Episode 65 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 Britain's greatest quiz team.

You might recognise them as they've won some of the country's toughest quiz shows.

They are the Eggheads.

And challenging our resident quiz champions today are the Querqus Quizzers.

The team all work at the National Trust's central office in Swindon.

Team captain Daz advertised for a quiz team to

come forward from within the Trust, and Querqus Quizzers are the result.

-Let's meet them.

-Hi, I'm Daz, I'm 36 and I'm a senior administrator.

Hi, I'm Sacha, I'm 30 and I'm a research manager.

Hi, I'm Dane, I'm 46 and a finance analyst.

Hi, I'm Margaret, I'm 50 and I'm a marketing manager.

Hi, I'm David, I'm 44 and I'm a governance coordinator.

Well, welcome to Querqus Quizzers.

Now, tell us about the team name first of all.

Just explain how that comes about, Daz.

I asked everybody to come up with a name and we all voted on it,

and the one that won was the suggestion Sacha came up with.

Querqus is the Latin for oak, which is the symbol of the National Trust.

-How many people applied?

-Ten.

-Very good. Now, you had a quiz-off to sort out.

-We did.

So how did you organise that?

I just advertised really for people to come forward,

came up with the questions myself, a la Eggheads-style, and I was Dermot for the day.

And this is the result. OK, then.

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

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

Querqus Quizzers, the challengers actually won the last game, proving it can be done,

so that means £1,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

Our first head-to-head battle is on the subject of Music.

-Who would like to play this?

-Shall I lead from the front?

-I think you should.

-I think you should.

-I'm going to lead from the front.

The advantage of doing the first round is any Egghead you like.

They're all available at this point, of course.

Against my better judgment, I'll go against Daphne.

Daphne, who crumpled there!

I did. I did win the last time.

The last time you played Music. I'm sure Daz knows your strengths and weaknesses.

Let's have you both into the question room then, please, Daphne and Daz.

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

-I think I'll go second, please.

Daphne, here's your first question.

In 2008, Womaniser became the first US number one on the Hot 100 chart

since 1999 for which singer?

I think that's the comeback kid herself, Britney Spears.

Is the right answer, Daphne. Good start.

Daz, the composer Claude Debussy was born in 1862 in which country?

Er, not a big fan of classical, but just logically thinking of his name,

I'm going to eliminate Russia straight away.

Um, I think I will go for France.

OK. It's correct. France.

Daphne,

Elaine Bookbinder is the original name of which British singer?

I think that is...

Elkie Brooks.

Elkie Brooks is correct. Formerly known as Elaine Bookbinder.

Well done, Daphne.

A second question for you, Daz.

Which guitarist, who came to prominence in the 1950s,

was known for his signature duck walk?

Well, I've actually seen this on a couple of music programmes.

Quite a bizarre thing that he does. And it's Chuck Berry.

Chuck Berry, it is. That's the right answer. Well done, Daz.

Daphne,

which composer's first piano concerto, written in 1930,

is intended to be played by the pianist's left hand only?

I'm not absolutely sure, but I think it was written for somebody

who lost a hand during World War I

and I'm hoping, Maurice Ravel?

-Ravel?

-Yes.

It's the right answer. Yes, Daphne.

OK, Daz, which singer started his career as Joe Bari

until he was advised to change his name by Bob Hope?

Again, not one that I know straight off.

Trying to think through logically,

I suppose they were all kind of the same era.

I think I'll go for Tony Bennett.

OK. Tony Bennett.

-Tony Bennett is right, yes.

-Ooh!

There you go.

Well done, Daz, taking us into sudden death.

Just to remind you,

it's all square and this sudden death question goes first to Daphne.

With which record label did Stevie Wonder sign as a child in 1961,

remaining with them ever since?

Um, I'm trying to think of record labels.

Um...

Decca.

Decca.

It's not Decca. It's incorrect.

-Daz, do you know?

-Um, I believe it's Motown.

-It is, it's Motown. Stevie Wonder, Motown.

-Oh, well.

Signed a lifelong deal with them recently, too,

so he's there for good. Yes, well, there you are, Daz.

If you get this, you're through to the final round.

OK Computer was a UK number one album in 1997 for which band?

I think I know it. They're not one of my particular favourites,

but I think it's Radiohead.

A true leader of the Querqus Quizzers shows how it's done.

You're through to the final round.

That is correct. Radiohead.

What, Daphne?

-I knew that one.

-Oh, well, too bad.

You didn't know your Stevie Wonder!

Daz, you're in the final round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

Well, one to the Querqus Quizzers, then,

knocked Daphne out of the final round.

Quizzers, this subject

is Sport. Who'd like to play?

Sport. It can't be Daz.

-Get the man!

-Yeah, it's got to be!

-That'll be me, Dermot.

You, David. Which Egghead would you like, except Daphne?

Any of the other four.

-Judith?

-I'll go for Judith, Dermot.

-Judith.

-That's...

-There's a surprise(!)

Happens fairly regularly.

Could I ask David and Judith to go to the question room, please?

OK, David, would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, Dermot.

Here we go. It's Sport.

In the cricket competition called Twenty20,

the number 20 refers to the number of what?

Well, it's a relatively modern concept in cricket,

but the amount of fielders and the amount of balls per over is as per

traditional cricket, so it's the amount of overs per innings, Dermot.

Yeah. Fielders per side would be good!

It'd be a bit crowded.

Very hard to get any runs.

Overs per innings is the right answer.

Judith, in October 2008, who replaced Juande Ramos

as the manager of Tottenham Hotspur?

I think I know this. Um...

It's Harry Redknapp, who was lured away from Portsmouth.

Harry Redknapp is the right answer.

OK, second question, apiece.

David, Robert Karlsson and Peter Hedblom

are leading Swedish professionals in which sport?

Well, Robert Karlsson, I believe, has the best

Majors' record in 2008 in golf.

It's the right answer, yes. Karlsson and Hedblom, golfers.

So, Judith, the driver Mark Webber

drove for which team in the 2008 Formula 1 World Championships?

Well, definitely not Ferrari.

It's either Williams or Red Bull.

Um...

Red Bull.

Mark Webber, in the 2008 season,

drove for Red Bull. It's right. Well done, Judith.

So...

..got a battle on your hands, David. Third question.

Which team, at the 2008

Rugby League World Cup tournament, was coached by Ricky Stuart?

Which team, at the 2008 Rugby League World Cup tournament,

was coached by Ricky Stuart?

I'm sure, if he was the England, I would be more familiar with him,

so I'll discount England.

Um, Ricky Stuart... Um...

I'm not 100 per cent sure, at all, but I'll go for Australia, Dermot.

Hmm, sounds Australian, doesn't it?

And it is. Ricky Stuart coached Australia.

Well done.

OK, got to get this, Judith.

Alex Rodriguez, nicknamed A-Rod, is a leading player in which US sport?

This I really have absolutely no idea about.

He sounds tall. Basketball.

LAUGHTER

"He sounds tall"(?)

A-Rod.

OK. Could be a short rod.

Well, it could. But, anyway, he sounds tall to me.

It's close in that, if there was a K and a T in it, it would be the same.

-It's baseball.

-Oh.

That means another Egghead

is out and David is through to the final round. Well played, David.

Both rejoin your teams, please.

Well, as it stands,

the Eggheads have lost two brains from the final round.

The Querqus Quizzers are all there

and our third head-to-head today is Geography.

Who'd like to play this? Sacha,

Dane or Margaret - one of you.

-It's one of you two.

-I don't know where anywhere is!

-Can you do Geography?

-I could try!

As long as it's not rivers, I'll be all right.

We'll ask if you can have no rivers, please!

-That'll be me.

-OK, Sacha.

And who would you like to play from the Eggheads?

The women have all played, so that leaves CJ, Kevin or Barry.

-What do you think?

-Who looks the most lost?

-They all do!

-Go for CJ.

-OK, I'll go for CJ, please.

-CJ, always bewildered and befuddled.

Will you lead him to the question room, please? Sacha and CJ.

Sacha, tell us about your belly dancing.

Well, I teach and I perform. I've been doing it for about five years

and it's just really great fun.

I get wear lots of sparkly things and shake about a bit

and anyone can perform, really -

any shape, size, age, gender - so, CJ, if you want lessons...

Well, wearing sparkly things and shaking about a lot... Look at him!

Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please.

Geography, here we are.

What is the major unit of currency in Cuba?

Well, I don't think it's the franc.

Um... And the peso I think is in Mexico, so I'll go for colon, please.

It's not. It is the peso.

So, nothing there.

Early days. See how CJ does with his.

The towns of Chippenham and Devizes are in which historic county?

Is historic a clue? Cos it's not helping me.

Um...

Chippenham in Wiltshire.

Devizes in Wiltshire.

Chippenham in Dorset.

Devizes in Dorset.

They're in Dorset, Dermot.

OK.

Do you want to tell him, Sacha?

That's in Wiltshire.

I actually live in Devizes.

Yeah, I was going to say that. How far away are you from Chippenham?

Not that far, actually. Not in Swindon, no.

Stays all square and, Sacha,

the Belgian port of Antwerp is located on which river?

Did I hear you before you went into the question room,

"As long as it's not rivers"?

-Yeah!

-Yeah...

Oh, gosh. Erm...

I don't think it's Loire,

I don't think it's the Elbe.

But Scheldt doesn't ring any bells.

Um...

I'll go for Scheldt.

-Didn't ring any bells?

-But I'll go for it, anyway.

Good idea, cos it's in Belgium and it's the right answer.

You're right about the Loire -

France, and the Elbe - Germany.

CJ, the historic Urquhart Castle

stands on the shore of which Scottish loch?

I have no idea.

I've never even heard of Loch Lochy.

Um...I don't know this.

There are castles on Loch Ness, so...I'll try Loch Ness.

Urquhart Castle is on Loch Ness.

The right answer. Lucky CJ. OK, it's all square still.

Sacha, the Weddelsee

is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean off which continent?

-Weddelsee...

-An arm of the Atlantic Ocean off which continent?

Weddelsee.

Erm...

the Atlantic is North America, isn't it?

I think. Erm...

It doesn't ring a bell with Asia. I'll go for North America.

North America and South America and all the way down to Antarctica.

Antarctica. The Weddelsee is down there.

So, a chance for CJ, unbelievably(!), to win the round.

Which West African country lies between Ghana and Benin?

So that's on the little bit that curves round just north of the

Gulf of Guinea, where there are little strips of countries.

Togo is a little strip of a country, Sierra Leone's a little

bigger and Cameroon's slightly bigger than that, I think.

It's just on that little bit. There are about four or five

little countries, little north-to-south strips.

Um... Sierra Leone's the one that's throwing me, though.

I think Sierra Leone's a little further,

um...south-east along the coast, so simply cos I think it's there,

-I'm going to go for Togo.

-Togo?

-Yeah.

-A little strip of a country?

-Maybe.

Probably, in African terms. I bet it's bigger than Britain.

It's the right answer, CJ!

You've won the round! As I say, lucky,

lucky CJ! Bad luck, Sacha.

And you got the rivery one!

I know. I wish I'd gone second. I knew all the answers.

Oh, no! It means you won't be playing in the final round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

The Querqus Quizzers have now lost their first brain from the Final Round.

The Eggheads have still lost those two,

and our last subject before the Final Round is Film and Television now.

Dane and Margaret remain as the available players from the Quizzers.

Film and Television.

It's got to be you. Yeah, you're good at film. You know the directors.

-I think it's got to be me.

-Has it, Margaret, got to be you? Said with some trepidation.

And, to add to the misery, it's got to be Kevin or Barry.

Um...Barry. I'll go against Barry.

Yeah, he'll cheer you up. Let's have Margaret and Barry in the question room then, please.

Margaret, Film and Television.

-Would you like to go first or second?

-I'll go first.

Best of luck, Margaret. Here you go.

Hayden Panettiere plays a character called Claire Bennet in which US TV series?

I don't watch any US TV series...

That's a good start, then, Margaret(!)

..so...this is going to need some thinking.

Um...I think I might try Judith Keppel's method of saying Claire

sounds as though she could possibly be lost,

so I think I might go for Lost.

I was rather hoping I was going to be able to say, Margaret is a Hero.

It's Heroes, not Lost.

Let's see how Barry does. Very early days with that first one.

Barry, the film actress Carole Lombard was the third wife of which Hollywood star?

Carole Lombard. I believe she was the wife of Clark Gable.

That is the right answer. Yes, you're right.

So, Margaret, let's get you off the mark. Let's get moving.

In the 2008 film comedy Ghost Town,

what is the profession of the character played by Ricky Gervais?

I haven't seen this film either.

Um...I don't think he would play a judge,

so I'm looking at vet or dentist.

There was something in the news about his teeth not being very good,

and that they're all his own, so I'm just wondering

whether perhaps he played a dentist.

Maybe that was part of the film...so I'll go for dentist.

You're right about the teeth, yes.

I've seen him being interviewed and they say,

he's a big Hollywood star now.

"You ought to get your teeth fixed," the Hollywood agents say to him.

He keeps his British teeth,

I'm not sure if there's a link to it there, but he does play a dentist.

Yes, you're right. In Ghost Town.

Right.

Well, we got you off the mark which means, even if Barry gets this right, it won't be critical.

Barry, in 2002, Peter Firth joined the cast of the spy drama Spooks,

playing which character?

-Um. I've not seen Spooks.

-Oh, you don't know what you're missing.

Well, so I will find out when I finally go and watch it.

So I will use Judith's logic again

and say Harry Pearce sounds like a good name for a spy,

so I'll go for him.

Judith, you've got a lot to answer for.

It's a bad example, I'm afraid.

Leading Margaret astray and then Barry getting the vibes correct.

It's the right answer. Harry Pearce.

Peter Firth's character in Spooks.

OK, well, now this is critical, Margaret. You do have to get this.

The actress Lois Maxwell, famous for her role as Miss Moneypenny,

became friends with which James Bond actor

whilst they were both at RADA?

Now, I'm not sure Sean Connery went to RADA.

I think he became a film actor from doing other jobs,

an unusual route into film acting,

so I'm thinking about George Lazenby or Roger Moore.

I will say Roger Moore.

It's the right answer.

Well worked out.

Barry, who was the writer of the TV sitcom The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin?

Well, it certainly wasn't Eddie Braben.

David Nobbs and David Renwick have both wrote wonderful film comedies,

but I think it was David Nobbs.

Nobbs is correct, Barry.

Well, Margaret, you can come back and slap Judith. I tell you...

You were really firing on all cylinders in those last two questions,

working it all out, it was easy, but you were really holed below the water line

from that first question, and Barry's on some form at the moment.

You won't be playing in the Final Round. Would you both please come back and join your teams?

This is what we've been playing towards.

It's time for the Final Round which, as always, is General Knowledge.

But I'm afraid those of you

who lost your head-to-heads won't be allowed to take part in this round

so, Sacha and Margaret from the Querqus Quizzers, and Judith and Daphne from the Eggheads,

would you please leave the studio?

So, Daz, Dane and David, you're playing to win £1,000.

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

I'll ask each team three questions in turn.

The questions are General Knowledge and you can confer.

And, Quizzers, would you like to go first or second?

-I quite like going first.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

We'll go first, please, Dermot.

OK, best of luck.

Off we go. First question to you, then, Querqus Quizzers.

Which UK speed limit corresponds to 48.28 kilometres per hour?

-Well, it's...

-10K is roughly six miles.

-Yeah.

Yeah, it's 0.6 so it's, um...

-It's got to be 30.

-Yeah, absolutely.

Yes, yeah.

-We all happy with that?

-Yeah.

We'd like to go for 30, please.

It's correct, yes. Got the maths right.

Eggheads, which French fashion designer is credited with creating

the concept of the little black dress?

Which French fashion designer

is credited with creating the concept of the little black dress?

Coco Chanel.

Coco Chanel...is correct, Eggheads. One each.

Quizzers, in which decade was the Dust Bowl created in the Great Plains region of the United States?

It was the Depression, wasn't it?

-Which was the

-'30s.

-'30s.

-Yeah.

'50s was obviously a boom after the war.

-Yeah, it's got to be the '30s.

-'30s.

-Yeah, 1930s, Dermot.

-It's the right answer, yes, Querqus Quizzers.

And what caused it, Eggheads?

Over-intensive farming.

Over-production, drought and then the top soil blew away.

And added to that, the Great Depression as well,

OK, your question, Eggheads.

What name is given to the pub name,

related to skittles, that is chiefly local to Oxfordshire?

-Aunt Sally's a pub game.

-Yes.

It's the only one I've heard of.

I'll be honest, I don't know what Aunt Sally is, but it's a pub game.

Yeah. Well, we know that Aunt Sally is a...

Don't know about the Oxfordshire bit

but we know that Aunt Sally is a pub game,

but I think it does involve skittles of some...

-Yes, it does involve skittles.

-The ball's on the rope?

-Yeah. Must be. So Aunt Sally.

-It's the right answer. Aunt Sally.

OK, it's 2-2.

This question could win it for you, Querqus Quizzers.

What was the home town of the Ancient Greek scientist Archimedes?

It's not in my sphere of knowledge.

All right, this is history and I don't do history!

Er...I don't think it's Athens.

Before it came up, I thought Syracuse.

So we'll go with your instinct.

-Yeah...

-Well, I just don't know so...

I don't actually... It's...

-Yeah, go with Syracuse.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

We're going to go with Syracuse, please.

Syracuse for Archimedes...

Yes, it's correct.

It's three to you. So, Eggheads, are you going to lose two in a row?

The chemical element called lutetium

derives its name from the former Latin name of which city?

Paris was Lutetia.

It's the right answer, Eggheads. Paris is correct,

so we go to Sudden Death, as you know, guys.

Here we go. Your question, Quizzers.

What is the name of the symbol that was originally called the British Standard Mark?

That's the Kitemark, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's the...

-Top on its side.

-The triangle with the S in the middle.

-I can't think what else it would be.

We think it's called the Kitemark.

It's the right answer. Querqus Quizzers in the lead again.

Right, Eggheads, Pacelli,

Roncalli, Montini, Luciani and Wojtyla

have been the surnames of some recent holders of which office?

-Pope.

-Is the right answer, yes.

And what is the current incumbent?

-Ratzinger.

-Ratzinger was his...

-Joseph.

-OK, got that.

Back to the Querqus Quizzers.

The aspiring dancer Tracy Turnblad is the central character in which musical of stage and screen?

Is it Hairspray with the...transvestite in it?

And it is all about dance, isn't it?

It fits the criteria.

-Yeah, shall we say that?

-It does.

-Shall we try that?

In for a penny, in for a pound. We'd like to go for Hairspray.

Going for Hairspray?

It's the right answer. Well done.

Well worked out. OK, Eggheads, you've got to get this.

Which stand-up comedian was born Leonard Alfred Schneider in 1925?

I'd go for Lenny Bruce but...

He died at 42 so he'd die in '67.

-That would be about right, wouldn't it?

-The '50s and '60s were his heyday.

He died in the late '60s, didn't he?

-Yes.

-The dates fit, don't they?

We don't know it, but we think it's Lenny Bruce.

It sounds like it should be Lenny Bruce.

The answer is Lenny Bruce.

It's correct, Eggheads.

This to the Querqus Quizzers.

Which fashion brand, famous for its handbags, has a double F logo?

-Well, I'm not into me handbags.

-I'm not into handbags.

The only one I know is Prada but why would that be a double F?

What else could it be? Something in my mind says Prada and handbags.

I don't think we're coming up with anything else.

No, we haven't got anything else.

Well, unfortunately, Dermot, our handbag experts have been knocked out

-and we'd like to go for Prada.

-Prada.

It's not Prada. That is incorrect.

Eggheads, do you know? It's not Prada.

-Fendi.

-Fendi.

And it might not be over yet.

The Eggheads have to get this if they are to win.

Eggheads, Jeffrey Skilling and Kenneth Lay

were executives accused of fraud at which bankrupt US company?

-Two big ones at Enron.

-Enron, yeah.

-Enron.

Enron is correct, Eggheads. You've won.

Well, some great quizzing on show today!

Look at that. All square down to that last question.

That really, really was very close.

Thanks very much indeed, Querqus Quizzers, for being such fun today

and being such good quizzers, but not to be on the day.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them

and they reign supreme over quiz land once again.

You won't be going home with the money,

which means, of course, it 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.

£2,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

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