Episode 128 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, the show 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 have won some of the country's toughest quiz shows.

They are the Eggheads.

And taking on the might of our quiz champions today

are Quantum of Taxes from Hampshire.

Team captain, Bijal, has called upon the quizzing talents

of the four brightest people she knows -

three of her former work colleagues and her husband, Manish.

So let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Bijal. I'm 41 and I'm a tax officer.

Hi, I'm Manish. I'm 39 and I'm a global finance manager.

Hi, I'm Val.

I'm 54 and I'm an admin assistant.

Hi, I'm Matt. I'm 38 and I'm a tax officer.

Hi, I'm Sue. I'm 49 and I'm a tax officer.

So welcome, Quantum of Taxes.

Hello.

And, Bijal, Manish, your husband, is not a tax person.

-That's right.

-So what do you do, then?

I work for an IT company. I'm in the finance department of that company.

-So you all do numbers, essentially, and pound notes.

-Yes.

-How do you feel against this lot?

-Quietly confident.

-Quietly confident.

Every day there's £1,000 of cash up for grabs.

However, if they fail to defeat the Eggheads,

the prize money rolls over to the next show.

The Eggheads have won the last six games,

which means £7,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

First head-to-head battle is on the subject of Food And Drink.

Challengers, which one of you wants this?

Do you want to do Food And Drink? Or... I said I'd do it, didn't I?

-Yeah, go for it.

-We were hoping Kevin would be here.

THEY LAUGH

You're out of luck. Kevin's famous food and drink problems.

Who do you reckon, guys?

-Chris?

-CJ?

-We'll go for CJ.

-So, Bijal?

-Yes.

-OK, Bijal from Quantum Of Taxes

against CJ from the Eggheads on food and drink.

Please, go to the question room.

Food And Drink. Three questions, multiple-choice

and, Bijal, for the Challengers,

you can choose the first or second set of questions.

I'd like to go first, please.

Here we go.

Which potent spirit, Bijal, is made from the juice of the agave plant?

OK. I'm not a spirit drinker

so this would have to really be a guess.

I'm going to go for tequila, I think. Straight down the middle.

Tequila is the right answer.

Well done.

CJ, your question.

What name is given to the thin, crispy wafers traditionally served

as an appetiser in British curry restaurants?

They are poppadoms, Jeremy.

They are. You said that in a very menacing voice.

Yes, because that's probably the only one I'm going to get right.

Poppadom is the right answer, CJ. Well done.

OK, Bijal.

The TV cook who is the daughter of the Poet Laureate, Cecil Day-Lewis,

uses what first name?

I've not heard of any of those.

I'm going to go with Millicent.

Millicent is your answer.

-Eggheads, do you know?

-Tamasin.

It's Tamasin Day-Lewis, is it?

She used to be in the Saturday Telegraph

or the Sunday Telegraph, but not any more.

It's Tamasin Day-Lewis. Sorry.

So, CJ's chance to pull ahead on food and drink.

The dried spice called cloves consists of what, CJ?

I remember seeing them. They're little black things, aren't they?

When I was younger I had, was it oil of cloves

to help with the toothache? It not only tasted disgusting,

it made the toothache worse.

But I think they're little black, open flower buds.

Someone's nodding.

-That's a good sign.

-They're nodding dogs on the right, the Eggheads.

They and you are right. Flower buds is correct.

OK, Bijal, you need this one now,

otherwise CJ is in the final.

Which Japanese name which can be translated as "beans on branches"

is now frequently used in Britain to describe young, green soya beans?

OK. Gyoza, I think, is a kind of dumpling

because I remember I wanted it last night

and they didn't have it on the menu.

I went to a Chinese restaurant - Japanese restaurant.

I think it's going to be gyoza

because that's the only vegetarian option

I saw on the menu in the Japanese restaurant,

so I'm going to have to go with that, I think.

OK, that's a shame because,

with the menu, you must have been so near the answer there.

And it's edamame. It's not gyoza.

So, CJ,

-you've triumphed on Food And Drink.

-There's a surprise.

A man who drinks and eats nothing.

Bijal, You were beaten by our Egghead

so you won't be in the final, I'm afraid.

Please, both of you, come back and rejoin your teams.

As it stands, the Challengers have lost one brain

from the final round, while the Eggheads have not lost any.

Next subject for Quantum of Taxes is Music.

So, what's the plan here?

You said either Sport or Music, so Music.

-Who are you going to go against?

-I'll do Music.

OK. Manish does Music against...?

I'll take Daphne on for Music.

Right. Manish from Quantum Of Taxes

against Daphne, on Music, from the Eggheads.

-You love your musicals, we know that.

-Yes.

Not so good on rap.

-No.

-To ensure there's no conferring,

would you please take your positions?

So I'll ask each of you three questions on Music in turn.

And, Manish, would you like the first or second set of questions?

I'll go first please, Jeremy. Thank you.

What type of musical instrument is a cornet?

I think you blow into a cornet, so I don't think it's a string instrument.

I'm going to go with percussion.

MOUTHS: What?!

You've thrown me completely because you said you blow into it.

Oh! Oh, no!

I think you did mean brass.

Yes, I did. I'm sorry.

No, I'm sorry.

Percussion is wrong, brass is the correct answer.

We know what you were trying to say.

Daphne, In The Air Tonight was the title of which artist's

first UK solo hit single?

I don't know.

Oh, dear!

Oh, dear. Phil Collins.

No?

Fate is cruel.

A lucky guess is always right.

You're right. "I don't know" is always followed by the right answer.

Daphne, Phil Collins it was. You got the answer right.

OK, Manish,

we wiped away the percussion thought.

The Verve, famously fronted by the singer Richard Ashcroft,

were formed in which town?

I've heard of The Verve.

Um, I'm not sure what town.

I'm going to hazard a guess at Wolverhampton.

Just one to the left, I'm afraid.

Wigan. Not Wolverhampton, but Wigan.

That means, Daphne,

if you get this right,

you will have won the round cleanly.

Mary From The Dairy was the signature tune

of which British music hall entertainer?

Oh, dear.

I can remember hearing this, I mean, I'm that old. It's Max Miller.

How did it go, Mary From The Dairy?

Please don't ask her to sing.

-I don't know...

-CJ is saying, "Please don't ask her to sing."

Exactly. Don't ask. I could clear the studio, I promise.

Chris, you've got to sing it, then.

I know the first line.

# I'm in love with Mary from the dairy... #

'Ere, Missus. I went home last night, here's a funny thing.

That is a funny thing.

You're right, Daphne. Max Miller, it is. Two questions have been enough

and you will be in the final round.

Manish, sorry. You were beaten by our Egghead, which does happen.

We won't mention the brass again. Do, both of you,

come back and rejoin your teams.

OK, Challengers, don't worry - we build from here.

As it stands, you've lost two brains from the final round.

Eggheads - untouched. No brains gone.

Next subject is History.

It can't be Manish or Bijal.

-Who wants this?

-Do you want me to take it?

I think you're going to have to.

Sue.

OK, Sue, who would you like to take on? It can't be CJ or Daphne.

-Barry, please.

-Interesting choice. He does love his history.

Sue from the Quantum of Taxes against Barry from the Eggheads.

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

in the question room.

Three questions on History in turn.

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

-The first set, please.

Here's your first question.

The French Foreign Legion

was originally founded as a military unit to support

the conquest of which country?

I don't think it was India.

I think it's Algeria or Spain.

I tend towards...

I'll go for Algeria.

Algeria is the right answer, well done.

Well done.

Barry, your question.

From which type of wood

was the medieval English longbow traditionally made?

A longbow needed to be able to be pulled quite significantly

on the side, so it needed to be a wood of great power and strength,

and the only one there that has that degree of strength is the yew.

Yew is correct. It's the yew.

Over to you, Sue. Who was the first Lord of the Admiralty

at the outbreak of World War I?

Well, Churchill was World War II,

so I would say it would be Asquith or Haig.

I'll go for Asquith.

Asquith is your answer.

-Do I sense this team know the answer?

-It's Churchill.

Yes, you were just looking like, "No, don't rule him out!"

Churchill is the answer.

Barry, here is your question, then.

During World War II,

what type of military vehicle was the Gloster Gladiator?

It was a fighter plane.

You don't sound very uncertain.

That's because I'm not.

It was a fighter plane.

OK, let's move on.

Sue, it's fair to say you need to get this one right.

OK? What was the name of the Italian philosopher

who was burnt at the stake by the Inquisition in 1600

for his heretical ideas about astronomy?

Difficult.

I don't think it was Bruno.

I'm going to go for...

..Cleghi, the middle one.

Cleghi?

Was it Cleghi?

I would have gone for di Cremona.

It was Giordano Bruno.

Yeah, I said it was Bruno.

Yeah, Bruno's the right answer, not Cleghi.

Sue, you won't be in the final and Barry will.

Another victorious round for our Eggheads.

Do, both of you, please come back and rejoin your teams.

The Challengers have now lost three brains

from the final round, the Eggheads have not lost any.

-The last subject before the final is Arts and Books.

-Oh!

We knew it would be Arts and Books!

But you're bookkeepers.

I will take one for the team.

-Will you?

-Yes, I think you're going to have to.

I will take Chris with me, if that's OK.

Matt from Quantum of Taxes versus Chris from the Eggheads.

Please, both of you, go to the question room now.

Good luck in this round. Three questions on Arts and Books in turn.

Matt, you can choose the first or the second set of questions.

I'll go for the first, please.

Here we go.

Pemberley, widely believed to be

based on Chatsworth House, is the home of which literary character?

I have very little idea,

but I'll get rid of Heathcliff,

because it sounds too grand a house for Heathcliff to reside in.

I'm going to plump for Fitzwilliam Darcy.

Fitzwilliam Darcy is spot on.

Well done.

Chris, the line,

"He calls the knaves Jacks, this boy",

is said by which character

in Charles Dickens's novel, Great Expectations?

It doesn't sound like something Estella would say.

Or does it?

Of course, initially, Estella despises Pip, doesn't she?

So it would be Estella, saying that,

"This boy is riff-raff because he calls the Jacks knaves."

It's Estella.

You started wrong and ended up right!

Estella is the right answer. One-each.

Matt, in which field of the arts did the Hungarian-born Robert Capa

become well known in the 20th century?

I've heard of the name.

I haven't heard of him in relation to architecture,

so I'll take a wild stab at sculpture.

Sculpture.

Bijal, do you know?

-Photography.

-Sorry, Matt, it's photography.

-Never mind.

OK, Chris.

Which American crime author wrote a series of novels

that came to be known as The LA Quartet?

Ah, yes, that's the Onion Field and the others, isn't it,

about corrupt cops? It's Elmore Leonard.

You're wrong, Chris.

-It's James Ellroy, in that case.

-It is James Ellroy.

OK, Matt, your question.

Who said, "Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world,"

in his essay A Defence Of Poetry?

I'm veering between one and then the other,

but I'm going to plump for...

Keats.

Based on nothing, but a strong gut feeling.

The gut feeling says Keats, is he right?

He was about to go for the right answer.

Shelley, it is. Shelley, Matt.

Chris, your question,

for the round.

Gordianus the Finder is the main protagonist in a series of novels

set in ancient Rome by which author?

As far as I know, the only one of those

that writes novels set in ancient Rome is Conn Iggulden.

I've never heard of Lindsey Davis or Steven Saylor,

I'll have to go with Conn Iggulden.

Conn Iggulden...

is wrong.

It's Steven Saylor.

So, after three questions,

you have one point each - we go to Sudden Death.

It gets a bit harder now, Matt,

because I need the answer from you, not multiple-choice. Are you ready?

Published in 1958, Memoirs Of A Dutiful Daughter

is the first volume of the autobiography of which French writer, Matt?

I'm not sure I know any French writers.

No, I've no idea.

I have nothing.

-Is that a pass?

-It is a pass.

-Eggheads?

-ALL: Simone de Beauvoir.

Simone de Beauvoir, they all chorused together.

Chris, your question,

this for the round.

Which Alan Ayckbourn play tells of the widower, Guy Jones,

who joins an amateur dramatic society

which is putting on a production of The Beggar's Opera?

That is A Chorus Of Disapproval.

A Chorus Of Disapproval is the right answer, Chris, Well done.

Matt, you were beaten by our Egghead,

so as a result, you won't be able to help your team in the final round.

Would you both please come back and rejoin your team mates?

So, this is what we have been playing towards,

it is time for our final round.

As always, it's General Knowledge.

I'm afraid there has been a bit of damage to Quantum of Taxes. Who's left, actually?

-She's our secret weapon.

-Right.

Those who lost your head-to-heads can't take part in this round.

That is Bijal, Manish, Matt and Sue from the Challengers.

Please now leave the studio.

So, Val, you're playing to win Quantum of Taxes £7,000.

CJ, Daphne, Chris, Barry and Judith,

you're playing for something money really can't buy, which is the Eggheads' precious reputation.

As usual, I'll ask each team three questions in turn.

This time, the questions are all General Knowledge

and you are allowed to confer.

The question is, Val, is your one brain

better than the Eggheads' five?

Would you like to go first or second?

I'll keep with tradition and go first.

Good luck. Lots of people watching are rooting for you.

Which word, Val,

means to hit the ball in golf or cricket with a weak, lifting motion?

Well, I don't play golf,

so that's a disadvantage.

I would think if you were lifting something, you'd spoon it.

So, I'll say spoon.

Good one, it's right. Spoon is correct.

We are on our way, Taxes.

Here we go, Eggheads.

The Guardia Civil is the paramilitary national police force

of which country?

That's Spain.

Spain is correct.

Without hesitation.

Have you been in trouble with them?

No, but they're very sinister-looking.

If they're the ones with the funny hats,

funny shiny hats

who sort of lurk in corners,

I thought they were sinister-looking.

And with weapons.

-Probably, yes.

-So, weapons, funny hats and lurking in corners.

No wonder you remembered.

OK, over to you, Val.

"Dacoit" is a word of Hindi origin for what kind of person?

I'm not too sure about this one at all.

I think it sounds sort of...sinister,

so I think I'll go with armed robber.

Sinister, a bit like the Spanish police Judith was describing.

Armed robber is correct.

How about this?

Putting a run together.

Well done.

Eggheads, what's the English meaning of the Japanese word "konichiwa"?

It's hello.

"Konichiwa" is "hello", "sayonara" is "goodbye."

It's hello.

-Hello in Japanese.

-I'm told.

-Who has been to Japan?

-I have.

Ah, so you've said hello there?

Many times. "Domo" is "please" and "sayonara" is "goodbye."

-Sayonara?

-Sayonara.

Hello is the correct answer, Eggheads, well done.

Here we go.

Val, which actor played the role of the French President

in the TV series Little Britain USA?

I've never seen Little Britain USA, I've only seen the English version.

I'll just guess,

Michael Cera. It sounds French.

-It does, doesn't it?

-But it's wrong.

But it's wrong. Paul Rudd. It was Paul Rudd.

Here we go, next question.

If you get this right, Eggheads, you are triumphant again.

And the third game in a row we've only had one Challenger left.

So, I don't know what you're doing at the moment,

I don't know what your breakfast cereal is, but it's working.

Which building first opened its doors to the public in January 1759?

-Not the Natural History Museum.

-It's too early for Natural History.

The British Museum, I think, was built a bit later.

I think it was the National Gallery.

With a tiny soupcon of doubt, we think it's the National Gallery.

And how big is that soupcon, really?

A little spoonful or a tablespoon or a great big vat?

It's getting bigger.

An enormous bucketful of doubt?

It's now a ladle, if not a bucket.

It's a bucket, you're wrong.

It's the British Museum.

Yes, and Judith you chimed in with that brilliant fact

that the British Museum was built later,

and the whole team was swayed.

-It was my fault?

-Well, I did notice that.

British Museum is the correct answer

so you're wrong with National Gallery.

It's always a team decision.

-The scores are level. Well done, Val.

-I didn't expect this!

Not many get to this stage, particularly playing on their own.

Sudden Death now,

so we need the answers from you. Here's your first question.

Which British overseas territory

issues a weekly newspaper called The Penguin News?

Well, penguins are found in the South Pole,

so I presume it would be in the southern hemisphere.

I'll try the Falkland Islands.

No need to laugh, you're right. Falkland Islands is correct.

Well, well, well!

£7,000, which our Challengers will win if you get this wrong.

Eggheads,

Amitabh Bachchan is one of which country's most famous actors?

Spell it, please.

Amitabh is A-M-I-T-A-B-H.

Then it's B-A-C-H-C-H-A-N.

-Is he the Bollywood actor?

-It sounds very Indian.

I would say it's an Indian name.

Isn't he the guy in his 40s who does all the huge Bollywood musicals?

He's done more films than anybody else?

He's not a Hollywood actor and he's not a British actor

and he's not a French actor.

The other big industry for film is India.

The Pakistani industry based around Lahore which is called Lollywood.

But that's not a Pakistani name.

I think we have to go for India, don't we?

OK, two buckets of doubt, but India.

There's not that much doubt, is there? India is the right answer.

Born in Allahabad, and a 40-year film career.

Sudden Death we're on.

Here's your question, Val.

Which historical site was originally built around 1460,

and was brought back to attention in 1911 by the American historian Hiram Bingham?

I've no idea.

The only thing I can think of is, is it Sutton Hoo or something?

-Is that your answer?

-Yeah, it's the only one I can give.

Sutton Hoo or Sutton Ho?

-I think you've been there, Barry.

-I was there about a month ago.

And it is...?

It's Machu Picchu.

-Which is in...?

-Peru.

In Peru, so a little way away.

Machu Picchu is correct.

OK, so Val got that wrong.

So if you get this right, Eggheads, you've triumphed again.

Here's your question.

Which Booker Prize-winning author played the role of a doctor in the 2008 film Then She Found Me,

directed by Helen Hunt?

Oh, hold on!

Salman Rushdie?

Well, that's what I was thinking, but I can't recall the story.

That's what came to my mind.

-What other Booker Prize winner lives in America?

-Salman Rushdie?

-That's what we just said.

-He has done cameo appearances.

Has he?

Oh, hold on, is it Rushdie?

We were talking about it before.

I just had a vague sort of...

He has done something recently.

I think it's Salman Rushdie.

Shall we go for Salman Rushdie?

OK, Salman Rushdie.

Salman Rushdie is your answer?

Where did Rushdie come from, in that conversation?

He lives in America and he's done, apparently, cameo parts, in films.

-In Bridget Jones's Diary, of all things.

-If you get this right, Eggheads,

you've taken the contest and the £7,000 won't go to our team

of lovely tax people.

In the film, Then She Found Me, directed by Helen Hunt, there was a doctor.

The doctor was played by Salman Rushdie.

Well done! Real firepower on that from you.

Amazing. Congratulations, Eggheads, you have won.

Thank you for coming in and playing the game.

Commiserations to you, Challengers.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them. Their winning streak continues.

You'll not be going home with the £7,000, Quantum of Taxes,

sorry about that.

The money will roll over to the next show. Eggheads, congratulations.

Who will ever beat you? Join us next time

to see if a new team of Challengers have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£8,000 says they don't.

Until then, goodbye.

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