New versions for the Netherlands, Iceland and Estonia

New versions of Taskmaster are to be created in the Netherlands, Iceland and Estonia after producers Avalon sold the format rights.

The deal brings the number of countries making their own version to 13, alongside Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Croatia, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Portugal and a short-lived US version.

RTL Nederland has ordered two series of eight hour-long episodes with comic Arjen Lubach starring as the Taskmaster, following a  pilot earlier this year.

One person who was at that recording reported via Reddit that Lubach  told the audience they may take inspiration from proven tasks from the UK original but ‘give it our own twist’.

And although they did not name the assistant, they said their relationship with the Taskmaster was ‘a bit more egalitarian’ than that between Greg Davies and series creator Alex Horne in the UK, adding: ‘But the assistant is perfect for the job. This egalitarian dynamic works well for the pair of them; it fits their chemistry better.’

Meanwhile, Estonia’s TV3 is working on twelve 90-minute episodes while Iceland’s Sýn has ordered ten hour-long instalments. 

More than 920 episodes have now been commissioned outside the UK, in addition to the 191 episodes made across Dave and Channel 4 here.  The show has also become a hit on YouTube, with more than 1.9 million subscribers. 

The new deals were announced at the Mipcom international TV festival in Cannes.

Kristjana Thors Brynjólfsdóttir, director of media at Sýn, told trade website Broadcast: ‘Producing a local version of Taskmaster is a fantastic milestone for Sýn. The show’s unique mix of humour, competition, and creativity has captivated audiences around the world, and we’re excited to give it an Icelandic flavour.’ 

Published: 14 Oct 2025