Episode 140 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 pedigree is well known as they've won some of the toughest quiz shows.

They are the Eggheads.

Challenging our quiz Goliaths today are Puddings Not Tarts.

The team hail from the town of Bakewell in Derbyshire,

home to popular pastry treat the Bakewell pudding.

I think they should explain themselves!

Hi. I'm Carolyn. I'm 62. I'm a retired craft centre owner.

Hello. I'm Martin. I'm 39 and I'm a holiday cottage owner.

Hello. I'm Richard. I'm 60 and I'm a geologist.

Hello. I'm Davia. I'm 62 and I'm a retired teacher and childminder.

Hi. I'm Mike. I'm 48 and I'm a managing director.

-Welcome, Puddings Not Tarts. Welcome, Carolyn.

-Hello.

-We thought it's Bakewell tart, but it's not?

-It's originally Bakewell pudding.

It was only with a certain commercial producer who called them Bakewell tarts.

They're the ones with icing and a cherry on top.

How do you know each other? Some are related.

I've known Martin all his life, cos he's my son!

Richard I've known for about 25 years when we started playing badminton together.

We've quizzed together and against each other.

Davia, we were at college together, a long, long time ago.

Davia. What a great name.

And Mike I've known through Bakewell Mannerians Rugby Club.

We're connected with it in a big way.

A tightly-knit team here.

Puddings Not Tarts. That's the key thing.

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

If they fail to defeat the Eggheads, the money rolls over to the next show.

Puddings Not Tarts, the Eggheads have won the last 18 games.

Which means £19,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

First head-to-head is on the subject of science.

Challengers, who wants science?

-It's got to be Mike.

-It's got to be Mike.

Who shall we play?

Entirely up to you. You're the expert.

What about Judith?

-OK?

-Judith.

Judith. Sorry, Judith.

-She doesn't mind.

-Barry's much better.

So it's Mike from Puddings Not Tarts versus Judith from the Eggheads.

To ensure no conferring, please take your positions.

Three multiple choice questions on Science, in turn.

Whoever answers the most questions correctly goes to the final.

Mike, first or second set?

Got to be first, I think.

What is the chemical symbol of chlorine, Mike?

C is carbon.

Cl.

Cl.

Your answer is Cl.

It's right. That's chlorine.

Judith,

in the human body, the collar bone is also known by what name?

Well, femur is a bone in the leg.

Scapula. I think scapula is shoulder blade.

I think your collar bone is your clavicle.

Clavicle is the right answer.

Back to you, Mike.

For what does the letter N stand in the scientific abbreviation, DNA?

It won't be numberic.

Nucleic.

Nucleic. Isn't it nucleic acid?

Nucleic. DNA - anyone know what it stands for?

Deoxyribonucleic acid.

Deoxy... You almost sang that!

-It's very lyrical. #

-Deoxyribonucleic acid.

-#

-Too much effort even to say it.

-Can't be bothered.

Mike, you're right. Nucleic. Well done. Judith,

what colour, around its eyes and beak,

is the face of the adult British garden bird, the goldfinch?

Well, I'm just trying to visualise.

I've got lots of them in France. Lots of them all over the place.

They have these flashes of red

on their wings. I think they've probably got red round their eyes.

Not mixing colours. So red.

Red is the right answer.

Mike, your third question.

Approximately how many million miles long is an astronomical unit,

the unit of length equal to the mean distance between the Earth and the Sun

which provides a convenient way to express and relate distances of objects

in the solar system?

93. It's 93 million miles.

You sound very certain about that.

Reasonably. It's part of a Monty Python song, I think.

-Is it?

-The Meaning of Life.

The Meaning of Life.

93 is right. 93 million miles long.

The astronomical unit. Judith,

this to stay in.

What is the technical name for heartburn?

I just know it as indigestion.

I don't know. Oh, dearie me.

Here I go.

I think I'm going to say Pyrosis.

Pyrosis is correct.

-Thank goodness.

-Three points each.

After three questions, scores level.

Not multiple choice any more. It's sudden death.

OK? You have to give me the answer.

Down House in Kent

which features the Sand-walk, or thinking path,

was the family home for 40 years of which scientific figure?

Charles Darwin.

Correct.

And 2009, the 200th anniversary.

-250th.

-200th.

Of Origin of Species.

-Of his birth and then 150 of Origin of Species.

-Yes.

So, Judith, you get this wrong, you're out. Not in the final.

Which colourless fluid,

derived from blood, bathes all the tissues in the body,

cleansing them of bacteria?

I thought the colourless fluid in blood was plasma,

which everything goes in to.

But...

..lympha. Lymph. Lymphoma.

Plasma.

Plasma is your answer. Shame. You said the right answer and moved on.

-It was lymph.

-Yep. But I'll tell you why. I said lymph

then I couldn't think of a liquid.

-I thought the lymph... Oh, anyway.

-Lymph is it.

-I couldn't think of the name.

Lymph is what we wanted.

Judith, you've been beaten in that round. Well done, Mike.

-Thank you.

-Emerged triumphant. You're in the final, helping your team.

Good news for the challengers. Sorry, Judith. Do come back to us now.

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

Eggheads have lost one.

Next subject is Film & TV. Which of you would like this?

It's got to be you, Davia.

-Davia.

-Who do you want to play?

-Thinking about Barry.

-Who do you want to play?

-Yeah. Barry, then.

So Davia from Puddings Not Tarts versus Barry from the Eggheads.

Please take your positions in the question room.

I'll ask each of you three questions on Film & TV. Davia,

you can choose the first or second set.

I'll go first, please.

Here we go.

Good luck. In 2009

which TV personality took on the role of Archie Daley

in a new version of the TV series Minder?

It was Shane Richie.

Absolutely it was. Well done. Shane Richie.

Barry,

your question now. Who played Uncle Albert in the TV sitcom Only Fools And Horses?

Roger Lloyd-Pack was Trigger

and John Challis was Boycie.

Albert was Buster Merryfield.

He was indeed Buster Merryfield.

Davia,

who directed the 1963 film This Sporting Life?

Um...

I think it was Lindsay Anderson.

I'll say Lindsay Anderson.

Lindsay Anderson is right.

Well done.

Very sure-footed.

Barry,

four actresses received Academy Award nominations

for their performances in which 1950 film?

All About Eve had a fistful of nominations,

so I shall go for that one.

I was watching it just the other day. Yeah,

it's right, All About Eve.

Davia,

get this and you could shake Barry

to his very core.

Giovanni Ribisi, who appeared in the films Gone In 60 Seconds

and Flight Of The Phoenix,

played the brother of which character in the TV comedy series Friends?

If I get this wrong, my daughter will never forgive me!

I'm not very sure.

I'm going to go for Chandler.

Carolyn looks like she knows. Who was it?

-Phoebe.

-Phoebe.

Barry, your question for the round.

Which character is played by Donald Sutherland

in the 1967 film The Dirty Dozen?

Donald Sutherland.

I think that was Vernon Pinkley.

Vernon Pinkley. Right answer.

Barry, Well done. You're in the final. Davia, you were beaten

so won't be able to help your team in the final round.

Please both come back and rejoin your team mates.

The challengers have lost one brain from the final round

as have the Eggheads.

Next subject is Food & Drink.

Who would like this?

Er, no.

-Richard?

-Would you have a go?

-I'll do it, but I don't know anything about it.

Martin will have a go.

-Martin against?

-Who do we want to play?

No Kevin to knock out here.

They go for Kevin on this.

WHISPERING

-I don't mind.

-Which one do you think?

-Go on, then.

-Say it.

-We'll have CJ.

So Martin from the challengers against CJ from the Eggheads.

To ensure no conferring, please go to the question room.

I'll ask each of you three questions on Food & Drink.

-Martin, first or second set of questions?

-I'll go first.

In a Western Chinese restaurant,

what is the name of a dish of fried noodles

with shredded meat and vegetables?

I'm not very up on this,

but I think that chow mein has noodles so I'll go for that.

Chow mein is right. Well done.

Can be confusing, that menu.

CJ,

what is the name of the metal urn

with a tap at its base,

used in Russia to boil water for tea?

Call me wild and extravagant, but I'll go for the one of those that's Russian, not French!

I think it might be a samovar.

Samovar is right.

Back to you, Martin.

What is the name of a champagne bottle

which holds the equivalent of eight bottles?

Well, I haven't heard of a salmanazar in connection with this.

I've a feeling a methuselah is bigger than that. I'm not sure.

I'll go for a rehoboam.

It's not rehoboam. It's methuselah.

Eight standard bottles in one of those.

Sorry about that, Martin.

CJ, over to you. What type of creature

is the abalone, the meat of which is considered a delicacy?

One of the things I do for research

is watch cooking shows.

But this doesn't help me with that.

Another thing I do for research is watch antiques shows.

You come across a lot of glasses cases made out of abalone shell.

So I think it's a mollusc.

On the antiques show is the abalone shell. What was it from?

The mollusc is right, CJ.

Well done.

You pull ahead. You need this one right, Martin, your third question.

You got one wrong earlier.

The arepa is a cornmeal cake, usually fried or baked,

originating from which continent?

It's not something I've heard of.

I'll go for South America.

Well done. That's right.

Well done. South America's right.

OK, CJ.

Which chef opened a new restaurant in the Trianon Palace Hotel

in Versailles in 2008?

I'm sure I've heard this. Um...

I could be completely mistaken,

but one of those names did occur to me before I saw the options.

I'm not absolutely sure, but I'll go with Gordon Ramsay.

CJ, well done. Gordon Ramsay is the right answer.

So you win the round.

Martin, you were beaten by our Egghead. You can't be in the final.

CJ will be. Please come back to us now.

Where are we now? The challengers have lost two brains

from the final round. Eggheads have lost just one brain.

We move to sport as our last subject. Who wants this?

It looks like being me!

Richard against who?

Go for Chris, do you think?

Well,

I think, I think, it's gotta be Chris.

Richard from Puddings Not Tarts versus Chris. You can't wait!

I saw a programme on BBC2 last night

about a group of blameless allotment holders in east London

being bulldozed off their allotments to make way for the hell-spawned Olympics!

My heart was filled with fury on their behalf!

That sets the tone!

Please go to the question room now.

Chris, what is it about sport? What's the problem?

Congenital antipathy, hatred, loathing, detestation,

you name it!

-Don't beat about the bush!

-I never do!

Three questions on sport, in turn.

Richard, first or second set?

Why break the habit? I'll go first as well, please.

Good luck. The cricketer Justin Langer

played 105 test matches for which country?

Justin Langer, he's Australian.

He is Australian. Well done.

Chris,

who became the club captain of Manchester United football club

in 2005?

Red rag to a bull in certain quarters in Crewe.

He's only mentioned at Man United.

I think it's Gary Neville.

Gary Neville is the right answer.

Richard,

in which year was the American boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard born?

Sugar Ray Leonard.

I think I'll go for...

..1956.

Yes, you're right. Well done.

Brilliant fighter. '56.

Chris, your question.

What is the name of Lewis Hamilton's father

who encouraged and supported his son in his motor racing pursuits?

Anthony Hamilton is somebody else.

I think his name's Derek.

You sprang with all your energy towards the wrong answer.

Derek is wrong. Anthony.

This is good for you, Richard. Get this right, you're in the final.

Which horse won its third successive Ascot Gold Cup in 2008,

a feat only achieved once before

in the 201-year history of the race?

Oh.

Horse racing.

I've no real interest in horse racing.

I think I'll have a go at Joyce.

Mike? You know?

-I'd have gone for the same. I don't know.

-No, it's Yeats.

Yeats.

Chris, if you get this right, we go to sudden death.

If you get it right. If not, you're not in the final.

Which British cyclist won a gold medal

in the women's sprint competition at the 2008 Olympic Games?

It struck me as a good robust sort of British name,

so I think it was Victoria Pendleton.

-Is he right, CJ?

-No, Romero.

-Rebecca.

CJ, you're wrong.

-Oh.

-Victoria Pendleton.

Oh. We all thought it was Romero.

Victoria Pendleton is right. Well done, Chris.

You stayed in the game.

Two points each after multiple choice.

We go to sudden death. It's that bit harder, Richard. You have to give me the answer.

Here's your question.

Which Welsh football club won the 1927 FA Cup final?

This is the only time it's ever gone out of England.

Cardiff City.

Very good.

-Are you a football fan?

-Yes, I enjoy football.

-Cardiff City is the right answer.

Chris, this to stay in it. Sudden death.

Which country has hosted the winter Olympics on the most occasions?

The first were in France, at Chamonix, in '24.

It's been there a few times since.

It's not Canada, it's not the USA.

It's not Japan. It's France.

The country concerned has Lake Placid, Squaw Valley,

-Salt Lake City...

-Oh, that lot!

-Yeah!

The Americans. USA.

USA. So...

Sudden death and you died!

Well done, Richard. You took on an Egghead and triumphed. You're in the final round.

Chris, you won't. Please both come back and join your teams.

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

Those of you who lost your head-to-heads

won't be allowed to take part in this round.

So Martin and Davia from Puddings Not Tarts,

and Chris and Judith from the Eggheads, please leave us now.

Carolyn, Richard and Mike, you're playing to win the Puddings Not Tarts £19,000.

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

I'll ask each team three questions in turn,

all general knowledge.

You are allowed to confer.

So, Puddings Not Tarts, the question is,

are your three brains better than the Eggheads' three?

Don't have to say no to that! Carolyn, Richard and Mike,

will you go first or second?

-First?

-We've gone first till now.

-We'll go first, please, Jeremy.

Here we go. In which year did Bill Clinton officially become President of the United States?

CONFER QUIETLY

-Bush has done two.

-He's done eight years.

-Yeah.

-That's 16 years.

-..2008.

Bush was 2004 and 2000.

So he was...

It'd be '95. No.

-No, '93.

-16 years ago.

Yes, it's got to be.

We've had two eight-term presidents.

Two two-term presidents.

We're not sure but if our maths is right

we're hoping it's 1993.

That's the right answer. 1993.

Eggheads,

if something is in good order,

it is said to be what,

That would be Bristol fashion.

Bristol fashion is correct. Well done.

Next question for Puddings Not Tarts.

Lucinda Childs, born in New York City in 1940,

is a renowned name in which field?

Lucinda Childs?

Julia Childs was a cookery thing, but not Lucinda.

You wouldn't expect much horticulture out of New York City.

Dance is New York.

-Dance is New York, isn't it?

-It might be dance.

-I've no idea. We've no idea, but we'll say dance.

-Dance is New York.

It's got to be.

Let me ask the Eggheads.

ALL: Cookery.

They're wrong. You're right.

Dance is the answer. Just cos they say it with conviction!

We learn something every day. But it may not be true!

-I swear I've seen her books!

-Should have gone second!

They would have got the wrong answer.

Eggheads,

in the original Penguin paperback books, launched in 1935,

what colour was used to denote general fiction?

Oh, those fiction books. They're the orange ones, aren't they?

-BARRY:

-They were fiction.

-They're the ones that are sought-after now.

-Collectors' items.

They're orange.

It's gone red, and it's orange.

Well done.

Level pegging.

You know how important this question is, third in the final round.

Here we go. Which former National Hunt champion jockey

has written best-selling novels

with titles including Inside Track, Winner Takes All and Safe Bet?

-I think it's John Francome.

-I won't argue with you!

I think the only one who's written novels is John Francome.

If you get this right,

then they get theirs wrong, you've won.

Don't tempt us!

John Francome is the correct answer. Well done.

Done with great certainty as well.

-Eggheads, over to you. India's Vishwanathan Anand...

-I'll take this one!

retained his world title in what game in 2008?

I think I'll take this one!

I think that might be chess, Jeremy.

You are a former chess champion.

-I am, indeed!

-Was it MENSA chess champion?

I was, but I've won lots of other titles as well. Smaller titles.

-You haven't beaten this guy?

-Never even met him.

Chess is the correct answer.

-It would have been so simple!

-It would have been nice.

It's rarely that simple with them. Three questions each. £19,000.

Scores are level.

Now we go to sudden death.

-Is your life flashing before you?

-Yes.

The ancient temple complex at Abu Simbel is in which country?

-I think it's Egypt. Definitely. Are we sure?

-Yep.

-Yep.

-Are we sure?

-Are we sure?

-Definitely.

-Yep.

We think that's Egypt.

You're right.

You're right.

A lot of conviction.

If you get this wrong, Eggheads, they get £19,000.

If you get this wrong. Here's your question. Sudden death.

In cinematography,

for what does the letter V stand

in the abbreviation POV?

I thought it was point of view.

I'm thinking if there's anything else. Point of view came to my mind.

That's what I've always known POV to stand for, point of view.

The V stands for view.

V does stand for view.

How could they be so beastly?

I know!

Sudden death. £19,000. Your question.

Which German-born photographer was known for his studies of London during the Blitz

and his 1936 book The English At Home?

All I can think of is Man Ray, but he wasn't German.

QUIET CONFERRING

I don't know. I don't know.

If it was multiple choice, it would spring out at you.

But it's, um...

-I don't know.

-Heinrich Braun? I don't know.

-I've no idea.

-Shall we say we don't know?

-Go with what he said.

Well, we don't know, as you can tell. What was it you thought?

-Braun. Heinrich Braun.

-Heinrich Braun.

-We don't know.

-Heinrich Braun.

-There was a B.

-A name plucked out of the ether.

-There was a B. Daphne?

-Bill Brandt.

-Bill Brandt.

-Two Bs.

-It was B.

Not Willy Brandt, the politician.

-No. This is it.

-Bill or Billy.

-Never mind.

-Eggheads,

in Norse mythology, what was the name of the rainbow bridge

between heaven and earth?

-Bifrost.

-Bifrost.

-Thank you.

Bifrost.

You said that with certainty.

-Yes.

-Bifrost.

-We love mythology!

You love Norse mythology.

-Only you.

-All mythology.

-All mythology.

Quizzers love mythology.

Bifrost is correct. Well done, Eggheads, you've won again.

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

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £19,000.

The money rolls over to the next show. 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.

£20,000 says they don't. Till then, goodbye.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd