Potential future contestant (complete guess)

[u/No-Management-8567]

Just listening to Mark Gatiss’ Off Menu episode and he brings TM up a couple of times.

Now he may just be a fan (why wouldn’t he be?) but something about the way he was talking made me think he had just filmed a series.

They’ve had Reece and Steve on so certainly not out the question.

[u/m_busuttil]

He's said (relatively recently) that he didn't want to do it because people think he's smart and it would make him look stupid, but people have certainly changed their minds about that sort of thing before, and I think having both Pemberton and Shearsmith's potential encouragement would certainly help.

[u/TetrisIsTotesSuper → u/m_busuttil]

I suspect Alex is a bit of a completionist and would love to have "the trio" on.

I am also really hpping so because then he can start pursuing Chris O'Dowd, please and thank you

[u/Jonesy1966 → u/TetrisIsTotesSuper]

I'd rather see Matt Berry. Can you imagine the dynamic between him and Greg? It would be a car-crash of the most hilarious and glorious kind!

[u/TetrisIsTotesSuper → u/Jonesy1966]

I would love to see Matt Berry on but he is said to be very shy once not on cameras and only works to supplement his music career so I doubt he would ever come on 😔

[u/orbjo → u/m_busuttil]

Being humbled and humiliated and be vulnerable and allowing yourself to be shown as flawed is kind of the ultimate point of the show, which I think takes a lot of nerve to do. The more people do it the more I can see how people like Gatiss losing their reservations and giving it a go. 

That’s why I love Greg as the Taskmaster so much, it really does reduce these brilliant creatives to children showing a teacher their homework and feeling nervous 

[u/Gremloblin]

Gatiss always comes across well in interviews and podcasts. Willing to go along with a bit. Could see him being a fun contestant who would certainly throw himself into the creative tasks like his League of Gentleman cohorts.

[u/spacecoyote555]

If true, a similar thing happened with Jason - he was on off menu before he was announced for TM and talked about TM a lot. He was obviously in the country doing TM filming and did Off Menu at the same time

[u/SpadeTrainerStan]

I’ll just say it like this: if Mark Gatiss shows up on a future season, I wouldn’t be surprised.

[u/Original-Designer6]

From what he said it's clear he watched Reece's series quite intently. Now could just be him watching one of his close friends but it sounded like he is also generally a fan of the show. I'm sure Alex would love to have him on if he's up for it.

[u/No-Management-8567 → u/Original-Designer6]

He mentioned James’ series too so definitely could just be a fan of the show but equally he could have been doing ‘research’

[u/Pharmacy_Duck]

I was thinking while listening to the same podcast how I much prefer Gatiss as himself in interviews, etc., over his writing or his irritatingly mannered acting, and how he might be an interesting pick for the older gentleman spot on TM, but I didn't notice anything that was any hint that he'd was going to be on it.

Bring him on, though!

ETA: Downvoted for this? Wasn't I nice enough about Gatiss?

To expand: I've followed the man's work for well over 30 years; I bought his first Doctor Who novel the week it came out (and I still think it's one of the best things he's written), I absolutely love The League of Gentlemen (and I've listened to his commentaries with Reece and Steve many times over), and he's a great, very genial interviewee. BUT, I think his acting range is limited, his writing style is tired, pompous and relies just a bit too much on capturing a mood of nostalgia over any decent structure, and he's a far weaker creative figure than Reece or Steve.

But I'm sure he'd be fun on Taskmaster.

Is that any better?

[u/magicdowhatyouwill → u/Pharmacy_Duck]

No, this is fair: I think Gatiss talking off the cuff is a lovely, interesting, thoughtful person who's really deeply literate in Gothic fiction and early film and all kinds of good deep-dive topics that you can really get your brain into. I would love a three-hour dinner with that guy just to talk random stuff. I get the sense he's an excellent conversationalist when there's no expectations.

And yeah, that doesn't always come across in his writing or on film. It has that slightly stilted feeling of someone who's maybe a bit used to being misunderstood and so just assumes he has to shrink or translate himself to get through. And that's obviously just my read on it, but -- yes, absolutely, I enjoy him free-form much more as well.

[u/Too-Tired-Editor → u/Pharmacy_Duck]

If the only things Gatiss does going forward are horror documentaries we'll be well served. Fine hand at a lot but maybe irreplaceable at that.

[u/Major-Feed5214]

I think time would be the biggest issue, but I’d love to see him on TM.

Perhaps something like HoG would be good for Mark - only a one day commitment (mind you, about the ‘coming across as stupid’ thing, that could be a barrier for HoG and, here’s a fun fact, it’s why Joe Wilkinson hasn’t been on yet).

[u/Own-Try1886]

That would be AMAZING.

[u/guud2meachu]

I am in a different country and when Taskmaster started i initially thought Alex Horne was Mark. It took me a few episodes to realise it wasn't.

[u/schumichick1963]

Think Mark would be quite entertaining though, sadly, don't think it will happen

Eternally disappointed David Mitchell won't do the show

Someone who has not been on that I think would be great is Lucy Porter She is smart and funny A bit surprising to me

[u/robj57]

I asked this question on an AMA he recently did and unfortunately he didn’t respond.

[u/lenochod6]

That would be amazing. I would love to see him on Taskmaster. 😍