Would I Lie to You?

Rob Brydon (Host)

Born: May 03, 1965 in Swansea

Best Known For: His chat show and Gavin & Stacey.

Early-life: Born Robert Brydon Jones in Swansea, South Wales, on May 3, 1965. His early years were spent in Baglan near Port Talbot before he and his family moved to Porthcawl. He attended two secondary schools, one alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones, the other with Ruth Jones. Under the guidance of his drama teacher at the local comprehensive school, his interest in acting grew, leading to him attending The Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. During the second year of his course, he quit to work for BBC Wales and enjoyed six years of presenting work on local TV and radio stations.

Career: While still presenting, Brydon ventured into comedy, and made ends meet by providing voices for adverts and animations. A small role in Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels inspired him to make a short film of his comic characters; series of Marion & Geoff, A Small Summer Party and The Keith Barret Show followed. Other credits include Director's Commentary, Human Remains, Supernova, A Cock and Bull Story, Little Britain, Annually Retentive and Gavin & Stacey. He's also hosted his own BBC chat show and has chaired the comedy panel show Would I Lie to You? since 2009. In 2010, he starred alongside Steve Coogan in the partially improvised BBC Two sitcom The Trip and has since appeared in its follow-up.

Quote: 'I was always very good with girls, I could talk to them no problem at all. But I could never close the deal. You need Dutch courage to do that, to kiss them.'

Trivia: He released an autobiography, Small Man in a Book, in 2011.

David Mitchell (Team captain)

Born: July 14, 1974 in Salisbury

Best Known For: Being one half of hysterical duo Mitchell and Webb.

Early-life: Born David James Stuart Mitchell in Salisbury on July 14, 1974. He has a younger brother called Daniel. His parents were hotel managers who later moved to Oxford, where they became lecturers in hotel management. He claims he always wanted to be an actor or comedian, but told people he planned to become a barrister to please his parents. In 1993 David went to Peterhouse College, Cambridge, to study history. He performed with the famous Cambridge Footlights, eventually becoming the society president. It was in his first year at university that he met Robert Webb at an audition for a student pantomime production of Cinderella.

Career: After graduating, Mitchell worked an usher at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith. He and Webb took a number of shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival before being asked to write for Alexander Armstrong and Ben Miller and for surreal comedy series Big Train. In 2001, they made their first sketch show, The Mitchell and Webb Situation, which ran for six episodes on the now-defunct cable channel Play UK. Their next project came in 2003, with the award-winning Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show. They've also worked together on That Mitchell and Webb Sound, That Mitchell and Webb Look and the film Magicians. Solo, Mitchell has appeared on 10 O'Clock Live and numerous panel shows, including Would I Lie to You?, where he's a regular team captain. His autobiography, Back Story: A Memoir, was published in 2012.

Quote: 'I think, fundamentally, the people I want to make laugh are British. I can't ever imagine living abroad.'

Trivia: He writes columns for The Observer and The Guardian.

Lee Mack (Team captain)

Born: August 04, 1968 in Southport

Best Known For: His role as namesake Lee in BBC comedy Not Going Out.

Early-life: Born Lee Gordon McKillop in Southport, Manchester. He lived with his parents above a pub before their divorce and he relocated to Blackburn. He left school at sixteen and worked as a stable boy and a bingo caller before his talent for performing was realised. He joined Pontin's as a Bluecoat but was sacked for shouting profanities at the audience and going on stage drunk. He entered an open-mike competition in 1994 and his talent was so obvious that he was to become a full-time comic within 18 months.

Career: His success as a stand-up was crowned when he won an award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. He came to the attention of TV bosses after a stint on the radio. Lee was cast in The Sketch show alongside long-term collaborator Tim Vine. After a short-lived stint presenting They Think It's All Over, Mack and Vine began work on Not Going Out. The series revolves around two friends with opposite backgrounds and personalities, much like the two comics themselves. Mack has recently become a regular on comedy panel shows such as Would I Lie to You? and Have I Got News for You. He also has sell-out tours and best-selling DVDs to his name.

Quote: 'I'm not as bothered about being as cool as I was 10 years ago. I quite like the idea of being phenomenally uncool.'

Trivia: In June 2012, Mack was one of the comperes at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert outside Buckingham Palace.

Mark Bonnar (Panellist)

Sheila Hancock (Panellist)

Born: February 22, 1933 in Blackgang, Isle of Wight

Best Known For: Her roles in a string of hit TV programmes and plenty of stints on the stage.

Early-life: Born Sheila Cameron Hancock on February 22, 1933, in Blackgang, Isle of Wight, but was brought up in London where her parents worked in pubs. During the Second World War, she was evacuated to Berkshire. At only eight years old, she found the experience traumatic and was bullied by the local children. Once back with her parents, Sheila won a grammar school scholarship, where she began acting. She went on to study drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada).

Career: For nine years after leaving Rada, Hancock worked in theatre. Her breakthrough came in 1960s sitcom The Rag Trade. Other early productions include Carry On Cleo, But Seriously, It's Sheila Hancock, and How I Won the War. Roles in Brighton Belles, The Buccanneers, Love and Death on Long Island, Bedtime and EastEnders propelled her further into the spotlight. She took a break from acting when her husband John Thaw fell ill, but returned with Fortysomething in 2003. Hancock continues to work on stage and screen, and in 2010 was a judge alongside Andrew Lloyd Webber on talent search Over the Rainbow. She's also written two acclaimed memoirs. She also regularly works in radio.

Quote: 'I can't be bothered to go through the process of getting to know somebody and to pretend you are something else or whatever you do for them. I like my privacy now, I like my freedom.'

Trivia: Hancock's first husband Alec Ross died of oesophageal cancer in 1971. Two years later, she married actor John Thaw, who was killed by the same disease in 2002. Sheila and John each had a daughter from their previous marriages, and one between them - all three girls are actresses.

Stephen Mangan (Panellist)

Born: July 22, 1972 in London

Best Known For: Green Wing and Episodes.

Early-life: Born on July 22, 1972, in London, and was raised in Hertfordshire. His parents were Irish, and his father owned a building company. He became interested in acting after appearing in numerous school plays, but never thought he would tread the boards professionally. Instead, he studied law at Cambridge University, but decided against being a solicitor after taking a year out to care of his terminally ill mother. After a spell at Rada, he began landing theatre roles.

Career: Mangan became a regular on the West End stage, and apart from some foreign adverts, steered clear of TV work for years. He made his film debut in Martha, Meet Frank, Daniel and Laurence in 1998, and had a small role in Billy Elliot. Early TV appearances came in Big Bad World, Sword of Honour, In Defence and Human Remains before his big break as the lead in Adrian Mole: The Cappuccino Years. He's worked consistently in movies and on TV ever since, with roles in Jane Hall, Marple, Never Better, I'm Alan Partridge, Hyperdrive, and the acclaimed Green Wing. His recent work includes Dirk Gently and Episodes on TV, as well as several well-received stage performances.

Quote: 'I love playing unattractive parts. I want to be really horrid. I want people to really hate me. Maybe one day in analysis, I'll discover what that's all about.'

Trivia: Away from showbiz, Mangan is a Tottenham Hotspur fan. He attends games with Tamsin Greig's husband, actor Richard Leaf.

Anita Rani (Panellist)

Born: October 25, 1977 in Bradford

Best Known For: Various presenting roles.

Early-life: Born Ahita Rahi Nazran in Bradford on October 25, 1977. Anita enjoyed an early taste of broadcasting when she hosted her own show on Sunrise Radio at the age of 14. She went on to attend the University of Leeds before landing work as a TV researcher for the BBC and various independent TV companies.

Career: Rani soon began to make a name for herself in front of the camera on shows such as The Edit on Channel 5, The State We're In and Poetry Slam on BBC Three and Desi DNA on BBC Two. In 2005, she was a regular reporter on The Cricket Show on Channel 4 and a year later, she co-presented Cricket AM on Sky Sports. In 2009, she began co-presenting Watchdog on BBC One. She took on the role of presenting Four Rooms on Channel 4 in 2011. She has also collaborated with Justin Rowlatt on the documentary travelogues India on Four Wheels, China on Four Wheels and Russia on Four Wheels. In August 2015, it was announced that she would be a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.

Quote: 'To get to experience a different country in any way is a pleasure and privilege.'

Trivia: In 2012, Rani won the BBC's Great Sport Relief Bake Off.

Rob Colley (Writer)

Shaun Pye (Writer)

Barbara Wiltshire (Director)

Mia Cross (Producer)

Juliet Redden (Producer)

Adam Copeland (Series producer)

Rachel Ablett (Executive producer)

Ruth Phillips (Executive producer)

Peter Holmes (Executive producer)

12:40 pm - 1:20 pm, Monday, May 11 on U&Dave (19)

About this Broadcast

Season 11, Episode 2

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