The Unbelievable Truth

David Mitchell hosts, as Angela Barnes, Mark Steel, Ria Lina and Alan Davies talk with deliberate inaccuracy on subjects as varied as wheels, cows, condiments and toys.

The Truths

Angela Barnes - Wheels

- The first roller skates were invented by a violin maker, Joseph Merlin in 1759. Found by Alan.

- An alarm clock on wheels has been invented, so if you don't turn it off in time, it runs away and you have to get out of bed to turn it off. Found by Ria.

- Salvador Dali's paintings of melting clocks were inspired by wheels of camembert that melted in the sun. Found by Ria.

- The wheel was patented in 2001. Patent lawyer John Keogh patented a "circular transportation facilitation device" in Australia, to demonstrate how flawed the county's new fast-tracked low-cost patent system was. Successfully smuggled.

- Jamie Oliver has a specially customised Land Rover that can make butter and ice cream in the wheel drum. Successfully smuggled.

Mark Steel - Cows

- In Norway, cows are given mattresses to sleep on. It is believed this increase blood volume in the udders, producing 5% more milk and reducing infections. Found by Alan.

- In Scotland, it is illegal to be drunk in charge of a cow, according to the Licensing Act of 1872. Found by Ria.

- During the Second World War, Stormont was covered in cow dung to camouflage the building. After the war, it took seven years to remove the camouflage, and the exterior facade never regained its original white colour. Found by Angela.

- William Gladstone was injured after being knocked down by a cow while walking the grounds of Hawarden Castle. Found by Ria.

- Royal cows on the Windsor estate sleep on waterbeds. Successfully smuggled.

Ria Lina - Condiments

- A company in China once made soy sauce out of human hair, although the government has since banned the practice. Found by Mark.

- Raw apple cider vinegar contains tiny, non-parasitic worms called "vinegar eels". They grow to a maximum of 2mm long, are harmless to consume, and are usually filtered out. Found by Angela.

- The US Food and Drug Administration considers it acceptable to have 30 fly eggs in 100g of tomato paste. Found by Angela.

- Mentioning guacamole in online dating profiles increases responses by 144%. Found by Angela.

- The French condiment sea urchin gonad sauce is made with mayonnaise, olive oil, and mashed fish testicles. Successfully smuggled.

Alan Davies - Toys

- Half-way through production, Toy Story 2 was accidentally deleted. In the late 1990s, an animator cleaning up some files mistakenly deleted two-years-worth of work. Fortunately, a female producer named Galyn Susman who also working on the film, had a back-up copy of the film as she was working from home after having a baby. In May 2023, Susman and 75 other Pixar employees were made redundant by Disney. Found by Ria.

- Since 2003, in the UK and Europe, farmers are required by law to provide toys for pigs. This is to promote mental stimulation, physical activity and overall wellbeing. Found by Angela.

- Jack Ryan, who developed the Sparrow and Hawk Missile Systems for the US, went on to design the Barbie doll, Hot Wheels and Chatty Cathy. Found by Mark.

- There is a poop-patrol Barbie which has a pet labrador that defecates. Found by Angela.

- In 1950s America, the Atomic Energy Lab Kit was more than just a toy: it was actually radioactive, with real samples of uranium and radium in it for children to do experiments. Successfully smuggled.

Scores

- Ria Lina: 4 points
- Angela Barnes: 3 points
- Mark Steel: -1 point
- Alan Davies: -2 points