What do Taskmaster winners get? The strangest prize on television, explained
Most game shows hand out cash, cars, or holidays. Taskmaster — running since 2015, first on Dave and on Channel 4 since 2020 — hands out none of the above, and its contestants fight harder than almost anyone on television. Here's what they're actually fighting for.
The short answer
There are two prizes and no money. The winner of each episode takes home the five items the contestants themselves brought in for that episode's prize task. The winner of the series gets a trophy: a golden bust of Greg Davies' head.
That's it. That's the entire prize structure of one of Britain's most successful comedy formats.
How the prize task works
Every episode opens with the contestants presenting an item on a theme — "most valuable item", say, or "most pleasing thing the size of a cat". Greg scores each one from 1 to 5 based on nothing but his own whims, and those five objects form the pot the episode winner carries off. Since the items come from the contestants, the prize is, in practice, four rivals' possessions plus your own back.
When the prize task goes sideways
The system relies on comedians taking it seriously, which they reliably don't. The "bring the most cash" round remains the definitive example:
- Hugh Dennis — brought 2 million Vietnamese dong. Worth about £72.
- Joe Lycett — brought £250, entirely in pennies.
- Mel Giedroyc — brought £987,000 in Monopoly money, plus £240 in real notes.
- Lolly Adefope — brought a blank cheque, promising to beat the highest bid by a penny. She won the round.
What about the specials?
The trophies multiply. The New Year Treat — the annual special where non-comedians like Susie Dent and Jill Scott compete — plays for a golden eyebrows trophy instead. Champion of Champions brings past series winners back to battle again: the 2025 edition pitted Andy Zaltzman, John Robins, Maisie Adam, Mathew Baynton, and Sam Campbell against each other, drawn from the 20 champions who now own a golden Greg.
International versions vary the trophy's physical form, though the concept — the host's head, in gold — travels remarkably well.
For the record: no Taskmaster champion has ever received a penny in prize money across 21 series. Just their rivals' belongings and a golden head. Nobody has ever asked for more.