Episode 2: Hell is here

Episode synopsis

In this episode, the contestants must bring in the best sign, pull a sword from a stone, create a cheeky picture with nails and wire, make mischief, and simultaneously draw something they like and something they dislike. Also, two contestants must recite pi to as many places as they can remember, to settle a tie.

Title context

“Hell is here” was uttered by Susan Wokoma, during her defence of her nails and wire portrait, in the ‘Make a cheeky picture using nails and wire’ task.

Alternate Titles

• On Finland's MTV Katsomo streaming platform, this episode is titled 'Helvetti on valloillaan', which translates as 'Hell is unleashed'. [Translator credit: zador]
• On Sweden's SVT Play streaming platform, this episode is titled 'Helvetet är här', which translates as 'Hell is here'.
• On Norway's Discovery+ Norge streaming platform, this episode is titled 'Helvete er her', which translates as 'Hell is here'. Note: this Norwegian translation of the title only appears in the subtitles for the episode, whereas the episode title listed on the platform is the original English title. [Translator credit: Jan Harald]

Taskmaster Intro

Hello, everybody. I'm Greg Davies, and this is Taskmaster. I hope you don't mind, but I thought I'd take this opportunity to quickly answer some of the questions from members of the public. Here we go. Do I watch the show back? No, my physical decline is deeply upsetting to me. Do I wear those socks by choice? No, I don't. It's a novelty format point forced upon me by those more excited by contrived broad eccentricity. Three: Is Alex actually tall? No, he's just over five foot. Four: Why do I keep insulting him? Because he's had a soft upbringing, and it has made him weak. Now, questions over, let's ask some more pertinent ones. Who are the five chosen ones who will dance through the fire of Olympic-level endurance this week?

Assistant Intro

Sitting next to me is a man who once privately told me that if it was up to him, Scotland would be physically sawed off from the UK and floated into the North Sea. To quote him, “We’ll soon find out how much they want independence when all they’ve got to eat is shortbread.” It’s Little Alex Horne!

Taskmaster's Sign-off

What have we learned today? We’ve learned that the meaning of words can change. Who knew a big, square sperm could mean cheeky? Who knew that it could also mean concealing your hair under a hat? ‘Mischief’, on the other hand, has only one clear definition - Mischief: a grown woman excitedly shouting the word ‘portcullis’.