QI. Image shows from L to R: Alan Davies, Sandi Toksvig. Copyright: TalkbackThames
QI

QI

  • TV panel show
  • BBC Two / BBC One / BBC Four
  • 2003 - 2024
  • 312 episodes (21 series)

Panel game that contains lots of difficult questions and a large amount of quite interesting facts. Stars Sandi Toksvig, Stephen Fry and Alan Davies.

Episode menu

Series C, Episode 1 - Campanology

Cartography

Topics

- A question on "Cartography": The most interesting thing about the most detailed map of Britain is the cost of it. It is the 2002 Ordinance Survey Map on CD-ROM. It costs £30,000 per town, or £4,999,000 for the entire country.

- Tangent: The word "Map" comes from the Latin word "Mappa", meaning "Napkin", because maps used to be drawn on them.

- A 'Carlisle surprise', a 'reverse Canterbury pleasure' and a 'Sheep tied to a lamppost in Cardiff' are types of "Changes" in bell-ringing.

- Tangent: John Bunyan denounced bell ringing, along with dancing, playing tip-cat and reading the history of Sir Bevis of Southampton.

- The last place in Britain to convert to Christianity was the Isle of Wight in 686 AD. It was forced to convert by Cædwalla, King of Wessex, who had to kill most of the pagan population to convert it. (If Alan got this question right, he would have been given 100 points, but Bill got it.)

- Tangent: The grey squirrel has not yet made it to the Isle of Wight.

- Because it is a non-Newtonian fluid, not only Jesus, but anyone can walk on custard.

- Naming the teams at the Colosseum: there is no evidence to support the idea that Christians were throw to the lions. (Forfeit: Lions v Christians)

- In the Middle Ages, most people thought the world was a sphere. Christopher Columbus thought it was pear-shaped. (Forfeit: Flat)

General Ignorance

- A "Taffy pull" is a form of toffee made by pulling strings of it along metal hooks. It takes two people to make it, so people who often meet at taffy pulls in the USA. (Forfeit: Welsh chat-up line)

- Tangent: Salt water taffy contains no salt water in it. It is named by an Atlanta shopkeeper whose stock was covered by sea water. Correction: Atlanta is a landlocked city, nowhere near the sea. It was invented in Atlanic City, New Jersey.

- The sheep, like all the other clean beasts, went onto Noah's Ark in sevens, with two of every un-clean animal also going on board. So there are either seven or fourteen sheep. (Forfeit: Two)

- The archbishop murdered by Henry II was Thomas Becket. The "à" is a complete error. (Forfeit: Thomas à Becket)

Deleted scenes

- Honolulu is the capital of the island of Oahu and of the state of Hawaii. It was discovered by Captain Cook in 1778. It is 1,390 miles long, because any island in Hawaii which is not named or that does not belong to a county is classified officially as being part of Honolulu.

- Tangent: The panel discuss what they think is the gayest, and the most limp-wristed animal.

- Tangent: As Stephen tries to close the show, he accidentally calls Rob "Bob". The panel cause more trouble for Stephen as they keep interrupting him while he tries to close the show.

Scores

- Rich Hall: 8 points
- Bill Bailey: -5 points
- Rob Brydon: -16 points
- Alan Davies: -25 points

Broadcast details

Date
Friday 30th September 2005
Time
10pm
Channel
BBC Two
Length
30 minutes

Repeats

Show past repeats

Date Time Channel
Thursday 1st July 2010 10:40pm Dave
Tuesday 3rd August 2010 9:40pm Dave
Saturday 18th September 2010 11:00pm Dave
Wednesday 27th October 2010 10:15pm Dave
Sunday 23rd January 2011 7:40pm Dave
Sunday 7th April 2013 2:20pm Dave
Sunday 7th April 2013 6:20pm Dave
Tuesday 4th June 2013 10:40pm Dave
Wednesday 5th June 2013 1:40am Dave
Sunday 18th August 2013 3:20pm Dave
Sunday 18th August 2013 7:20pm Dave
Saturday 23rd November 2013 7:00pm Dave
Sunday 24th November 2013 2:00pm Dave
Sunday 22nd December 2013 1:00pm Dave
Sunday 22nd December 2013 6:20pm Dave
Thursday 22nd May 2014 12:40pm Dave
Thursday 22nd May 2014 5:40pm Dave
Wednesday 14th January 2015 11:40pm Dave
Tuesday 31st March 2015 11:00pm Dave
Wednesday 1st April 2015 3:30am Dave
Saturday 5th September 2015 1:20am Dave
Saturday 5th September 2015 9:20pm Dave
Friday 13th May 2016 1:40am Dave
Friday 13th May 2016 11:20pm Dave
Monday 15th August 2016 2:20am Dave
Monday 15th August 2016 10:20pm Dave
Friday 3rd February 2017 6:40pm Dave
Saturday 4th February 2017 1:15am Dave
Monday 6th February 2017 2:40pm Dave
Wednesday 29th March 2017 12:20am Dave
Wednesday 29th March 2017 3:30am Dave
Tuesday 1st August 2017 12:00am Dave
Tuesday 1st August 2017 2:00am Dave
Tuesday 5th September 2017 11:20pm Dave
Friday 24th November 2017 1:20am Dave
Tuesday 10th April 2018 12:40am Dave
Tuesday 10th April 2018 2:40am Dave
Thursday 17th May 2018 12:00am Dave
Thursday 17th May 2018 2:00am Dave
Monday 16th July 2018 11:20pm Dave
Tuesday 17th July 2018 2:20am Dave
Monday 14th January 2019 11:00pm Dave
Tuesday 15th January 2019 1:00am Dave
Tuesday 25th June 2019 1:00am Dave
Tuesday 25th June 2019 11:00pm Dave
Monday 16th September 2019 11:00pm Dave
Tuesday 17th September 2019 8:20pm Dave

Cast & crew

Cast
Stephen Fry Host / Presenter
Alan Davies Regular Panellist
Guest cast
Bill Bailey Guest
Rich Hall Guest
Rob Brydon Guest
Writing team
Justin Pollard Researcher
John Mitchinson Question Writer
Piers Fletcher Question Writer
Garrick Alder Researcher
Dan Schreiber Researcher
Mat Coward Researcher
Christopher Gray Researcher
James Harkin Researcher
Eric Flitcroft Researcher
Production team
Ian Lorimer Director
John Lloyd Producer
Mark Freeland Executive Producer
Sally Debonnaire Executive Producer
Nick King Editor
Jonathan Paul Green Production Designer
Howard Goodall Composer

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