Ep 7. Naked Truth

In season 14 episode 7 of QI titled "Naked Truth," host Sandi Toksvig and her hilarious panel of guests explore the truth behind some of the world's most iconic buildings and structures, from the Eiffel Tower to the Great Wall of China.

As always, the show's comedic tone is set from the very beginning, with Toksvig introducing the topic of the episode - "buildings" - by joking that she's "always wanted to be a property developer" and that she once "built a sandcastle that could fit six people" (much to the amusement of her guests).

The episode opens with a discussion of the Eiffel Tower, one of the biggest and most recognizable landmarks in the world. The guests are asked if they know how many people died during the tower's construction, which leads to a fascinating conversation about the dangers and challenges of building such massive structures (and the often tragic consequences that can come with it).

From there, the episode takes a closer look at some of the world's lesser-known buildings and structures, including the world's longest fence (which spans nearly 5,000 kilometers in Australia) and the Great Wall of China (which is actually a collection of walls, rather than a single, continuous structure as many people believe).

Throughout the episode, Toksvig and her guests touch on a wide range of topics related to architecture and construction, from the ancient Egyptians' use of ramps to build massive pyramids to the way in which medieval castles were designed to defend against enemy attacks.

One of the most entertaining segments of the episode comes when the guests are asked to guess the purpose of a bizarre-looking medieval structure known as a "sally port." While none of the panelists have heard of it before, they offer a range of hilarious and often wildly inaccurate guesses, from a medieval torture device to a "sluice for a giant's toilet."

Of course, as with all episodes of QI, the conversation is not limited to facts and trivia - there's plenty of room for jokes and banter, too. At one point, comedian and panelist Alan Davies quips that the Longest Fence in Australia is "not as exciting as it sounds," while another guest, comedienne Cariad Lloyd, jokes that the Great Wall of China "just looks like a really big stairs."

As the episode nears its conclusion, Toksvig and her guests touch on some of the more surprising and lesser-known facts about the world's most iconic buildings and structures. For example, did you know that the famous tower in Pisa, Italy (which is famous for its lean) was actually designed to be perfectly vertical, or that the world's largest pyramid is not in Egypt, but in Mexico?

Overall, QI season 14 episode 7 "Naked Truth" is a fun, informative, and thoroughly entertaining exploration of the world's most fascinating buildings and structures. Whether you're a history buff, a lover of architecture, or just someone who enjoys a good laugh, this episode is sure to delight.