The Unbelievable Truth. David Mitchell. Copyright: BBC / Random Entertainment
The Unbelievable Truth

The Unbelievable Truth

  • Radio panel show
  • BBC Radio 4
  • 2006 - 2024
  • 177 episodes (29 series)

David Mitchell hosts this Radio 4 panel game built on truth and lies. Contestants must try and smuggle truths into lie-filled speeches.

Episode menu

Series 22, Episode 1

David Mitchell returns with the comedy panel show, with Richard Osman, Holly Walsh, Luisa Omielan and Jack Dee taking part in the first edition, as they lie on the subjects of mice, Las Vegas, Beyonce and rubbish.

The Truths

Richard Osman - Mice

- The man who voice Mickey Mouse for 32 years married the woman who voiced Minnie Mouse for 27 years. Found by Jack.

- The Mexican version of the tooth fairy is the tooth mouse. Found by Jack.

- The sperm of mice is longer than that of humans. Successfully smuggled.

- Mice have more bones than human beings. Successfully smuggled.

- When Minnie Mouse left Mickey for another mouse in the 1930s, Mickey attempted suicide multiple times. He tried to shoot himself, jump off a high bridge, asphyxiate himself using gas from a radiator. Successfully smuggled.

Holly Walsh - Las Vegas

- Las Vegas was once a place from which you could see nuclear tests. In the 1950s, atomic bomb tests in the Nevada desert just north of Vegas became a tourist attraction. Found by Richard.

- In Las Vegas, it is illegal to take part in a lottery. This is due to pressure from the casino lobby, who worry about losing trade. Found by Richard.

- The Las Vegas Strip is not in Las Vegas, but is located immediately south of the city limits in the towns of Paradise and Winchester in Clark County. Successfully smuggled.

- Posters of Nick Clegg were seen in Las Vegas Airport. In 2017, British tourists spotted images of Clegg in posters that apologised for ongoing maintenance work and assured visitors that upgrades were on the horizon. The graphic artist responsible for the poster thought that the image of Clegg was a stock image and used it in error. The airport apologised saying: "We had no idea who he was." Successfully smuggled.

- In Las Vegas, loads of locals live in underground tunnels. A labyrinth of storm flood tunnels under the Las Vegas Strip is used by 1,000 homeless people. Successfully smuggled.

Luisa Omielan - Beyonce Knowles

- One of Beyonce's earliest jobs was sweeping hair in her mother's hair salon in Texas. She earned extra money by singing for clients. Found by Richard.

- When Jay-Z headlined the Isle of Wight Festival, he and Beyonce were put up in the local Premier Inn. Paul McCartney was there at the same time, decorating his room with Moroccan drapes and a statue of Buddha. Found by Richard.

- Beyonce's mother's maiden name is "Beyince". Successfully smuggled.

- Beyonce's father would encourage her to sing while running laps. Successfully smuggled.

- The Queen and Beyonce are 12th cousins once removed. Successfully smuggled.

Jack Dee - Rubbish

- In 2006, volunteers removing litter from Ben Nevis found a piano near the summit. Found by Richard. Holly also gets a point after arguing that this is technically not rubbish.

- Sweden is so good at recycling that it has run out of rubbish, and has to import 80,000 tonnes of rubbish from Norway every year. Found by Luisa.

- In 1999, a severed human head showed up on a recycling centre in Brooklyn. Found by Luisa.

- In Taiwan, bin lorries play music to alert residents to bring out their rubbish. Found by Richard.

- There is more than 180 tonnes of rubbish on the Moon. This includes 17 Luna vehicles, geological tools, bodily waste and other objects no longer needed for missions, one being the plaque announcing: "We came in peace for all mankind." Successfully smuggled.

Scores

- Richard Osman: 5 points
- Jack Dee: -1 point
- Luisa Omielan: -4 points
- Holly Walsh: -5 points

Broadcast details

Date
Monday 1st April 2019
Time
6:30pm
Channel
BBC Radio 4
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Sunday 7th April 2019 12:00pm Radio 4
Monday 8th April 2019 7:30am Radio 4 Extra
Monday 8th April 2019 5:30pm Radio 4 Extra
Monday 8th April 2019 10:00pm Radio 4 Extra
Tuesday 9th April 2019 5:30am Radio 4 Extra
Thursday 8th December 2022 9:00am Radio 4 Extra
Thursday 8th December 2022 2:00pm Radio 4 Extra
Thursday 8th December 2022 7:00pm Radio 4 Extra
Friday 9th December 2022 4:00am Radio 4 Extra

Cast & crew

Cast
David Mitchell Host / Presenter
Guest cast
Jack Dee Guest
Holly Walsh Guest
Richard Osman Guest
Luisa Omielan Guest
Writing team
Dan Gaster Writer
Colin Swash Writer
Production team
Jon Naismith Producer

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