Taskmaster's Champion of Champions announced – but with one missing winner

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Taskmaster's Champion of Champions announcedChannel 4

Taskmaster has announced the cast for the third instalment of its all-winners spinoff series, Champion of Champions – but with one missing victor.

The BAFTA-winning show, which recently crowned the winner of its 16th series, is hosted by Greg Davies and Alex Horne as the "Taskmaster" and his assistant.

The duo force five comedians per series through strange and surreal challenges, testing their comedic muscles as well as their wiles, wit and wisdom – and its spinoff, Champion of Champions, sees previous series winners return to battle each other.

The third instalment has announced its cast: winners of series 11-14, Dara Ó Briain, Morgana Robinson, Sarah Kendall and Sophie Duker. However, series 15 winner Mae Martin has been replaced by runner-up Kiell Smith-Bynoe, due to scheduling conflicts.

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Channel 4

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In a statement, Mae Martin has addressed their absence: "I am absolutely fuming at the fact that I am unable to participate in Taskmaster's Champion of Champions.

"I would love nothing more than to fight for the title of ultimate champion and spend another week of my life being ridiculed by Greg. I am, however, confident in the choice to send Kiell to fight on my behalf. He is an agile and profoundly competitive young man, and also much much cooler and funnier than me, so we should have it in the bag."

Martin, also teased "some surprises so that [their] presence is felt", before adding, "Good luck Kiell, I am holding my breath from the U.S. and rooting for you."

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Channel 4

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Smith-Bynoe has also addressed his drafting into the series with trademark humour: "As if it wasn’t enough pressure representing the whole of black Britain in S15, now I have to represent the entire nation of Canada in Champion of Champions. I’ve never even been. I didn’t even win my series. Look I’ll try alright.”

Previous seasons of Champions of Champions have seen Josh Widdicombe and Richard Herring take the Golden Greg Davies home for a second time.

Taskmaster: Champion of Champions will "air soon" on Channel 4, after its New Year Treat special on January 2.

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