After coming last by quite such a distance on Taskmaster Series 15, and seeing his emotional frailties laid bare in a series of memes of him with his head in his hands, Ivo Graham is adapting to an increasingly irreversible reputation as a man better known for his chaos than his comedy.
His new book Yardsticks For Failure is a map of the brain behind the breakdowns; a deep dive into the various facepalms of Ivo’s recent past, and a live diary of his unravelling present, where his solution to the general bedlam of his life has been to pile his plate higher than ever before. Longer-term resolutions of rest and relaxation can wait; in the meantime he’s trying to host the greatest club night of all time, run a Sub-3 marathon while pushing a wheelchair, and put his heart on the line in a show unlike anything he’s ever done before. Can these dreams become a reality, or will they just become more yardsticks for failure?
We were joined by Ivo at the Kiln Theatre in May 2025 for a unique self-examination from one of the funniest writers of his generation.
---
If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full ad free conversations, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.
For £4.99 per month you'll also receive:
- Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts
- Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
- 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events
...
Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99:
- Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts
- Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series
…
Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access.
…
Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more.
https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
