Taskmaster

Jessica Knappett piles a collection of shoes onto a butcher’s weighing scales, demonstrating the odd use of the equipment; James Acaster tests the emergency alarm inside a lift, seeing what happens when it is triggered; Rhod Gilbert spreads mustard across his eyes, creating a startling visual.

Ollie is a television programme presented in the form of a single episode. The show brings together a small group of comedians who each take part in a series of off‑beat challenges. It is structured around brief, self‑contained sketches rather than a continuous narrative, giving the audience a rapid succession of comic set‑pieces. In this instalment, Jessica Knappett is seen loading a pair of shoes onto a butcher’s weighing scales, treating the instrument as an unlikely platform for a quirky experiment. Meanwhile, James Acaster approaches a lift and deliberately presses the emergency alarm, testing the device’s response in a deliberately exaggerated fashion. The segment with Rhod Gilbert culminates in him smearing mustard directly into his eyes, creating a visual gag that leans heavily on the absurdity of the act. Each of these moments is staged as a short, self‑contained stunt, highlighting the participants’ willingness to engage with the ridiculous. The humour arises from the contrast between everyday objects—a set of scales, a lift alarm, a condiment—and the unconventional ways the comedians manipulate them. By pushing ordinary items into the realm of the bizarre, the episode maintains a brisk, playful rhythm. The episode strings these three distinct sketches together, offering a compact showcase of each performer’s style. The format relies on quick, visual punchlines rather than extended dialogue, ensuring the audience receives a rapid succession of light‑hearted, unconventional comedy.