Episode 56 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.

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 are goliaths in the world of TV quiz shows. They are the Eggheads.

And taking on our quiz champions today are...

The team are all County Cricket scorers and take their name

from their cricketing predecessors, who would traditionally

make notches on a piece of wood to keep score. Let's meet them.

Hello, I'm Alan. I'm 70.

I'm the Lancashire scorer and a retired examinations board official.

Hello, I'm John. I'm 71.

I'm the Derbyshire scorer and a retired schoolteacher.

Hello, I'm Anthony. I'm 82.

I score for Hampshire Cricket Club and I'm a retired newsagent.

Hello, I'm Keith. I'm 66.

I'm the Surrey scorer and also a freelance author.

Hello, I'm Mike. I'm 62.

I'm the Sussex scorer and a retired army officer.

Maybe we ought to adopt this practice. Stick of wood for Eggheads and keep the score that way.

Just tell me what this used to involve, then? Old style notching.

Do notching sticks still exist?

I guess they must be highly prized if there are a few of them around.

-I suppose there's some in the Lord's museum.

-Do you still make sure you keep a record,

in a big ledger with your own handwriting, and the rest of it?

Oh, yes. We have a laptop. But that's really to get the scores down to Teletext.

The important thing is the book. It will remain for 100 years in the pavilion.

And people can look at and sort things out. Laptop's just an excrescence.

Nice sense of history, isn't it?

-About you building on generations that have gone before you.

-Yup.

Let's see how you do against the Eggheads. I'm sure you're hoping for a certain round to come up.

We'll see if that happens today.

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.

Notchers, the Eggheads have won the last game,

which means £2,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

Our first head to head battle will be on the subject of Film And Television.

Who'd like to play this one?

-Mine, I think, Alan. OK.

-So, it's going to be you, Keith, is it?

-Yes.

You need to choose an opponent. Bit like cricket. One against the other.

-Bit like cricket. I'll go for Barry, please.

-Go for Barry.

See if you can knock a notch or two off him in Film And Television.

OK, can I ask Keith and Barry please to take their positions in the question room

to make sure there's no conferring.

-Keith, you write about cricket, as well?

-I do write about cricket.

I'm a bit of a specialist on late 19th-century cricket.

So, it's a niche market within a niche market, really.

But it keeps a few hundred people happy.

What state was English cricket in in the late 19th century?

-Well, we used to beat Australia. So, probably rather better than it is now.

-OK, Keith. Film and Television.

-Would you like to go first or second?

-I'll go second please.

That means you're first, Barry. Here it is. At the crease.

What is the name of the neighbour of Bill and Ben, TV's Flowerpot Men?

How I love that programme. It was Little Weed.

It's the right answer, yes. Bill and Ben's neighbour, Little Weed.

OK, first question to you then, Keith.

What is the often quoted repeated line from the climax of the 1960 film Spartacus?

I did see this.

But it was a French version.

And I'm not sure of the answer.

So, I'll take a guess and go straight down the middle for I'm Spartacus!

Je suis Spartacus!

Je suis Spartacus!

As opposed to "Il est" or "Vous etes"!

It's the right answer. Well, done, yes.

OK, Barry, second question.

Who played the liberal-minded juror eight in the 1957 film Twelve Angry Men?

A wonderful film in which juror eight was the only one

who thought that the accused was innocent.

And everybody else thought he was guilty.

And bit by bit he convinced everybody to look at the evidence

and realise that he was right and they were all wrong.

It was Henry Fonda.

Henry Fonda, juror eight in Twelve Angry Men.

It's the right answer, Barry.

So, that's two to you. And back to Keith for a second question.

Keith, who directed the 2008 George Bush Junior biopic, W?

I saw this quite recently.

An excellent film. Beautiful political satire.

-But I didn't pay too much attention to the credits at the end.

-Oh, no!

I thought you were going to cruise into the answer there.

Telling me all about the film. Yes, we need the director.

I wish I could. Again, it's...

it's a one in three chance. So, I'll go...

I'll go for Steven Soderbergh.

OK, Steven Soderbergh. Seen the film, enjoyed it.

Didn't stay for the credits. It's Oliver Stone.

It's Oliver Stone. OK, well there we are.

So, it means a chance for you to win the round here, Barry.

What is the name of the school that Troy and Gabriella attend in the film, High School Musical?

Are you a fan, Barry?

Sadly not.

And my children unfortunately are the wrong age to be fans, as well.

But I seem to think it was East High.

Or I hope it's East High.

East High. It is the high of high school musical.

That's the right answer, Barry.

Which means you're through to the final round.

I suppose in cricketing terms, Keith,

-you stood on your wicket there.

-I think I did, yes.

That means you won't be in the final round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

Well, Keith's back in the pavilion, but plenty more waiting to have a knock.

Let's see how you do with our next category. As it stands, one of the Notchers out.

The Eggheads are all still there.

Our next subject today is History.

Now, I know this will suit quite a few of you interested in History.

-Probably Keith there but you can't play, Keith.

-I'll do History.

Who shall I take on?

-Shall we try CJ?

-If you wish.

Anthony would like to take on CJ.

OK, Anthony, you will have your wish.

Could I ask both Anthony and CJ please to take their positions in the question room.

Anthony, did you play in your day, as well? Or have you always been a scorer?

I played... No, I played club cricket when I was a younger man

and did a bit of umpiring along the way.

-Now I've ended up with the score book.

-What kind of relationship do you have with the umpires?

-Very good.

-Do you have a chat beforehand?

-Oh, yes.

Just to know an individual umpire's idiosyncrasies and how they might signal a leg-by or whatever.

I think I can speak for all of my colleagues when I say we get on very well with the umpires.

And we both seem to know what each other wants.

And it makes a very happy day.

-Do you want to go first or second in this round, Anthony?

-Well, I think I'll go in first.

OK. In first. Anthony, first question then.

What title was granted to Queen Victoria's husband Prince Albert in 1857?

Well, he wasn't Prince of Wales because that was Edward...

became Edward VII later on.

It certainly wasn't Prince Regent.

The answer must be Prince Consort.

That's right, yes. Good start.

So, one to Antony there. CJ,

on which date in 1789 did the storming of the Bastille in Paris take place?

That was on Bastille Day, Dermot.

Yes, but it became Bastille Day

-because it happened on one of those dates.

-Oh, I see.

The 14th day of one of those months.

I'll try July then, Dermot.

14th of July is the correct answer.

Second question coming to you, Anthony.

In which year did the emperor Honorius

send a message to the inhabitants of Britain, stating that they must be prepared

to defend themselves against foreign invasion, thus effectively ending all Roman influence in the country?

Well, 810 was too late.

I think 110 was too early.

I think the Romans were in Britain for about 400 years, yes.

I will go for AD 410.

410, Honorius sending a message...

saying they're coming and I'm off!

It's 410, it's the right answer. Well, done, yes.

Amazing isn't that Roman occupation and Roman influence lasted so long?

A lot of people think it was all over quite quickly.

I mean, what's Julius Caesar?

-55 BC.

-55.

OK, CJ, which historical figure was executed in 1618 under a sentence passed 15 years earlier?

Well, that's interesting. It's not Mary, Queen of Scots.

That was 1587, I think.

So, 15 years earlier was 1603.

That's the year that Elizabeth died.

Walter Raleigh certainly had I think a death sentence

passed on him by Elizabeth.

And I'm at a bit of a loss of who Robert Devereux is.

No, no. I'll go for Walter Raleigh.

It's the right answer, yes. And I'd love some more information on this.

-Any Eggheads able to tell me this?

-Barry knows.

Why 15 years later, then? Under a...

-under a different monarch?

-It may have been because he married

Elizabeth Throckmorton who Elizabeth I didn't approve of.

because she hadn't given her permission.

But she didn't have the heart to carry it out.

And he had a chance to redeem himself by James I,

by going on an exhibition to Panama in Central America.

And James was rather hoping he could repeat the...

-And exhibition?

-An expedition, sorry. OK.

James was rather hoping he could capture some Spanish gold

and bring it back and fill the coiffeurs up.

But the expedition was a dismal failure.

And as a result of that he executed him.

Under the old warrant that had never been lifted.

OK, well, poor old Walter Raleigh

means it's all square and everything to play for.

Anthony, a third question for you.

On which island did Tackey's Revolt take place in the 18th century?

Yes, this one's got me thinking.

I don't think it was in the West Indies.

So that would tend to rule out Jamaica.

I think probably Tasmania.

I'll go for Tasmania.

OK, Tackey's Revolt in Tasmania, you think.

-It's incorrect.

-Oh, dear.

It's the first one you ruled out.

It's Jamaica in the West Indies, Tackey's Revolt.

Eggheads, what or who was Tackey?

Leader of a slave uprising. Petered out.

OK. So, a chance for CJ to win the round.

CJ, on which continent did the so-called Beka culture thrive

in the third millennium BC?

Well, it's not Asia. The Beka people, I think, were more Northern

and more Western Europe. No, it's...it's Europe.

-Europe?

-Yeah.

-Beka culture. It's the right answer, CJ.

So, CJ, it means you're through to the final round.

And no place for you, Anthony.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

OK, well as it stands the Notchers have now lost two brains from the final round.

The Eggheads are all intact. But early days, you're just warming up.

Let's have another crack at them, shall we? And this category is Sport.

Well, I bet you'd all like to play this.

But only three of you are eligible. Alan, John or Mike.

Do you want to go? Because...unless it comes up Food And Drink.

-Go on, you go for it.

-OK, all right.

-You fancy it, John?

-Yes.

-OK, who would you like to play from the Eggheads?

It can't be CJ or Barry. So, Chris, Daphne or Judith.

I think Judith knows I'm going to ask her.

It looks like you'll have to drag her kicking and screaming.

-Yeah, might.

-No, no, no, no, no!

Could I ask you both please to take your positions in the question room?

And John, you've scored at test matches at Lord's very recently, yeah?

Lord's was the last one, yes.

And is that extra pressure, or is it just another day with the ledger?

It was an exciting experience. But no, just another day scoring.

It's played at a slower pace than County championship.

And so in some ways it's an easier job.

Let's see how you score here, John. Would you like to go first or second?

I think it's a limited overs match so I'll go first for today please.

Let's hope limited from Judith's point of view. Not yours, John.

John, your first question is this. Juan Pablo Montoya

has been a leading figure in which sport?

Well, I certainly haven't heard of him in golf. Nor in snooker.

So I hope that he is a motor racer.

Motor racing is the right answer.

Juan Pablo Montoya. So, Judith, first question now to you.

Sir Allen Stanford put up 20 million prize money for a single match in which sport in 2008?

That should have been his question. It's cricket.

Oh, you know it! Cricket is correct.

John nodding along there.

Sir Allen Stanford put up a lot money. Who won? Do you know, Judith?

Well, it wasn't England.

That's for sure.

OK. Right, on we go. Glossing over the result of that.

John, in 1997, who became the youngest female Wimbledon singles winner for over hundred years?

Well, tennis isn't one of my top sports.

I've got a horrible feeling I'm going to say the wrong one.

But I'm going to say Martina Hingis.

OK. It's correct. Martina Hingis in 1997.

Martina Hingis is still the second youngest winner after Lottie Dod.

-Lottie Dod? When was that, then?

-About 1880s, I think.

Right. Second question for you then, Judith. You're behind as you know.

To which team was Alan Hansen referring

when he said, "You'll never win anything with kids," in the 1995-96 football season?

It's no good asking me questions like that.

Sorry.

96?

95-96 football season. The quotation from Alan Hansen

"You'll never win anything with kids," referring to which team?

Manchester United seems to be...

They've had a very long run of being at the top, haven't they?

I'm going to say Manchester United.

-Manchester United.

-Yes.

-Why are saying that?

Because they've had a very long run.

And what's his name Ferguson

has been there about that length of time, I think.

And maybe when he moved over and took it over, they were all kids.

Logic's absolutely up the shoot, I can tell you that.

-Sir Alex Ferguson's been there a lot longer than that.

-Has he?

-Yes.

But you are right about the club.

Manchester United. And the kids.

That crop included the likes of David Beckham,

I suppose even Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.

Anyway, the right answer's been supplied by you, Judith.

For whatever reasons. Manchester United.

You'll be glad to get that one under your belt.

-I will, yes.

-Getting a football question right.

-That's miraculous.

-OK. It's two all then.

And, John, a third question.

Which heavyweight boxer won 26 of his first 28 fights by stoppage,

15 of them in the first round?

I think you've only got to look at me

to see that boxing is not my strong point either.

I don't think Muhammad Ali won as quickly as that.

I think I'm going to go for Rocky Marciano.

OK, Rocky Marciano.

Looking for someone with a heck of a punch.

He certainly had one.

But not Rocky Marciano. It's Mike Tyson, down the middle there.

Mike Tyson.

Whoa! A chance for Judith

to deliver a knock-out blow.

Judith, on which golf course did Tiger Woods

win the 2000 Open Championship with a record score of 19 under par?

It could have been any of those.

-Yeah, but it wasn't. It was just one of them.

-I know.

Maybe the millennium one was at St Andrews.

I mean that's, that's clinging on to a tiny bit of logic somewhere.

-So, is that your answer?

-Yeah.

-It's the right answer, Judith.

You've got it! Manchester United and St Andrews now.

A sporting expert is born.

Bad luck, John. It means you won't be playing in the final round.

Judith, you will be. Would you both please come back and join your teams?

Well, Notchers, you've now lost three brains from the final round. The Eggheads are all still there.

Time now for a bit of a knock. Somebody to stay at the crease and knock one of the Eggheads out.

Now, this next category...

our last category before the final round...is Geography.

And from Alan or Mike, who'd like to play?

Mike's going to go. Who do you fancy?

-Mike, you want to play it?

-I think I'll play it.

It is Daphne or Chris.

-Daphne or Chris.

-We'll go for Chris, I think.

Let's have Mike and Chris into the question room.

Well, Mike, as a former military man and now involved in cricket at a high level,

I'm guessing you must have travelled quite a lot.

-Oh, a lot more since I've been in cricket than I did whilst I was in the army.

-Really?

Yes. I had one trip to Singapore whilst I was in the army.

But since then I've been to South Africa, Australia, India, Caribbean.

-All in cricket.

-Would you like to go first or second, Mike?

I think I'll go first if I may, thank you.

OK. Good luck, Mike. Here you go.

In which ocean are the Cook Islands located?

Well, I'm sure this comes from Captain Cook.

And I don't think he went anywhere near the Arctic.

He went through the Indian Ocean but the Cook Islands,

I believe, are in the Pacific.

Good answer. It's a right one and a good start for you, Mike.

That is correct.

Chris, the Grand Bazaar is at the centre of a commercial district of which city?

Well, bazaar is sort of Levantine, Oriental.

So it's got to be Istanbul.

Istanbul. The Grand Bazaar. Yes, it is. Good start for you both then.

One each.

Mike, second question. In which country is the popular beach resort of Tarifa?

I can't say that's one immediately comes to mind.

I've been to Portugal and to Spain.

And I don't remember it being either of those.

But I may be wrong. Bit of a guess.

I think I'll go for Morocco.

Tarifa is in Spain.

-Ah.

-And very windy.

Noted for its windsurfing.

Very windy. It's the bit where you go round to the Atlantic.

Yeah. So, chance for Chris to take the lead.

In which English county are the Howardian Hills,

designated an area of outstanding natural beauty?

Yes, they're up near Castle Howard in North Yorkshire.

North Yorkshire. Right answer. So, you've got the lead then, Chris.

And pressure's on Mike. Needs to get this.

Trotternish is the northernmost peninsula of which Scottish island?

I actually served in the Outer Hebrides for a while

and I don't remember it being on Lewis.

And I've also travelled through Skye a number of times.

And I also don't remember there.

So, I'm going to go for Mull.

-Trotternish is in Skye.

-Ah.

Your travels let you down there.

You've been to Spain and Portugal and missed out on Tarifa.

And yeah, Skye you've been to and didn't spot Trotternish.

Means you won't be in the final round. Both please come back and join your teams.

So, this is what we've been playing towards.

It's time for the final round which, as always, is General Knowledge.

But those of you who lost your head to heads

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

So, John, Antony, Keith and Mike from the Notchers, would you leave the studio please?

So, Alan, this is a bit like last man walking out to the crease.

-Need a big innings from you.

-I can't confer.

-That's for sure.

Alan, you're playing to win the Notchers £2,000.

CJ, Daphne, Chris, Barry and Judith, you're playing for something money can't buy.

The Eggheads' reputation.

I'll ask each team three questions in turn. This time the questions are all General Knowledge.

-You are allowed to confer. Alan can't. Do you want to go first, or second?

-I might as well go first.

First question. Which Hollywood star was the mother of Liza Minnelli?

Judy Garland.

Without hesitation. No need for conferring there.

Judy Garland is the right answer, yes. Liza with a zee.

Your first question, Eggheads.

What type of clothing are lederhosen,

traditionally worn by men in the Alpine region and surrounding areas?

-They're shorts.

-Give us a demonstration, Chris.

You wouldn't catch me dead in lederhosen.

-And they are?

-They are shorts.

Shorts, lederhosen. Yes, we'll move swiftly on from that.

It's one apiece and a good start from Alan. Nice and steady.

Here's your second question.

In which Italian city would you find Caffe Florian, supposedly the oldest cafe in Italy?

Have you been to any of those cities... Venice, Rome or Turin?

I've been to Venice. I've been to Rome. I haven't been to Turin.

The temptation is Rome because it's so old.

I think it probably isn't Rome.

So, I'll go for Venice.

Venice. Venice is correct.

Caffe Florian, it's in Venice.

OK, Eggheads. Second question.

Which group had a 2008 hit UK album entitled Only By The Night?

That would be the Kings of Leon.

-Leon? Leon.

-Leon.

-Leon.

It's them. It's the right answer. Well, done, Eggheads.

So, two to you. But well done, Alan, on your own.

If you get this, you might just beat them.

MARTA is the abbreviation for the public transport system of which US city?

It's M, A, R, T, A in capitals.

MARTA.

It'll be the Metropolis of Atlanta Road Transport Association.

I'll go for Atlanta.

There's plenty of As in there. And it's the right answer, well done.

Atlanta.

So, three out of three.

Which means you've got to get this, Eggheads. Roger Alton

was appointed editor of which national daily newspaper in 2008?

Not The Guardian because it's still Alan Rusbridger.

Alan, do you know what?

When the Eggheads lost quite a lot money once,

I think it was a question about a

national newspaper editor they got wrong. They don't like their...

-Oh, no.

-They don't like their national newspaper editors.

-It's not The Guardian, is it?

-It's definitely not The Guardian.

I thought The Indie had changed... I mean, my instinct would be The Indie.

-So, what do you think, Judith?

-No idea.

-No.

-I vote for The Indie.

CJ's got a gut feeling.

We know it's not The Guardian. So, 50/50 go with The Indie.

-Well, I vote Indie.

-Indie.

-I abstain because I have no...

-I abstain because I...

Well, do you think it might be The Times?

Yeah, but I don't know.

I don't know which one it is.

You'd have thought you'd go and learn your newspaper editors.

But look at you, sixes and sevens.

Dearie, dearie me. Right, I need...

I do need an answer. Roger Alton

appointed editor of which national daily newspaper in 2008?

-What's your answer?

-The Independent.

Roger Alton

became editor of The Independent.

It's the right answer, Eggheads. Look how much that matters.

But you know I am astonished at you, genuinely.

Given that you lost your reputation.

-Yeah, don't go on about it.

-I'm not.

-It's very un-Egghead-like behaviour.

-Don't go on about it.

Right, let's see if you can knock this one for six, Alan.

It's Sudden Death. Which means we've removed the multiple choices now.

You've been doing so well, we've got though those three questions. Here it is.

What's the name of the 109-carat diamond that was

given to Queen Victoria after the annexation of the Punjab in 1849?

I only know two big diamonds.

The Koh-I-Noor and the Cullinan.

And Koh-I-Noor sounds more Punjab than Cullinan. I'll say Koh-I-Noor.

is the right answer.

Well, done, very well done, Alan.

Back to you, Eggheads.

Which plant with peppery-tasting leaves that are

often used in salads, has a name from the Latin for nose twisting?

Which plant with peppery tasting leaves, that are

often used in salads, has a name from the Latin for nose twisting?

Nasturtium, definitely. Yeah.

-Nasturtium.

-Nasturtium, yes.

I was doing a bit of nose thumbing earlier, wasn't I?

Nasturtium. You've got that.

OK, Alan.

What was the name of the arrangement which came into being in the UK in 1900, and effectively ended in 1995,

by which publishers and booksellers set the prices at which books were to be sold to the public?

There's only one phrase coming to my mind.

So, I can't think of another one.

So, retail price maintenance.

OK.

Fixing the price. I can...

I can see the logic but it's not the right answer.

It is not retail price maintenance.

First incorrect answer in this final round.

Eggheads, do you know? It could have been your question.

It's got book in it.

Well, imagine that!

Is that why you're an Egghead?

-The phrase has.

-Yes, it has.

No, it's...

it is the Net Book Agreement.

Well, it means the Eggheads have got a chance.

It wasn't their question

and the first wrong answer we've had in the final round.

Eggheads, Desmond Leslie, an expert on UFOs,

gained infamy in 1962 when on the TV show That Was The Week That Was,

he punched which critic in front of an audience of 11 million people?

That would be Bernard Levin.

And the answer is Bernard Levin.

It's the right answer, Eggheads. You've won.

Only just.

Oh, oh, oh, oh! How does that feel, just to come within a whisker?

-I'm happy to have kept them going for a while.

-Kept them going?

Notchers, thank you for coming in

and telling us about cricket scoring and notching.

It's really nice to have had you here on Eggheads and for giving them such a good game.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them and they still reign supreme over quizland.

I'm afraid, you won't be going home with the £2,000.

Which means 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.

£3,000 says they don't.

Until then, goodbye.

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