Victoria Coren Mitchell has posted a pre-emptive tweet on social media explaining that if anyone is wondering about her tattoo on Only Connect on Monday, October 11 at 8pm on BBC Two it is not real.

"On tonight's Only Connect: no, it isn't a bruise. It's a LOVELY GLITTERY FLOWER TATTOO. It isn't permanent. If I was going to get a permanent tattoo, I'd have a naval battle on my back. And a land battle on my navel. @BBCTwo 8pm."

This of course led to a discussion about what naval battle she might choose and whether her choice was connected to the fact that her husband, David Mitchell, is a history fan. His Peep Show character, Mark, was very keen on military history books.

Coren may have posted this following social media speculating on her appearance on the quiz in recent weeks. After she appeared in sunglasses and then a red wig viewers wondered if the Only Connect host was doing something Taskmaster-related.

Coren Mitchell scotched rumours by tweeting (her capitals): "NOTHING I WEAR HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH TASKMASTER, OR ANYTHING AT ALL APART FROM WHAT I HAPPENED TO PUT ON THAT DAY, AND AFTER THIS I DON'T WANT TO DISCUSS IT ANY MORE. LET'S GET BACK TO MARS ROVERS, SNOOKER SEQUENCES AND TERRY PRATCHETT NOVELS, PLEASE."

Of course some people still wondered if this was all an elaborate bluff.

In a revealing interview in the Observer this week Coren Mitchell said that she used to open the front door without anything on her feet to please a postman she once had (not her current one). "I did once have a postman who was a foot fetishist and he asked if I would mind answering the door barefoot when there were parcel deliveries. I said fine. It seemed harmless enough."

Read the full interview here.

Victoria Coren Mitchell can also currently be seen – with footwear on – on Taskmaster on Thursday nights on C4 at 9pm.

Taskmaster Picture: Avalon/C4