About

I Think I Can Smell Shite, Yes I Can Definitely Smell Shite refers to a catchphrase by the character Olive Actory, portrayed by Scottish actress Karen Dunbar, in the Scottish sitcom sketch series Chewin' the Fat. In sketches, Actory claims she can smell "shite", often in the form of a scam or a lie, from a distance away. Ever since its airing, it has been used as a reaction image to real life events and situations with the picture of the character looking odd whilst text with her catchphrase is photoshopped on the bottom.

Origin

"I Think I Can Smell Shite, Yes I Can Definitely Smell Shite" was a recurring skit / gag in the Scottish sitcom sketch series Chewin' the Fat. The woman in the sketch, Olive Actory is seen using her nose to sniff any false lies or misinformation that is spread around her. Throughout the run of the programme, she has been featured in several sketches (example shown below).

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Burger Free Token

The Burger Free Token sketch involved Olive talking to a salesman who was claiming that he was selling burger free tokens. Whilst the salesman is in the middle of talking, Olive starts sniffing and after his pitch, she tells him "I think I can smell shite, yes, I can definitely smell shite" before closing the door on him.

Letter

The Letter sketch involved Olive getting a pile of bills before getting a letter claiming that she had won £250,000, she starts sniffing the letter before saying "Well that's definitely shite!"

Up For Shaggin'

The Up For Shaggin' sketch involved Olive standing in a Highland field. Two men are walking and one of the men claims to the other that he has a girlfriend and also talking about what it is like dating a woman before the camera pans to Olive on the field sniffing from afar where she says "Shite! Oh yes, that's shite!"

Card

The Card sketch involved Oliver getting a card and again sniffing it and proclaiming that it was shite before she put it on the fireplace mantlepiece.

Wedding

The Wedding sketch involved a couple saying their vows when afterwards the priest in the church asks why anyone thinks they shouldn't be together. The sound of sniffing could be heard and the couple look on to the camera before the it pans on revealing Olive sniffing before she quickly stops and smiles – signaling that she approves the marriage.

Spread

The image began seeing use as a reaction as early as 2015. It appeared in a January 15th, 2015 tweet by user @wearenational^[1] in response to a story told by Scottish user @glasgowmurphy, gaining over 90 retweets and 170 likes (shown below, left). It appeared in a tweet by @spudulike1965 on June 4th, 2018, in a debate about Brexit (shown below, right.

Various Examples

Search Interest

External References