London, UK – Move over childbirth, kidney stones, and paper cuts, there’s a new contender for “the greatest pain a human can possibly experience” – watching an episode of the popular British panel show “Have I Got News For You.”
In a recent study conducted by the British Pain Society, researchers subjected participants to a range of painful stimuli, including electric shocks and thermal heat, while monitoring their brain activity and subjective experiences of pain. Participants were then asked to watch an episode of “Have I Got News For You” while hooked up to the same pain monitoring equipment.
The results were clear – watching the show caused more pain and discomfort than any other experience tested.
“We were quite surprised by the findings,” said lead researcher Dr. Jane Smith. “We had hypothesized that physical pain would top the pain scale, but it turns out that the mental anguish caused by ‘Have I Got News For You’ is unparalleled.”
According to the study, the show caused a significant increase in pain ratings across all participants, along with a corresponding increase in brain activity in areas associated with physical pain, such as the anterior cingulate cortex and the insula.
“We believe that the show’s smug and condescending tone is partly to blame for the intense pain experienced by viewers,” said Dr. Smith. “Whatever the cause, we recommend that viewers proceed with caution – or better yet, avoid the show altogether.”
As news of the study spreads, some have taken to social media to express their agreement with the findings. “I always knew there was something inherently painful about ‘Have I Got News For You’,” wrote one Twitter user.
At the time of publication, representatives for “Have I Got News For You” had not responded to requests for comment.
