QI | Why Is Earl Grey Called Earl Grey?

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This clip is from QI XL Series N, Episode 4, 'Noble Rot' with Sandi Toksvig, Alan Davies, Jeremy Clarkson, Jason Manford and Sara Pascoe.

[@CloudsGirl7]

"It's like someone's melted some potpourri." As someone who loves Earl Grey, I have to agree. 😆

[@mccarthy5825]

I only recently began to drink it after reading about it and all... I love Jasmine Green Tea(Twinnings for starts) and it reminded me of drinking perfume so I, at 36,37 last month FINALLY tried Earl Grey and I absolutely love it! 😂 It's fragrant, interesting and for some reason you never get used to it. This all from a lad who grew up drinking Lyons tea the green label one, red one in a pinch, Barry's if nothing else available! same as my nana liked it, very well stewed, hot and splash of milk. Typical Irish tea tastes (except for sugar and I don't like dunking Mikados in due to coconut shred shedding! 😂)... And i always remembered Mr Stewart ordering his tea in Star Trek in his inimitable way but bloody took this long! I recently had a lovely cup about two weeks ago that I added the extra steps of boiling water I had filtered with my Britta, i had pre warmed my Nanas old teapot, and used a very fresh Italian lemon slice with it... It was absolutely incredible and the best thing was I was really overheating and uncomfortably hot and after this I felt great. Wonderful stuff.

[@paulashe61]

Lady Grey is more citrus than bergamot

[@jp4431]

Alan's Jesus joke was 10% words, 90% delivery

[@TheTuttle99]

Uh I think it was probably the regular ratio for comedians..the joke made perfect sense so I don't know what you're talking about

[@jaymercer4692]

@@TheTuttle99 I think he means that’s the joke would have had 90% less of an impact without the impeccable delivery.

[@Alacritous]

Timing.

[@rodneyquinn2528]

"Ohhhh Like Jesus"got me chuckling, but when she mentioned "like 50 shades of grey", summing about her head movement afterwards cracked me up 🤣

[@MisterItchy]

I almost spit out my breakfast at, "Oh, like Jesus?"

[@masansr]

Well, he's not wrong.

[@0509brook]

You almost spat out your earl grey?

[@cameronyoungcg9270]

@@moonshot9056 I'd guess Western US/Canada or possibly Alaska. About 8 or 9 AM there by my rekoning. Although sometimes I wake up very late in the morning, and end up having breakfast at about 1pm ;)

[@JonasPahlberg]

@@moonshot9056 hahahaha my thought exactly

[@pronetobouts4145]

Very sharp.

[@RavenRedwood]

Well, according to my box of Twining's: "Legend has it that the _second_ Earl Grey was presented with an exquisite blend of tea by an envoy on his return from China. He liked it so much, he asked Richard Twining to recreate it for him. Richard did so and that blend would become known throughout the world as Earl Grey tea."

[@nealjroberts4050]

"Legend has it"....

[@RavenRedwood]

@@nealjroberts4050 the legend they made up lol

[@nealjroberts4050]

@@RavenRedwood that was my point heh

[@GeorgeP1066]

The second Earl Grey is the same Earl Grey who was Prime Minister

[@Eric-sy1xu]

I heard from a knowledgeable tea-guy that what the servants at the Earl's house did was put bergamot oil in the water to make it more palatable (the water was shit in those days, often literally, sanitation was Bollocks). That way when the earl wanted tea, the bergamot oil was in the water and so it gave it a taste not dissimilar to what Earl Grey is today. How true this is I have No idea but at least historically speaking it makes Some level of sense.

[@JaCubanito]

Alan Davies has one of the quickest wits that I have ever had the pleasure to experience.

[@Will_Hallett_Art]

You obviously don't know Lee mack

[@Simon_PieMan]

I agree he’s quite funny, but gets annoying when he tries to dominate the joke, not always his too.

[@221b-Maker-Street]

Alan and Lee Mack are both like gagmeisters on speed.

[@joyl7842]

"oh like Jesus?" cracked me up xD

[@nicholascrow8133]

One of the many times I wish Stephen Fry still hosted qi!

[@saltaiaw]

@@nicholascrow8133 I can imagine him sighing and muttering "Oh Alan..."

[@gyroscope915]

@@saltaiaw well he wasn't wrong

[@saltaiaw]

@@gyroscope915 True! But Stephen normally tells Alan off when he says stuff like that. Obviously he's not a believer either but I imagine he'd prefer it put more elegantly.

[@koba9463]

Tea, Earl Grey, Hot

[@stonkr]

Patrick Stewart doesn't like Earl Grey. I wonder what it really was.

[@EebstertheGreat]

@@stonkr Probably water if you couldn't see it and actual tea if you could. Tea is extremely cheap. It would have been cold though on set, not hot.

[@gregthemeg532]

Make it so!

[@chrispbacon3042]

Thank Captain Picard.

[@koba9463]

@@stonkr Alderian whisky

[@tygrkhat4087]

A later Earl Grey donated a trophy for a Canadian rugby championship; the Grey Cup is now the championship trophy of the Canadian Football League.

[@makiburgess5733]

The sport slowly evolved from rugby into Canadian football. It predates the CFL, just as the Stanley cup predates the NHL.

[@MegaFortinbras]

That Earl Grey, who was Governor General of Canada, was the grandson of the Earl after whom the tea is named.

[@makiburgess5733]

@@MegaFortinbras It’s like the Dread Pirate Roberts or Dr. Who. Many different people incarnate one person.

[@MegaFortinbras]

@@makiburgess5733 But I was speaking of two entirely different people. The tea was named after the second Earl Grey, the trophy was donated by the fourth Earl Grey, his grandson.

[@makiburgess5733]

@@MegaFortinbras A. I am well aware. B. The tea had nothing to do with the other Earl Grey. C. I don’t really care. Have a nice day. Maybe a cup of tea?

[@zapfanzapfan]

"Coffee Annan" was a good quip until "Oh, like Jesus" took all the glory :-)

[@ODogMcGee]

Tbh I’ve only drank Earl Grey because of Captain Picard

[@adamryan5538]

Same

[@Davi75h]

Me too!

[@EarlGreyFTW_]

This

[@terriblej6107]

Ive heard that Patrick Stewart hated Earl Grey tea, he liked others though

[@A_Salted_Fishe]

I'm an ignorant fool - why? Does Picard drink Earl Grey?

[@Muizur]

"Well, you and me both"... Laughed into my tea at that one!

[@SavageGreywolf]

"If I'd said that, I'd be in so much... well, he probably will be." XD

[@Farweasel]

Ain't *that* the truth.

[@badgerello]

You had me at “like Jesus?”... 😂

[@guesswho2390]

I really liked her Oh! jumper so I looked it up to find it at $441?!

[@MrCooll971]

Wait what? Is it from a big brand or something? How is that possible?

[@TheGreatAtario]

Damn, I'm in the wrong business

[@221b-Maker-Street]

@@MrCooll971 I think it was a Bella Freud jumper. She also did a 1975 jumper that was eye-wateringly expensive. Probably on loan just for the show.

[@luuketaylor]

Yes, Alan, I do love a cup of Jesus in the morning to start my day

[@TheParachaz]

With your three brothers no doubt...lol

[@Farweasel]

Well, You can get special biscuits for Cheesus.

[@FalconFire13]

That "50 shades of Grey" comment deserved more applause.

[@stratobungle]

And that humorous and embarrassed downward & to her left glance really added to the joke (I heart Sara Pascoe!)

[@JohnyG29]

Why? It wasn't funny.

[@thespankmyfrank]

@@JohnyG29 Different people find different things funny, shocking, right?

[@muzlp]

Jeremy was surprisingly quite in this conversation 😅 I was expecting him to give all sorts of ridiculous guesses 😬

[@fehoobar]

He knows when to give others some space. Except for personal space, of course.

-quite- quiet One could also say he was quite quiet…

[@williamwilson6499]

1:38 Absolutely the best comment ever.

[@theerarkh]

It's a new record: Jeremy cracked me on the fifth second of a video

[@borismuller86]

I had to rewind to hear it properly.

[@WickedTRX]

“Like Jesus” and I spilled my Earl Grey

[@ScootsMcDootson]

Earl Grey has a statue on top of big column in Newcastle, commemorating the great reform act, called Greys Monument, and the metro station under it is accordingly called Monument.

[@stonkr]

The steps inside seem to go on forever as there are no windows. Worth a trip up when they have open days, and I don't like heights...

[@brunoliddle]

I love how this video (for me at least) is sponsored by Lipton's (the tea brand)

[@TheFaarf]

Unpopular opinon: Earl Grey is my go-to tea

[@Kiros37100]

It's one of the most popular teas in the world.. Hardly an unpopular opinion.

[@clockworkkirlia7475]

It was Picard's go-to as well; not sure it's that unpopular. Mine is Empress Grey if it's available, then Lady, then Earl, unless it's more of a Masala Chai sort of day.

[@Mr.Northman]

Same here. Well, Earl is the name of my Uber driver that always takes me to the shops to buy Tetley tea.

[@NewMessage]

_Captain Picard has joined the chat_

[@NewMessage]

...and he's comin' in hot!

[@theabraham8164]

@@NewMessage He's come in me also.

[@marccolten9801]

Do you think that even Patrick Stewart asked "If I'm supposed to be French why do I drink hot English tea?"

[@confectortyrannis275]

Computer! Earl Grey, *hot*

[@peterporkeresq.2817]

@@marccolten9801 Who are the geniuses responsible for such silly decisions? 🤦🏿‍♂️

[@davidgustavsson4000]

Even more nepotistic than Robert Cecil, who singlehandedly gave rise to the expression "Bob's your uncle" (meaning "you're set")?

[@Jono1982]

the more you know!

[@EebstertheGreat]

Newspapers at the time did not make that joke, and although the nepotism of Robert Cecil appointing his nephew Arthur Balfour as Chief Secretary of Ireland was noted, nothing like the phrase "Bob's your uncle" appears before 1924. It doesn't make sense that a famous phrase that survived well over a century would wait 40 years to show up in print, not even in the popular tabloids and magazines of the era.

[@davidgustavsson4000]

@@EebstertheGreat but the expression could have been coined in the 1920s, using the (then) historical example of Bob Cecil. Or it could have been a personal expression used by an individual or a few individuals for 40 years before it was picked up at any scale. Yes, the Cecil theory is not definitively proven, but I don't think the counter arguments are as strong as the story is good.

[@maxxie8058]

@@davidgustavsson4000 I'm not a native speaker, so I might be completely wrong, but I was taught that Bob is a colloquial name for the Devil, and that's who the expression refers to. Is that not the case ?

[@davidgustavsson4000]

@@maxxie8058 me neither. I've never heard "Bob" as a euphemism, but it could be I guess. The wiki article for the expression only mentions the Cecil theory (as well as its chronology issue).

[@JohnyG29]

The tea blend was originally made for Earl Grey, so he did have some connection to it. His government also did the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. Its odd QI don't mention that.

[@CristiNeagu]

Don't wanna be reminding the people that Great Britain abolished slavery in 1833. Better to keep racial tensions up by pretending like the west is the most racist place on the planet, despite China running literal slave labor camps.

[@zork999]

@@CristiNeagu Actually, the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 abolished slavery in most of the *colonies* (excluding those ruled by the East India Company like Ceylon, which did not go away until the Indian Slavery Act of 1843) but not in the home islands. Technically slavery was not made illegal in England, etc until 1998 when the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 was repealed and the EU Code of Human Rights was incorporated into UK law.

[@CristiNeagu]

@@zork999 Don't split hairs.

[@dexterjau3]

@@CristiNeagu China literally doesn't run slave labor camps.

[@Dasqal]

@@CristiNeagu Every single large Western company is running literal slave labor camps too thought, we just do it overseas instead. Out of sight, out of mind.

[@decodolly1535]

I agree with Jason, Earl Grey tea tastes like boiled perfume.

[@angemaidment5640]

I’ve never had it, the smell put me off 🤢🤢🤢

[@saltynutzz]

It's best with green tea.

[@gustavmeyrink_2.0]

It is utterly disgusting.

[@wunnell]

I generally like Earl Grey but a lot of them are a bit overdone. The tea and Bergamot flavours seem to separate to me. I have found one here in Australia that is quite mild and I have at least four cups a day.

[@harryradley]

@@wunnell Random that the other person who likes it would also be an Aussie 😁 I always mix it with something more robust like one of the stronger breakfast teas or Darjeeling and I love it.

[@xxxenricop]

Jeremy is right though, had he said that Jesus joke he'd have got so much grief the day after....

[@Call-me-Al]

It's a good sign of how little good will people have left for you when they are that quick to jump at your throat.

[@bridgeworld1]

Earl Grey is the best.

[@borismuller86]

It really is.

[@AnttiBrax]

No denying that.

[@bridgeworld1]

Although they do tend to take the piss on building sites !

[@Bananeisafree]

Oh Allan... I love you so much

[@59jalex]

Never thought much of Davies, but that "oh, like Jesus" quip was gold.

[@ericfontaine2145]

So funny. Great clip

[@mikejones-go8vz]

I like how she says, ‘and pretty sexy’ 😃

[@TallSilentGuy]

I like Earl Grey so I'm staying out of the comments section so I won't have to hear it being trashed.

[@tessc-b1886]

It's an excellent tea

[@macsnafu]

Berga-MOT? POTpourri? Not that I have the most refined taste, or anything. I really like Earl Grey--as a sweet iced tea! ;-)

[@nimue325]

This is interesting because in American English the T is pronounced in bergamot. It comes from the French bergamote, where the T is also pronounced. We don’t pronounce the T in potpourri, though.

[@budd2nd]

@@nimue325 Yeah same here in London, UK.

[@nimue325]

@@budd2nd It’s good to know we can remain united in some matters despite the great filette-fillay schism in the world of butchery.

[@Loungemermaid]

Bergamot ultimately comes from bergamotta, from Italian, though we get it from French bergamote

[@FreakyRufus]

As entertaining as this clip is, it never answers the question.

[@nicopillay4059]

Alan looks like a dashing James May

[@MartianInAHumansBody]

Alan Davies with the joke of the clip

[@IvoTrausch]

I'm now adopting the northern pronounciation of "Pot Purreh"

[@katiekitchen895]

I’m a midlander and have always said the t in pot. We once put dip & mixed veg crisps out as a starter on Christmas Day and my brother in law asked why we’d put pot pury on the table, when the food smelt so nice. That is used to rib him every visit!

[@danwilton1874]

Can anybody explain Clarkson's joke at the beginning?

[@azzyclark3860]

Kofi Annan was a noblemen in a sense (UN Secretary General). Kofi similar to coffee.

[@rtg_onefourtwoeightfiveseven]

@@azzyclark3860 Thanks, I'd seen that clip earlier on the One-Liners compilation but never understood it.

[@TimotheeLee]

Tea is so funny Britain has such a great sense of it self.

[@AmbientWalking]

50 shades of grey haha!

[@christopherdeguilio6375]

Like Jesus Yayyyy Alan

[@helicocktor]

That Oh! sweatshirt is cool i want it

[@bowiexing6226]

Here you go www.lyst.com/clothing/bella-freud-oh-wool-jumper-black/

[@andrewwolfe2071]

Brilliant!

[@fehoobar]

Great clip. You should pay Sandi more.

[@Mr.Northman]

They would if she was Male.

[@lordmorley7561]

Was disappointed that Alan Davies didn't reference his Jonathan Creek line about pot pourri - sorry but I can't remember which episode it came from - however I do understand that his focus was most likely on the fragrant beverage that is Earl Grey tea.

[@richardapplewhite4091]

The scented room

[@lordmorley7561]

@Richard Applewhite, thank you.Regards, L M

[@paulashe61]

Hob Nobs were conceived to use up the biscuit waste in factories.

[@JaghataiK]

"like Jesus?" Brilliant!

[@makiburgess5733]

The Grey Cup! The oldest trophy in North American professional sports. It is awarded to the champion of Canadian football (for a long time, the CFL champion, but it predates the league).

[@darkfoxxbunyip]

I never pick anything, just to annoy Sandy.

[@RIXRADvidz]

life's a struggle, huh.

[@AnttiBrax]

Ha, there's two of us. 🧐

[@paulashe61]

Lady Grey tea is a twinnings copyrighted product. It’s actually French tea.

[@geoffroi-le-Hook]

But there is that cup for the Canadian rugby / gridiron champions ...

[@Bdoserror]

Came here to say that.

[@rtl4x4]

The cup was named for the 4th Earl, who was Governor-General of Canada. The tea was named for the 2nd Earl, who was Prime Minister.

[@FreakyLeek]

Well please come on, where's my dunking biscuit?

[@RIXRADvidz]

I prefer a Lap Sang, sweetens nicely and works with milk, even cold.

[@steffannicholson9959]

As soon as the conversation moved to nepotism in government I thought I’d nodded off and the video had moved to talking about Donald Trump 😉

[@AnnDVine]

Wait, they let Clarkson back on the BBC? Huh.

[@bsjeffrey]

six degrees of the grey scale.

[@pauldzim]

Where's Jo Brand?

[@thewardiam]

The only thing Captain Picard ever got wrong.

[@joealtmaier9271]

He also read 'the classics', including Danielle Steele and Barbara Cartland

[@kjamison5951]

@@joealtmaier9271 He drew the line above Dan Brown. He would never read ‘The DaVinci Code’.

[@stonkr]

He didn't like the first ten minutes of The Inner Light, but then realised it was the best TNG episode ever.

[@LoneKharnivore]

*Picard

[@presidentwoodrow]

it's got nothing over a nice hot cup of Raktajino

[@Arghira]

Thanks for watching, do remember to s...

[@shogan8460]

Alan Davies🤣

[@nicholasburns729]

Sandi Tosvig, "He was probably dead 40 years, before someone came up with it." Alan David, "A bit like Jesus." Brilliant, Although we have actual independent verifiable historical evidence for Earl Grey.

[@cloudsparrow7729]

Rev Ian Paisley - NO POT POURRI!!!

[@thomasmaurice]

Still don’t know why it is called Earl grey. There was a law... and that’s why?

[@catch_0227]

Advertising - sells more if it is associated with royalty. Kind of like haagen dazs sounds Danish and therefore expensively exotic, but is instead an American company that intentionally used a foreign sounding name.

[@SuperMisterKory]

That Jesus joke earned an instant like, and I rarely like videos

[@kwanton1202]

Picard made it so.

[@bluemoyie8618]

50 shades of Grey ! Brilliant, Sara !

[@krisweinschenker598]

I'm not much for hot tea, but a kinda like Earl Grey. And, I have evidence to refute Alan's claim...just sayin

[@glenjones6980]

He's called Earl Gray as he hates his given name of Bert Robinson.

[@strivingformindfulness2356]

What's Lady Grey a euphemism for? Missed that..... 😉

[@Dwayne_Bearup]

I don't know, but when I heard it I thought, "Isn't that a name for heroin?"

[@theskywhale4683]

probably talking about a woman named Lady Grey, given Sandi's romantic preferences

[@iwanabana]

@@theskywhale4683 Or the grey bush around her lady parts.

[@vathek5958]

Also the abolition of slavery in 1833

[@apsarooh]

⚙️

[@stonkr]

Clicked for tea info, discovered the end of Christianity. Who knew?

[@carolynworthington8996]

I’m with him. Earl Grey and Lady Grey both taste like perfume to me.

[@MyCovertNarcissism]

Thumbs up if you're old enough to remember Sandy in Saturday morning kids show. No.73!!

[@rcr76]

No 73 3 3 3 3

[@lukewarmwater6412]

this was just a bunch of british people goofing off because they didnt think the cameras were running..... I had fun!

[@him050]

Forget lady grey, get me some red bush 😍

[@SSS_413]

*Oh like Jesus?*

[@kamiusu2360]

Subtitles please

[@AnttiBrax]

Seriously half of this show is gibberish accents drowned out by crowd laughter. The other half is pure gold, though.

[@francesquinn-escott744]

Why??

[@emiliospowerballer1441]

Whos Earl Grey

[@davidlawrence9091]

Perhaps,he's a Tea Bag?

[@welshpete12]

I still don't know why it's called Earl Grey !!

[@221b-Maker-Street]

Marketing. Give something a posh name, associate it with nobility, and folk will buy it. There's a company called _Gilchrist & Soames_ here who make faux posh toiletries that you sometimes get in hotels. It has a faux - almost royal-looking - crest on its packaging. The founder is an American called Paul Triarchos Xenis. 🙄

[@spaceracer23]

No love for Duke Hot Chocolate.

[@EricBrettJones]

When will we see the end of Sandii Toksvig, Please...

[@Madfattdeeb]

But why is it called "Earl Grey"?

[@jamesrau100]

Why can't we have game shows like this in the United States?

[@lumpylumpyloo]

grow up

[@CristiNeagu]

2:34 You say that, but today's government has got to be the most distantly removed government from the population. Most MPs seem to have nothing in common with their constituents and, in fact, make decisions that go contrary to what their constituents want or need.

[@klaxoncow]

You must be new here. That describes every government the UK has ever had in all its history. The current government is just one of the worst at hiding it and pretending otherwise, is all.

[@CristiNeagu]

@@klaxoncow I would say that this government has managed to accomplish the quickest destruction possible.

[@markhorton3994]

@@klaxoncow That describes every representative government, everywhere, ever.

[@ExternalInputs]

@@CristiNeagu Yet their constituents do get to vote them in, so it's hardly the most distantly removed government.

[@CristiNeagu]

@@ExternalInputs What if there is no choice? What if you cannot choose a better MP? What if the people you have to choose from are all lying about what their plans are? What if the people don't care what the MPs or the parties want to do, and they keep voting Labor because that's what they've been voting for decades? Sometimes, choices aren't really choices.

[@custardbaby4]

Who spilled their Jeremy Clarkson into my QI

[@romulusnr]

Earl Grey: Forms the most nepotistic administration that has ever been formed Donald Trump: Hold my tea

[@DavidSmith-yx7kn]

Clarkson was right if he had said that they would be all over his arse.

[@gapster77]

Tea, Assam, Hot.

[@doxielain2231]

I've never seen Clarkson so reserved. It's almost as if he was out of his depth.

[@Farweasel]

Yeah right.......... Like Clarkeson or don't he's still a very canny bloke. He might, however, have been told to keep it within a very narrow more or less PC band. His comment to Alan's 'Waht like Jesus' quip was as telling as it was funny.

[@doxielain2231]

@@Farweasel Oh, I know. Hence my surprise.

[@KaninTuzi]

He's just not used to being surrounded by so much wit

[@BRobMorris]

Why do they still have Clarkson on TV ever?

[@autumngryffinnheart6374]

Earl Grey is also responsible for sending Irish Potato Famine girls to Australia, solving 2 problems at once 😉

[@TheAlfsterino]

Please get rid of the Looonnngggg bit at the end with Sandi complaining we are still there...we wouldn;t be if you cut that bit out. We aren;t the one's wasting our time you are wasting our time.

[@thebigpicture2455]

I stopped watching after Fry left. And after watching a bit of this...yup...still not interested.

[@christiaannooteboom4277]

“He led the most nepotistic government in history” until Boris Johnson...