Interview with Mo Farah for Taskmaster

21 December 2022

You’ve won six world titles, four Olympic golds, five European championships, you’ve been SPOTY, you’ve got a CBE and a knighthood. Where does taking part in Taskmaster rank in your list of achievements?
It’s definitely up there. I’ve had a career I’m proud of and won a lot of medals, but this is a completely different experience, and it’s a show that I’ve watched and really enjoyed. When I first got invited to take part, I thought “Yeah, I’d love to do that!” I didn’t even question it, it’s great to be among such amazing contestants and be able to have so much fun and I wanted to see how well I could do.

I’ve genuinely never seen anyone look so happy on Taskmaster. What was it you enjoyed about the show so much?
(Laughs) Honestly, when you watch the show, people are so hilarious, it’s such an amazing show, and for me, seeing it on telly and then doing it yourself is totally different. It was so funny, and when I was there I just felt like I was having so much fun. I think that was the key thing.

How would you describe your approach to the tasks?
I think a lot of people approached them differently. There was no right or wrong, but I think every one of us was different, and some of the tasks were quite challenging. But I think in the way I approached them I was quite calm, relaxed and didn’t feel a lot of pressure. Probably because I’ve been so used to dealing with pressure throughout my career.

You wouldn’t have got where you are today without being competitive. Does that extend to things like Taskmaster?
Oh, 100%. There’s no question, no shadow of a doubt, you’ve got to be competitive from the moment you start. From day one I was like “Who’s in it? What do I have to do?”

But you always seemed so relaxed and happy!
Yeah, that’s because I’ve learned throughout my career that, at times, you do get stressed, but you can’t put too much pressure on yourself, you have to go out there with a smile and just see how you can compete and how well you can do.

It’s fair to say, you’re the fittest person Taskmaster has ever had on the show. Did your physical ability come in handy with any of the tasks?
I would have loved to have had more challenges that were a bit more physical and didn’t involve using your brain quite so much. But it was a mix of both, and it was nice to do a bit of both.

At one point you revealed you’re hopeless at doing two things at once. That could be quite an issue on Taskmaster.
Yeah, a couple of the tasks involved doing physical stuff while also having to think, and I found it more challenging. That was one of the toughest things.

How did you all get on with one another?
It was my first time on Taskmaster, and I met some amazing people. When we all came into the studio together it was amazing. I knew Carol, but that was it. But Amelia, Becca, Greg, I got to know them all, and they were a really good laugh. I think everybody came along to have a laugh.

How are you feeling about watching the show? Who will you watch with?
I’ll watch it with my wife and a few friends. And my oldest daughter Rihanna can watch it as well. The twins are ten, I might have to get some of it bleeped out for them.

Will they be proud, or are they at the age where they cringe at everything you do?
They might be a bit embarrassed, but they’ll also be proud. My kids are proud of me.

Did you break out the Mobot at any stage?
Of course! I brought that out, and a few other things.

How did you find working on the tasks with the enigma that is Alex Horne?
It was the first time I’d met Alex, and he welcomed me, and assured me everything was going to be okay. He’s just such a lovely bloke. Same as Greg, too. Obviously I’d watched The Inbetweeners. He’s such a big guy, when I first saw him I thought “Oh my God, TV doesn’t do you justice, mate. You’re massive!”

Having seen it up close, how would you describe the relationship between Greg and Alex?
They’re obviously good friends, but they have that sense of humour and they really bounce off each other. There’s a real charisma to the two of them.

Was it what you expected?
It was better than I expected. Overall, you have such a laugh. You’re competing and completing tasks, but you’re having so much fun.

What is it that makes Taskmaster so special?
It’s the way Greg and Alex and the whole team put it all together. The tasks they seem really simple on the outside, but they’re not. And it’s a level playing field as well, everyone’s equal, and anyone can win it.

The show’s called Taskmaster: New Year Treat. What treats are you hoping for in 2023?
Just celebrate my kids, have a laugh, and have a great start to the year.