Episode 126 Eggheads

These people are amongst the greatest quiz players in Britain.

Together they make up the Eggheads, arguably the most formidable quiz team in the country.

The question is - can they be beaten?

Welcome to Eggheads where a team of five quiz challengers

attempt to beat possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain.

Their quiz pedigree is well-known as they've won some of the toughest quiz shows. They are the Eggheads.

Taking on their awesome might today

are the Para Equestrian Drivers.

Everyone on the team competes in the sport of equestrian driving

which team captain Terry describes as being like Ben-Hur.

-Let's meet them.

-Hi, I'm Terry, I'm 53 and a retired lorry driver.

Hi, I'm Heather, I'm 47 and I'm a newsroom journalist.

Hi, I'm James, I'm 43 and a retail developer.

Hi, I'm Margaret, I'm 34 and I'm a housewife.

Hi, I'm Lindsey, I'm 33 and an office administrator.

-Terry and team, welcome.

-Hi.

-So like Ben-Hur - explain.

Oh, it's just fast and furious. It's three-day eventing basically with a carriage on the back.

-Did you all meet through it?

-Yes, we've all competed against each other at club and national level.

And we all compete together in internationals.

-Are you big Eggheads fans?

-Yeah.

-Have you got a strategy here?

-Sort of.

-Kind of.

Good luck anyway.

Every day, £1,000 is up for grabs for our challengers,

but if they fail to defeat the Eggheads, the prize money rolls over to the next show.

Para Equestrian Drivers, the Eggheads have won the last four games,

so £5,000 says you can't beat them.

The first head-to-head battle is on Geography.

Who would like this?

-How do you feel about Geography?

-I don't know.

Now, the plan, where was the plan?

The plan was that we were all sacrificial lambs really.

Unless a subject came up that we were really confident about,

-we were going to sacrifice one of the others.

-But it's not me.

-So...

-Lindsey?

-Lindsey?

-Yeah, I'll have a go.

-OK, Lindsey, who would you like to play against?

-Daphne?

-Yeah.

-Daphne.

-So, Lindsey from the Para Equestrian Drivers versus Daphne from the Eggheads.

To make sure there's no conferring, please take your positions in the question room.

Lindsey, you've spent time on horses in the USA, I gather?

Yeah, I joined a group of international drivers

and we travelled the last 500 miles across America with horses.

-How terrific!

-It was amazing.

We'll see if Geography throws up something in that area.

Three multiple-choice questions on Geography. Whoever answers the most questions correctly is the winner.

-Lindsey, you can choose the first or the second set.

-First set, please.

Here we go. Palermo is the capital of which Mediterranean island?

I don't think it's Majorca.

I think, this is just a guess,

it's going to be...

..Sicily.

Spot-on. Well done. Sicily is correct.

Daphne, which English city is located on the River Soar?

I think that's Leicester.

And I think that is right.

One point each.

Lindsey, where is the town of Sheerness located?

I know for a fact it's not the Isle of Wight.

Isle of Dogs is London,

so, a process of elimination,

I think it's going to be Isle of Sheppey... And it's not.

Why do you say that? Absolutely right. Isle of Sheppey is correct.

Daphne, the National Railway Museum is in which city?

It's quite funny, actually,

because my son-in-law is going to take my husband there next month

and they're going to York.

They will find the National Railway Museum in York. Well done.

York it is. Lindsey, keep the pressure on

and get this one right. You never know, Daphne could go to pieces.

The word "eustasy" refers to global changes in what?

This is spelt E-U-S-T-A-S-Y.

I'm just thinking of the word.

I don't know that it's temperature.

I think it's going to be atmospheric pressure.

Atmospheric pressure is your answer.

Let's see if the Eggheads know.

-It's got to be sea level from the word.

-Why?

Words beginning with "eus", like "eustarine" is a saltwater crocodile,

so it's going to be sea level.

OK, I'm with you. Yes, sea level is the right answer, Lindsey.

Daphne, you get the round if you get this right.

The Etosha Game Park is in which African country?

E-T-O-S-H-A.

SHE SIGHS

E-T-O...

Um...

I don't know why,

but I'm thinking it might be in Morocco.

Morocco...

-Is wrong?

-Is wrong. Etosha is in Namibia.

-Right.

-Two points each after three questions. The scores are level.

We go off multiple choice and it gets a bit harder now, Lindsey.

Sudden death. I need the answer from you. Here we go.

The Grotta Azzurra, or Blue Grotto, is a famous tourist attraction on which Italian island?

Um...

I can honestly say...

..I don't know.

I don't know that part of...

the, uh, obviously...

No, I don't know.

-Eggheads?

-Capri.

Capri is the answer.

Daphne, if you get this right, you've taken the round.

Snaefell is the highest peak on which British island?

The Isle of Man.

The Isle of Man is the right answer, Daphne, so you will be in the final.

Lindsey, sorry, you won't be. She just pipped you at the post.

Do both of you come back and rejoin your teams.

So, as it stands, the challengers have lost one brain from the final round.

The Eggheads have lost no brains. The next subject is Sport.

Which of you wants to play Sport?

That is part of our cunning plan. That's James.

-James against which Egghead? Not Daphne.

-It's not going to be Daphne. It's going to be CJ.

-Yeah, we reckon CJ.

-James from the Para Equestrian Drivers versus CJ from the Eggheads.

To ensure there's no conferring, please take your positions.

-Three questions on Sport in turn. James, you can choose the first or second set.

-First set, please.

James, the striker Raul has scored over 300 goals for which football club?

I know the answer to this. It's Real Madrid.

Spot-on. Real Madrid it is.

CJ, how many gold medals were won by the sprinter Usain Bolt

at the 2008 Olympic Games?

-Just how many medals?

-How many gold medals?

Obviously, he's got the 100 and the 200 metres.

I have to assume he was part of the 4 x 100 metres relay.

I don't think he took part in any field events,

so I'll just have to go for three.

Three is right. Well done. Good stuff. Good work, Eggheads.

James, over to you. Which team traditionally wears maroon caps for Test cricket?

That will be the West Indies

cos Viv Richards used to wear one.

Spot-on. West Indies is correct. West Indies it is.

CJ, your second question.

Which jockey rode Nashwan to win the Epsom Derby in 1989?

I don't know.

The Derby, you say?

-The Epsom Derby.

-Yes, I've heard of that.

-Nearly called The Bunbury.

-Can't give you any points for that.

I'll rule out Tommy Stack cos I think he was earlier.

Wasn't he associated with Red Rum?

I don't know. Willie Carson.

Willie Carson is your answer. James, do you know?

I do cos I've actually got three flat horses. It is Willie Carson.

-Well done.

-Yeah, well done. You're right.

OK, third question for you, James,

to get the pressure on CJ.

Which rugby league team is traditionally nicknamed The Robins

for the broad red stripe on their jerseys?

Um, I can...

Wigan play in red and white.

Leeds don't. They play in blue and yellow.

Hull Kingston Rovers, I can't remember.

So I'll have to go with Wigan cos they play in red and white.

OK...

-Terry?

-I'm from Hull.

It's... I'm from West Hull which is Hull FC

and our bitter rivals are Hull Kingston Rovers which is The Robins.

And the pattern is what on the jersey?

-Stripes.

-A broad stripe.

-A big, broad stripe across the chest.

James, he's right. It's Hull, it's not Wigan.

So CJ has a chance to take the round.

The Scottish motor-racing driver Jim Clark won the Formula One World Championship in 1963 and 1965,

driving which type of car, CJ?

I'm not absolutely sure, but I always associate Jim Clark with Lotus.

And I knew the years.

BRM...

I always associate Jim Clark, Lotus. Those just seem to go together.

So, Lotus.

Lotus is the correct answer, CJ.

Bad luck, James. You were beaten by our Egghead.

You won't be able to help your team in the final round. Please come back and rejoin your team-mates.

So, as it stands, the challengers have lost two brains from the final round.

The Eggheads have lost no brains. The next subject is Film and TV.

Is that you?

-I'll take that.

-You fancy...?

-I'll take that.

-Margaret, OK.

Margaret, who do you want to play against? Can't be CJ or Daphne.

-Judith, please.

-Judith, OK.

Margaret from the Para Equestrian Drivers versus Judith from the Eggheads. Take your positions.

-So, Margaret, you can choose the first or second set of questions.

-First, please.

Here's your first question.

Which genre of film has been referred to as "horse opera"?

It's definitely not a thriller and I don't think it'd be a comedy,

so it would have to be a western.

-I'm really glad you got that right.

-So am I.

-Western is right.

-I must say I haven't really heard that phrase.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

The horses don't like it. They're just "neigh" sayers.

Listen to the sound of tumbleweed.

I thought that was quite good myself.

I heard distant laughter(!) Judith, your question.

In which long-running medical TV drama did Alex Kingston play the role of Dr Elizabeth Corday?

I think I know this one. I think it's ER.

-You think it's ER? Is that your answer, Judith?

-Er, yes.

"Er, yes." It's, er, right.

-Thank goodness for that!

-Back to you, Margaret.

Your second question. In the TV drama Hustle, what was the name of the character played by Marc Warren?

It's not a programme I've seen.

So I'll have to take a stab in the dark.

Possibly Danny. But I don't know.

-Let's see if any of your team-mates know. Anyone a big Hustle fan?

-No.

-Hustle, Hustle? No-one's seen it? Oh, Daphne knows.

-It's Danny.

Danny is right. Danny is right.

Judith, which actress played the role of Mary Kate Danaher

opposite John Wayne in the 1952 film The Quiet Man?

I think it's either Maureen O'Hara or Jean Simmons.

I think it's Maureen O'Hara.

I hope it's Maureen O'Hara.

It is the right answer - Maureen O'Hara. Well done.

Back to you, Margaret.

The 2008 film Changeling starring Angelina Jolie

was directed by whom?

I don't think it was Clint Eastwood.

I'm drawn to Oliver Stone.

I don't recognise Ron Howard.

I'll go with Oliver Stone, please.

-Oliver Stone is the wrong answer. It was Clint Eastwood.

-Was it?

Judith, this to take the round.

For which 2003 film did Sofia Coppola, daughter of director Francis Ford Coppola,

win an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay?

I know she was involved in Lost In Translation,

so I'm going to say Lost In Translation.

Yes, you're right. Brilliant film too.

Lost In Translation is correct. You have won the round. Congratulations.

Margaret, you won't be able to join your team in the final round.

Please, both of you, come back and rejoin your team-mates.

So our challengers have now lost three brains from the final round.

The Eggheads have not lost any.

The last subject is Music.

Which of you wants this?

-It's got to be me. We're saving Terry for the last round.

-OK, Heather.

Against who? It can't be CJ, Daphne or Judith.

-I think we'll pick Chris.

-OK, Heather from the Para Equestrian Drivers against Chris.

-You love your music, don't you, Chris?

-I absolutely adore The Sugababes, yes.

To ensure there's no conferring, please take your positions in the question room.

Good luck against Chris. Three questions on Music in turn. You can choose the first or second set.

On the form of the team so far, I'll change tack and go second.

Chris, Chrissie Hynde is well-known for performing lead vocals with which rock group?

It wouldn't be Blondie. That was Debbie Harry.

The Eurythmics is Dave Stewart and Annie Lennox,

so it's got to be The Pretenders.

That's right. Chrissie Hynde was in The Pretenders.

Heather, your question.

Which musical instrument takes its name from the German for "bell play"?

Hmm. It's funny, when you're at home, you can scream the answers out.

When you're sitting here, you don't know them.

I'm sort of torn because I think the tuba has that kind of a shape.

Then the glockenspiel...

I'll go with tuba.

Tuba is wrong.

-Actually, Eggheads, do you know?

-Glockenspiel.

-Because you strike it?

-It literally means "bell play".

-"Glocken" is "bells", "spiel" means "play".

-I should've worked that out.

-I was the same as you, Heather. I didn't see it.

-Yes.

Glockenspiel is the right answer.

Chris, which Joni Mitchell song starts with the lyrics,

"They paved paradise and put up a parking lot"?

# Don't it always seem to go

# You don't know what you've got till it's gone... #

-It's Big Yellow Taxi.

-You've got to sing the right line. Go on.

Continue your song.

-# They've paved paradise and put up a parking lot... #

-Well done.

Big Yellow Taxi is correct.

Can't offer you an extra point for massacring it.

Heather, your question. In 1995, who was at the top of the UK singles chart

for seven weeks with Think Twice?

I couldn't even sing it for you if I wanted to,

or if you wanted me to.

I'm going to take a stab at...

Shania Twain.

Shania Twain it was not.

Celine Dion is the answer there.

Can you sing that one, Chris?

No!

I can do My Heart Will Go On if I've had a few, but not Think Twice.

Please don't.

Heather, there's no way back for you in this round.

Do both of you come back to the studio.

This is what we've been playing towards - the final round which is General Knowledge.

Those who lost their head-to-heads

can't take part in this round.

So, Heather, James, Margaret and Lindsey from the Para Equestrian Drivers, please leave the studio.

So, Terry, it's not just the Eggheads, it's the classic line-up.

-It is.

-How did we end up in this position facing this lot?

-Exactly.

-Where's all my friends gone?

-They're cheering you on.

-Let's see if we can squeak a miracle past them...

-Finish it off.

-Yeah, exactly.

So you're playing to win the Para Equestrian Drivers £5,000.

Judith, Kevin, CJ, Daphne and Chris, you're playing for the Eggheads' reputation.

I'll ask each team three questions in turn and this time the questions are all general knowledge.

-You're allowed to confer, but that doesn't help very much.

-I can talk to myself.

The question is, Terry, is your one brain better than the classic Eggheads' five brains?

-Would you like to go first or second?

-First, please.

All the best.

Terry, the surname of the Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata

has famously been used to refer to a type of what?

Zapata... Viva Zapata!

Um... All I can think of is...

looking at the archetypal Mexican face, is the moustache.

So I'm drawn to moustache.

-I'm glad you are. Moustache is right. Well done.

-Thank you.

OK, Eggheads...

For what does the letter C stand in the military acronym ANZAC?

Australia and New Zealand Army Corps.

It's the Australia and New Zealand Army Corps, so Corps.

It very much is. Corps is correct. Well done. Back to you, Terry.

Jay Jopling, the son of a former minister in Margaret Thatcher's government,

is famous in what capacity?

Well...

I can't say I've heard of him either.

I don't think it's fashion.

I keep thinking "art dealer".

I'll go with art dealer, please, Jeremy.

Art dealer is your answer...

Jay Jopling is indeed an art dealer. Well done.

Eggheads, which play by Shakespeare features a pompous schoolmaster called Holofernes

and a clown called Costard?

That's Love's Labour's Lost.

It's Love's Labour's Lost.

That is the correct answer. Two points each.

Terry, here's your next question. The London Assembly building called City Hall is in which borough?

I'm getting all the good ones(!)

I'm drawn to Southwark, but Tower Hamlets keeps...

Camden...

No...

I'll go with sort of my first inkling.

I've no idea why, but I'll go with Southwark.

You're playing really well, Terry. Southwark is correct.

Three out of three.

Many is the team that have had to do no more than this to win the money.

Eggheads, if you get this wrong,

well, you will have lost and the Equestrian Drivers will go away with the money. If you get this wrong.

In which field was Sydney Camm one of the 20th century's leading designers?

Aircraft, yeah.

He was an aircraft designer. He's the man who designed the Hurricane.

Aircraft is your answer. And it is the correct answer.

Both of you have played perfect rounds. We go to sudden death.

Not multiple choice. I need the answer from you.

Terry, at which Northumberland town

does the River Tweed enter the North Sea?

I believe it's Berwick. Berwick-on-Tweed?

It's correct. It is Berwick. Of course, Berwick-upon-Tweed, you're absolutely right.

OK, Eggheads, we're here again.

He's piling the pressure on you. If you get this answer wrong, they're going to get the money.

Toots and her brother Sidney, Fatty, Smiffy, Wilfrid and Plug

are characters from which comic strip first seen in 1954?

-That was the Bash Street Kids.

-Yeah.

Those are the Bash Street Kids.

-You're sure about that?

-Yes.

-Are they right, Terry?

-Yeah.

It is the Bash Street Kids.

Sudden death, the final round,

Para Equestrian Drivers playing for all that money - £5,000. And it's tight. Here's your question.

Which expression meaning "excessively enthusiastic"

comes from the Mandarin meaning "work together"?

-Excessively...?

-Which expression meaning "excessively enthusiastic"

comes from the Mandarin meaning "work together"?

Oh...

The first thing was OTT, over the top.

But it's not really something a Mandarin would say - "That's a bit over the top."

Excessive...

Cock-a-hoop.

You'll really be so annoyed when you hear this.

Actually, let me go to the Eggheads.

-Gung-ho.

-Gung-ho.

Oh!

All right.

So you've let them in, but they haven't won yet.

Your question, Eggheads. If you get this right, you've won the contest.

Which colourful spice is thought to derive its name from the Latin

meaning "deserving earth"?

Which colourful spice is thought to derive its name

from the Latin meaning "deserving earth"?

Turmeric. "Tur" is like "terra".

Oh, it could be, yes.

-It's bright yellow, isn't it?

-Turmeric possibly. "Terra", "tur"...

A colourful spice?

Turmeric is very colourful, certainly.

-Turmeric is bright.

-It makes sense.

-"Meric" is "merit".

Anything else? It sounds fine.

-Yeah.

-Any other possibilities?

-Not really.

-Yeah?

-Go for it.

-OK.

-We'll go for...

-It fits everything.

-Yes. We'll go for turmeric.

The answer...is turmeric.

-"Terra merita."

-Yeah.

Well done, Eggheads. You've won again.

You could have won there.

To get four in a row right, you can often see them slip up, so bad luck.

-I feel privileged to do it.

-Thanks.

Daphne's one of the... I always think of her as the nicest person I've never met.

You have met her now, so I'm sure she has fulfilled that description.

-It's been great to have you all. I hope it was fun meeting Daphne and...

-All of them.

Commiserations. The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them.

They still reign supreme over quizland.

You won't be going home with the £5,000, so the money rolls over.

Eggheads, congratulations. Who will beat you?

Join us next time to see if a new team of challengers have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£6,000 says they don't. Till then, goodbye.

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