Some of the world's most famous liars — yes, this includes parents

Everybody lies. We can all wax lyrical about the value of honesty and how much integrity we apparently have but we all practise mendacity. But some of us are better at it than others and these are some of the best who have done it.

Count Von Lustig: Arguably the most infamous conman to have ever lived, this Czechoslovakia-born con artist took the art of selling snake oil to new levels. How good was he, you may ask? Well Count (he was not a real aristocrat) Victor Lustig is the only man in history to have sold the Eiffel Tower, twice.

Lance Armstrong: Remember all those "Livestrong" bracelets we loved for a time. The ones that stood for perseverance overcoming the odds like Lance did. Turns out we should've just traded those bands for a syringe full of EPO.

Bernie Madoff: As the reigning king of the Ponzi scheme, legend has it that good old Bernie once admitted to his sons that the asset management firm he was using to swindle billions was "one big lie". Clearly it was a good one because at its peak he was making off with enough money to build himself a swimming pool filled with notes.

Your parents: Between Santa, the Easter Bunny and appearing to know what they were doing, there is a good chance your parents have spent much of your life lying to you. Most of the time it was probably for your own good, but a lie is a lie.

Instagram: Contrary to what everyone's timeline suggests, no one is that happy. Nor is anyone a well-travelled repository for mental health quotes. Behind all the angles, filters and sucked-in stomachs, we are all dysfunctional messes. No one on Instagram needs to know that though.

Bill Clinton: "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." Nuff said.

Donald Trump: Whether it's, "not colluding" or having the best-attended inauguration, America's commander in chief and the unofficial brand ambassador of Fanta orange, has
built himself a pretty successful life through being dishonest. At the end of last year, The Washington Post's Fact Checker reported he had told 15,413 untruths during his residency
so far. 

A CHAMPIONSHIP FOR LIARS

No politicians or lawyers allowed, say the rules of The World's Biggest Liar competition, held annually in the isolated hamlet of Cumbria in the north of England.

"They're judged to be too skilled at telling porkies." Entrants must lie for between two and eight minutes. Dialects are permitted and overseas entrants must provide their own interpreter.

No scripts or prompt cards allowed. South African Abrie Krueger was the first non-British winner. In 2003 he won the competition for telling an unlikely but somehow convincing tale about how he was crowned King of the Wasdale Valley.

Mostly men have won the competition. There's been only one woman winner in the long history of the challenge. - Andrea Nagel