Episode 1: Happy Birthday bandana

Episode synopsis

This first heat of the series features contestants Anita, Lazer, Nyarah, Persia, and Reuben attempting to make it through to the semi-finals.

The contestants must bring in the most impressive circular thing, get the most different things into Mike’s hat, work out what’s in five piles of mashed potato, hit a target in the most impressive way, and then sit, wave, and swim for 30 seconds.

Also, in a tie-breaker to decide who earns second place and makes it through to the semi-finals, two contestants must guess how much loose change is in Mike’s pocket.

Title context

Persia stated that she’d found a “Happy Birthday bandana and a moustache” during the ‘Work out what’s in each pile of mash’ task. However, the “Happy Birthday bandana” was actually a hen party sash.

Taskmaster Intro

Hello and welcome to Junior Taskmaster. My name is Rose Matafeo, and I have been appointed by the powers that be to serve as your newer, cooler, slightly shorter, and much junior-er Taskmaster. Now, over the series, 25 children will be battling it out through five heats and two semis in the hope of reaching the ‘rand final and getting their tiny, dextrous little hands on this. Oh, yes, I know exactly what the kids want. It’s a slightly terrifying golden statue of a random 32-year-old woman’s head. Now, in Taskmaster tradition, tonight’s winner will take home all of the prize tasks. However, the contestants who come first and second will both win a spot in the semi-finals. And obviously in my role as Junior Taskmaster, I will be passing judgment, awarding points, and scrutinising their every move. Basically, just preparing these kids for the horrors of the adult workforce. Yay!

Assistant Intro

It is of course, time to introduce my assistant. He is as sharp as a marble, right? And he is a large family-style tray of sandwiches short of a picnic. Like, I’m talking like one of those massive trays they have at funerals and stuff. It’s Mike Wozniak.

Taskmaster's Sign-off

Wow, that was a triumph for all. I think I can safely say that I like my Taskmasters like I like my Robert Downeys – Junior! Let’s hear it for all of our contestants and, of course, our winner, Anita!