[1] Producer Andrew Denton pitched the show as providing "an insight into what Australia really thinks about controversial topics" by removing "the barriers of political correctness.
Host Dickson confirmed that the show's premise had led to difficulty booking participants on the early episodes.
Season 1 was filmed at Global Television Studios at the Australian Technology Park in Eveleigh, Sydney.
[citation needed] The titular "worms" are yes/no questions about morals, society, responsible parenting, religion, race and various other topics.
The program features a panel of three public figures, answering questions issues that affect people every day involving political correctness, personal values and the unending capacity to make life complicated.
After picking one of the categories, the guest must answer truthfully, and see if it agrees with the studio audiences majority vote.
[8] In 2012, The Sydney Morning Herald gave the second series a positive review, writing, "It's a show that continues to evolve," and "it reliably delivers honest opinions."
[11] On the 18 July 2011 episode, former Carlton Football Club President John Elliott caused controversy by referring to Indigenous Australians using the pejorative "abos."
[11] During the second series, conservative political activist group CANdo: Australia's Voice started an online petition against the show after contestant James Mathison made crude, comedic remarks about conservative broadcaster Alan Jones on the 8 Oct 2012 episode.