The Unbelievable Truth

David Mitchell is joined by guests Lucy Porter, Marcus Brigstocke, Richard Osman and Ria Lina who are obliged to talk with deliberate inaccuracy on subjects as varied as Popes, insurance, Norway and surgery.

The Truths

Marcus Brigstocke - Insurance

- In 2000, three women from a Christian group in Inverness took out an immaculate conception insurance policy, to pay for the cost of bringing up Christ if one of them had a virgin birth. They paid £100 annually, and stood to claim £1million if their claim was accepted. Found by Ria.

- The Titanic was insured for a quarter of the value of Ken Dodd's teeth. The Titanic was insured for £1million, and Dodd's teeth £4million. However, adjusted for inflation the Titanic was insured for nearly £91million in today's money. Found by Richard.

- Aviva once had received a claim from a driver who complained that his car was damaged by a horse who tried to mate with it. Found by Richard.

- Birmingham Sea Life Centre successfully insured its visitors against the risk of death and permanent disability caused by their giant crab. Successfully smuggled.

- "Spooksafe" is a policy which insures against death from ghosts, or in case a person becomes either a werewolf or vampire. Successfully smuggled.

Lucy Porter - Popes

- Benedict XVI drank five times his own body weight in Fanta every year, drinking four cans a day. Some believe he may have got his taste for the drink, which was invented in Nazi Germany when they could no longer get Coca-Cola from the USA, during his time in the Hitler Youth. Found by Ria.

- Pope Francis has not watched TV since 1990. Found by Ria.

- In Iceland, an idiom for going for a poo is "playing chess with the Pope". Found by Marcus.

- When the Pope dies, they split his ring, known as the Fisherman's Ring. Found by Richard.

- In 2000, John Paul II was made an honorary member of the Harlem Globetrotters. Successfully smuggled.

Ria Lina - Surgery

- One woman delivered her own baby by c-section using a kitchen knife. In 2004, the Mexican woman delivered a male infant successfully. Found by Lucy.

- Ant heads were once used to hold the edges of a wound together, by biting through the flesh and making a stitch. Successfully smuggled.

- Surgeon David Aunt once left a theatre in the middle of an operation to cash his paycheck. His medical licence was later revoked by the state of Massachusetts. Successfully smuggled.

- There is a form of cosmetic surgery which involves molding your forehead into the shape of a bagel. It is a form of fashion which emerged in Japan. Successfully smuggled.

- In Buffalo, New York, teachers can get free plastic surgery. Successfully smuggled.

Richard Osman - Norway

- A Norwegian holds the world record for the fastest eating of a Ferrero Rocher without using hands, at 8.04 seconds. Found by Ria.

- Harry Hill is the name of a popular Norwegian detective. Created by Jo Nesbo, Harry Hole (pronounced "HOO-leh") translates into English as "Harry Hill". On screen, he has been played by Michael Fassbender in The Snowman. Found by Ria.

- Oslo is nicknamed the "City of Tigers". Successfully smuggled.

- Norway is home to Europe's first underwater restaurant. It seats 40 people and is five metres beneath the North Sea. Successfully smuggled.

- In Norway, it is legal to change your surname without permission from everyone else with that surname first. Surnames are considered protected in the country if it used by fewer than 200 people. Successfully smuggled.

Scores

- Richard Osman: 2 points
- Ria Lina: 1 point
- Lucy Porter: -4 points
- Marcus Brigstocke: -10 points