For each show, two celebrity guests join each of the team captains. The teams compete as each player reveals unusual facts and embarrassing personal tales for the evaluation of the opposing team. Some of these are true, some are not, and it is the panellists' task to decide which is which.
Rounds In all rounds, the scoring system is the same: teams gain a point for correctly guessing whether a statement is true or not, but if they guess incorrectly the opposing team gets a point. Each episode running time is 30 minutes, so some questions are edited out prior to airing. In addition, the comic format allows each team member to question and joke with the opposing team. Hence, each episode has differing total scoring points reflecting the varying number of questions asked and answered. During series one through series five, it was impossible for viewers to follow the scores until they were read out at the end of each round, as some questions were edited out, and the final scores reflected the total questions played while filming each episode (not reflecting the final edits for the 30 minute running time). However, starting with series six on, the scores were re-recorded to reflect what had made the aired edits and not the whole filmed recording.
Current rounds •
"Home Truths": Panellists read out a statement about themselves, from a card which they have not seen prior to recording. The opposing team has to decide whether it is true or false by asking the panellist questions. Much of the comedy in this round derives from the holder of the card having to improvise answers under increasingly detailed questioning. The first series used all six panellists; from the second series onwards, the round tended to focus on the four guests. In series two a 'possessions' element was introduced, in which the panellist takes an item out of a box and reads a statement from a card, and has to convince the opposing team that the possession genuinely belongs to them. •
"This is My...": A guest comes onto the set and is introduced by first name, but remains standing in silence as the round continues. Panellists on one team tell the opposing team about their relationship to the guest; only one account out of three told is genuine, and the opposing team has to work out which it is. At the end of the round, the guest reveals their true identity, and with which of the panellists they have a genuine relationship. •
"Quick-Fire Lies": The second questioning round, with the panellists chosen at random. In earlier series, the panellists were ostensibly under a time limit although no on-screen indicator of the time limit was ever present. The notion of a time limit was eventually dropped in the later series, making the round identical to "Home Truths" in practice. This round usually features – but is not exclusive to – Mitchell and Mack. From the fourth series onwards, Brydon also became an occasional participant, with both teams questioning him at once.
Former rounds •
"Ring of Truth": A celebrity fact is read out by the host, and each team has to reach a joint decision on whether it is true or false. This was a regular round in the first three series, appeared only occasionally in the fourth series, and was then discontinued. •
"Telly Tales": Clips from a TV show are shown, a statement is read out about the show by a member of one team and the other team has to guess whether it is true or false. This round was only played in the first series.
Special episodes Most series have included some special episodes: •
Christmas special: these are just like ordinary episodes, except that they are Christmas-themed, and are first broadcast near Christmas. •
Unseen bits and
More unseen bits: these are mainly a compilation of truths or lies which were edited out of the regular episodes of the series. Sometimes some
bloopers are included as well. •
Best bits: has highlights from the series. • Seasons 2 and 3 combined
Best & Unseen bits into a single episode. ==Cast==