Episode 133 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've won some of the toughest quiz shows.

They are the Eggheads.

Taking on the might of our quiz champions today are

the Tranceformers.

Everyone on the team belongs to The Hypnotherapy Association -

an independent professional body in Britain representing

approved hypnotherapists in active practice.

Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Josephine. I'm 59 and I'm a hypno-psychotherapist.

Hello, my name's Costa. I'm 55 and I'm a holistic hypnotherapist.

Hello, I'm Helen.

I'm 52 and I'm a hypnotherapist.

Hi, I'm Ken. I'm 56 and I'm also a hypnotherapist.

Hi, I'm Ellen. I'm 53 and I'm a psychotherapist and hypnotherapist.

Tranceformers, welcome. Hi, Josephine.

-Hello.

-So it's hypnotherapy as opposed to hypnotism?

-Yes.

-Or are they the same thing?

Not quite. There is a fine distinction.

Generally, you think of a hypnotist as being a stage hypnotist.

Where hypnotherapy is used for therapeutic or psychotherapeutic

practices within hypnosis.

I know we can't show how you do it,

but is it the look into my eyes thing?

Only if you really want to.

There are other ways of sending people under?

There are all sorts of ways of inducing hypnosis in people,

including eye fixation.

Using things like a spiral or, normally, I just talk them to death.

-It's a lot more fun.

-Can some people be hypnotised and some can't?

If you look at the Eggheads, would you say that some

of them wouldn't go under?

No, from the evidence we've seen, the more intelligent and imaginative

a person is, the greater the subject they are for hypnotherapy.

So they'd all be absolutely wonderful.

Well, I think the opposite might be the case.

You'd have trouble with them.

OK, good luck. Use your mental powers here.

Every day there's £1,000 up for grabs for our challengers.

However, if they fail to defeat the Eggheads the prize money rolls over

to the next show. So, Tranceformers,

the Eggheads have won the last 11 games,

which means £12,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

-Are you ready?

-We'll have a darn good go.

First head-to-head battle is on the subject of Arts & Books.

Challengers, who wants this?

All right, Arts & Books?

-Ellen.

-Ellen, against?

Arts & Books.

Choose any one of these unhypnotised people.

I'd like Chris, please.

So it's Ellen from the Tranceformers versus Chris

from the Eggheads. To ensure no conferring, take your positions

in the Question Room.

-Ellen, you're originally from the US?

-I am, yes.

-And you came over here a little while ago?

-21 years ago.

You haven't been a hypnotherapist the whole of that time?

-No, just for the past 10 years.

-Terrific. Good luck in this round.

Three multiple-choice questions on Arts & Books in turn.

Whoever answers the most correctly goes through to the final round.

Would you like the first or second set, Ellen?

I'd like the first, please.

Here's your first question. The Joseph Conrad novella,

Heart of Darkness, is primarily set in which continent?

Now, I know this.

It is somewhere in the back of my head.

Um...

I'm...

I'm going between Africa and South America.

Heart of Darkness.

I'm being more drawn to Africa.

I'll take Africa, please.

Africa is right.

Specifically the Congo?

-The Congo, yes.

-Famously the inspiration for the movie,

Apocalypse Now. Here's your question, Chris.

"Poor Tom's a-cold," is a famous quotation

from which Shakespeare tragedy?

That's from King Lear.

That's the correct answer.

Back to you, Ellen.

Who wrote the 1939 novel, Goodbye To Berlin?

Goodbye To Berlin?

I don't know how familiar I am with this.

But if we're talking about Berlin, for some reason

I'm...drawn

to Christopher Isherwood.

So, I'm going with Christopher Isherwood.

You were drawn in the right direction.

Well done, it's Christopher Isherwood.

Over to you, Chris. The saintly Helen Burns

is a character in which 19th century novel?

Well, she's not a Dickens character, so it's not Copperfield.

I don't think it's Jane Eyre,

that's Mr Rochester and a few other characters.

I think she's one of the cast of Middlemarch.

Barry, you know the answer to this.

-She's in Jane Eyre.

-She is, and where does she fit in?

I thought she was one of the people in the school where Jane Eyre lived.

-One of the other orphans at the school.

-Jane Eyre, Chris.

OK,

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

Which romantic poet on writing about the French Revolution,

declared, "Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,

"but to be young was very heaven"?

I...

I just feel that it sounds like something

that either Coleridge or Blake would say, not Wordsworth.

My first thought was Blake, so I'm going to go with my first feeling

and I'm going to say Blake.

-It wasn't Blake actually, it was Wordsworth.

-Oh, it was Wordsworth.

Wordsworth wrote, "Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive..."

of the French Revolution.

Chris, you have a chance to come back now.

Which artist made the 30 feet high

steel and bronze spider called Maman,

the first of the works commissioned for

the Turbine Hall of the Tate Modern?

If you get this wrong you're not in the final.

Well, Maman is French for mother,

but proves nothing.

Tate Modern is British, so is Antony Gormley.

So, would they have commissioned Antony Gormley for the Tate Modern?

It's the sort of thing he does, large steel erections.

I'll say Antony Gormley.

OK, I think your colleagues know.

It's not Antony Gormley.

It's Louise Bourgeois.

Louise Bourgeois it was, Chris.

You have not triumphed, you've been beaten.

-Bourgeois conspiracy, n'est-ce pas?

-Yes, indeed, possibly so.

As a result of that conspiracy you're not in the final. Ellen,

you are. Well done,

you'll be helping your team in the final round.

Congratulations. Please come back and rejoin your teams.

-Well done, Ellen. Great work.

-Thank you.

The Tranceformers have lost no brains from the final round.

The Eggheads have lost one brain. The next subject is Sport.

-It's Costa.

-Costa on Sport.

Anyone but Chris.

Who's the weakest on Sport?

I'd like to take on CJ, please.

OK, it's Costa from the Tranceformers against CJ.

-A lot of sporting rounds for you at the moment.

-Oh, joy!

CJ, to ensure there's no conferring, please leave the studio.

Costa, you've set up some of the hypnotherapy associations,

is that right?

I'm one of the original founder members

of the Hypnotherapy Association.

And are there right ways and wrong ways to hypno-therapise somebody?

Definitely. Yeah, absolutely.

You have to use positive language all the time.

The use of your voice can be quite constructive to inducing trance.

You have to be sympathetic towards your client.

There's a lot of professional qualifications to be obtained

in order to be a fully qualified practitioner of hypnotherapy.

Because you're dealing with the subconscious mind,

so you need to know what you're doing.

If CJ gets the first two questions right, you can send him under.

-OK... That's not exactly what we do, but I'll do my best.

-Permanently?

Not permanently, no, Daphne.

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

-Costa, you can choose first or second.

-I'd like to go second.

There we are, he's already unsettling you,

CJ, going second.

Here's your question.

Carlos Tevez and Edwin van der Sar

played for which Premiership football club

during the 2008 - 2009 season, CJ?

I think, and you know me and football,

but I think they're both from Manchester United.

They are indeed, Man U. Correct.

Your first question, Costa.

In what position did the former England rugby union international,

Matt Dawson play throughout his career?

OK, rugby is not my subject.

I'm going to take a guess. I've got a feeling that Matt was a scrum half.

Scrum half is...

-correct.

-Thank you.

One each.

CJ, the boxers Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn and Steve Collins

have all been World Champions in which weight division?

That's interesting.

I know who all three of them are, which is...

surprising for me, with boxers.

But I don't think they're as big as heavyweight.

Nigel Benn's the one that's confusing me,

because he was very muscular.

I don't think they're as big as heavyweight,

so I'll go for middleweight.

OK, let's throw that to the Eggheads. Were they middleweights?

-Yes.

-Yes. Middleweight is right, CJ.

Back to you, Costa.

-He's not making it easy, is he?

-No.

-They never do, these Eggheads.

-I wish I had his questions.

It can turn. In February 2009,

a Test match between England and the West Indies

was called off after a stadium, on which island,

was deemed unfit for use?

I don't think it was Tobago.

I don't know if it was the stadium that was unfit or whether

there were weather conditions, so...

I'm going to go for Antigua.

-That's the correct answer.

-Thank you.

-Antigua is correct.

CJ,

which British athletics record, previously held by Kathy Cook

for almost 27 years, was finally broken by Montell Douglas in 2008?

My profuse apologies, but I've never heard of Montell Douglas.

Kathy Cook didn't run the 100, I don't think.

Because we've had more runners in the 400 and 200,

let's assume the record would have lasted longer in that, 200 metres.

200 metres is wrong,

-it's 100 metres.

-Is it? Oh well.

-She held it for 27 years.

-Yeah.

That's a break for you, Costa.

I'll do my best.

Here's your question. Chrissie Wellington

won a second consecutive world championship in which sport in 2008?

I've not heard of Chrissie Wellington.

I offer my apologies for that.

I'm going to go for triathlon.

We like the apology for not knowing something.

-I don't think we have ever had that before.

-Well, CJ started it.

A public apology for not knowing.

But triathlon is correct.

You've got it. So, well done, Costa.

You took on an Egghead, CJ,

you gave him a battering

and he retires bruised. He won't be in the final, you will.

Please both of you come back to the studio.

The Tranceformers are doing really well.

You haven't lost a brain, the Eggheads have lost two.

The next subject is Music. Which Tranceformer would like this?

-Helen's good at it.

-Oh, I don't know really.

-Go on, I'll go for it.

-You sure?

-Yeah, OK, I'll go for it.

Ken, you've got a sort of sense of assurance, your team.

-Yeah, I know!

-You really do.

-Definitely me.

Ken, against which Egghead?

-I'm going to go for Kevin.

-OK, Ken from the Tranceformers,

Kevin from the Eggheads, will face each other in the head-to-head.

Go to the question rooms now.

Ken, you are playing against one of the greatest quizzers.

Kevin, British Quiz Champion eight times.

Euro Quiz Champion, four times.

World Quiz Champion three times.

We're just thinking,

the first two Eggheads lost, is there something going on here?

Have they fallen into a trance?

And if Kevin loses this round,

we are going to be suspicious

on what you're up to.

Three questions on Music in turn and, Ken, you can choose the first

-or second set.

-I'll go first.

Here we go. Good luck.

"She came from Greece, she had a thirst for knowledge.

"She studied sculpture at St Martin's College",

are the opening lines to which 1990s song?

I'm going to have to let my intuition go on this one,

which may or may not be a good thing. We're going to find out.

I've got Song 2 calling out to me, so...

I'm going to go for Song 2.

Okey dokey. Um, Costa knows, don't you?

It's Pulp with Common People.

That's it.

Common People is the answer. Song 2 is not the answer, sorry.

Over to you, Kevin. Now we're going to see if you are in a trance.

Which music manager is credited

with putting together the boy band Westlife?

It's not Sharon Osbourne.

I think Westlife was Louis Walsh. So, Louis Walsh.

Is the correct answer. Well done.

Over to you, Ken.

Which country singer featured on the UK number two hit single

for the KLF, Justified And Ancient?

I can't hear Dolly Parton doing that.

Tammy Wynette doesn't sound right to me, either.

I'm getting Linda Ronstadt, so I'm going to go with that.

Linda Ronstadt, anyone?

-It's Tammy Wynette.

-Tammy Wynette.

Sorry, you're wrong, Ken.

Tammy Wynette was the answer. Kevin, if you get this, you take the round.

Which stage musical features the character Bill Snibson

singing the song Leaning On A Lamp Post?

He's a Cockney lad, a Cockney character,

and since the other two are set in America, it's Me And My Girl.

Me And My Girl is the right answer.

Daphne, you have known that straightaway.

-Oh, yes.

-And great songs in that.

-Sun Has Got His Hat On.

-Lambeth Walk.

Lambeth Walk as well. That's right.

Kevin, you've taken the round.

Whatever trance had fallen on CJ and Chris has been broken.

Ken, you won't be joining your team to help them in the final round. Kevin will instead.

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

Tranceformers, they're pulling back.

You've got to stop it happening.

They have now lost two.

You have lost one.

We have one more round before the final round, and it's Politics.

Which one of you would like Politics?

-Do you want me to do it?

-Go for it.

-Are you sure?

-Yeah, you go for it.

-Helen against who?

Shall we go for Daphne?

Your choice.

She doesn't get picked very often because she knows everything.

Yeah, I'll go up against Daphne.

Helen from the Tranceformers, versus Daphne from the Eggheads.

To ensure there is no conferring, please take your positions.

As well as being a hypnotherapist, Helen,

you climb mountains for charity?

Yes, I have done that twice.

-Which were they?

-I climbed the highest

mountain in North Africa, which is Mount Toubkal in the High Atlas.

And I did the Inca Trail through the Andes to Machu Picchu.

-You saw a wonderful thing.

-Absolutely, yes. It was amazing.

OK, Daphne and Helen, here we go. Three questions on politics in turn.

Helen, you can choose the first or second set.

I'll go first.

Your question is, in a US presidential election year,

what name is given to the Tuesday when a large number

of states hold their primaries?

Well, I don't know the answer, so...

The one that

sounds the most sensible of all of those would be Super Tuesday.

I don't think it would be Fantastic Tuesday.

So, I think I'm going to settle on Super Tuesday.

Super Tuesday is the right answer. Well done.

Daphne, which political figure was fined £60 when he forgot to pay

the London congestion charge just before Christmas 2008?

I haven't heard this. Um...

David Cameron? I don't know.

David Cameron would have been on his bicycle, I would have thought.

No, it's the mayor of London.

Boris forgot, and if you forget, you get done.

OK, Helen, your question. Which former party leader

was ridiculed for sporting a baseball cap

on a visit to a theme park in 1997?

Again, I have no idea.

I was going to say I couldn't imagine William Hague

wearing a baseball cap, but then again,

maybe I could.

Charles Kennedy...

I'm trying to imagine them all wearing baseball caps.

Actually, because the one that seemed the most unlikely to start with

was William Hague, I'm going to go for William Hague.

William Hague is the right answer.

He'd just become Conservative leader.

Daphne, which Labour Lord was arrested twice over his role

in the "cash for honours" scandal, in which Tony Blair became the

first serving prime minister to be questioned by police

in the course of an investigation?

That was Lord Levy.

It was indeed Lord Levy. Well done.

You have a point.

But that means, Helen, you can win the round

if you get this question correct, because there's

no way back for Daphne if you do. Here's your question, Helen.

About which Labour politician was Churchill speaking when he quipped,

"There but for the grace of God goes God?"

Again, this is going to be a complete guess.

It's not a...

period of history that I know a huge amount about.

I'm going to guess at Stafford Cripps.

Daphne, you threw your hands up.

She's right.

She is right, well done.

Stafford Cripps was the right answer, Helen. Well done.

Daphne, no way back for you.

There's no point in me asking you your third question.

But you will remember the congestion charge wasn't paid by...?

-Boris. How could he forget?

-How could he forget?

So you won't be in the final and Helen will.

Please, both of you, come back to us here in the studio.

Better than expected?

-Greatly relieved, yeah.

-Now, this is the crucial bit.

This is what we've been playing towards, the final round.

As always, it's General Knowledge.

I'm afraid those of you who lost your head-to-heads won't be allowed

to take part in this round. So that is Ken from the Tranceformers,

but it's also CJ, Daphne and Chris from the Eggheads.

Please leave the studio.

Josephine, Costa,

Helen and Ellen, you are playing to win the Tranceformers £12,000.

Kevin and Barry you're playing for something which money can't buy, the Eggheads' reputation.

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

This time it's all general knowledge.

You are allowed to confer with each other as well.

Tranceformers, the question is,

are your four brains better than the Eggheads' two?

-I guess they should be.

-We hope so.

Would you like the first or second set of questions?

I prefer a second, myself.

-First.

-OK.

-First.

Here we go.

First question. All the best.

What name is given to a suit in a card game that outranks

all other suits for the duration of a hand?

THEY CONFER

Trumps.

Trumps is the right answer. Well done.

Over to you, Eggheads, both of you.

Which British actress won two Golden Globe awards in January 2009?

The one with the embarrassing speech.

Or perceived as the embarrassing speech. Kate Winslet.

Kate Winslet, as Kevin so aptly puts it,

the one with the embarrassing speech.

Kate Winslet is the right answer.

Your question, who hosted the Radio 2 Breakfast Show

between 1986 and 1991?

Jamieson used to host the show, I remember, with his wife.

I don't think it's Kenny Everett, because wasn't he dead by then?

My first instinct was Gloria Hunniford.

If the two of you think it's Gloria Hunniford, then go with that.

Hopefully, Gloria Hunniford.

I ought to know this, it is the same building I work in.

I think it was when Wogan was on TV...and it wasn't Gloria.

Ellen, you were right with your Derek Jameson idea.

He was the Breakfast Show presenter, Derek Jameson.

Eggheads, this for the advantage.

In the UK, what is the name given to the annual tour of universities and

colleges made by recruiting staff from large companies?

I remember it vaguely. It was the Milk Round.

Milk Round. I wonder if it's going on this year?

Milk Round is the right answer.

They have the edge on you now and you must get this question right.

Otherwise they've won, and we must stop that.

What is the Euro's highest denomination note?

I've got a feeling it's 500.

If you've got that feeling, go with

your gut feeling, but I would have gone for 50.

No, it's definitely more than 50.

Not 50. It's definitely not 50.

I've had a 100 Euro note before now.

Have you?

Shall we go for 500, then?

It seems to be the consensus.

In for a penny, in for a pound...or Euro, anyway.

We're going to guess at 500.

It's a good guess, you're right.

Eggheads, if you get this right you have won the contest.

And the money is snatched away.

Can you feel the trance descending? Look into my eyes.

That's our normal state.

Anthony Julius, born in 1956, is a leading figure in which field?

I've got no idea.

Well, I'd say that,

I think...is he a lawyer?

Law was my first guess.

-I thought he was a QC on high-profile cases.

-I don't think it's fashion.

I don't think it's medicine.

I thought law when the choices came out and you did, so...

We've been wrong before.

Yeah, we have. That's our problem when it's the two of us.

You're seeing their names QC after that...

We're both agreed. We're not 100% certain,

but we're both reasonably certain that he's involved with the law.

We think he may be a QC.

The law, and if you get this right you've won the contest.

And then there wouldn't be any prize for you,

and you've been such a great team.

The answer is the law.

Congratulations, Eggheads, you've won.

Anthony Julius actually represented Diana, Princess of Wales.

I thought you were going to say he's represented you.

Represented Diana, the Princess of Wales in her divorce.

-That's certainly high profile.

-So, a barrister.

As soon as the choices came up, it rang a bell.

Although you could think surgeon, could you?

You could. You can't tell anything from the name as such.

But we could both visualise QC after the name when it came up.

-You have lots of bells, don't you, and they ring.

-Millions of them.

Break you out of your trance. Commiserations to you, Challengers.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them.

Their winning streak continues.

The Tranceformers won't be going home with the £12,000.

It stays here and rolls over to our next show.

Eggheads, very well done to you. Join us next time to see if a new

team of challengers have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£13,000 says they don't. Till then, goodbye.

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