I Literally Just Told You
Also known asJimmy Carr's I Literally Just Told You
GenreGame show
Created byRichard Bacon
Presented byJimmy Carr
StarringMaggie Aderin-Pocock
Narrated byJudi Love (Series 2)
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series3
No. of episodes24
Production
Running time47 minutes
Production companiesExpectation and Richard Bacon Media
Original release
NetworkChannel 4
Release16 December 2021 (2021-12-16) –
present

I Literally Just Told You is a British game show that first aired on Channel 4 on 16 December 2021. The programme is hosted by Jimmy Carr. Some questions are multiple choice general knowledge questions, while the majority are memory-based questions about facts and events from earlier in the episode.

Format

Each episode starts with four contestants, and two are eliminated at points within the show, leaving the two finalists to face off against each other. Questions steadily increase in value from £250 to £2,000. Only the winner receives the prize money they have accumulated. The rounds are:

Episodes also incorporate segments such as celebrities appearing on-set or in prerecorded clips, or apparent accidents during the recording, to be used in memory questions. When Jimmy walks through a blue door in the studio, he emerges in a different location and a pre-recorded segment plays out. Science educators Maggie Aderin-Pocock and Emy Adamson have the role of writing questions during the episode. Members of the production crew sometimes feature, and questions can be asked about them. At least half of the questions are written during the filming of the episode.[1]

If two or more contestants are tied for last place at the end of a Memory Round, an additional memory question with a numerical answer is asked to the tied contestants. The contestant furthest away from the correct answer is eliminated.

Production

The show was conceived by Richard Bacon, who is an executive producer: he expected that "most people's short-term memory is so bad you could just give contestants and the audience all the answers in a game show, and they'd still get most of them wrong". Bacon said that Channel 4 was a "perfect fit" for the show and that its "irreverent nature" reminded him of his work on The Big Breakfast.[2]

Host Jimmy Carr said the programme's pitch was the best he had ever heard, believing that the show "will stay crazy for years".[2] He said that unlike most quiz shows, there is "an enormous play-at-home factor", and that the misredirects are comedic. Carr believed he would be good as a contestant, as he uses his memory on stage to remember hundreds of one-liners and audience member names to make callback jokes. He said his "dream" lineup would be other game show hosts.[3]

Following a non-broadcast pilot in autumn 2020, the programme was commissioned by Channel 4 for six hour-long episodes, broadcast in December 2021 and January 2022.[1][4] The first series was filmed with a small, socially distanced audience, with two episodes recorded per day.[5] A celebrity episode featured contestants Aisling Bea, Alex Horne, Asim Chaudhry and Lorraine Kelly playing for charity.

In July 2021, it was announced that a U.S. version under NBC with Adam DeVine and Ron Funches was in development.[1]

The fourth episode saw two contestants walk away with prize money, due to an error with a memory question written by a contestant where the answer had not been previously discussed. These questions, in the Final Shoot Out round, are supposed to be verified by production before the contestant asks them. Eddy was asked Ariana Grande's age and gave an incorrect answer, so his opponent won £18,000. Grande's specific age had not been stated earlier in the show, only being compared as younger or older than other celebrities. Shortly after filming, the mistake was discovered and Eddy was presented with a cheque for £18,000 onstage during one of Carr's performances of his tour Terribly Funny at indigo at The O2, which was filmed and included as a tag at the end of the episode.[6][7][8]

Transmissions (on television)

Note: This section does not cover the subject of the programme’s availability on streaming services. At least some of the episodes have been released online before their first run on TV.

Series Episodes First broadcast on Channel 4 Source
First episode Last episode
1 6[a] 16 December 2021 19 January 2022 [9]
2 8[b][c] 26 September 2022 24 December 2022[d]
3 10[e][f] 22 December 2023[g] TBA

Reception

In a three-star review, The Daily Telegraph's Anita Singh called it "surprisingly watchable" and praised that Carr "gently mocks the contestants without being remotely cruel", but was sceptical that the show could remain interesting across multiple series.[10] Carol Midgley of The Times gave it four stars.[11]

Notes

  1. ^ This series consists of 5 regular episodes and 1 celebrity special.
  2. ^ This series consists of 5 regular episodes and 3 celebrity specials.
  3. ^ In 2022 and 2023, in Channel 4’s episode guide, the celebrity Christmas special was listed as ‘series 2 episode 8’. As of January 2024, this episode is not listed as part of series two.
  4. ^ Seven episodes aired from 26 September to 11 November 2022 and a celebrity Christmas special aired on Christmas Eve.
  5. ^ This series consists of at least 1 celebrity special.
  6. ^ As of January 2024, in Channel 4’s episode guide, the celebrity Christmas special is not listed as part of series three (according to that site, ‘series 3 episode 1’ aired on 19 January 2024).
  7. ^ A celebrity Christmas special aired on 22 December 2023 and regular episodes started airing on 19 January 2024.

References

  1. ^ a b c Richardson, Jay (13 July 2021). "Jimmy Carr to host frenetic Channel 4 quiz I Literally Just Told You". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b Jeffery, Morgan (28 December 2021). "Who sets the questions on Channel 4's I Literally Just Told You?". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Comedian Jimmy Carr on his hilarious new show". The Herald. 15 December 2021. Archived from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  4. ^ "I Literally Just Told You". British Comedy Guide. Archived from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Interview with Jimmy Carr for his brand new quiz show, I Literally Just Told You". Channel 4. 16 December 2021. Archived from the original on 30 December 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  6. ^ Stolworthy, Jacob (7 January 2022). "Jimmy Carr mistake sees losing game show contestant given £18,000 by Channel 4". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  7. ^ Morris, Lauren (6 January 2022). "Jimmy Carr gives I Literally Just Told You contestant £18K after mistake". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 9 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  8. ^ Desouza, Danielle (6 January 2022). "Jimmy Carr gives Glasgow game show contestant £18,000 following blunder on 'I Literally Just Told You'". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  9. ^ "I Literally Just Told You — Episodes". comedy.co.uk. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  10. ^ Singh, Anita (16 December 2021). "I Literally Just Told You, review: can't remember where you put your glasses? This quiz is not for you". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  11. ^ Midgley, Carol (17 December 2021). "I Literally Just Told You review — Jimmy Carr's new quiz show isn't half bad". The Times. Archived from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2022.

External links

Categories