Alex Horne says Jasper Carrott is on top of his most-wanted list for a future series of Taskmaster.

However the comic – who also devised the hit Channel 4 show –  believes the 78-year-old stand-up pioneer is ‘not chasing things’ career-wise, so may not be up for taking part.

Instead, he suggested Joe Pasquale would be ‘great’ representing the old-school comics on the programme.

‘But it’s a big conversation,’ Horne told the Always Be Comedy podcast, because if you’re having Pasquale, you’re not having someone else and it’s ten episodes.’

Carrott, who like Billy Connolly came into comedy through the folk music scene, reached a career peak in the early 1980s with a live primetime BBC One comedy show.

He also starred in the spoof police drama The Detectives alongside Robert Powell and hosted ITV1 quiz show Golden Balls. However, much of his fortune came when he and his wife Hazel sold his stake in production company Celador, makers of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? in 2006 for £10million. 

Carrott – father of The Office star Lucy Davis – continues to perform one-off Rock With Laughter Gigs around the UK.

Established comedy stars to have previously been set challenges by Taskmaster Greg Davies include Bob Mortimer, Frank Skinner, Julian Clary and Jo Brand.

Horne’s comments come after it was announced that the next Taskmaster Champion of Champions special will air at 9pm on Sunday January 14.

Dara O Briain, Morgana Robinson, Sarah Kendall and Sophie Duker will square off  against Kiell Smith-Bynoe, who is substituting for Mae Martin. The Ghosts star came runner-up to the Canadian comic in series 15.

Martin previously said: ‘Martin said: ‘I am absolutely fuming at the fact that I am unable to participate in Taskmaster's Champion of Champions. I would love nothing more than to fight for the title of ultimate champion, and spend another week of my life being ridiculed by Greg. 

‘I am, however, confident in the choice to send Kiell to fight on my behalf. He is an agile and profoundly competitive young man, and also much much cooler and funnier than me, so we should have it in the bag. I have sent some surprises so that my presence is felt. Good luck Kiell, I am holding my breath from the U.S. and rooting for you.'

And Smith Bynoe added: ‘As if it wasn’t enough pressure representing the whole of black Britain in series 15 now I have to represent the entire nation of Canada in Champion of Champions. I’ve never even been. I didn’t even win my series.  Look, I’ll try all right…