We Need Answers is a British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 television

Television

Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

 panel game

Panel game

A panel game or panel show is a radio or television game show in which a panel of celebrities participates. Panelists may compete with each other, such as on The News Quiz; facilitate play by guest contestants, such as on Match Game/Blankety Blank; or do both, such as on Wait Wait.....

 presented by comedians

Comedian

A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...

 Mark Watson

Mark Watson (comedian)

Mark Andrew Watson is an English stand-up comedian and novelist.-Early life:Watson was born in Bristol to Welsh parents and attended Henleaze Junior school and then Bristol Grammar School, where he won the prize of 'Gabbler of the year', before going to Queens' College, Cambridge, where he studied...

, Tim Key

Tim Key

Tim Key is an English actor, comedy writer, and performance poet. In 2009, he was the winner of the Edinburgh Comedy Award and was also nominated for the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality.-Edinburgh Fringe:...

 and Alex Horne

Alex Horne

Alex Horne is a British comedian.He was educated at Lancing College and the University of Cambridge, where he was a member of Footlights.-Career:...

. The show features a pair of celebrities answering questions which have previously been texted in by the public, or the audience, to 63336, a text message service.

Format

In We Need Answers, Watson acts as the main host, Key as the question master, and Horne as the studio expert, as well as the man responsible for the computer graphics

Computer graphics

Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....

 and sound effect

Sound effect

For the album by The Jam, see Sound Affects.Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds, or sound processes used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media...

s used in the show.

During the show, correct answers score two points, wrong answers score nothing, and one point is given to an answer which is "Quite right", which means the answer is partly correct. Recurring themes in the series include "Sad Questions", relating to morbid topics and are accompanied by sad music.

The quiz is split into the following rounds:

• Burning Issues and Fiddly Questions: Key asks questions to each contestant in turn, some of which are based around a general theme covering the episode.
• You or Him/Her: The contestant can each answer a question about themselves, or try and score double points by answering questions about their opponent. In the first series this round always features Horne explaining what doubling is.
• The Physical Challenge: The contestants take part in a physical challenge based on a question texted to them.
• Quick fire Meltdown Round: A round of quick fire questions on buzzers, with all the questions scoring double points. It is a timed round with a time on the bottom of the TV screen depicting the faces of the contestants. The round ends when the face hit each other. At the end of this round, the contestant with the lowest score loses and must leave the studio wearing "The clogs
  Clog (shoe)
  A clog is a type of footwear made in part or completely from wood.The Oxford English Dictionary defines a clog as a "thick piece of wood", and later as a "wooden soled overshoe" and a "shoe with a thick wooden sole"....
  
   of defeat. The winner gets a certificate.
• Big Money/House Prize Showdown: The winner can choose to answer a special question for a small cash prize or, in the second series, an item from one of the hosts' houses.

History

"We Need Answers" first saw the light as a late night comedy show at the Canal Cafe Theatre in London.. After a year's development it was taken to Edinburgh Fringe for two years running, sponsored by 63336. In late 2008 the BBC produced a pilot at Ginglik, London, before launching Series 1 on BBC4 early 2009.

Series 1

Episode	Air date	Theme	Contestants
1	12 February 2009	Reading	Germaine Greer Germaine Greer Germaine Greer is an Australian writer, academic, journalist and scholar of early modern English literature, widely regarded as one of the most significant feminist voices of the later 20th century....  and Michael Rosen Michael Rosen Michael Wayne Rosen is a broadcaster, children's novelist and poet and the author of 140 books. He was appointed as the fifth Children's Laureate in June 2007, succeeding Jacqueline Wilson, and held this honour until 2009....
2	19 February 2009	Motoring	Julia Bradbury Julia Bradbury Julia Bradbury is an Irish-born British television presenter, best known for presenting the BBC One programme Countryfile and other documentaries and consumer affairs programmes.-Early years:...  and Robert Llewellyn Robert Llewellyn Robert Llewellyn is an English actor, presenter, and writer. He is best known as the mechanoid Kryten in the hit sitcom Red Dwarf, and for his role as presenter of Scrapheap Challenge.-Early career:...
3	26 February 2009	Wine	Jilly Goolden Jilly Goolden Jilly Goolden is a British wine critic, journalist and television personality.-Education:Goolden was educated at an independent convent school ,-Career:...  and Jay Rayner Jay Rayner Jay Rayner is a British journalist, writer, broadcaster, and food critic.Rayner is the younger son of journalist Claire Rayner and Desmond Rayner, and attended the independent Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School. He joined The Observer newspaper after graduating from Leeds University in 1988 where...

Series 2

Episode	Air date	Theme	Contestants
1	1 December 2009	Women (and Steven Gerrard Steven Gerrard Steven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger... )	Jenni Murray Jenni Murray Dame Jennifer Susan "Jenni" Murray, DBE is a British journalist and broadcaster. She attended Barnsley Girls High School and has a degree in French and Drama from Hull University...  and Martin Offiah Martin Offiah Martin Offiah MBE is an English former rugby league and rugby union footballer.He is known as "Chariots" Offiah after the film Chariots of Fire...
2	8 December 2009	Love (and sleeping around)	Vanessa Feltz Vanessa Feltz Vanessa Jane Feltz is an English television personality, broadcaster and journalist. She currently presents an early morning radio show on BBC Radio 2, a mid morning phone-in show on BBC London 94.9. In 2011, she started hosting The Vanessa Show on Channel 5. The first series ended on June 24th...  and Simon Bird Simon Bird Simon Antony Bird is an actor, writer and comedian. He is best known for playing Will McKenzie in E4’s BAFTA-winning TV comedy The Inbetweeners.-Early life:...
3	15 December 2009	Poetry, God, Politics and Geography	Miranda Hart Miranda Hart Miranda Katharine Hart Dyke , known professionally as Miranda Hart, is an English actress, writer and stand-up comedienne. She writes and stars in the BBC sitcom Miranda...  and Ian McMillan
4	22 December 2009	Christmas	Kirsten O'Brien Kirsten O'Brien Kirsten O'Brien is an English television presenter and stand-up comic.She is known for presenting SMart, and presented Smile and Totally Doctor Who alongside Barney Harwood on CBBC....  and Neil Innes Neil Innes Neil James Innes is an English writer and performer of comic songs, best known for his collaborative work with Monty Python, and for playing in the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and later The Rutles.-Personal life:...
5	29 December 2009	Language	Tracey-Ann Oberman and Jake Arnott Jake Arnott Jake Arnott is a British novelist, author of The Long Firm and other novels. Most of his works are crime novels, and include homosexual characters...
6	5 January 2010	The Sun and Vegetables	Sophie Grigson Sophie Grigson Hester Sophia Frances Grigson is an English cookery writer and celebrity chef known as Sophie Grigson. She has followed the same path and career as her mother, Jane Grigson. Her father was the poet and writer Geoffrey Grigson.-Life:...  and Kelvin Mackenzie Kelvin MacKenzie Kelvin Calder MacKenzie is an English media executive and former newspaper editor. He is best known for being editor of The Sun newspaper between 1981 and 1994, an era in which the paper was established as Britain's best selling newspaper.- Biography :MacKenzie was educated at Alleyn's School...
7	12 January 2010	Celebrities	Camilla Dallerup Camilla Dallerup Camilla Dallerup is a British-based Danish ballroom dancer, dance teacher and model.-Dance career:Dallerup started dancing at the age of two and a half when her mother took her to her first class in Aalborg. She won the Danish Junior Championships at the age of 12...  and Terry Christian Terry Christian Terry Christian is a British television and radio presenter whose credits include Channel 4's late night Youth Entertainment show The Word and ITV1 moral issues talk show It's My Life...
8	19 January 2010	Medicine	Sue Perkins Sue Perkins Sue Perkins is an English comedienne, broadcaster, actress, and writer.-Education:Perkins was educated at Croham Hurst School, an independent school for girls in Croydon in South London, at the same time as the BBC Breakfast News presenter Susanna Reid...  and Phil Hammond Phil Hammond (comedian) Dr Philip Hammond is a general practitioner who has become noted as a comedian and commentator on health issues in the United Kingdom. Hammond was educated at Marlborough Grammar School, St John's Comprehensive, Marlborough, and Marlborough College...
9	26 January 2010	Youth and Kings and Queens	Jennie Bond Jennie Bond Jennifer "Jennie" Bond is an English journalist and television presenter. She worked for fourteen years as the BBC's royal correspondent. She has most recently hosted Cash in the Attic and narrated the five series programme, Great British Menu.-Early career:She was educated at St...  and Rick Edwards Rick Edwards Rick Edwards is a British TV presenter who mainly works on Channel 4 and E4. Rick has presented T4 with co-hosts Georgie Okell, Miquita Oliver, Jameela Jamil and Alexa Chung from which he left on 3 July 2011...
10	2 February 2010	Media and Eating	Esther Rantzen Esther Rantzen Esther Louise Rantzen CBE is an English journalist and television presenter who is best known for presenting the BBC television series That's Life!, and for her work in various charitable causes. She is founder of the child protection charity ChildLine, and also advocates the work of the Burma...  and John Inverdale John Inverdale John Inverdale , is an English radio and television broadcaster who works for the BBC, mainly covering sporting events.-Biography:...
11	9 February 2010	Nature [feat. Giraffes]	Aggie MacKenzie Aggie MacKenzie Agnes MacKenzie , is a Scottish television presenter. She is most prominently known for co-presenting the Channel 4 series How Clean Is Your House? with Kim Woodburn.-Biography:...  and Peter Tatchell Peter Tatchell Peter Gary Tatchell is an Australian-born British political campaigner best known for his work with LGBT social movements...
12	16 February 2010	Music and Fauna and Smut	Rowan Pelling Rowan Pelling Rowan Dorothy Pelling is a British journalist and broadcaster, who first achieved note as the editor of a monthly literary/erotic magazine, entitled the Erotic Review....  and DJ Nihal DJ Nihal DJ Nihal is an English radio and TV presenter, as well as club night promoter and DJ, currently broadcasting on BBC Radio 1, BBC Asian Network and since August 6, 2010 BBC Radio 5 Live...
13	23 February 2010	Exploring Ireland	Sharon Horgan Sharon Horgan Sharon Horgan is an Irish actress, writer and comedienne.Horgan was born in London and moved to Dublin at age seven. She grew up in Bellewstown, Co. Meath, Ireland. She went to school in the Sacred Heart Secondary School in Drogheda. Later she went on to an English degree at Brunel University...  and Benedict Allen Benedict Allen Benedict Colin Allen is a British traveller. He is best known for his survival modus operandi: tapping into local, indigenous knowledge above reliance on modern inventions. His approach is to present himself as ready to learn, like an infant; the communities that he visits take him under their...

No More Women

No More Women is an oral game invented in 2001 by the comedians Mark Watson

Mark Watson (comedian)

Mark Andrew Watson is an English stand-up comedian and novelist.-Early life:Watson was born in Bristol to Welsh parents and attended Henleaze Junior school and then Bristol Grammar School, where he won the prize of 'Gabbler of the year', before going to Queens' College, Cambridge, where he studied...

, and Tim Key

Tim Key

Tim Key is an English actor, comedy writer, and performance poet. In 2009, he was the winner of the Edinburgh Comedy Award and was also nominated for the Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality.-Edinburgh Fringe:...

. The show is web-exclusive on the BBC Comedy website as a spin-off from We Need Answers..

The game is typically played in the car or on public transport. It should be played in a relaxed and respectful way. It is possible to play the game without equipment. Each player in turn declares the name of a famous person and a category into which that person falls, to which no subsequent answer may belong (e.g. "Marie Curie

Marie Curie

Marie Skłodowska-Curie was a physicist and chemist famous for her pioneering research on radioactivity. She was the first person honored with two Nobel Prizes—in physics and chemistry...

 - no more women"). The game ends when a player names somebody who falls into one of the previously chosen categories, or is unable to come up with a name at all.

Since its inception the game has spread across the country and now boasts over ten players. Ideal conditions for the game include Alex Horne

Alex Horne

Alex Horne is a British comedian.He was educated at Lancing College and the University of Cambridge, where he was a member of Footlights.-Career:...

 acting as referee. He arbitrates in a calm manner and is also a competent player of the game.

Watson, Key and Horne once played the game live on stage one Sunday afternoon at London's Canal Cafe Theatre in 2006.

The game was played on the Radio 4 show It's Your Round in March 2011 when Key was one of the panellists and his competitors were Bridget Christie

Bridget Christie

Bridget Christie is an award winning British comedian, actress and writer. She studied acting at The Academy of Live and Recorded Arts.She has appeared in several TV and radio shows, including The Omid Djalili Show on BBC One and The Culture Show on BBC Two...

, Micky Flanagan

Micky Flanagan

Michael "Micky" Flanagan is an English comedian. Flanagan has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe and toured Britain with stand-up shows...

 and Nick Hancock.