QI
Stephen Fry stands tall in the great hall of Dave like a titan of trivia, a monster of minutiae, a giant of jauntiness or any other alliterated description you may want to use. And a lot of that's due to his presence as the genial ringmaster of QI.
It's rather appropriate that the story behind QI is, in itself, quite interesting, and bedecked with delicious nuggets of trivia. For example, the creator of the show, John Lloyd, was an ex-flatmate of Douglas Adams, writer of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Lloyd, as it happens, also helped create Not the Nine O'Clock News and Spitting Image, and apparently spent the majority of the 1980s in a frenzy of work unparalleled since the days of the Soviet Gulag (though presumably with more cappuccinos, big hair and Spandau Ballet on the radio).
While being a wonder-worker behind the scenes, John almost became a celebrity in his own right when he was invited to take the helm of a programme called John Lloyd's Newsround. Not heard of it? Well perhaps you'll know it better by the name it was eventually given – Have I Got News For You. Having given way to Angus, John went onto have a bit of an epiphany (otherwise known as a mid-life crisis that doesn't involve buying red sports cars or wearing leather trousers).
What John Lloyd realised was that he didn't actually know very much. About just about everything. How stuff is made. What happened when. The small-scale trivia that explains the very world around us. And he realised most of everybody else didn't know very much either. And it was from this seed that the towering, many-branched oak of QI was born – a show devoted to stuff we either have no clue about, or THINK we have a clue about but in actual fact have no clue about. Like kilts, for example. You think kilts were invented in Scotland? No sir!
What began as a little show on BBC Four soon became a national institution. Which is hardly surprising given the unmitigated wondrousness of the stars it attracts. As well as regulars Stephen Fry and Alan Davies, who enact and represent the eternal symbiotic relationship that exists between the extremely clever and the extremely foolish (in other words, one's like a headmaster, the other's a daydreaming schoolboy), we also get… Well, everybody. From Jeremy Clarkson and Rich Hall to Johnny Vegas and David Mitchell. Plus David Tennant, Richard E Grant and Emma Thompson. Why, even boy wizard Daniel Radcliffe (as he'll always be known, even when he's 65 and bald) showed up to learn stuff even Dumbledore wouldn't have known.
Speaking of which, the sheer array of pointless yet extremely worthwhile information offered by the show is startling to survey. Did you know that the first man to die in a rail accident had previously managed to avoid dying after being hit on his head by a horse? Or that camels originally came from America? Or that one of the Marx brothers designed the clamps that held the Hiroshima nuclear bomb inside the bomber plane? Or that Mars is brown, not red?
And the other wonderful thing about QI is that it's not remotely nasty or snarky. The contestants sit around and josh merrily about random things, like mates in the pub. Except that these mates tend to be among the finest wits on our fair isle. Yes, QI is pure, distilled, stupidly entertaining televisual bliss. And on that subject, did you know that the world's first public demonstration of TV was made in Selfridge's department store in 1925? You do now.
When is it on?
QI is next on at 10:00 pm on Thursday, 20th June on Dave.
QI (2): Ep 7
Alan Davies, Arthur Smith, Dara O'Briain and Rich Hall wrack their brains as Stephen Fry sets the questions. Biscuits, ballet and baboons are subjects on the mind-boggling agenda.
- On at 1:40 pm on Sunday, 23rd June on Dave
- On at 2:40 pm on Sunday, 23rd June on Dave Ja Vu
- On at 6:40 pm on Sunday, 23rd June on Dave
- On at 7:40 pm on Sunday, 23rd June on Dave Ja Vu
QI (2): Ep 8
Stephen Fry hopes he'll hear something 'quite interesting'. Alan Davies, Jo Brand, Fred Macaulay and Rich Hall are the guests with bees, barnacles and basketball the subjects.
- On at 2:20 pm on Sunday, 23rd June on Dave
- On at 3:20 pm on Sunday, 23rd June on Dave Ja Vu
- On at 7:20 pm on Sunday, 23rd June on Dave
- On at 8:20 pm on Sunday, 23rd June on Dave Ja Vu
Cheating
Stephen Fry hosts the classy quiz show. Being rewarded for their 'quite interesting' answers are Jeremy Clarkson, Alexander Armstrong, John Sessions and Alan Davies.
- On at 7:30 pm on Saturday, 22nd June on Dave
- On at 8:30 pm on Saturday, 22nd June on Dave Ja Vu
Creatures
Mr Fry hosts another edition of the show that rewards contestants for 'quite interesting' answers. Panellists are Helen Atkinson Wood, Bill Bailey, Andy Hamilton and Alan Davies.
- On at 10:00 pm on Thursday, 20th June on Dave
- On at 11:00 pm on Thursday, 20th June on Dave Ja Vu
- On at 1:05 am on Friday, 21st June on Dave
- On at 2:05 am on Friday, 21st June on Dave Ja Vu
Cleve Crudgington
National treasure Stephen Fry oversees the questions in the ever-illuminating comedy quiz. With Clive Anderson, Mark Steel, John Sessions and Alan Davies.
- On at 10:40 pm on Tuesday, 25th June on Dave
- On at 11:40 pm on Tuesday, 25th June on Dave Ja Vu
House and Home
The panellists bat away unanswerable questions about house and home posed by the all-knowing Stephen Fry. With Bill Bailey, Eddie Izzard, Danny Baker and Alan Davies.
- On at 9:00 pm on Friday, 21st June on Dave
- On at 10:00 pm on Friday, 21st June on Dave Ja Vu
- On at 12:00 am on Saturday, 22nd June on Dave
- On at 1:00 am on Saturday, 22nd June on Dave Ja Vu
Highs and Lows
The unconventional panel quiz takes a look at dizzying highs and terrifying lows. Host Stephen Fry welcomes Sandi Toksvig, Fred MacAulay, Rob Brydon and Alan Davies.
- On at 9:00 pm on Tuesday, 25th June on Dave
- On at 10:00 pm on Tuesday, 25th June on Dave Ja Vu
- On at 12:00 am on Wednesday, 26th June on Dave
- On at 1:00 am on Wednesday, 26th June on Dave Ja Vu
Health and Safety
Stephen Fry runs a thorough risk assessment on panellists Ross Noble, David Mitchell, Jeremy Clarkson and Alan Davies as he grills them on health and safety.
- On at 10:00 pm on Monday, 24th June on Dave
- On at 11:00 pm on Monday, 24th June on Dave Ja Vu
QI Quizzes A - G
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Ain't nuthin' but a G thang. No, we’ve no idea what that means either, but it sounds cool so let’s all pretend we’re street briefly, before we get back to our alphabet-based quizzing. More QI themed goodness, this time heavily indebted to the letter G.
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Like the show we’re starting as we mean to go on, with all questions ‘A’ related. But will you get an A or is a big fat F awaiting?
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Our QI B quiz is hot on the heels of all those ‘A’s. Will you be the brains of the outfit, or a blithering buffoon?
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C may be for clever-clogs but it’s also for calamity, catastrophe and Charlton Athletic. So don’t go getting too cocky. Take our C quiz and see if you’re a cerebral champion or confused chimp, knowledge-wise.
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Now’s no time for dawdling, instead it’s time to digest our fiendish QI quiz. Let’s hope 'D' is for dynamic, rather than dunce, eh?
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Continuing our stroll through the alphabet in honour of QI, that bastion of knowledge in a world of uncertainty, we’ve arrived at the shores of E.
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Some of the best words in the world begin with the letter ‘F’ and we’ve now reached the sixth letter of the alphabet in our ever-devilish QI inspired quizzes. But will you flunk out or fly like R Kelly believed he could (before all the, er, unpleasantness)?
Ain't nuthin' but a G thang. No, we’ve no idea what that means either, but it sounds cool so let’s all pretend we’re street briefly, before we get back to our alphabet-based quizzing. More QI themed goodness, this time heavily indebted to the letter G.
Stephen Fry profile
Stephen Fry is one of those rare beasts: a genuine national treasure. No one dislikes him.
Top 10 times they got it wrong on QI
It's our sad duty to report that even QI, the receptacle of all things wise and witty, sometimes goes a bit wonky.
Quotes
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I think animal testing is cruel. They get all nervous and give silly answers.
- Stephen Fry
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If ignorance is bliss, why aren't there more happy people in the world?
- Stephen Fry
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No, you can't lick the system, but you can give it a damn good fondling.
- Stephen Fry
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Christmas to a child is the first terrible proof that to travel hopefully is better than to arrive.
- Stephen Fry
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Old Professors never die, they just lose their faculties.
- Stephen Fry
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An original idea. That can't be too hard. The library must be full of them.
- Stephen Fry
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I'm afraid I was very much the traditionalist. I went down on one knee and dictated a proposal which my secretary faxed over straight away.
- Stephen Fry
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It is a cliché that most clichés are true, but then like most clichés, that cliché is untrue.
- Stephen Fry
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On being gay: As I was being born, I looked up at my mother and said: that's the last time I'm going up one of those.
- Stephen Fry
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I don't need you to remind me of my age, I have a bladder to do that for me.
- Stephen Fry
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On airline food: Anything white is sweet, anything brown is meat, anything grey - don't eat.
- Stephen Fry
Alan Davies profile
Comedian, actor, and QI court jester, Alan Davies is a despicably talented chap.
Phill Jupitus profile
As well as being a veteran of the comedy curcuit, Phill Jupitus also knows bucket loads about music.
Rob Brydon profile
Rob Brydon is one of the stars in the world of comedy. We probe into the life of Wales' favourite comedy son.
Bill Bailey profile
Bill Bailey is as funny as his hair is unfortunate. Which is to say he's a very funny man indeed.
Comments
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PatK21846 | 22 Mar 13
Hi Stephen, Just about your card shuffle: You said: 'I'm going to do something that has not been done since the beginning of time' You then said that the pack was particular sequence for the first time since the beginning of time. I say random chance could bring up that same sequence on the very next shuffle although the possibilities against it are enormous.
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JackieR92634 | 20 Jan 13
MORE NEW EPISODES PLEASE DAVE!
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cspsgers | 9 Dec 12
what was the name of that canned Swedish fish that smells awful,and where can I buy some please?
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EllenG50491 | 4 Dec 12
Thanks, I wasn't quite sure if I'd got the author's name right. ;) xXx
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wrightweb | 23 Nov 12
Sebastian Faulks, actually
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EllenG50491 | 28 Feb 12
Dear Tony, The book Alan Davies mentioned is called Birdsong, and it's by Sebastian Ford. Hope this helps. ;P xXx
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GLENNH50815 | 25 Feb 12
COULD YOU GET SOME NEWER QIs? I HAVE SEEN MOST OF THEM 3 OR 4 TIMES OR MORE. IT GETS VERY DISSAPOINTING TO SEE THE SAME ONES COME ON AGAIN AND AGAIN
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TonyP17454 | 9 Nov 11
What was the name of the book Alan Davies was on about during last nights show, about the miners digging tunnels in the First World War, did think at the time "will have to read that" now can't remember the title at all. Somebody please help Cheers Tony
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KathrinF70424 | 6 Nov 11
I love QI as well. However I have to agree with Stephen on today's show. He says the Germans don't care about beating England in Football. It is true that we probably want to beat the Dutch even more than England but that doesn't mean we don't care about beating England. Far from it. The point is England go on about 66 because they haven't won anything since whereas we have won a few titles since - even it is quite a long time since 1990 - so we kind of let it rest most of the time. And there's nothing wrong with drinking tea. I do and I love it.
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PaulB79266 | 18 Oct 11
QI is great!! Tonite there was the old question about 'if a tree falls in a forest and there is no one there to hear it, is there no noise?' Stephen Fry said there is no answer as you can't tell. Rubbish! The forest is teaming with life that can hear trees fall, so I'd say there is definitely a noise which is heard or there would not be any forest.
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EllenG50491 | 15 Sep 11
I love QI sooo much! I always like finding out new facts that no one really cares about. However, I do agree with the person that said to stop cutting Stephen Fry off mid-sentence. xXx
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StephenF176 | 20 Aug 11
Just been watching an episode of QI, fantastic show but this episode had a BIG mistake in it, they were discussing the Judas Priest court case about subliminal messages in songs but they attributed the Ozzy song Suicide Solution to Judas Priest, although both cases where about the same basic principle of so called subliminal messages I'm surprised that the QI elves didn't pick up on this.
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jessicaC14082 | 18 Aug 11
In the first Harry Potter book it says that catching the snitch gives you 150 points, therefore generally leading to winning the game, but not always. I am disappointed Daniel Radcliff doesn't even know his own story! =) You have made a mistake QI, dun dun duuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnn
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samK9077 | 1 Feb 11
Right, I realy love wachin QI on dave, hoooooow ever, will you plz plz PLZ stop cuttin mr.s.fry off for adverts while he's half way frew a bloody sentance. :) love sam lol.
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TwistydMorticia | 3 Dec 10
QI is one of my favourite television shows, I too can watch the repeats and enjoy them as much as I did the very first time I watched them. I must admit to flicking to Dave Ja Vu and watching the same one again right after! Dave is the most awesomely awesome tv channel ever <3
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Katerlyna | 13 Oct 10
brilliant program but if it is rare to have one type of earlobe how rare is having one of each?
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stuartG3745 | 24 Sep 10
THE BEST EVER PROGRAMME ON TV CANT GET ENOUGH, KEEP IT UP MR FRY AND CREW, WHERE CAN I GET TICKETSFOR THE SHOW FROM STUART
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meganM10841 | 31 Aug 10
qi is a classic dave would not be dave if there was no qi,top gear or mock the week all the comedians on there are hillarios especially alan davies
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LeeL93364 | 13 Jul 10
I would like to say congrats on an amazing quiz show in QI. Watch it every night, or record if unable. Just one thing though, that American Ritch Hall is one of the most boring comedians I have ever come across. More people like Johnny Vegas, who give plenty of banter to the infamous and brilliant Stephen Fry. Again, well done and keep up the brill work guys, love it!
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genius53 | 11 Jul 10
I absolutely love QI and am literally beging you to continue playing it weeknights at ten or ten past ten when Match of the Dave is over and doen with. PLEASE!!!
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katieH14174 | 11 Jul 10
Qi best tv show ever.. love alan xx
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LouiseO_UKTV | 10 Jun 10
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KarenM31596 | 8 Jun 10
Can somebody please tell me if the man lying on the floor was ok, during the closing credits, the episode with Keith Chegwin. Thanks :)
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RobinM82664 | 21 May 10
QI is the most chilled out, entertaining and informative show on TV, from the point of view of not particularly being a quiz show based surely on trivia. Stephen Fry is quietly clever, gently patronising and totally at good as quiz master. And I take my hat off to the superb Alan Davies, for allowing himself to be made a fool of week after week. Simply wonderful. X :)
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TeresaM39688 | 23 Mar 10
I presume GeorgeH71108 is being ironic with his question - I get you're thinkinf of Roman numerals and all that, but how about XL, being Xtra Large, Xtra Long, type sense?! Please tell me you did get that and you weren't seriously asking about why it's not Q.I.LX?! p.s. I wish I could meet Stephen Fry for real; I love his mind.
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AlfieD55613 | 12 Mar 10
I love QI!! i watch it all of the time1
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williamH35905 | 19 Feb 10
QI is one of the best Quiz shows i have seen for a long time
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IvanH21217 | 8 Feb 10
QI is awesome and it is easily the best thing on tv full stop C=
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MarilynY23553 | 3 Feb 10
Love Q1 and watch it back-to-back for hours as well as the new shows. Congratulations to Stephen for his recent award confirming his national treasure status. However, I was dismayed to hear him say 'different to' as well as the correct 'different from'. Still, as he is a Cambridge graduate I suppose we have to make allowances!
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Fillyfresh | 2 Feb 10
Noah took 7 sheep so they could eat one of them while they were afloat in the storm. 2 unclean to repopulate. 7 clean. 3 pair to repopulate livestock and one to eat. I'm not religious but that is really well written I think. Good retrospective belief fore thought! :)
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Grand Master Taylor | 28 Jan 10
I just watched QI, and near the end, fry said in which war did the most British men die, the answer was the English Civil War, yes, very well, however they also said, ''only English died'' NOT TRUE! The Kings cousin was a German, he brought a cavalry of Guard, some of those guys died, so there Mr Fry, You have got it wrong lol
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jc25 | 24 Jan 10
qi is brilliant stephan fry is great i just got his book stephan fry in america it's brilliant i reccomend it '''''''
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CharlesP87558 | 19 Nov 09
I know it is meant to be a comedy show, and I enjoy it as such, but when they claim that if you can see a ship when windsurfing it is 3 miles away, that is wrong, unless the "ship" is of no height!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The horizon may be 3 miles away, but a ship 30m tall and just visible, is 15 miles away. The show is pedantic, so am I.
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MICHELLEY92 | 16 Nov 09
Whilst I love this show and find it very entertaining, I am disturbed by the use of the word midget on one I watched recently. It is an unacceptable term referring to little people.
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jackM10000 | 11 Nov 09
its great show
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georgeH71108 | 3 Nov 09
Why is the new Q.I. 60 minute format titled Q.I.XL instead of Q.I.LX? georgeH71108
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DarrellM54267 | 13 Oct 09
QI - with the wonderful Stephen Fry at the helm - is undoubtedly the funniest and most entertaining programme of its type on telly. I've been a fan from the very first show and love enjoying the shows again on Dave. We need to have a national campaign to have Mr Fry at least Knighted of not elevated to a Lord. He is one of this country's most prized assets, a true National Treasure!
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JonG86453 | 8 Oct 09
RE QI that is on now (22.31) - found this about the other MI numbers.... At which time we the british empire have been called upon to defend itself, its allies and dependancies it became nessacery to form a number of departments and agencies. Over the years these dapartments have served a number of different roles and purposes. in answer to the above question: MI1 Code breaking, MI2 Russia and Scandinavia, MI3 Easton Europe, MI4 Aerial Reconnaissance, MI5 Domestic Intelligence, now The Security Service, MI6 Foreign Intelligence, now the Secret Intelligence service, MI7 Propoganda and censorship, MI8 Signals Intelligence, MI9 Undercover operations supporting POW, MI10 Weapons and technical Analysis, MI11 Field Intelligence, MI12 Military Censorship, MI13 Remains Classified, MI14 German Intelligence, MI15 Aerial Photography, MI16 Scientific Intelligence, MI17 Secretarial section, MI18 Remains Classifed, MI19 Extraction of information from foreign POWs MI20 - MI25 remain Classified. It is important to also remember that most of these where small departments and at the end of world war 2 they were mostly all merged into MI5, MI6, GCHQ and other agencies. most british intelligence agencies still remain classified to the general public x the only reason this information has been released is that these agencies have all now terminated activity and new agencies have replaced them. Captain S.S DG of MI section 25 Captain S, England
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DickDan | 7 Sep 09
I was glad to see the first ep of the first series in widescreen 16:9. I would like to see the rest of the eps in 16:9 and not a bit cut out from both sides to suit 4:3 tvs
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ILAGolden | 15 Aug 09
QI is great, no matter how many times i see the same eppies i never get bored with them, and somehow i end up finding them funnier, and funnier each time. <3
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QueenBexy | 12 Aug 09
I love QI!!~ alan davies is really sweet! <3
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eccles789 | 10 Aug 09
Dave has disapeared from my Freeview box, have re-tuned but to no avail I dont know what I will do, jump from a flat mountain or something
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Darryl1991 | 8 Aug 09
Stephen Fry is too intelligent for me! I love the program and never get bored! The program has the right balance of comedy and info that you would never believe!
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c411um616 | 1 Aug 09
1st best person:Stephen Fry 2nd:Alan Davies
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Reptilia | 31 Jul 09
QI makes my day brighter every evening! I switch on the old TV and sit down and watch every single episode of QI that is on the TV :D And why are the comments on this turning into those of the comment you would find on youtube?! Its pathetic and we don't need mean people on this too -_-'
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Seb_Kemp | 24 Jul 09
His word is LAW! (Stephen Fry)
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dandylion247 | 23 Jul 09
I LOVE YOU ALAN DAVIS!!!!!!! & I WORSHIP YOU STEPHEN FRY!!!!!!! the are da coolest people on earth :) I love the show, the facts, the people, evrything :):):)!!!
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Danni21 | 15 Jul 09
QI is great as its packed full off facts and laughs . I have often told my partner and mates , facts which i have heard on QI .
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i love stephen fry | 8 Jul 09
this is my favourite show ever and when watching it i almost wet myself with laughter and i often find myself screaming with joy. OH YEAH its that brill. aslo stephen fry is my idol.
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Hmmm? | 1 Jul 09
QI is like comedy mecca (the heaven-ish place not the bingo hall) it has made me do the silent laugh on many occasion. You know the one I mean? Where you laugh so hard you spit out your voice box. Yeah, it's that good.
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pixie2097 | 26 Jun 09
love alan davies
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RJCDR | 20 Jun 09
Hey my iq is between 207 - 210 what the hell am i doing on this site
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Leonae | 9 Jun 09
Ps. I have just read Bumflufs comment and realized you were referring to him about the whole I.Q thing, which adds two more points, one being; On your next comment, watch your grammar and two; my point still stands about your intellect being insulted, whether it was by me or some one else. Pps. Not all I.Q tests are taken online, you can take official ones set by your government, true they're not accurate, but they're the closest thing to it, figure out a new way to test I.Q if you want, you could get rich from such a discovery, or... you could always calm your fingers and leave this game for the big boys to handle... Now who's being undermining. (Thought I'd add that in for Bumfluf)
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Leonae | 9 Jun 09
You really should read what people type before you decide to "bash" but I'll humor you. Firstly; I didn't write that I used Wikipedia, in my opinion Wikipedia is flawed, because it gets its information from the public and not from trusted sources. Secondly; I gave facts and proof into my claim, thus why I gave a link in my comment, you on the other hand would rather show how childish you are by trying to undermine someone over the internet for merely giving some insight into a topic and not having any proof to back up your claims that I may be wrong. Thirdly; I never mentioned anything about I.Q tests, I just think you saw my post as an insult to your own intellect, because in some small childish way, you're somehow jealous of a random person on a random website that just happens to know more than you. And to be honest, that's pretty sad... Grow up.
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nirvana452 | 8 Jun 09
im sorry but leonae just because you do a ton of research on wikipedia doesnt make you an expert QI has more then one person researching so do you really think that you can aquire more knowledge then a huge group bumfluf doing an online IQ test doesnt prove anything those things are often off by alot and ive not seen the one about the navy so i cant comment on that but about nelson simple where you there? how do you know what was really said you ever played chinese whispers because with nelsons last words thats whats happend people have told others n theyve misheard and its ended up being something a million miles away from what he really said
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norfy1935 | 22 Apr 09
I have to agree with Leonae regarding the idea of firing whoever supplies Stephen Fry with his duff information. His 'last words of Nelson' were miles off the mark, and as for 'the only boats in the Royal Navy are submarines' totally ignores such items as longboats (which are nothing to do with either canals or Vikings), motor torpedo boats, whalers .... even an admirals barge cannot be regarded as a ship. Incorrect facts should be avoided like the plague in a programme of this type.
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Dwarfer 3million | 17 Apr 09
QI is FANTASTIC, it is one of the best tv programs in the UK. It also is very funny and yet it is very intresting and I hope that it carries on to influence, like me, generations to come.
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bumfluf | 26 Mar 09
Qi is the bong! the humour is very high brow (unless Johnny Vegas is on - then its manic!) This is Fry at his best. I myself have an encylopiedic knowlege, and an IQ of 148, but I still learn things while peeing myself laughing, It is brilliant TV.
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davelover | 25 Mar 09
I love this show! I learn and laugh!! They should show it in schools! Stephen Fry is amazing and so witty, brilliant!
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BigWig | 20 Mar 09
Stephen Fry, Alan Davis combined together will make a comedy genious
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Caz1989 | 16 Mar 09
i love this show, i find it extremely interesting especially when Alan Davies says the wrong things, him and Stephen Fry are comedy geniuses.
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Leonae | 20 Feb 09
So my last comment didn't seem "bleak" to some, I'll end on a Proverb by - Zhuge Liang. "Those who are skilled in combat do not become angered, those who are skilled at winning do not become afraid. Thus the wise win before they fight, while the ignorant fight to win."
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Leonae | 20 Feb 09
I have no idea who Stephen Fry has working for him to get his information, but he should fire who ever said Cruithne was a moon, I also do a lot of research into facts. I think the object that you're referring to which is a 3 mile (5 km) object in a horseshoe orbit around Earth that has a period of 770 years. You can read a press release about it at Space.com. It was discovered in 1986, but it took a lot of observations in order to figure out its complicated orbit, which was determined in 1997. In the press release, one of the scientists involved with the study called the object a "moon", because it shares Earth's orbit, however, it's definitely not a moon like our Moon. First, a horseshoe orbit is much different from the elliptical orbit that the Moon makes around Earth. The Moon actually orbits the planet Earth, while Cruithne just shares the Earth's orbit around the Sun. The orbit of Cruithne is also very inclined with respect to Earth's orbit around the Sun, so it moves in and out of the plane that the most of the planets orbit in. This large inclination is part of the reason that Cruithne won't collide with Earth. Second, objects trapped in orbits like Cruithne's are only expected to remain in the orbit for a few thousand to tens of thousands of years, which may sound like a long time, but it's actually fairly short in the timescale of Solar System history. After Cruithne escapes from its present orbit, it may become a Near Earth Asteroid on a different close-to-Earth orbit, or move onto an orbit more similar to our Moon's orbit, in which case it would be more like a "real" moon. No one seems quite sure which scenario will happen. So I guess I would think of Cruithne as more of a Near Earth Asteroid that's trapped by Earth's gravity, not as a moon. And in fact, it's classified by astronomers as an Aten asteroid, which is a group of Near-Earth Asteroids on similar orbits. But Cruithne is a good example of the fact that Earth's gravity can interact with nearby asteroids, bringing them closer to Earth or forcing them onto different, strange, orbits.
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dlloyd | 17 Feb 09
We love this programme, it suits 60+ pensioners, but we go early to bed. Living in Bulgaria, we are 2 hours ahead of Britain and have to get up again at around 2.30am our time. Please, please put this programme on during the day - a lot of other programmes hold no atraction for us at all, and keep getting repeated. This is intelligent, informative and amusing! Thank you in anticipation.
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JordanB | 11 Feb 09
Please get this show in the US. If not on television then at the very least on Region 1 DVD. I love the show to death.
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JasonUK | 9 Feb 09
Thank you Dave for showing this show. This is one of the best shows on TV and is the only current show that I watch regularly. I didn't realise Fry was so funny before watching Qi. Him and Alan Davis are a great match. Funny and interesting, a great combination.
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Petrovich | 28 Jan 09
QI is undoubtedly one of the best and funniest shows on TV. It is the perfect vehicle for Stephen Fry's impressive intellect and the interaction between him, the guests and the audience is often hilarious. An indicator of the show's quality for me is that it is just as funny when repeated. Hope they keep it going Petrovich.
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weesastewart | 27 Jan 09
love this show, i wish they could get hugh laurie on with stephen that would be interesting....alan davies is great too
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willow138 | 22 Jan 09
alan davies is so sweet i actually want to marry him. lol. and fry is the stuff of legends!
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Pen6a | 9 Jan 09
It's a commonly held belief that Birmingham and the Black Country are one and the same and it was rather sad to see this myth perpetuated on on the January 8th 2009 show, score -10 for general ignorance.
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Sigy Ridz | 6 Jan 09
Alan Davies deliberately looses all the time lol
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Sigy Ridz | 6 Jan 09
So funny clever too
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Jonnydb | 6 Jan 09
qi is one of the most interesting and funny shows i have ever encountered. I always tell my friends the information that i find out on qi and it proves how ignorant some people are because even though its true they don't believe me. Qi rocks
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becky3337 | 4 Jan 09
awhh, i love this show :-) jimmy carr's amazing. 'put smarties tubes on cats legs make them walk like a robot' the anagram was amazing :-D it's a very clever show.
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fredthefish | 3 Jan 09
Definitely agree with the comments about Bill Bailey being great on here. Since Bill has retired from Buzzcocks and panel shows generally "to concentrate on his tour", AFTER the tour I reckon Dave should approach Bill about producing a new show with him featuring heavily on it. There have been various attempts in the past to get a regular Bailey show on telly to varying success but I reckon he's now learnt enough to crack it.
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big.paul | 30 Dec 08
This is the best show i'v seen
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Dr V | 27 Dec 08
Was the show at 11.40 tonight a re-run from pre 2000? There are now seven states of matter: solid, liquid, gas, plasma, fermionic matter, Bose-Einsten condensate and (since 2000 at CERN) quark-gluon plasma. Why not put the updates at the bottom of the screen about new discoveries like this? You'd get fewer physics pendants emailing in like this! You could get a physics advisory board or physics-geek elves? Physics Geeks love to be pedantic for free as well :-) especially about accelerator physics in my experience .... oh, I can't think why I am single....
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bobN97001 | 20 Dec 08
Stay Clue'd, Stay True, Forever is the word, or a spit in the eye, The colour of Amber, like Qi. Let the wind blow your mind. Sgt Bob. Glasgow.
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Space Alien | 20 Dec 08
The funniest episode was when Jimmy Carr was on it...he's so dirty minded that him on that show was like...something equally odd...
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jillh10 | 13 Dec 08
I love this show but sometimes they come out with subject matter that no one else has ever come across like the show where the number 666 was said to have been altered many years ago. I have been trying to find out where this information came from to show people that I am not as Bonkers as they try to make out.
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QI_loz | 13 Dec 08
I love this show
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Chadders9 | 4 Dec 08
A fantastic blend of Comedy and Intellect, QI is one of the best Quizcoms out there!!!!! Dave is the best channel around, keep on going, I say!!!
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Haligonian | 29 Nov 08
QI is funny and a very clever concept. Stephen Fry is the wittiest and most talented people on tv at the moment
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mentalist queen | 23 Nov 08
crazy horse how can u say it is rubbish I am 14 and my family watch it every time it's on! It is funny, clever and it has the genious that is Stephen Fry who is loved by all apart from people with IQs below 7.
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Holly-Beth | 20 Nov 08
QI is amazing. Its like a funny, educating version of school. lol, Love it!
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crazy horse | 9 Nov 08
one of the worst shows ever please axe it
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Ocelot_Kitten | 28 Oct 08
QI ROCKS!! Stephen Fry would make a better host any way! I remember watching WLiiA UK on Dave and seeing Stephen Fry and i couldnt belive my eyes! Hes brilliant!!!!
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Brains29 | 27 Oct 08
QI IS THE BEST BAR NONE IN THE WORLD THATS THE END OF IT GOOD DAY!!!!!!!!
Latest post
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PatK21846 | 22 Mar 13
View all commentsHi Stephen, Just about your card shuffle: You said: 'I'm going to do something that has not been done since the beginning of time' You then said that the pack was particular sequence for the first time since the beginning of time. I say random chance could bring up that same sequence on the very next shuffle although the possibilities against it are enormous.