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The fifth series of QI; all of its episodes involve a topic beginning with E. This series began on 21 September 2007 and ended on 14 December 2007; it featured the "Elephant in the Room" bonus.

# Title Guests Winner(s) Original Air Date Notes
1 Engineering Bill Bailey
Rob Brydon
Jimmy Carr
Rob Brydon 21 Sep. 2007
2 Electricity Jo Brand
Rich Hall
Sean Lock
Jo Brand 21 Sep. 2007
3 Eating Jimmy Carr
Phill Jupitus
Johnny Vegas
Alan Davies 28 Sep. 2007 This episode marks Johnny Vegas' first appearance on the show.
4 Exploration Bill Bailey
Rich Hall
Sean Lock
Rich Hall 5 Oct. 2007
5 Europe Phill Jupitus
David Mitchell
Dara Ó Briain
Phill Jupitus 12 Oct. 2007
6 Everything, Etc. Clive Anderson
Jeremy Clarkson
Vic Reeves
Vic Reeves 19 Oct. 2007
7 Espionage Clive Anderson
Jo Brand
Vic Reeves
(Tied) Clive Anderson and Vic Reeves 26 Oct. 2007
8 Eyes & Ears Jimmy Carr
Phill Jupitus
David Mitchell
Alan Davies 2 Nov. 2007
9 Entertainment Bill Bailey
Jo Brand
Jeremy Clarkson
Jeremy Clarkson 9 Nov. 2007 Children in Need special.
10 England Charlie Higson
Phill Jupitus
Sean Lock
The Audience 16 Nov. 2007
11 Endings Jimmy Carr
Doon Mackichan
Dara Ó Briain
Pudsey Bear
(Tied) Jimmy Carr and Dara Ó Briain 23 Nov. 2007
12 Empire Bill Bailey
Jo Brand
Sean Lock
Alan Davies 7 Dec. 2007 Christmas special
13 Elephants All E Series guests except for Doon Mackichan and Pudsey Bear. N/A 14 Dec. 2007 This is a compilation video and not a true episode.


Episode breakdowns[]

This page uses Creative Commons Licensed content from Wikipedia's article "QI (E series)" (view authors here or here). Smallwikipedialogo

The E series currently holds the record, in the show's history, for the fewest number of debutantes; both Charlie Higson and Johnny Vegas had not appeared on the programme before. The series was the first to contain an extra edition of outtakes and extra footage that had been recorded, but not shown within any of the other episodes in the series (these all featured in episode 13), as well as also being the first to contained a single recurring theme within the series. In this instance, it was a special bonus task:

  • "Elephant in the Room": Within an episode, one (or more) of the answers would involve elephants. Whoever played their joker card (which was an elephant on a stick) at the correct time, would score bonus points.

video podcast (featuring the best moments with some out-takes) was planned to accompany this series, but this was instead turned into a set of "Quickies" featured on the QI homepage of the BBC's website. As this decision was not reached until after recording though, they are still referred to as "vodcasts" by whoever is introducing them (usually Fry but occasionally a panellist or even the audience).[1]

Episode 1 "Engineering"[]

Broadcast date

21 and 22 September 2007 (BBC Two)

Recording date

18 May 2007

Panellists
Theme

To connect with the topic of Engineering, Stephen offered to deliver a sweet bonus by toy train; a model railway line had been laid upon the set, which Stephen used to send the train along, and deliver a sweet to any panellist who gave a particularly interesting (and correct) answer.

Vodcast/Quickie
Presenter: Bill Bailey
Note

This was QI's 50th Episode.

Episode 2 "Electricity"[]

Broadcast dates
  • 21 September 2007 (BBC Four)
  • 28 and 29 September 2007 (BBC Two)
Recording date

10 May 2007

Panellists

(This is the first instance of a complete panel appearing twice, as Brand, Hall and Lock all appeared together with Alan in episode 5 of series C)

Vodcast/Quickie
Presenter: Stephen Fry

Episode 3 "Eating"[]

Broadcast dates
  • 28 September 2007 (BBC Four)
  • 5 October 2007 (BBC Two)
Recording date

31 May 2007

Panellists
Vodcast/Quickie
Presenter: Stephen Fry (imitating Johnny Vegas)

Episode 4 "Exploration"[]

Broadcast dates
  • 5 October 2007 (BBC Four)
  • 12 October 2007 (BBC Two)
Recording date

11 May 2007

Panellists
Theme

As to match with the, both the host and the panellists wore jungle exploration gear, and had a Fly-whisk each. Next to Stephen Fry was a large encyclopaedic-like book, whilst behind him was an old fashioned globe. Finally, lying upon the magnifying glass of the set was a Buddha-like bronze.

Vodcast/Quickie
Presenter: Stephen Fry, through a thicket of jungle plants.

Episode 5 "Europe"[]

Broadcast dates
  • 12 October 2007 (BBC Four)
  • 19 October 2007 (BBC Two)
Recording date

25 May 2007

Panellists
Theme
  • Each panellist had a flag, representing a different European country. Alan had Wales (due to his surname), David had England, Dara had the Republic of Ireland and Phill had Lithuania (his paternal grandparents derive from there). However, Alan and David swapped theirs, because Alan has no connections with Wales and David's mother does not like calling herself English (David has both Welsh and Scottish ancestry). Several European flags had also been placed around Stephen, as well as the flag of the European Union.
  • During this recording Alan Davies filmed part of the show on his mobile phone. Those videos have been placed on YouTube and can be viewed here and here.
Vodcast/Quickie
Presenter: Stephen Fry.

Episode 6 "Everything, Etc."[]

Broadcast dates
  • 19 October 2007 (BBC Four)
  • 26 October 2007 (BBC Two)
Recording date

8 June 2007

Panellists
Vodcast/Quickie
Presenter: Stephen Fry and every panellist on the show that night.

Episode 7 "Espionage"[]

Broadcast dates
  • 26 October 2007 (BBC Four)
  • 2 November 2007 (BBC Two)
Recording date

7 June 2007

Panellists
Theme
Vodcast/Quickie
Presenter: Stephen Fry and every panellist on the show that night.

Episode 8 "Eyes & Ears"[]

Broadcast date
  • 2 November 2007 (BBC Four)
  • 9 November 2007 (BBC Two)
Recording date

1 June 2007

Panellists
Vodcast/Quickie
Presenter: The Audience.

Episode 9 "Entertainment" (Children in Need Special)[]

Broadcast date
  • 9 November 2007 (BBC Four)
  • 16 November 2007 (BBC Two)
Recording date

14 June 2007

Panellists
Theme
  • The show initially began with Pudsey Bear, the Children in Need mascot, in the place of Alan Davies, but then Pudsey used his "Elephant in the Room" card to pick out Alan from the audience, who was wearing an elephant head costume. Alan walked out of the audience and took his seat to the tune of Nellie the Elephant. Everyone's elephant card was a picture of Elmer the Patchwork Elephant, rather than the usual grey elephant.
Vodcast/Quickie
Presenter: Pudsey Bear holding up a signboard reading "Hello & welcome to the QI vodcast".

Episode 10 "England"[]

Broadcast date
  • 16 November 2007 (BBC Four)
  • 23 November 2007 (BBC Two)
Recording date

24 May 2007

Panellists
Themes

Stephen and the panel have miniature flags of England in front of them, although Alan swaps his English flag for the Welsh flag, (note that in the earlier episode 5 of this series, Alan had swapped his Welsh flag for David Mitchell's flag of England).

Vodcast/Quickie
Presenter: Stephen Fry

Episode 11 "Endings"[]

Broadcast date
  • 23 November 2007 (BBC Four)
  • 30 November 2007 (BBC Two)
Recording date

17 May 2007

Panellists
Vodcast/Quickie
Presenter: Stephen Fry

Episode 12 "Empire" (Christmas Special)[]

Broadcast date
  • 7 December 2007 (BBC Four)
  • 14 December 2007 (BBC Two)
Recording date

15 June 2007

Panellists
  • Alan Davies (winner with 10 points) 6th win
  • Bill Bailey (8 points) 15th appearance
  • Jo Brand (-33 points) 18th appearance
  • Sean Lock (-8 points) 14th appearance
  • This is the second instance of a complete panel appearing twice. Bailey, Brand and Lock all appeared together in episode 1 of series B.
Theme
Topics
Vodcast/Quickie
Presenter: Stephen, the panel, and the entire QI production team, in the style of a pantomime with the audience shouting back.


Episode 13 "Elephants"[]

Broadcast date
  • 14 December 2007 (BBC Four)
  • 26 and 29 December 2007 (BBC Two)
Theme
  • A clip show using unbroadcast material from Series E.
  • The beginning and ending of the show has Stephen playing Father Christmas and Alan sitting on his lap (shrunk down in size).
Vodcast/Quickie
Presenter: A shrunken Alan Davies. There is no new material; all clips are taken from the episode.
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