QI (A Series) - Pilot

Pilot

The pilot of Qi was never broadcast on television, being released as an extra on the Series A DVD. While the basic format of the show was in place, there were a few significant differences when compared to the standard format. Not the least of these was the more generic set, which didn't contain the large video screens behind the panellists (although the lighting did cause it to change colour throughout). In addition, the electronic buzzer system had not been in place, forcing the panel to call attention to themselves with various props including a squeak toy and a miniature horn. This was also the only episode to have specific sections within the program (except General Ignorance), and the only in which the scores were read after each round as opposed to only at the end of the program.

The theme tune on the original tape that was passed to BBC commissioning editors was the Herman's Hermits version of Wonderful World. However, the regular theme tune subsequently composed by Howard Goodall is present on the DVD version after the show's makers were unable to obtain the rights to the song.

Panellists

• Alan Davies (118 points)
• Bill Bailey (Winner with 132 points)
• Kit Hesketh-Harvey (125 points)
• Eddie Izzard (131 points)

Names

• Bobo Fing is a language spoken by 10,000 people in Mali. Not to be confused with Bobo (a language of Burkina Faso) or Gogo (spoken by a million in Tanzania).
• King Arthur's lance was called Ron, short for Rongomyniad. His helmet was named Goosewhite, his armour was called Wygar and his war cry was "Clarence!" His sword "Excalibur" isn't actually called "Excalibur, the original name is "Caliburn".
• 'Butter hamlets' are small tropical fish which can be found in 10 different colours.
• Tim is the 6th most popular name for a baby boy in Germany. In 1992, the French Government relaxed the laws on what French children could be legally christened and the following year, the most popular name for a baby French boy was Kevin. (Forfeit: Adolph — because Stephen's card was spelt like that and Alan who said the answer was thinking "Adolf" as in Adolf Hitler, the penalty was reduced to -8 points)
• Richard Gere's middle name is Tiffany. (Forfeit: Gerbil)

Scores at the end of the first round: Alan - 25, Bill - 15, Kit - 35, Eddie - 31

History

• William Huskisson, the first person killed in a rail accident, had previously escaped death after a horse fell on his head during his honeymoon.
• The bones from penises of badgers were used by Victorian gentlemen as tie clips. Every primate except man has a penis bone known as the baculum. Badgers are nocturnal and their hair used to be used in the making of shaving brushes.
• Rectal inflation was an old method of blowing tobacco smoke through the rectum as a means to resuscitate the drowned.
• Victorians who could not afford chimney sweeps would drop a goose down the chimney or make it fly up through the chimney to clean it instead.

Scores at the end of the second round: Alan - 45, Bill - 68, Kit - 80, Eddie - 46

Lingo

• Guessing the meanings of Dutch words.
  • Pronk - Flaunt
  • Sloot - Ditch
  • Kloof - Gap
  • Lonk - To Ogle
  • Oog - Eye
  • Wanklank - A discordant noise
• "Tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog moesten veel Nederlanders tulpenbollen eten", is Dutch for, "During the Second World War, many Dutch people had to eat tulip bulbs", which is a true fact.
• The word "Thespian" means "Awful" in Greek, as in "Awe inspiring." It also means, "Divine".

Scores at the end of the third round: Alan - 77, Bill - 107, Kit - 95, Eddie - 96

General Ignorance

• The largest mountain in the world is Mauna Loa. Mount Kilimanjaro is higher than Mount Everest because it raises straight out of the African plain, whereas Everest is just one mountain on top of lots in the Himalayas. Also, as Kilimanjaro is on the equator, it is further away from the centre of the Earth as it is an oblate spheroid. (Forfeit: Mount Everest)
• Black boxes are orange. They were black until 1955, when people realised that they were never able to find them in a wreckage.
• Dolphins are eaten in Genoa - which is not true anymore. The dish called "Mosciamo" is made of tuna, as dolphins are protected species in Italy for many decades.
• Scuba diving is illegal off the coast of Greece, mainly because most of the country's antiquities are underwater.