After a break of several months, Taskmaster will soon be back on our screens, with another bunch of celebrities taking on bizarre tasks to earn points from the judge, Greg Davies. All their moves will, of course, be umpired by Greg’s assistant, Alex Horne.
The show is a staple of Channel 4, sitting alongside classic series such as The Great British Bake Off. However, new episodes are exclusive to this channel, which is only available in the UK.
If you’re on holiday, or based elsewhere, that may be an annoyance. Fortunately, we have a workaround.
When will Taskmaster series 18 air?
The latest series of Taskmaster will debut on Channel 4 on Thursday, 12 September 2024.
As usual, it will consist of ten episodes that will roll out every week.
The comedians joining Alex and Greg this year are Andy Zaltzman, Babatunde Aléshé, Emma Sidi, Jack Dee and Rosie Jones.
Here’s the contestant announcement video:
How to watch Taskmasker with a VPN
If you want to watch the latest episodes of Taskmaster outside of the UK, you’ll need a VPN.
A VPN (virtual private network) routes your internet connection through a server. There are numerous servers across the world, but to watch Taskmaster you’ll need one based in the UK.
This means that the Channel 4 website won’t recognise your location when you sign up for an account – you could be anywhere in the world, but it will still think you’re based in the UK. Therefore, you should be able to sign up for an account without being blocked.
During our testing, NordVPN has reliably unblocked the service numerous times. It’s easy to use, and provides a range of servers to choose from. Plus, it has some competitive pricing, especially if you commit to a multi-year plan (however, there are monthly rolling plans available).
If you want to see what other options are out there, take a look at our list of the best VPNs for streaming video.
We’ve broken down the steps to access Taskmaster – we used NordVPN and a laptop to successfully test this method.
- Tools required: NordVPN, Channel 4 website or app, smartphone or PC/laptop
Sign up for NordVPN
Jim Martin / Foundry
NordVPN selects the two-year plan by default, but you can also opt for one-year and one-month plans. Follow the steps to create a new account and sign up for a subscription
Install NordVPN
Jim Martin / Foundry
If you’re on a PC, head to the NordVPN website, log in to your account and then download the PC app under the section labelled ‘Downloads’
If you’re on a smartphone or tablet, just search for NordVPN in the app store
Connect to a UK server on your chosen VPN
Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry
Many VPNs have numerous servers to choose from. If one doesn’t work, you can try another
Head to the Channel 4 website or app
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
With your UK VPN server, you should now be able to access the Channel 4 website – click on ‘Sign in to My4’
On the sign in page, select ‘I don’t have an account and I’d like to register’
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
If you already have a Channel 4 account, simply sign in with your usual details
Choose an email address and password for your account
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
It’s free to sign up for an account
Add a name, date of birth and UK address
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
You’ll need a UK postcode for the address
Channel 4 will send a confirmation email to your email address once you’re signed up
Search for Taskmaster
Hannah Cowton / Foundry
Channel 4 requires you to turn off any ad-blockers – which includes any optional ad-blocking in your VPN – so make sure you do that before trying to watch
If you still can’t connect, try a different server within your VPN until you find one that works for you
Note that using a VPN is technically against Channel 4’s terms of service, so the platform could terminate your account. Proceed at your own risk.
How else can you watch Taskmaster season 18 outside the UK?
While US viewers can’t watch new episodes of Taskmaster at the same time as UK-based fans, they can stream them shortly after. The new episodes will likely be uploaded to the Taskmaster YouTube account only a day after the UK premiere – just like season 17.
Where to stream previous seasons of Taskmaster in the US
You can watch previous episodes of Taskmaster on YouTube.
The first six seasons are also available on Pluto TV, completely free.
Alternatively, you can buy all previous seasons on Amazon US, Google Play and Apple TV.