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.

Jo Brand (Panellist)

Born: July 23, 1957 in Wandsworth, London

Best Known For: Acerbic gags about men.

Early-life: Born Josephine Grace Brand in Wandsworth, London, on July 23, 1957. She grew up in a village near Tunbridge Wells. Her father was a civil engineer and her mother a social worker. She has a brother called Matt. Jo was heading for Oxbridge, but rebelled and left home at 16 for a boyfriend her parents didn't approve of. When the relationship broke up, she trained as a nurse. Her first job was in a Dr Barnardo's home, but she ended up working in psychiatric units in London hospitals.

Career: Brand's sense of humour kept her going while dealing with difficult cases at work. She began doing stand-up at London clubs in the mid-1980s and eventually gave up nursing to concentrate on comedy. She was shortlisted for the Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival before landing her own comedy show, Jo Brand Through the Cakehole. Since then she has regularly appeared on TV, including as a frequent guest on Have I Got News for You, Question Time and QI. She continues to do stand-up, performing at venues around the country. Brand also took part in Celebrity Fame Academy, and the reality shows Play It Again and Comic Relief Does The Apprentice. She enjoyed a bona fide hit as an actress and writer with dark medical comedy Getting On. She is a judge on ITV reality series Splash!

Quote: 'Anything is good if it's made of chocolate.'

Trivia: Brand has written a number of hugely popular books.

Emma Bunton (Panellist)

Born: January 21, 1976 in London

Best Known For: Being a Spice Girl.

Early-life: Born in 1976 in Finchley, London, the daughter of a karate instructor and a milkman who split up when she was 11. Her showbiz career began at a young age _ as a child model she appeared in adverts for toothpaste and Mothercare, and attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School. During her teens, she won small roles in shows including The Bill and EastEnders, having unsuccessfully auditioned for the part of Bianca. However, her big break came in 1994, when she replaced Michelle Stephenson as the fifth member of girl band Touch.

Career: Touch (now renamed the Spice Girls) released their debut single Wannabe in 1996. Within months, they were one of the biggest acts in the world, and Bunton's cute dresses and bunches had earned her a new nickname _ Baby Spice. After selling 35 million albums and making a film, the group called it a day in 2000, and Bunton launched a solo career. She scored several hits _ including a UK number one _ but eventually ran out of steam. The Spice Girls reunited in 2007 for a greatest hits album and hugely successful tour, and also appeared at the 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony.

Quote: On her time with the Spice Girls: 'I was 19 years old, travelling around with a load of gorgeous boy dancers. I just look back now and think, 'Wow!' I had a blast'.'

Trivia: Away from music, Bunton came third in the 2006 series of Strictly Come Dancing, has acted as a judge on Dancing on Ice and Your Face Sounds Familiar, and is a DJ on London's Heart FM.

Jonnie Peacock (Panellist)

Shaun Williamson (Panellist)

Born: November 04, 1965 in Maidstone, Kent

Best Known For: Playing Barry in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born November 4, 1965 in Maidstone, Kent. To pay the rent he worked for the Post Office; the Navy; a supermarket and as a holiday rep. Williamson created his own amateur theatre group and staged a production of A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg. The production won him Best Actor in the Kent Drama Festival. He completed a three-year acting diploma at The Webber Douglas Academy. In 1994 he landed the memorable part of lovable loser Barry Evans in EastEnders.

Career: Williamson stayed with the soap for 10 years and after leaving Albert Square featured in the pantomimes Snow White and Cinderella, and starred in the stage productions Saturday Night Fever, The Rocky Horror Show, Oliver and Guys and Dolls. He enjoyed a new wave of popularity when Ricky Gervais cast him as a comic version of himself in Extras. Also appeared in BBC drama Funland; the movie Daylight Robbery; Comic Relief does Fame Academy 2007; Holby City and BBC One's Fairy Tales.

Quote: 'I don't mind portraying myself as someone who's a bit of a loser and who hasn't worked at all because I know it isn't the truth.'

Trivia: In 2009, he played Norman Stanley Fletcher in a stage version of TV comedy Porridge.

Rob Colley (Writer)

Tom Baker (Writer)

Born: January 20, 1934 in Liverpool

Best Known For: Doctor Who.

Early-life: Born Thomas Stuart Baker on January 20, 1934, the eldest of three children of a Jewish father and Catholic mother in a working-class area of Liverpool. He was not distinguished at school, but following a visit from a monk, joined the Brothers of Ploermel on the Isle of Wight. A sudden urge to break all the Commandments prompted him to leave six years later. He began acting training after discovering an ability to make people laugh during his National Service in the medical corps.

Career: Baker started appearing in obscure plays in regional theatre, working in pubs to make ends meet. He made his film debut in 1968's A Winter's Tale and appeared on TV in dramas such as Dixon of Dock Green. A year later he joined Laurence Olivier's National Theatre, but left in 1971 to star as Rasputin in Nicholas and Alexandra. Baker also appeared in The Canterbury Tales and The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. By 1974 roles had dried up and he was working on a building site when he was offered the role of Doctor Who. He went on to become the longest-running Time Lord, quitting in 1981 after seven years. Since then, he's worked on stage, TV and in film, most notably in Medics, and the remake of Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased). He published an autobiography in 1997 and is constantly in demand for voiceover work.

Quote: 'The Old Testament is my favourite science fantasy reading.'

Mia Cross (Producer)

Juliet Redden (Producer)

Barbara Wiltshire (Director)

Adam Copeland (Series producer)

Peter Holmes (Executive producer)

Ruth Phillips (Executive producer)

Rachel Ablett (Executive producer)

12:20 am - 01:00 am, Thursday, May 21 on U&Dave (19)

About this Broadcast

Season 12, Episode 5

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