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 6, Episode 1

David Mitchell returns for a sixth series of the panel game built on truth and lies. This week Chris Addison, Susan Calman, Rufus Hound and Armando Iannucci] give mostly untruthful lectures about Henry Ford, biscuits, rain and squirrels.

The Truths

Chris Addison - Henry Ford

- Ford once served a 16 course meal where everything was made out of Soya beans. Found by Rufus.

- Ford hated cows. Found by Armando.

- Ford kept a picture of Adolf Hitler on his desk. He was a contributor to the Nazi party. Found by Rufus.

- Ford kept Thomas Edison's last breath in a test tube. Successfully smuggled.

- Adolf Hitler kept a photo of Ford on his desk. Ford is the only American referred to in Mein Kampf. Successfully smuggled.

Susan Calman - Biscuits

- William Gladstone was nearly blinded by a biscuit that came flying through his carriage. Found by Rufus.

- According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, about 400 people a year are injured by biscuits. Found by Chris.

- "Bum" is a brand of Turkish biscuit. Found by Chris.

- McVitie's have developed a "Crunch test dummy" which tests the amount of crumbs a biscuit produces. Successfully smuggled.

- "Nora Knackers" are a type of Norwegian biscuit. Successfully smuggled.

Rufus Hound - Rain

- Coating windscreens in potato juice repels water that falls on them. Found by Armando.

- Rain contains vitamin B12. Found by Chris.

- A Californian weather forecaster was sacked for refusing to make his weather forecasts more cheerful. For example, he refused to change is prediction of "A chance of rain" to "A probability of sunshine", and "Partly cloudy" to "Largely sunny". Found by Chris.

- The world's largest building is so large that it rains inside. Clouds form in the Boeing Everett factory in Washington State during sudden temperature changes. Found by Chris.

- To "driffle" means "to rain fitfully or in sparse drops". Successfully smuggled.

Armando Iannucci - Squirrels

- Grey squirrels cannot see the colour red. Found by Chris.

- Beatrix Potter shot a squirrel which she used as a model for Squirrel Nutkin. Found by Susan.

- A squirrel brought the NASDAQ stock exchange to a stand-still after it chewed through a telephone line in 1987. Found by Chris.

- A squirrel's sweat glands are in their feet. Found by Rufus.

- Somerset Council recommended putting curry powder over recently dug graves to deter squirrels. Found by Susan.

Scores

- Rufus Hound: 5 points
- Chris Addison: 4 points
- Susan Calman: 1 point
- Armando Iannucci: -3 points

Broadcast details

Date
Monday 27th September 2010
Time
6:30pm
Channel
BBC Radio 4
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Sunday 3rd October 2010 12:00pm Radio 4
Thursday 21st May 2015 9:00am Radio 4 Extra
Thursday 21st May 2015 4:00pm Radio 4 Extra
Friday 22nd May 2015 4:00am Radio 4 Extra

Cast & crew

Cast
David Mitchell Host / Presenter
Guest cast
Armando Iannucci Guest
Chris Addison Guest
Susan Calman Guest
Rufus Hound Guest
Writing team
Dan Gaster Writer
Production team
Jon Naismith Producer

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