Tom Gleeson’s admission about launching Taskmaster Australia

Comedian, TV host and Gold Logie winner Tom Gleeson is renowned for his acerbic tongue, but even he admits he can get nervous.

It’s somewhat of a surprise to learn that comedian, TV host and Gold Logie winner Tom Gleeson – renowned for his acerbic tongue, cutting wit and zinging one-liners – gets nervous.

But ahead of his TV shows launching – whether that’s his regularly high-rating Hard Quiz or a new program such as the Australian version of the BAFTA-winning Taskmaster which launches this week on Ten – Gleeson reveals he does actually feel a tad jumpy. He’ll watch the first episode, heart in his mouth, sipping a glass of chardonnay to calm the jitters, fingers crossed that all of the fun in the studio translates to the screen.

“Even though I know people like Hard Quiz and it’s a known quantity – sometimes that feeling of doing it and watching it are two very different things,” Gleeson says.

“My happy place is in the doing it. And then it’s the crunch time – ‘OK, we’re going to change from me just having a great time on set to have, you know, hopefully a million people sitting in judgment’. It’s still a heavy load.”

Tom Gleeson and Tom Cashman with Taskmaster Australia’s cast of comedians (from left), Luke McGregor, Danielle Walker, Jimmy Rees, Nina Oyam and Julia Morris. Picture: Ten

Despite all that, he remains confident in the Aussie twist on Taskmaster where local comics – Julia Morris, Luke McGregor, Jimmy Rees, Nina Oyama and Danielle Walker – go head-to-head in a series of mind-bending challenges set by Gleeson as the tough-love Taskmaster and his trusty sidekick Tom Cashman (who Gleeson dubbed Lesser Tom during filming).

Gleeson’s trademark bravado returns as he dismisses suggestions he should be concerned about comparisons between the beloved Brit version, hosted by Greg Davies, which has attracted fans from across the globe and run for 14 seasons.

“Obviously there’s a great passion for the English version,” Gleeson says.

“I mean, I’m just making these numbers up, but I’m guessing that given it was shown on SBS here, there were probably only tens of thousands of Australian viewers.

“So ideally this version should be seen by way more people here than the British.

“And the format is so strong.”

Tom Gleeson and Tom Cashman for Taskmaster Australia. Picture: Ten

He adds, with his tongue, as usual, firmly planted in his cheek: “If anything, I’m worried for the English version because our version is so good.

“In England they’ll be concerned that I’ll upstage them. Everyone’s going to be saying Greg Davies has big shoes to fill. A guy called Tom Gleeson in Australia did it better than him. It’s going to be really awkward for Greg I think.”

It’s unlikely Davies, standing at 2.03m tall, has ever had bigger shoes to fill. Well, physically at least. “He is actually one of the very few people who is taller and ruder than me,” Gleeson says.

The pair’s careers have run almost parallel since they met at a Montreal Comedy Festival more than a decade ago. They bonded over “bitching about Canadian audiences”. Davies started on Taskmaster as Gleeson began Hard Quiz. And they’re essentially playing the same game – rubbishing contestants.

“Funnily enough, I kept getting asked on social media to be the Australian Taskmaster on social media,” Gleeson says.

“And then, weirdly enough, at one point we were trying to get a UK version of Hard Quiz up and Greg Davies was down to be the host.”

Greg Davies (left) and Alex Horne in The Taskmaster.

Gleeson’s award-winning Hard Quiz – the little show that could, often coming close to commercial ratings juggernauts such as The Block and beating shows such as Kitchen Nightmares – is also back this month. And given he’s touring Hard Quiz Live through regional centres and a two weeks stint at Adelaide Fringe Festival, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the 48-year-old is dodging spending time at home with his family – wife Ellie Parker and their children.

“Looks can be deceiving. I can seem very busy when you’re watching television,” Gleeson says, explaining that while the end of 2022 was hectic getting both series in the can, he’s had plenty of downtime since enjoying a family Christmas and New Year’s Eve with friends.

And while, Gleeson’s nervous ahead of Taskmaster’s debut this week, he has perspective on the highs and lows of fame.

“On the one hand, if the show doesn’t go well, which obviously has never happened to me, I’m pretty easy to go ‘It’s just a TV show. Don’t worry about it’.

“And the flip side is that if it’s a massive hit I also go ‘OK, well, that’s fantastic. But it is only a TV show, so don’t get too excited’.

“I’m pretty good at levelling myself out.

“That’s just the advantage of having been around so long.”

And his teenagers certainly keep him grounded. It’s a long-running joke in the Gleeson household just how much they love watching Lego Masters and adore host Hamish Blake.

Hard Quiz, host Tom Gleeson. Picture: ABC

“They cannot – like everyone else – they cannot stop talking about how funny and lovely Hamish Blake is,” Gleeson laughs.

“We often watch Lego Masters together and I’d often say to my daughter with a straight face, for my own amusement ‘Do you like Hard Quiz or do you like Lego Masters better?

“And I would say it like I really need her validation.

“And she would be like ‘Dad, I always like Hard Quiz, I always will, but Lego Masters is just a bit more exciting for kids that’s all’, and she’s saying it like she’s trying to console me.

“So, I know that they like Lego Masters more than they like Hard Quiz and that’s how they keep me in check.”

This also means Gleeson’s confident he, again, had a hand in deciding who won the Gold Logie, after infamously campaigning – hard – first in 2018 for eventual winner Grant Denyer. And then successfully for himself in 2019.

“When Hamish beat me for Gold, I thought ‘well, that’s fine. Your show rates more than Hard Quiz and my children like your show more’.

“So, if anything, that’s justice.

“I think my children campaigned heavily for Hamish. I think that’s what pushed him over the line so even his Gold Logie has my fingerprints on it.”

Taskmaster Australia, Thursday, 7.30pm, Ten

Hard Quiz, Wednesday, February 8, 8pm, ABC

Hard Quiz Live, tickets available through comedy.com.au/tour/hard-quiz-live

Originally published as Tom Gleeson’s admission about launching Taskmaster Australia