Every international version of Taskmaster, ranked

Alex Horne's little Edinburgh Fringe idea has now colonised 14 countries — and when Poland became the latest to sign up in April 2026, Horne's reaction was suitably on-brand: "I think this has got a bit out of control, to be honest."

So which versions are actually worth your time?

Here's every international Taskmaster, ranked — established shows first, judged on longevity, chemistry, and how well they capture the original's daftness.

The rankings

• 1. Kongen Befaler (Norway, 2019–) — "The King Commands." The gold standard abroad: Atle Antonsen is a genuinely intimidating Taskmaster, the tasks are inventive, and it's still going strong, with season 14 filming in October 2026.
• 2. Bäst i Test (Sweden, 2017–) — the longest-running adaptation, with Babben Larsson as the franchise's first female Taskmaster. So successful that broadcaster TV4 has commissioned seasons 14 and 15 in one go.
• 3. Taskmaster NZ (2020–) — Jeremy Wells and Paul Williams are the pairing closest in spirit to Greg and Alex, and Williams might be the best assistant in the franchise. Horne himself has praised him.
• 4. Taskmaster Australia (2023–) — Tom Gleeson brings his Hard Quiz meanness to the throne, with Tom Cashman assisting. Season 5 landed in 2026, and it shares the Taskmaster house with the NZ production.
• 5. Stormester (Denmark, 2018–) — Lasse Rimmer's version is among the most faithful to the UK format, complete with its own "Vinderens Vinder" (Winner of Winners) specials. Season 10 arrived in June 2026.
• 6. Suurmestari (Finland, 2020–) — reliably silly, with assistant Pilvi Hämäläinen a standout. A Comeback special featuring returning contestants starts in October 2026.
• 7. Le Maître du Jeu (Quebec, Canada, 2022–) — mostly recycles UK tasks, which costs it points, but the Québécois cast energy is infectious. Season 5 begins 20 September 2026, plus a Junior spin-off in December.
• 8. Taskmaster Portugal (2022–) — the double-act hosting of Vasco Palmeirim and Nuno Markl works, and it recently pulled record ratings for broadcaster RTP.

Too new to rank

Iceland (with comedian Ari Eldjárn as Taskmaster) and Estonia's Kuninga Käsul both launched in 2026, the Netherlands arrives in late 2026 with Arjen Lubach in the chair, and Taskmaster Poland was greenlit by TVN in April 2026. We'll try it again next year.

The ones that didn't survive

Not every country cracked it. Belgium's Het Grootste Licht (2016), Spain's Dicho y Hecho (2018), Croatia's Direktor Svemira (2021), and — most famously — the American Taskmaster (2018), hosted by Reggie Watts on Comedy Central, all lasted a single season.