Episode 31 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 pit

their wits against possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain.

You might recognise them, as they've won some

of the country's toughest quiz shows. They are the Eggheads.

And taking on our awesome quiz champions today are

the Chummie Brummies from Birmingham.

Along with her husband, Ed, team captain Elaine has recruited three

of her best friends, including Jan, whom Elaine has known since their

first day at primary school.

-Let's meet them.

-Hello, I'm Elaine.

I'm 54 and I'm a chartered accountant.

Hello, I'm Ed. I'm 49 and I'm a payroll manager.

Hello, I'm Jan. I'm 54 and I'm a bank manager.

Hello, I'm Peter. I'm 55 and I'm a chartered accountant.

Hi, I'm Mandy. I'm 46 and I'm a manager and part-time student.

Well, welcome to Chummie Brummies. So, Elaine and Jan, you've known

each other, since primary school? So ten or 11 years?

-That's right. Such a charm!

-First day at primary school though.

And did you hit it off then? Did you click right back then?

-We did, yeah.

-Sit beside each other?

-Yeah.

-Exchanged sandwiches?

-Well, no. It was school dinners.

School dinners, of course, in those days.

And did you at secondary school, stay together?

Janet went to a different junior school and then when we got to

secondary school,

I was late for school the first day and there was only one seat left in

the class, and I sat down and Janet said, "Hello, Elaine."

And there she was again!

-And on it went.

-On it went.

-And now here you are on Eggheads.

-Yep.

-So do you quiz a bit then?

-We do, yeah.

As a team, all five of you?

We quiz with Peter and Mandy.

-And Janet's coming along to the odd one as well.

-OK.

-Yeah.

Well, let's hope you've got all the categories covered today.

All the angles taken care of.

Let me tell you what's been going on with the money.

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

for our challengers. However, if they fail to defeat the Eggheads,

the prize money rolls over to the next show.

So, Chummie Brummies, the Eggheads have won the last 28 games,

which means £29,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

First head to head will be on the subject of sport.

Who are sporting specialists amongst you?

-I think Peter.

-Peter.

-Yep.

And any Egghead is available at this point. None of them have played,

-of course.

-CJ?

-CJ? CJ I think, yes.

-Yep.

-CJ.

OK. CJ.

It's a shock.

For you.

Yeah, let's have Peter then and CJ into the question room please,

just to make sure there's no conferring.

Peter, it's sport. Do you want to go first or second?

-You get to choose.

-I'll go second please.

Second. That's you, CJ, then first.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Britain won its greatest number

of medals in which sport?

Ah?

Big haul, but which sport provided most of them?

It must be cycling, cos you've got Chris Hoy, Bradley Wiggins.

I mean, there were a lot of obviously rowing races,

but generally one person can only win one medal,

unless they're in a coxed pair and something larger.

I have no idea what I'm burbling on about, as you may have guessed.

No, it must be cycling. It's definitely cycling, Dermot.

It is the right answer. It is cycling. So there we are.

Well, CJ negotiated that.

Got the start that maybe the Chummie Brummies didn't want.

Let's hope you get a good start, Peter. Your first question now.

In major league baseball, the outer layer of the baseball is

made from which material?

Well let's think about this.

It's unlikely to be cork,

cos is, I would imagine, the filling of the ball.

So it would either be plastic or leather.

And I know traditionally the pitcher likes to rub something into the

surface of the ball

to get it rough, so he can get some curve into it.

So I would guess it would be leather.

OK. Working it out and, yeah, like cricket, leather.

It's the right answer. Yes, well done.

OK, CJ. What was Ellery Hanley's

first rugby league club, for which he signed in 1978?

Ellery Hanley. He's...

I think I can picture him, but that's absolutely no use

to me, cos even if I could see him wearing a shirt,

it would mean nothing to me. Erm...

Yes, he was very well known.

I remember this, cos it's very important.

He was very well known for playing for Bradford.

Yes, I remember now.

Erm, Barry?

I knew you were going to ask me and I can't remember.

He's got it right.

-Oh, dear.

-He's got it right.

-I told you it was well known.

-Wild guess.

Guess there with confidence.

Trying to fool us into thinking you knew. It's what you can do

with these three choices. But, Peter, let's hope no guessing here.

Let's hope you know it. Second question for you.

Which cricket team won the 2008 Division One Country Championship?

This I should know cos I've followed cricket quite a long time and it was

their first ever big success.

It's Durham.

Yeah, it certainly was.

Well done, Peter. Sailing in with that one.

Two-all. CJ, which racecourse near Esher in Surrey hosts both the

Tingle Creek Trophy over jumps and the Eclipse Stakes on the flat?

Those races mean nothing to me, but I know that Sandown Park's

next door to Esher, so I'll go for Sandown Park.

A geography question then you've got right, CJ. Correct, yes.

The Tingle Creek and the Eclipse both at Sandown.

Different codes of racing.

And a third question then for you,

Peter, which you must get to keep this round going. In which

year did footballers first wear shirt numbers at the FA Cup Final?

Now, this I wouldn't know, because I wasn't around for any of them.

Er... I don't think it was 1893.

I think that might have been a bit early.

Erm...

I think it would be 1913, by which

stage football had become quite well organised. So I'll say 1913.

1913.

Increasing organisation you think.

Shirt numbers at the FA Cup Final

was in 1933.

1933. 20 years later. So no shirt numbers up to that point.

And looking at the scoreboard there, it means, Peter, as you know,

CJ has somehow won the round.

With, what? Bradford, I think, the most outrageous of

the three guesses you ventured there.

Means you won't be playing in the final round. CJ, you will be.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

As it stands, Chummie Brummies have lost one brain from the final round,

the Eggheads haven't lost any.

We'll play our next round now.

And it's Film & Television.

Who'd like to play this? Film & Television.

It depends whether geography's coming up, doesn't it, really?

-Shall I do it then?

-Yeah, you do it. Yeah, captain's round.

-All right.

-I'm going to do it.

-OK, Elaine.

Now, who would you like to play from the Eggheads? It can't be CJ.

-One of the other four.

-Chris please.

-Chris, OK. Film & Television.

Got a little black and white set in the house, haven't you?

Yeah, a little 6 inch screen, a sort of greenish colour, yeah.

Bought for the Coronation.

OK, let's have Elaine and Chris into the question room please.

So, Elaine, I believe you've been

crunching your numbers in your role as captain of the Chummie Brummies.

-And doing the stats on the Eggheads.

-I have, yes.

I've been very busy and we've all had tests to do.

We've all been marked on our subjects.

And that's been put into my spreadsheet.

-And it's just gone wrong.

-All right, OK.

Well, let's hope we can get it back on the right track with this round.

-Do you want to go first or let Chris begin.

-I'll go first.

Good luck, Elaine. Here you go. First question.

In 2004, Rupert Penry-Jones

first appeared as Adam Carter in which TV series?

Well, I don't watch Foyle's War and I don't watch Hustle.

The only one I watch is Spooks.

So I'm going to go for Spooks,

cos I've got a feeling he might be in that.

OK. Adam Carter, played by Rupert Penry-Jones is in Spooks.

It's the right answer. Well done.

Seen it. OK, Chris.

Which film starring Will Ferrell

was subtitled The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby?

Ah, that's the stock car racing thing, isn't it?

So that's Talladega Nights.

The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby. Are you a fan of the works of Will Ferrell?

-Not particularly, no.

-Well if you are, I recommend Blades Of Glory.

-That's the ice-skating one.

-Yeah.

Erm, Talladega Nights is the right answer. Well done.

OK, one each. And, Elaine, second question.

The English actress Kristin Scott Thomas attended a prestigious

drama school in which European city?

Well, I don't really know the answer, but I know until recently

she was married to a Frenchman, so I'm going to say Paris.

OK. Maybe the reason she lived in Paris for so long.

It's the right answer. Yeah, Paris. Drama school there.

OK, Chris, in which decade was the US TV sketch show

Saturday Night Live launched?

Well, it's fairly controversial and in the '50s the sponsors

didn't like anything controversial

on American television whatever.

Er...

It could be the tail end of the '60s or it could be the '70s.

Given that it's been around a long time...

Was more or less contemporary with Rowan And Martin's Laugh-in,

if I remember right. I'll say the '60s.

The answer is the 1970s.

-Oh.

-So 1970s there for Saturday Night Live.

Well great news, Elaine, in that spreadsheet. Woo-hoo!

Bit of updating in your favour if you get this one right.

Which actor fought at Pegasus Bridge on D-Day and later

played his own commanding officer in the 1962 film The Longest Day?

Well, my husband would know this one

cos he likes military films.

Erm...

I don't think it was John Gregson.

So I'm going to go for Richard Todd.

The answer is Richard Todd! It's correct.

Elaine, you're going through to the final round. No need to put another

question to Chris. Chris, no place for you in the final round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams.

Elaine, if we allowed laptops in here, you'd be updating yours

right now, wouldn't you? As it stands, it's all square then.

Both teams lost one brain from the final round.

Our next head to head today could be another interesting one. Music.

Who'd like to play this and it can't be Elaine or

-Peter, they've both played.

-OK, it looks like it's me on this one.

OK, Mandy. Who would you like to play from the Eggheads?

CJ and Chris have played, so it's Barry, Daphne or Kevin.

Not Daphne. I heard Daphne on Kerrang Radio and she's lethal.

What did she say on Kerrang Radio?

Well, she went head to head with one of

the presenters and she thrashed him.

Did you? What questions?

-Music questions?

-Yes, yes.

She knew the White Stripes' albums, which... Respect to Daphne.

OK. So not Daphne, then cos she knows her music.

-Try Barry?

-Yeah.

I'll try Barry.

OK. Try Barry. Let's have Mandy and Barry into

the question room please. Mandy, do you want to go first or second?

I'll go first please, Dermot.

Here we go.

Which Italian composer has been jokingly referred to as Joe Green?

I know that Verdi is Italian for green,

so I'm going to go with Giuseppe Verdi.

Giuseppe Verdi, Joe Green. Yup, that's the right answer. Well done.

Barry, what is the part

of a piano's mechanism that actually strikes the string?

What is the part of a piano's mechanism

that actually strikes the string?

It would be interesting to see a hammer that worked on a pestle basis

and a chisel is likely to break the string, so it's obviously the hammer.

Yeah, little hammer. It's the right answer, yes.

Well done, Barry. OK, Mandy.

Who won the Mercury Prize For Music

in 2008 with their album The Seldom Seen Kid?

Certainly underrated until they won this award. It was Elbow.

Hee-hee-hee! You do know your stuff. It's the right answer. Elbow.

Sadly underrated.

Right, Barry, behind... this chance to catch up then.

In 1960, what was

the first single by the Shadows to reach number one in the UK?

I can still remember this one.

I'm certain it was Apache.

Erm, Apache is the right answer.

Yes, correct, Barry.

So, Mandy, third question. Always an important one.

Which classical ballet features magical spirits

ruled by a queen called Myrtha?

Erm. Don't recognise the name.

Giselle has a sort of supernatural element,

but I think that's ghosts rather than magical spirits.

It's a bit of a guess. I'm going to go with La Sylphide.

La Sylphide.

It is Giselle.

That's the ghosty, magical bit.

So a chance for Barry

at this third question point.

As I say, very often crucial.

Barry, since 2005, which artist has released albums called Magic Time,

Pay The Devil and Keep It Simple?

Oh, dear.

Not having heard of any of those albums

that makes this a bit of a lottery.

I like Van Morrison music and I've not heard of any Van Morrison recent

albums entitled that.

For some reason I don't think it's Elvis Costello.

So this is an out and out guess, and my apologies to my very learned

opponent if I've got this right, but I'm going to go for David Gray.

No need to apologise. It's wrong.

-It's Van Morrison.

-Ah!

-Every time I say one.

-Did you know that, Mandy?

I didn't. I might have guessed Van Morrison, just cos it didn't sound

-like either of the other two.

-OK. Very honest of you.

Listen, I'm enjoying this round anyway, so I'm glad it's continuing.

Sudden death though for the first time in the game, Mandy, means we

remove, as I'm sure as Elaine has schooled you,

we remove those choices, those multiple choices.

So I've just got to hear an answer from you.

Here we go.

"You fill up my senses like a night in the forest"

are the opening lines of which UK number one hit single from 1974?

I believe that that is Annie's Song.

-Is that your answer, Mandy?

-That is my answer.

Annie's Song

is correct!

"You fill up my senses like a night in the forest."

Just bonus, glory bonus point, Mandy, by?

-John Denver.

-John Denver.

OK, knew it all there then. Right, Barry.

Which 1980s pop production trio

became known by the abbreviation SAW?

I'm trying to think of a trio from the '80s and Bananarama's

coming into my mind because Siobhan Fahey

was one of the members and that could be the S.

I can't remember who the other two members were, what the A and W were,

but as I've nothing else, I'll go for Bananarama.

OK, Bananarama. OK, I'm going to pause here and delivery my annual

lecture in Eggheads on listening accurately to the question,

which the Eggheads themselves are sometimes negligent about.

Barry, which 1980s

pop PRODUCTION trio became known by the abbreviation SAW?

-Oh!

-So not a band.

-Oh!

-It's in the question.

-Stock Aitken Waterman.

Stock Aitken Waterman! He's got it.

And there endeth the lecture.

Listen to the question!

Ha-ha! But the good news being that it was an Egghead who didn't listen

and it's a contestant who's going through to the final round!

Mandy, we're having you in the final round.

-Thank you.

-Would you both please come back and join your teams?

This is getting lots better now, isn't it?

As it stands, Chummie Brummies have lost one brain from the final round,

the Eggheads have now lost two brains. Very careless.

Right, last subject, another chance to

knock one of these faltering, non-listening Eggheads out.

The subject is Food & Drink.

Who'd like to play this? Two of you left.

It's Jan or Ed. Food & Drink.

-Janet for this one.

-OK.

-Janet.

-I'll do this one.

OK, Jan, and remaining on the Eggheads' side are Kevin and Daphne.

I'll take Kevin.

Yes! It should be good.

Do you want to pass now, Kevin, or do you want to play the round?

-I'll give it a go.

-Give it a go.

Let's have Jan and Kevin into the question room please.

-Jan, do you want to go first or second?

-I'll go first please, Dermot

OK, you're kicking off, Jan. Here you go. Good luck.

Which part of a pig is fried to make pork scratchings?

Well, I certainly don't like the idea of the tongue being fried.

And I guess if it was the tail, it would be long and thin.

I'm going to go for skin.

Skin. Er, skin is correct.

Well done, Jan. Good start.

First question, Kevin.

The apple variety called Cox's Orange Pippin

was first cultivated in which country?

Erm, am I meant to think that Canada's in there for a reason?

I don't know whether to go for Britain as the obvious

or to go for Canada as the "Why is it there?" if it's not that.

I'm going to go for Canada.

Canada's there cos we have to put three in really.

-Yes, I know that.

-If we just put "Britain", which the answer is,

then it might be a bit easy.

DERMOT LAUGHS

Quintessentially British, always has been, always will be.

Cox's Orange Pippin. Well, that's just what you hoped for.

Elaine, the old spreadsheet. Now it's paying off, isn't it?

I'm going to patent it.

Still a way to go though.

Right, all our concentration on Jan and our best wishes to her.

Jan, which name is given to German wine that is made from the juice of

grapes that have been frozen on the vine?

Well, Dermot, I took a course in wine at night school.

The clue is in the ice and the answer is Eiswein.

Whey! It is. Yes. Well done.

Every penny worth it on that course, I tell you.

-And, of course, a few drinks you had as well.

-I certainly did.

Two-nil to you. Kevin, you go out if you get this wrong.

Keeping wine in barrels made from which timber typically imparts a

flavour of vanilla to the end product?

I'm sure Jan would know this one as well then.

Right up her street, I would guess.

I don't know, so I'm just going to say oak.

Oak. Yes, the classic oaking, isn't it?

Sometimes, Jan, they just put oak chips in.

-That's correct, yes.

-Oak is the right answer, Kevin.

Kept you in it, but maybe not for long. Good luck with this, Jan.

Three times world quiz champion sitting there with you.

If you get this, he's out. Which two ingredients are found in

the traditional Northumberland dish called pan haggerty?

Well, I've heard of it, but I've never had it. Erm...

I guess that if it's "pan" something,

it's probably done in a frying pan.

And I don't think it's leeks and suet.

I don't think you'd put those together.

So ham and peas or potato and cheese.

I really have no idea at all,

but I'm going to go for potato and cheese.

OK, potato and cheese... CJ slumps,

which means...

you are through to the final round! It's the right answer.

Well done, Jan. Brilliant stuff.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

And this is what we've been playing towards.

It is the final round, which as always is General Knowledge.

But I'm afraid those of you who

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

So, Peter from the Chummie Brummies and Kevin,

Chris and Barry from the Eggheads, would you leave the studio please?

So Elaine, Ed, Jan and Mandy,

you're playing to win the Chummie Brummies £29,000.

CJ and Daphne, you're playing for something which money can't buy.

Yes, the Eggheads' reputation.

I'll ask each team three questions in turn. This time the questions

are all general knowledge and you are allowed to confer.

Chummie Brummies, the question is,

are your four brains better than the Eggheads' two?

Chummie Brummies, would you like to go first or second?

I think we'll go first, shall we?

We'll go first.

All right then. The moment of truth has arrived.

Let's see if you can win the money.

First set of questions for you, Chummie Brummies.

And the best of luck to you.

During World War II the Douglas C-47 transport plane was better

known in the RAF by what name?

During World War II the Douglas C-47 transport plane was better

known in the RAF by what name?

-No idea.

-Dakota.

We're going to leave this one to Ed because he likes

military history, so...

I think it's the Dakota.

OK, the C-47, Douglas C-47, better known...

as the Dakota. It's the right answer.

Well done. Correct.

So one to you. Eggheads, the American

politician Sarah Palin was elected governor of which state in 2006?

The American politician Sarah Palin was

elected governor of which state in 2006?

Alaska.

Alaska is correct, Eggheads. One apiece.

Chummie Brummies, second question.

Which capital city lies opposite Helsinki on the Gulf of Finland?

Which capital city lies opposite Helsinki on the Gulf of Finland?

It's not Minsk.

-It's between Tallinn and Riga.

-Can you visualise it? No!

Helsinki and Tallinn, but I'm not 100% sure.

We don't know any better so...

-OK. We're not 100%, but we're going to go for Tallinn.

-Tallinn.

The answer is Tallinn.

It's correct. Well Tallinn they worked out.

Well done.

And, Eggheads, second question for you.

The trio of supermodel friends that became known in high-fashion circles

at the Trinity was Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista and who else?

The trio of supermodel friends that became known in high-fashion

circles at the Trinity was Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista

and who else?

I don't know, but I wouldn't have gone for Elle McPherson, personally.

-No.

-I'd go between the other two.

-Yeah.

-Now Christy Turlington's obviously older.

-Yes.

-Erm...

But Evangelista's quite a bit older than Campbell.

Claudia Schiffer would be my instinct, but...

And that's, when I heard

the three names, what I thought of, so we will go with Claudia Schiffer.

OK. Naomi Campbell,

Linda Evangelista and...

-Christy Turlington made up the Trinity.

-Oh!

-But...

-Well there you are.

Well it's wide open for you, Chummie Brummies.

Either, and this is the preferred option, you give me the correct

answer here, you win the money.

Or they get another one wrong, you've still won the money.

But let's

keep your fate in your own hands.

Best of luck for this. For £29,000 and the Eggheads' crown.

Which of Jane Austen's novels was initially entitled First Impressions

and was rejected by a publisher?

Which of Jane Austen's novels was

initially entitled First Impressions and was rejected by a publisher?

I'd say Pride And Prejudice.

I recollect somebody saying something about that being rejected.

-Because my first impression of Darcy is that he's...

-Yeah.

Yeah, we'll go with that then.

-Are you OK with that?

-Yeah, I'm OK with that.

£29,000.

No pressure(!)

None at all.

-Elaine.

-So we're going to go with Pride And Prejudice.

Pride And Prejudice, First Impressions.

The answer is Pride And Prejudice.

We've won!

How does that feel?

That's just fantastic.

I mean, you must have watched it so many times and seen so many teams...

28 teams on this particular run.

28 teams have come and had their hopes dashed by this lot.

And all of you who took their places in the question room,

and including Peter, handled the pressure really well.

Well done to you all. Congratulations.

For today only you are officially cleverer than the Eggheads

and proved they can be beaten.

Join us next time on Eggheads to see if a new team of challengers

will be just as successful.

Until then from all of us here, goodbye.

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