Episode 139 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 challengers

attempt to beat possibly the top quiz team in Britain.

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

Tackling the Eggheads today are Life's Too Short.

This team are somewhat of a quizzing dream team,

having been brought together by Steve from rival quizzers within the Bristol quiz league.

Let's meet them.

Hello, I'm Steve. I'm 58 and a pensions manager.

Hello. I'm Tom. I'm 48 and I'm a licensee.

Hi. I'm Martin. I'm 52 and I'm an accountant.

Hello. I'm Chris. I'm 58 and I'm a health and safety advisor.

Hello. I'm Paul. I'm 31 and I'm a paralegal.

Welcome, Life's Too Short and Steve.

You've taken team members from other quizzing teams in the area.

Yes. There is a Bristol quiz league.

We've all played within the quiz league. One or two I play with,

but generally play against. It's the best of the teams in that league.

-I think you might be quite good.

-Oh, I don't know.

-It remains to be seen.

-It does.

Life is long enough to find out, luckily.

Every day there's £1,000-worth of cash up for grabs for our challengers.

If they fail to defeat the Eggheads, the prize money rolls over

to the next show. So, Life's Too Short,

the Eggheads have won the last 17 games, which means £18,000 says you can't beat them.

Looking pleased about that.

The first head-to-head battle is on Arts & Books.

Which one of you wants this?

We hoped that wouldn't come up, certainly not first.

-What do we think?

-What do you reckon? I'm useless. I haven't read since A-level literature.

-Unfortunately.

-Looks like me, then.

It'll have to be me.

-Steve from Life's Too Short against who?

-We thought Barry might have a gap there.

-Yeah, we'll try Barry, please.

-Steve versus Barry from the Eggheads.

Please take your positions in the question room.

Steve, three multiple choice questions on Arts & Books, in turn.

Whoever answers the most goes to the final. First or second set?

I'd like to go first, please.

Who wrote the best-selling novel, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha?

Right. I think I've got an inkling on this one.

It certainly won a prize, possibly the Booker Prize.

I don't think it's AS Byatt nor Kingsley Amis.

I will go for Roddy Doyle.

Roddy Doyle is right. Well done.

Always good to get the first one right. Well done.

Barry, your question. In George Orwell's novel 1984,

what is the name of the woman with whom Winston Smith has an illicit affair?

It's been quite some time since I read 1984.

But Julia rings a bell so I'm pretty certain it was Julia.

Julia is right. One each.

Over to you, Steve.

Archie Jones and Samad Iqbal are central characters of which novel by Zadie Smith?

Right.

I must admit I don't know the characters.

But I do know that at least one of those books is by Zadie Smith.

I just hope the other two are not.

But I will go for White Teeth.

Yes. White Teeth is the right answer.

What's that, Daphne?

-They're all by Zadie Smith.

-They're all by Zadie Smith.

-That was a bit of luck!

-Lucky you didn't know that!

It would have thrown you! Barry,

which Chekov play tells the story of an aristocratic family

who return to their estate just before it is auctioned

to pay the mortgage?

Ah. It wasn't Uncle Vanya.

The Cherry Orchard, I'm sure, was a family who were sad it had to be sold.

So I think it was that. Not Three Sisters. No, The Cherry Orchard.

The Cherry Orchard is, Eggheads?

-Right.

-..the right answer.

Your third question, Steve. Playing well.

The 1995 work The Maybe was a collaboration between Cornelia Parker and which actress

who lay seemingly asleep in a glass box

while visitors to the exhibition at the Serpentine Gallery looked on?

Goodness!

I've got to say this is one I'm not really sure of at all.

Charlotte Rampling is actually one of my favourites.

So...

I'll go for Tilda Swinton.

Cos you like Charlotte, you don't want her in a glass box.

Absolutely.

You got the right answer. Well done. Tilda Swinton.

Great elimination. That's the sign of a great quizzer.

Barry, for what type of literature is the Canadian writer Alice Munro most acclaimed?

Ooh, dear.

This name doesn't ring any recollection or bells whatsoever.

So I'm afraid this is going to be a complete punt.

And I will go for...

..crime.

-Daphne, what did you want him to say?

-Short stories.

Short stories was the answer. Barry is knocked out. Well done, Steve.

You'll be in the final.

Took on an Egghead, emerged triumphant. That's the way to do it.

Good news for the challengers. Both of you please come and rejoin us.

Well done, Steve. Did that feel easy? No?

-Not at all.

-Never easy.

-Luck was on my side.

-Challengers have lost no brains from the final.

Eggheads have lost one brain so far, Barry.

The next subject is Geography. Who wants this?

Anyone fancy that one?

It's gonna be me or possibly you.

-OK.

-Have a go?

-By a process of elimination, that's me, then!

Paul or Paul against?

-CJ?

-Shall we go for CJ, then?

I'll take on CJ, then, please.

Paul from Life's Too Short versus CJ from the Eggheads.

Please go to the question room now.

Paul, you'd heard about CJ's problems with geography, had you?

Yes, we had a chat about what the Eggheads we think they like and don't like.

They don't have any obvious gaps in their knowledge but we're hoping

the apparent gap CJ has with UK geography might help me today.

It's a small gap, but it's a big one, CJ, isn't it?

A wizened old man with a white stick helped me find my way here!

So, three questions on geography in turn. Paul,

first or second set?

I'd like to go first, please, Jeremy.

Here we go. What is the only South American country to share a border with Panama?

Well, obviously Panama is Central America.

So I'm looking for a northern country in South America.

I'm torn between two at the moment.

I don't think it's Chile.

I think Ecuador's a bit too far down

so my answer is Colombia.

Right. Colombia is correct.

CJ,

what is the UK's longest motorway?

Oh, dear!

I've no idea!

Now, the M4 runs from London to Swansea.

The M5 runs from Exeter to...

..somewhere else.

And the M6 runs from somewhere

to somewhere up north.

Yep.

Maybe, maybe not. What's the answer?

I'm not sure. I'm not gonna go for the M4. I'll go for the M6.

You got it right. Well done.

Paul.

Sharm el-Sheikh is a popular holiday resort in which country?

Right. I think I know this one.

I'm going to go for Egypt.

Egypt is the right answer. Well done.

CJ, the city of Acapulco is located on which body of water?

Having been in Mexico not too long ago,

and Acapulco is one of the places I was thinking of going...

It's on the southern part of Mexico on the Pacific coast. Pacific Ocean.

Pacific Ocean is right.

Paul, Raglan Castle is in which part of the UK?

I never thought I would be drawing on my school days

to provide me with an answer on a quiz show later on in my life.

I had the pleasure of spending a few days at Raglan Castle

for which I ended up doing a history project when I was about 13.

And because of that I know that Raglan is near Usk in Wales.

Wales is right. How useful!

CJ,

the Bonin Islands belong to which country? B-O-N-I-N.

The Bonin Islands. Where are they?

I have never heard of them

but the word sounds Japanese.

I'll just have to do this on the language.

Doesn't sound Indian, doesn't sound New Zealand,

so it sounds Japanese. Japan.

Japan is right.

Three each after three questions. Scores are level.

This is a good team you're playing, Eggheads. We go to sudden death.

Paul, your question.

Fraser Island, the largest sand island in the world,

lies off the coast of which Australian state?

Really trying to dig this one from a very deep hole.

I'm going to say Queensland.

Queensland is correct.

So, the onus on you, CJ. Get this right or you're gone.

The ancient city of Syracuse is on which Mediterranean island?

Oh, dear!

-Is "Oh, dear" your answer?

-Probably is going to be.

Let's have a punt anyway.

The ancient city of Syracuse is on which Mediterranean island?

Oh, dear. I should know this straight away, but I don't.

-You need this or you're out.

-Crete.

Crete?

Sicily.

Sicily.

So, well done, Paul.

You beat him on sudden death. Took on an Egghead and emerged triumphant.

You'll join your team in the final. Both of you rejoin your team mates.

As it stands, the challengers have lost no brains from the final round.

The Eggheads have lost two brains. Our next subject is film and TV.

Who would like this?

THEY CONFER

-I think it's unanimous!

-Chris.

-Chris against who?

-Daphne, do we think?

Yeah, Daphne.

Daphne.

Chris from Life's Too Short versus Daphne from the Eggheads

on Film & TV. Please go to the question rooms now.

-Chris, you do health and safety?

-That's right.

-What's the biggest problem you meet?

-The main thing we suffer from

is non-compliance with the Working At Height regs that came in in '05.

People struggle with that.

-So you need a ladder for most things!

-It's not as straightforward as that!

You have to carry out a risk assessment to see if a ladder's right for that job.

-It's all we ask for, but it seems beyond some people.

-Interesting.

There were days, Daphne, when that didn't happen.

In my day!

Three questions on Film & TV, in turn.

Chris, you choose whether you want the first or second set.

I'll go with the first, Jeremy, if I may.

Here we go.

Who played Jareth the goblin king in Jim Henson's 1986 film Labyrinth?

I know Jagger was in Performance.

Sting was in Dune.

So that only leaves David Bowie.

Bowie is correct. David Bowie.

Bowie/Bowie, we never worked it out.

Daphne, the film Days of Thunder features Tom Cruise as what type of sportsman?

I think he's a stock-car driver.

And I think you're right.

He is. One each.

Back to you, Chris.

Who directed the 2008 film Milk?

I've read all the reviews of it as well.

Sean Penn's brilliant in that. I haven't seen it yet.

I've got a gut feeling for Gus Van Sant.

-So that's my answer.

-The correct answer is Gus Van Sant.

Daphne, your question. Who played the gamekeeper

Oliver Mellors in the 1993 TV adaptation of Lady Chatterley's Lover?

Oh, dear. Didn't see it.

Um...

Here we go again, blind guess.

Linus Roache.

Oh, dear!

-Oh, dear!

-No, no, no.

You're usually amazing at guessing.

-When you say "guess", I think, "She's got it."

-Sean Bean?

-Linus Roache is wrong. Yeah, Sean Bean.

-The other one.

That was the other one.

-Oh, well.

-You're in the lead, here, Chris.

You could take it now.

Which Coronation Street character has a nephew called Spider,

who came to live with her in 1997?

Sad enough knowing this, isn't it, really?

Being a soap fan. But I do watch Coronation Street.

It's Emily Bishop.

Well done. It is Emily Bishop. How about that, Daphne?

You've been beaten. Slipped up once and he was in there. Chris, Well done.

You took on an Egghead and won, so you're in the final as well.

Daphne won't be. Eggheads got some problems here.

Both of you rejoin your teams.

As it stands, the challengers haven't lost any brains from the final.

The Eggheads have lost three. We're not at the final yet.

The last subject is History.

Which challenger wants this?

Tom.

-Tom it is.

-Against either Kevin or Chris.

-We know he's got a phenomenal record, don't we?

-We do.

-Kevin, we want him gone.

-We want to try and take him out, I think.

OK, Tom from Life's Too Short versus Kevin from the Eggheads.

Please go to the question room. Fascinating!

-Tom, you're the quiz master for the Bristol quiz league?

-Yes.

You are, in a way, a quiz question yourself. Your great-great-grandfather was who?

It was my great-great-uncle. He was the last white man to be buried in the cathedral in Barbados.

He was Bishop of Barbados.

-Bishop of Barbados.

-At the end of the Second World War.

That's the kind of question that Kevin gets right!

-No, I didn't know that!

-By repute,

you've never had a wrong answer in the history round.

I'm not sure, but that's what they tell me.

-It is, but it's...

-Embarrassing you.

-Like we said about statistics.

It's more likely that something will happen.

Three questions on history. Our challengers doing very well.

See if you can take out the main man. Will you go first or second?

Everybody's been winning going first. Why break a winning streak?

OK.

What is the name given to underground burial chambers

such as those built by the early Christians in and near Rome?

I don't think it's a chancel.

And I don't think it's a basilica,

but I remember reading a crime story which was set in catacombs in Rome,

so I'll go for catacombs.

Catacombs is the right answer. Well done.

Kevin,

in the feudal system, what was the name for the person

who held land from a feudal lord

and received protection in return for homage and allegiance?

There were various grades of people,

but if you had a feudal lord, you were a vassal.

Vassal is the right answer. Well done.

Next question to you, Tom.

Horatio Nelson lost his right arm

after a disastrous attack on which island?

I have no idea on this one.

See if I can work out what it might be. I don't think it's Tenerife.

Corsica is possible.

Malta's changed hands a lot in history.

I think Corsica is the most likely one. I'll go for that.

No.

Tenerife is the answer.

See if that mistake is expensive. Kevin,

where did the UK's forces fight a bloody insurgency

between 1963 and 1967,

often called Britain's final withdrawal from Empire?

It was a very nasty little war in Cy... Sorry, in Aden.

I nearly said the wrong word, then.

-That would have been a good one to get wrong.

-It was Aden.

Would have raised the tension. Aden is your answer. Aden is the correct answer. Well done.

Tom, you need this one.

Which city served as Scotland's capital until the mid-15th century?

I think I know this one.

I'm pretty sure it's neither Dundee nor Glasgow.

I'm pretty sure it's Perth.

Perth is the correct answer.

Kevin, third question. Get it right, you're in the final.

Which bridge over the River Thames was built mostly by female labour

during World War II?

I'm a bit baffled by that.

-On the edge of history, here.

-I may be.

London Bridge, the original one, was medieval.

Various London Bridges, over the centuries.

It's very odd, this.

Blackfriars Bridge was 18th century, early 19th century.

HE MOUTHS

It's got to be one or two of the others,

both of which did have new versions in the mid to late 20th century.

So...

I've no idea on this at all,

but by a process of elimination,

and it may be completely wrong, I'll have to go for Waterloo Bridge.

Waterloo Bridge. Let me try your colleagues.

-That's right.

-It's the new-looking concrete bridge across the Thames.

-Built by female labour. Did you know that?

-In World War II, there wasn't any spare labour.

Waterloo Bridge is the right answer.

Kevin showing uncertainty in a history round. Incredible.

Kevin, you are in the final. Tom, you won't be in the final.

Please come back and rejoin your teams.

-Tom, I thought it was gonna happen.

-I was hoping.

It really would be one to write home about.

I'd have had the t-shirt made!

With the picture! Got it!

This is what we've been playing towards, our final round, general knowledge.

Those of you who lost your head-to-head can't take part.

So it's Tom from Life's Too Short

but also CJ, Daphne and Barry from the Eggheads.

Please would you leave the studio?

Steve, Martin, Chris and Paul, you're playing to win Life's Too Short £18,000.

Kevin and Chris are playing for something money can't buy - the Eggheads' reputation.

I will ask each team three questions in turn, this time all general knowledge. You can confer.

-So, how are we feeling?

-Good.

The question is, are your four brains better than the Eggheads' two?

-First or second set of questions?

-First, shall we?

-OK.

Yes, we like destiny in our own hands. We'll go first, please.

Which place in America is described in a 1973 song

a having "a church house gin house, a school house outhouse?"

Mum and Dad have just been to see Tina Turner.

-It was one of theirs.

-It was Nutbush City Limits.

-Yes.

We've got one or two Tina Turner fans.

We're pretty sure it was City Limits, which was in Nutbush.

Nutbush is correct. Well done. Brilliant.

A foot-stamping song. Eggheads,

the common method of rebooting PCs

invented by IBM engineer David Bradley,

is to press the Control, Alt and which other key simultaneously?

-It's Delete.

-You think it's Control, Alt, Delete?

-Yeah.

Delete is the right answer. Well done.

Your question.

Which fictional detective is the central character

of the novel The 4.50 From Paddington?

-I haven't a clue.

-I'm sure it's an Agatha Christie, which takes out Sherlock Holmes.

-That leaves Marple and Poirot.

-It's not Poirot.

-I don't think so.

-I think it's Marple.

-I think so, too.

We need Daphne for this one, it's one of her favourite areas.

But we've all agreed. We think it's Miss Marple.

Miss Marple is correct.

Correct. OK, Eggheads.

Albuquerque, located on the Rio Grande

is the largest city in which American state?

-New Mexico.

-New Mexico is the right answer. Well done.

Over to you, Life's Too Short.

Whose motto is, "Better to die than be a coward."

THEY CONFER

-Go for Gurkhas, then? All agree?

-OK.

We're not at all sure.

But on the basis we don't think it's a British thing,

we'll go for the Gurkhas.

You're right.

You're right.

So this is good for you. £18,000 is yours if they get this wrong.

Here is your question, Eggheads.

Worldwide Adventures In Love,

published in July 2008,

was written by which author,

formerly the lead singer of the 1990s Britpop band, Sleeper?

-Shirley Manson was Garbage, yeah?

-Yeah.

Justine Frischmann, Elastica.

-Though that wasn't the only band...

-..that she was in.

Can you repeat it again, Jeremy?

Worldwide Adventures In Love, published in July 2008,

was written by which author, formerly the lead singer of 1990s Britpop band, Sleeper.

-I... I don't know it.

-I don't, either.

Because we can attach band names to the other two...

It may be that Justine Frischmann was with Sleeper as well.

-We'll have to go for Louise Wener.

-We'll have to. Louise Wener.

Louise Wener on the basis that?

Shirley Manson is Garbage,

-Justine Frischmann I think was Elastica.

-I see.

I don't associate her name with Sleeper.

But I think she was with more than one band.

So it may be that it is her.

Use the one we don't know with the band name we don't know.

Louise Wener is correct, Eggheads. Well done.

You've stayed in the game. Sorry, guys.

So we go now to sudden death, with £18,000 on the table.

The international rugby league team of which country

is nicknamed the Kumuls? K-U-M-U-L-S?

Rugby League.

-Rugby League, did you say?

-Rugby League.

Not one of the South Pacific countries like Samoa?

Can't even get it from the spelling, really. K-U-M-U-L-S.

-Could you spell that, please, Jeremy?

-Can you spell it?

K-U-M-U-L-S.

It doesn't get any easier.

Kumuls.

-Shall we go for one of the South Pacific islands?

-Yeah.

I'm totally in your hands.

Shall we go for Fiji?

-Probably gonna be wrong.

-Go on, then.

-Fiji?

-Yep.

We really don't know.

It's not our strong point. We'll try Fiji.

Your answer is Fiji. Eggheads?

-Papua New Guinea.

-Papua New Guinea is the answer.

Not a million miles away.

It means bird of paradise. They gave England a scare in the World Cup.

In 2008.

Sorry. But you're not out yet.

They have the chance

to snatch the money away, the Eggheads,

with this question.

The redesigned Bank of England £20 note,

introduced in March 2007,

bears on its reverse a portrait of which 18th-century figure?

It's Adam Smith.

-Are they right?

-Yes.

-They are.

-Afraid so.

Eggheads, you have got it right. Adam Smith is the answer.

What a contest. Eggheads, well done.

You've won.

Commiserations. Especially galling cos you knew Adam Smith.

We should have gone second.

-They wouldn't know Kumuls.

-If it's any consolation, Kevin knew Papua New Guinea.

-Kevin knows everything.

-I know.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them.

You won't be going home with the £18,000. That money rolls over to our next show.

Eggheads, congratulations. Who will beat you?

Join us to see if a new team of challengers has the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£19,000 says they don't!

Till then, goodbye!

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