Utter Bollocks

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Otto English, author of Fake History and Fake Heroes, and John Mitchinson, one of the creators of the hit BBC quiz show QI and cohost of the podcast Backlisted, pit their wits against AI Jo (played by the BAFTA award-winning actor Joanna Scanlan) in a quest to separate fact from fiction, truth from myth and urban legend, and find the holy grail of 'Utter Bollocks'. Produced by Marcos D'Cruze and Edd Hartwell. Music: Marriage Of Figaro Act 1 (Part 1) by Mozart

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    • Aug 15, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 28m AVG DURATION
    • 13 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Utter Bollocks

    The Worst Prime Minister and Ghosting Ghosts

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 15, 2024 34:59


    For the last of the current season, John has a tricky question for Otto; who is the worst British PM? While John has it a bit easier when Otto quizzes him on whether ghosts are real. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Carrots and Feral Children

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2024 31:13


    Why were there so many stories in World War 2 about how carrots can help you see in the dark? And has any human actually been raised by animals? Otto and John continue their journey into utter bollocks, with the occasional dash of amazeballs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Dolphins and Guillotines

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2024 32:20


    Are dolphins more intelligent than humans? Was the inventor of the guillotine killed with his own invention? Otto and John on the hunt for tosh, piffle, balderdash - or the two extremes of utter bollocks and amazeballs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Bugger Bognor and Sex in 63

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 18, 2024 28:57


    John and Otto investigate King George V's famous last words, and Larkin's contention that sex only really began in 1963 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Saving Corporal Hitler and the Weirdness of Water

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 11, 2024 32:50


    More mind-boggling conundrums from Otto and John as they explore the famous story of a British soldier saving the life of soon-to-be notorious Austrian corporal in World War One, and the universal strangeness of H20 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Shakespeare and Saint George

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2024 31:00


    John asks Otto why St George is a English icon, while John delves deep into that perennial mystery: did Shakespeare write all his own plays. AI Jo Scanlan sets the record straight, or does she? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Chinese Glass and North Korean Golf

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 20, 2024 31:26


    This week Otto asks John whether the invention of glass gave the West a technological edge over China, while Otto reveals to John how the North Korean leader scored a perfect round of golf in 1994. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Losing Religion and Bad Politicians

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2024 29:39


    Otto and John break the dinner party rule and challenge the large language model of AI Jo to some awkward questions about religion AND politics. Is the UK really a 'Christian' country. And who qualifies for Westminster's worst-ever MP? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Churchill and Mushrooms

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2024 33:11


    While AI Jo tries to keep them in algorithmic order, John and Otto will be asking whether Winston Churchill is Britain's greatest-ever political hero, and digging down in a dark and humid place to find out if mushrooms are really fungis to be with. With a surprise question from our followers. Will they find more low-hanging utter bollocks or the impossible amazeballs of truth? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Is Britain Full and Men Really from Mars?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2024 25:01


    Two corkers for Otto and John to unscrew this week. Are women really from Venus and men from Mars? And does this observation come from Uranus? Plus the belief behind the urgency need to Stop the Boats: is Britain full? Pish? Toffle. Baldercock or poppydash? You decide with the help of our team and AI Jo. Plus surprise questions from our followers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Identifying as a Cat

    Play Episode Listen Later May 23, 2024 29:46


    Relying on their limited brain matter, John and Otto try to outwit AI Jo on two burning questions of the day. Did anyone actually identify as a cat in East Sussex? And was everyone off their faces with opiates in the 19th Century? Is this twaddle? Tosh? Piffle or Balderdash? Or have we hit a pure seam of Utter Bollocks? Plus a surprise audience question Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Elephants and the Internet

    Play Episode Listen Later May 16, 2024 28:52


    The first episode of the new podcast series pits the frail human brains of Otto and John against the fearsome machine learning of AI Jo on two big questions of our time. Are Elephants buried under British pub car parks? And has the internet got smaller? Is this twaddle? Tosh? Piffle or Balderdash? Or have we hit a pure seam of Utter Bollocks? Plus questions from our followers. Produced by Marcos D'Cruze and Edd Hartwell. Music: Marriage Of Figaro Act 1 (Part 1) by Mozart For more exclusive content - Even More Bollocks with Peter Jukes - sign up to Byline Audio Premium Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Utter Bollocks - Trailer

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2024 1:31


    Otto English, author of Fake History and Fake Heroes, and former head of research for the hit BBC quiz show QI and cohost of the podcast Backlisted, publisher John Mitchinson, pit their wits against AI Jo (played by the BAFTA award-winning actor Joanna Scanlan) in a quest to separate fact from fiction, and truth from myth and urban legend in a quest to find the holy grail of 'Utter Bollocks' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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