The Unbelievable Truth
- Radio panel show
- BBC Radio 4
- 2006 - 2024
- 183 episodes (30 series)
David Mitchell hosts this Radio 4 panel game built on truth and lies. Contestants must try and smuggle truths into lie-filled speeches.
- Due to return for Series 31
Episode menu
Series 8, Episode 4
The Truths
Jack Dee - Boy Scouts
- Indonesia has the most boy scouts, with over 17 million. Found by Graeme.
- Mariah Carey, Cat Deeley and Carol Vorderman were all Girl Guides. Found by Lee.
- The Boy Scout slogan "Be Prepared" is a reference to the initials of Lord Baden-Powell. Found by Rufus.
- Lord Baden-Powell acted as a spy during the Boer War and disguised plans of Boer fortifications and gun placements in sketches of butterfly wings, leafs and a stained glass window. Successfully smuggled.
- Adolf Hitler banned the Boy Scouts, replacing them with the Hitler Youth. Lord Baden-Powell was at first keen to set up ties with the Hitler Youth. Successfully smuggled.
Lee Mack - Nuts
- Brazil nuts are radioactive. Found by Graeme.
- Grey squirrels sometimes pretend to dig nuts underground, when in actual fact they just dig empty holes to fool nut thieves. Found by Rufus.
- Peanuts are not nuts. Found by Graeme.
- In New York State you are not allowed to walk backwards while eating peanuts. Found by Graeme.
- When chopped up fine macadamia nuts resemble crack cocaine. They are often used in police sting operations in the USA. Successfully smuggled.
Graeme Garden - Florence Nightingale
- Florence Nightingale had a pet owl which she kept stuffed in her pocket. Found by Rufus.
- Florence Nightingale invented the pie chart, which she called the "rose diagram". Successfully smuggled.
- Queen Victoria engaged Fortnum and Mason to supply beef tea to Florence Nightingale to keep her troops healthy. Successfully smuggled.
- Florence Nightingale served only two years as an active nurse. She was a nursing manager when she went to the Crimea. Successfully smuggled.
- Make-up entrepreneur Elizabeth Arden's real name is Florence Nightingale Graham. Successfully smuggled.
Rufus Hound - The Circus
- 30 people have died due to human cannonball accidents. Found by Graeme.
- Gorillas in a zoo near Cologne, Germany have their own clown. Found by Lee.
- Bozo the Clown had size 83 AAA shoes and was the role model for Ronald McDonald. Successfully smuggled.
- The act of knife-throwing is known as "The impalement arts", despite the fact that the object of it is to avoid impaling anything. Successfully smuggled.
- A clown invented pink lemonade, after running out of water and in desperation using the pink water from a tub in which someone had previously washed their red tights. Successfully smuggled.
Scores
- Graeme Garden: 9 points
- Rufus Hound: 3 points
- Jack Dee and Lee Mack: -3 points
Broadcast details
- Date
- Monday 16th January 2012
- Time
- 6:30pm
- Channel
- BBC Radio 4
- Length
- 30 minutes
Cast & crew
David Mitchell | Host / Presenter |
Graeme Garden | Guest |
Lee Mack | Guest |
Jack Dee | Guest |
Rufus Hound | Guest |
Dan Gaster | Writer |
Colin Swash | Writer |
Jon Naismith | Producer |