Ep 1. At Christmas

At Christmas, the first episode of season 8 of the hilarious British panel show, Would I Lie To You?, brings together the show's regular team captains, David Mitchell and Lee Mack, alongside their celebrity guests, including Richard Osman, Jo Brand, Stephen Mangan, and Ellie Taylor.

As always, the show's format revolves around the teams taking turns to read out a personal statement, which may be true or false. The opposing team then has to guess whether the statement is fact or fiction, and the person who wrote the statement reveals whether they were lying or telling the truth. Points are awarded for correctly guessing which statements are true and which are lies.

This festive episode is full of Christmas-themed banter and jokes, with the guests sharing stories about their Christmas traditions and shenanigans. David describes his family's elaborate Christmas morning routine, which involves dressing up in costumes and performing a play before opening presents. Jo Brand recounts a less festive tradition of hers, which involves eating a traditional Swedish Christmas dessert called "smorgastarta," made from layers of bread and seafood.

There are plenty of laughs to be had as the teams try to suss out which statements are true and which are lies. Richard Osman shares a story about how he once left his Christmas shopping until the last minute and ended up buying his girlfriend a 6-foot-tall teddy bear. Stephen Mangan claims that he once participated in a Christmas-themed naked charity run. Meanwhile, Ellie Taylor tells a story about accidentally getting her head stuck in a Christmas wreath.

Throughout the show, the teams tease each other and playfully taunt their opponents. Lee Mack jokes about David Mitchell's "wooden" personality, while David quips that Lee's jokes aren't actually funny. The celebrity guests don't get off lightly either, with Richard Osman being subjected to many good-natured jokes about his height.

The episode culminates in the final round, in which the team captains have to guess whether a statement from a returning guest is true or false. This time, the guest is a man who claims to have trained his cat to bring him a can of beer from the fridge. The teams debate the plausibility of the statement, and there are plenty of laughs as they try to figure out the truth.

At Christmas is a joyous and lighthearted episode of Would I Lie To You?, perfect for getting audiences in the festive spirit. The chemistry between the team captains and the celebrity guests is as strong as ever, and the show's format never fails to entertain. Whether you're a fan of the show or a newcomer, this episode is sure to have you laughing out loud.