Taskmaster convinced Reece Shearsmith to sign up for Last One Laughing

Reece Shearsmith is no stranger to blending the spooky with the comedic – which makes him a perfect fit for Last One Laughing's Halloween special.

The Prime Video series, where trying not to laugh is the aim of the game, is being given a Halloween makeover for their latest episodes... with contestants not allowed to scream either.

But with the eight contestants all trying to make each other crack under pressure, Shearsmith – who often injects horror elements into his work, like with Inside No. 9 – has his work cut out for him in order to come out on top.

Speaking to Radio Times magazine, Shearsmith said: "I love it – it’s so unusual to create comedy from that feeling of not being able to laugh.

"I don’t know that I’m that funny in real life. But I enjoyed doing Taskmaster, which made me think I could get away with doing me (or a version of me) again. And I love Halloween."

Joining him in the LOL apartment is Phil Wang, Lou Sanders, Jack Dee, Daisy May Cooper, Tom Allen and Harriet Dyer, with Jimmy Carr and Roisin Conaty guiding them through the proceedings.

With all the comedians having a natural instinct to make each other laugh, the scares bring a new added pressure to the challenge.

But for Shearsmith it's something he thrives on, as he explained: "Laughing at a punchline or being scared by a jump bring the same release. A scream is often followed by a chuckle of relief.

"I’ve always toyed with that tension. Usually, the hardest thing to inject is the comedy."

As for his game plan for the show, the League of Gentlemen star said: "I was more front-footed than in real life. I didn’t want to wither on the vine. And I set my face in quite a serious way.

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"It’s OK when people tell an obvious joke, but if they say something else as they walk away, you’re off guard. You have to concentrate hard, which is exhausting."

Because of this, Shearsmith admitted the game was a lot harder than it looked, with him feeling "almost euphoric" once it was over.

"I’ve never done a marathon, but I imagine it’s like that," he joked. "A big release of both adrenaline and relief at being able to resume normal service."

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Last One Laughing: Halloween will available to stream on Amazon Prime Video from Friday 23 October 2026. You can sign up to Amazon Prime Video for a 30-day free trial.

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Authors

Tilly Pearce is a freelance TV journalist whose coverage ranges from reality shows like Love Is Blind to sci-fi shows like Fallout. She is an NCTJ Gold Standard accredited journalist, who has previously worked as Deputy TV Editor (maternity cover) at Digital Spy, and Deputy TV & Showbiz Editor at Daily Express US.