Channel 4 Taskmaster Faces Viewer Backlash Over Disgusting Sensory Challenge

The 20th series of Channel 4's Taskmaster has sparked viewer outrage following a particularly revolting challenge in its second episode, where contestants had to identify objects using only one sense. Comedians Maisie Adam and Reece Shearsmith chose to use their sense of taste, resulting in them licking items such as a frozen sock, wet teeth, yoghurt, and even a stapler through a cardboard hole, which many viewers found disgusting and disturbing. Social media reactions on X (formerly Twitter) expressed shock and disgust, with multiple fans labeling the task as one of the most disgusting moments ever seen on the show and calling for the segment to have been cut from the episode. The challenge, designed to assign different points based on the sense used, was intended to be humorous, but it instead left many horrified and criticizing Channel 4's decision to air it. Despite some finding humor in the awkwardness, the general consensus among fans was that the task crossed a line in taste and decency for entertainment. This episode highlights ongoing tensions between creative challenge design and audience sensibilities in popular television.