. “It’s the first time we’ve had someone who’s not a comedian. So we’ve got Lisa McCune,” he says. “The original show in the UK would quite often have actors or common people who they thought were funny, and they would be part of the challenge. So that brings a new dynamic.”
The line-up also includes comedy stalwarts and rising stars alike. “We’ve still got Dave Hughes, who I’ve known for a long time. We’ve been gigging together since the ’90s,” Gleeson says. “Then there’s Tim Warner. I mean, I used to watch him open, like, 20 years ago.”
“Then there’s Takashi Wakasugi, who is originally from Japan. I enjoyed him because he had a different way of approaching everything, and he made me realise how much we take Australian humour for granted.” Rounding out the cast is Emma Holland, “who is from a completely different generation,” Gleeson notes.
Branded chaos that keeps delivering
As Taskmaster Australia continues to build its identity, it’s quietly becoming a commercial sweet spot. It appeals to broad demos, leverages celebrity talent, and, most importantly, delivers consistently funny, sharable content that brands love to be near. With Gleeson at the helm, the series has managed to nail the delicate balance of local authenticity and global format.
He may not have watched Taskmaster UK until he was offered the role, but in typical Gleeson style, he’s now owning the format, without ever looking like he’s trying too hard. Because that’s the game. And he knows how to win.