The creator of this year’s cult TV hit turns quizmaster for this end-of-year general knowledge roundup

Wahey! It’s almost over! In many ways, 2016 has been a year to drink through and forget. We lost a heart-full of national treasures, a potential chunk of our actual treasury, a jolly nice bunch of geopolitical allies, our faith in the people as much as the politicians and a truckload of self-respect. But, on the upside, my sitcom aired this summer, which means you now have to be subjected to my awkward attempt at being a quirky quizmaster.



I wish you all a deeply Merry Christmas and here’s to 2017 – a year that has so little to live up to that there’s a good chance it’s going to be fabulous.

Melania Trump allegedly plagiarised Michelle Obama’s 2008 speech in July this year. Which of these was not in both speeches: “From a young age, my parents impressed on me the values that you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say and keep your promise; that you treat people with respect.” “We want our children in this nation to know that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.” “I have a horrible feeling I’m a greedy, perverted, selfish, apathetic, cynical, depraved, morally bankrupt woman who can’t even call herself a feminist.” Olympics TV presenter Dan Walker’s live broadcast from the Rio beach was interrupted by what? Dan being tickled by his cameraman and loving it. Two adults having a physical fight over a sandcastle competition. A shark attack. A couple having a spot of holiday rumpy-pumpy. “No ma’am, I was not taking video of your child, I came to this park to catch Pokémon,” was said by which extremely busy Pokémon Go-obsessed celebrity? Ellen DeGeneres. Trevor Noah. Jimmy Fallon. Dermot O’Leary. Ed Balls cheered up disappointed Labour-lovers by: Dressing as a sanitary towel for Halloween. Dancing to Gangnam Style. Prompting another Ed Balls Day. Eating a pork pie without using his hands on Question Time. We were reminded that Danny Dyer is a stone-cold comedy fox while he was discovering that he was related to: Reggie Kray. Barbara Windsor. King Edward III. Queen Victoria. Which of the following elections was controversially taken out of the hands of people by those in charge? Leaving the EU. Election of Donald Trump in the US. Naming a research vessel Boaty McBoatface. The X Factor final. This year Stephen King spoke out against: Vegetarians. Ghostwriters. Four Weddings and a Funeral. People dressing up as clowns and scaring the innocent public. Nicola Thorp made international news after she was sent home from her receptionist job at PwC for not being properly attired. What was she not wearing? A bra. A moustache. Heels. A tie. Twycross zoo near Leicester gave certain people free entry on one particular day this year. Who and why? Redheads on World Orangutan Day. People with chronic phobias of wild animals, to help them get over it, on Get Over It Day. People in jogging gear as long as “they were quick”, on the last day of the Olympics. Children dressed as rocks on their own birthday. In March 2016, this extraordinary plea on behalf of refugees was found and published online. Who wrote it? Kate Tempest. Jeremy Corbyn. Pippa Middleton. William Shakespeare. Chinese Olympic swimmer Fu Yuanhui broke a taboo by speaking out about the effects of what potentially hindering her performance. Her horrific hangover. Her menstrual cycle. A nagging feeling she will be judged on her appearance over her achievements. The lanes being too narrow. Which programme did the bird-catcher appear on? National Treasure. Top Gear. Planet Earth II. First Dates. What’s the name of the Downing Street cat? Larry. Nigel. Cheekypoo. Jasper. Police officers were called to stop an illegal race in a Cotswold village in June 2016. What were the rascals racing? Motorised scooters. Rubber ducks. Makeshift unicycles. Babies. You got… Challenge your friends Share on Facebook

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Bonus question: One of the above 55 potential answers is a line from Fleabag. If you can’t guess and are up for cheating, click here for the answer