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.
- Series 27, Episode 4 repeated Friday at 2pm on Radio 4 Extra
Episode menu
Series 2, Episode 1
The Truths
Phill Jupitus - Bears
- Edinburgh Zoo got extra funding from Mercedes-Benz after they named Britain's only captive polar bear "Mercedes". Found by Simon.
- Grizzly bears cannot climb trees. Found by Alan.
- The panda bleats like a goat. Successfully smuggled.
- King Henry III imposed a muzzle tax on Londoners for the upkeep of a polar bear he kept in the Tower of London. Successfully smuggled.
- A Canadian man was acquitted of murder when he explained to the judge that he mistook his wife for a bear. Successfully smuggled.
Alan Davies - Beards
- The only Presidents of the USA to have had beards are Republicans. Found by Tony.
- Alexander the Great hated beards and banned them in his army, because he believed that the enemy could easily grab hold of them. Found by Phill.
- The beard can grow to a length of 30 feet. Found by Simon.
- Turkeys have beards. Successfully smuggled.
- Cleopatra wore a false beard. Successfully smuggled.
Simon Evans - Queen Victoria
- Victoria ate boiled eggs with a golden spoon out of a golden eggcup. Found by Phill.
- Victoria took marijuana to ease the pain of her menstrual cramps. Found by Phill.
- Prince Albert was Victoria's first cousin. Found by Tony.
- Victoria only spoke German up until the age of three. Successfully smuggled.
- At the time of her birth Victoria was only fifth in line to the throne. Successfully smuggled.
Tony Hawks - Tennis
- Lawn tennis was first marketed as "sphairistike" and patented by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield in 1874. Found by Simon.
- "Greg Rusedski" is an anagram of "Rugged kisser". Found by Alan.
- Sowing a tennis ball into the back of your pyjamas is believed to be a cure for snoring. Found by Alan.
- Austrian tennis player Hans Redl played at Wimbledon for nine years in a row despite losing an arm in World War Two. He served by tossing the ball in the air with his racket. Found by Phill.
- The catgut strings in rackets are actually made from sheep gut. Found by Simon.
Scores
- Phill Jupitus and Simon Evans: 4 points
- Alan Davies: 0 points
- Tony Hawks: -6 points
Broadcast details
- Date
- Monday 5th May 2008
- Time
- 6:30pm
- Channel
- BBC Radio 4
- Length
- 30 minutes
Cast & crew
David Mitchell | Host / Presenter |
Tony Hawks | Guest |
Alan Davies | Guest |
Phill Jupitus | Guest |
Simon Evans | Guest |
Iain Pattinson | Writer |
Jon Naismith | Producer |