Feel Good star Mae Martin joins celebrity panel for Taskmaster series 15
Award-winning comedian Mae Martin. (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
Feel Good star and comedian Mae Martin is set to join a host of famous faces on Taskmaster when the hit gameshow returns for series 15 on Channel 4 on Thursday, 30 March at 9pm GMT.
Canadian-born comedian Martin, 35, will join four other celebrity contestants as they attempt to impress ‘taskmaster’ Greg Davies and sidekick Alex Horne by completing a variety of mad-cap missions.
Battling it out with Mae to be named the Taskmaster champion for series 15 will be Mock the Week star Frankie Boyle, stand-up comedians Ivo Graham and Jenny Eclair and star of BBC One sitcom Ghosts, Kiell Smith-Bynoe.
Who is Mae Martin?
Mae Martin is a 35-year-old comedian, actor and screenwriter who is best-known for their Channel 4 and Netflix comedy series Feel Good, which they wrote and starred in, as well as Channel 4’s Taskmaster.
Martin was born in Toronto, Canada on 2 May 1987 and began their career as part of comedy troupe “The Young and the Useless”, before moving to London in 2011.
Mae Martin, who uses they/them pronouns, is close friends with actor Elliot Page. In 2021 the pair gave off huge friendship goals when they got matching tattoos. Mae Martin previously told PinkNews that they “weirdly” met Juno star Page “in a bar when we were 19”.
Mae Martin identifies as bisexual and non-binary
Mae Martin came out publicly as non-binary via Instagram in 2021. The post saw Mae share pictures of themself pictures in a chest-binder and explain that they were still on a personal journey when it comes to their gender.
“The way I feel about my gender identity is ongoing and evolving, and it’s personal, but I thought it might be good to say for clarity and in case anyone finds it helpful”, Mae wrote in the caption.
“I’m non-binary, my pronouns are they/them and she/her (I love it when people say ‘they’ but I don’t mind ‘she’ at ALL).
“I’m very bisexual and attracted to people of all genders. I experience gender dysphoria sometimes – not always! – and have done since I was a tiny kid.
“When that dysphoria hits it sucks, and I find wearing a binder […] can sometimes help me feel more confident.”
Mae ’s openness about their non-binary journey has helped others embrace their authentic selves.
What do we know about Mae Martin?
Mae Martin’s Feel Good series won The Writers Guild of Great Britain Award for “Best Situation Comedy”, the Edinburgh TV award for “Best Comedy,” the NME Award for “Best TV Series,” the “Best Comedy Drama series” at the C21 award and “Best Scripted Representation of LGBQT+” at the Mipcom Diversify Awards.
Alongside the success of Feel Good, Mae has made headlines for their stand-up comedy, openness about their non-binary identity and battle with addiction.
The queer comedian has also previously written a book: Can Everyone Please Calm Down?.
According to Men’s Health, Mae began performing standup at 13 and dropped out of school to do comedy full-time at 15. At around this age they fell into drug addiction, but they are now sober.
Many of Mae’s comedy sets recount her addiction, most notably Dope.
The star has also fronted their own BBC show: Mae Martin’s Guide to 21st Century Sexuality.
What have they been in?
Feel Good, their semi-autobiographical, TV rom-com TV, which they wrote and starred in, was released in early 2020 to critical acclaim and ran for two series.
The series follows the growing relationship between Mae and George (Fresh Meat and You star Charlotte Ritchie), who is not out to her family and friends.
Upon discovering that Mae is a former drug addict, George encourages Mae to attend a Narcotics Anonymous meeting where they meet fellow recovering addicts, including eccentric Maggie who takes them under her wing.
The series also stars Friends icon Lisa Kudrow in a hilarious turn as Mae’s mother, as well as Sophie Thompson.
Martin’s comedy special SAP was turned into a hour special on Netflix called Mae Martin: SAP, which will be released on 28 March 2023. They have also starred in HBO Max’s The Flight Attendant.
Adding to their on-screen appearances Mae Martin will star in series 15 of Taskmaster which will air at 9pm on Thursday, 30 March on Channel 4.
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