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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.
- Continues tomorrow on Radio 4 at 6:30pm with Series 30, Episode 5
- Catch-up on Series 30, Episode 4
Episode menu
Series 24, Episode 5
The Truths
Henning Wehn - Guns
- The Crusader is a US assault rifle designed especially for Christians. From Florida, the rifle is engraved with the cross of the Knights Templar and Psalm 144:1: "Praise be the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle." It has three settings: "Peace", which has the safety on; "War", for single shots; and "God wills it", which is fully automatic. The manufactures claim this will keep the guns out of the hands of Muslim terrorists. Muslim groups have denounced it as fermenting hatred, division and violence. Found by Sindhu.
- At the time of George I, a man named James Puckle invented a gun that would fire round bullets at Christians and square bullets at Muslims, based on the belief that square bullets would inflict more pain and would help promote the benefits of Christian civilization. Invented in 1718, the Puckle gun was the world's first machine gun. Found by Sindhu.
- The Krummlauf was a German gun that shot around corners. It has a curved barrel and periscope sights. The gun was unsuccessful as the curved barrel quickly wore out. Found by Neil.
- Donald Trump's golf bag contains high-powered rifles along with clubs. Successfully smuggled.
- The Germans invented a gun that fired mostly fresh air. The gun contained hydrogen and ammonia and fired shells of compressed air. The Nazis hoped they would create whirlwinds to damage planes, but during tests they had no effect. Successfully smuggled.
Lou Sanders - Magic
- Early magic tricks were known as "hanky panky". It relates to the term "hocus pocus". Found by Sindhu.
- In 1970s Nigeria, a number of people were arrested for stealing penises using magic. Found by Sindhu.
- There are houses in Vermont that has windows slanted diagonally to stop witches from flying into the house. Found by Henning.
- Early Christian pictures of Jesus show him performing miracles while holding a wand. However, the Bible does not take kindly to magic and has no mention of wands. Successfully smuggled.
- The word "abracadabra" was used to protect people from the plague. Successfully smuggled.
Sindhu Vee - Berries
- Pineberries taste like pineapples. Found by Neil.
- An orange is a berry, but a strawberry ain't. Botanically speaking, a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary with three distinct layers: the exocarp (outer skin), mesocarp (fleshy middle) and endocarp (inner-most part that holds the seeds). Thus oranges, grapes, bananas, aubergines, kiwis, tomatoes and watermelons are berries. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and mulberries are not berries. All of this really annoys David. Found by Henning.
- Blueberry juice enhances your memory. Found by Lou.
- The Milky Way tastes like raspberries. A chemical that used to flavour some drinks can be found in a dust cloud in the centre of the galaxy, which has a rum-like odour and the flavour of raspberries. Successfully smuggled.
- When ripe, cranberries will bounce seven times. They are often referred to as bounceberries. Successfully smuggled.
Neil Delamere - Crocodiles
- In 2010, the archbishop of New Orleans officially approved alligators as seafood, meaning that Catholics can eat them during Lent. Found by Henning.
- The world's largest known crocodile and the world's smallest man both live on the same island. Mindanao in the Philippines is home to the world's largest crocodile, measuring at 20.24 feet, as well as the home of Junrey Balawing who is 23.6 inches tall. Successfully smuggled.
- It takes one alligator to make a pair of shoes, and three to make a pair of boots. Only the skin from the belly of the animal is used. Successfully smuggled.
- Alligators are aroused by the note B flat. Successfully smuggled.
- Come the heron nesting season, alligators in Louisiana balance sticks on their snouts. The alligator will grab any bird that tries to take a twig. It is the first recorded case of reptiles using tools, and the first case of predators timing the use of lures according to the seasonal behaviour of their pray. Successfully smuggled.
Scores
- Neil Delamere: 2 points
- Sindhu Vee: 1 point
- Henning Wehn: -1 point
- Lou Sanders: -3 points
Broadcast details
- Date
- Monday 13th July 2020
- Time
- 6:30pm
- Channel
- BBC Radio 4
- Length
- 30 minutes
Cast & crew
David Mitchell | Host / Presenter |
Henning Wehn | Guest |
Lou Sanders | Guest |
Sindhu Vee | Guest |
Neil Delamere | Guest |
Dan Gaster | Writer |
Colin Swash | Writer |
Jon Naismith | Producer |