Episode 75 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

pit their wits against possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain.

You might recognise them. They've won some of the country's toughest quiz shows. They are the Eggheads.

And taking on the awesome might of our quiz Goliaths today

are Five Alive. The team all met through the organisation

Inner Wheel, and along with socialising together,

the team take part in an annual district quiz. Let's meet them.

Hello, I'm Betty. I'm 67, and I'm an antique dealer.

Hello, I'm Ailsa. I'm 64, and I'm a retired teacher.

Hello, I'm Chris. I'm 59, and I'm a retired secretary.

Hello, I'm Carole. I'm 63. I'm a retired personal bank manager.

Hello, I'm Kathleen. I'm 77, and I'm a retired teacher.

Welcome, Five Alive. Thank you very much for coming along to take on the Eggheads today.

Tell me about the team name first of all, and the Inner Wheel. How did you come up with Five Alive?

Association is divided up into districts.

And we are district five, so we decided we'd be Five Alive.

-Makes sense. And the Inner wheel. I haven't come across the Inner Wheel before.

-Ooh, that's disgusting!

I'm sorry about that. So here's your chance. Enlighten me.

We are the largest women's organisation in the world.

-Bigger than the WI?

-Bigger than the WI, yes.

We're international. We're all related, in one respect, to Rotarians.

-Right.

-And we try to do the work that the Rotarians do, with a female touch,

-a gentle touch.

-So a lot of charity work?

-Yes, and friendship, and fun.

Well, listen. Let's see if you can beat the Eggheads today. Let me tell you what's been going on so far.

Every day there's £1,000 up for grabs for Challengers,

but if they fail to defeat the Eggheads, the prize money rolls over to the next show.

The Eggheads have won the last five games,

which means £6,000 says YOU can't beat the Eggheads.

Let's get on with beating the Eggheads. I'm sure you'll do it.

Politics is our first category today.

-Who'd like to play this?

-Right, girls...

-Who's into politics?

-Um... I think Ailsa.

-Ailsa.

-Ailsa? Ailsa's going to do politics.

OK, Ailsa. And which Egghead would you like to challenge?

-Which of these beautiful people would you like?

-Barry.

-Barry, please.

Which of these beautiful people, or one of the Eggheads(?)

-THEY LAUGH

-Beautiful Barry. OK, it's going to be Ailsa and Barry playing politics.

Could I ask you to take your positions in the question room,

just to make sure you can't confer with your team-mates.

-Ailsa, would you like to go first or second?

-Er, first, please.

Good luck, Ailsa.

Here's your question - who was Barack Obama's running-mate in the 2008 US elections?

Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden or Al Gore?

Well, I know Hillary Clinton tried to get the nomination.

Al Gore was a time before that.

It was Joe Biden.

Yes, Vice President Joe Biden. It's the right answer. Well done.

Barry, the writer and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth

was a member of parliament for which political party during the 1990s?

Conservative, Labour or Liberal Democrat?

Despite his interesting taste in jumpers, he was a Conservative.

That's the correct answer. OK.

Good start for you both. Ailsa,

with over 100,000 electors, which island is the largest parliamentary constituency in the UK?

Is it Anglesey, the Isle of Wight or Jersey?

Well, I've been to all three of these, erm...

I've been to Anglesey quite recently but I think it's possibly Jersey.

-I'm going to go for Jersey.

-OK.

The largest in the UK is the the Isle of Wight.

It's the Isle of Wight, not Jersey.

OK, well, a chance for the lead, Barry.

Who was appointed secretary of state for transport in October 2008, after Ruth Kelly's resignation?

John Hutton, Des Browne or Geoff Hoon?

Oh, dear. I really should know this.

I think John Hutton is work and pensions...

..and Geoff Hoon was a defence secretary...

..as indeed is Des Browne. I think it's Geoff Hoon,

-but I'm not 100% certain on this one.

-Not certain?

Geoff Hoon. You've got it, though. It's the right answer.

Took over at transport.

So you've got to get this, Ailsa. Good luck with it.

At which Oxford college did the politician David Cameron

achieve his first class honours degree in philosophy, politics and economics?

Is it Brasenose, St Edmund Hall or Somerville?

Oh, dear. Erm...

I don't think it's Somerville...

so it's between the other two.

Erm... I'll go for Brasenose.

Brasenose. At which Oxford college the politician David Cameron

achieve his first class honours degree

in philosophy, politics and economics?

It's Brasenose. It's the right answer. Well done.

May well have saved your skin,

that is, as long as Barry gets this incorrect.

Barry, which British politician was pilloried for wearing what his critics described as a donkey jacket

to the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday in 1982?

Denis Healey, Michael Foot or Neil Kinnock?

I think he was pilloried rather unfairly,

because it really wasn't a donkey jacket, but it was Michael Foot.

Yes, it was a, er, a rather expensive woollen coat, didn't he?

And it is Michael Foot, then leader of the Labour Party.

It's correct, Barry, which means, Ailsa,

just that second question has cost you a place in the final round, I'm sorry to say.

Can you both join your teams?

The first blow landed by the Eggheads. One member of Five Alive knocked out.

Let's see if they can retaliate now, with our next round today.

This one's music. Who'd like to play?

Right, girls. Who wants to do music?

-Gosh, that was another one we didn't want.

-OK, I'll do it.

-Chris is doing music.

-OK. Who would you like to play from the Eggheads? It can't be Barry.

I think Chris.

-I think my namesake, Chris, please.

-Chris and Chris.

-Yes.

Yes, same in name, but, I'm sure, not in nature - certainly not physically...(!)

-LAUGHTER

-I don't think I'll get confused(!)

Let's have the two Chrises into the question room, please.

-Chris, now, would you like to go first or second?

-I will go first, please, Dermot.

OK, good luck.

Just to be specific, this is going to Five Alive's Chris.

The song Nine To Five was written by and became a hit for which singer?

Linda Ronstadt, Dolly Parton or Tammy Wynette?

Erm...

It's from the film, and I think the answer is Dolly Parton.

Dolly. It is Dolly Parton, yes, Nine To Five,

well done, good start, Chris. Eggheads' Chris,

what was the title of the 1997 UK number one hit single

for the Scandinavian pop group Aqua?

Barbie Girl, Action Man or Care Bear?

It's one of the most annoying things you will ever hear in your life,

-and it's Barbie Girl.

-I'm surprised you HAVE heard it!

Certain people in Crewe insist on singing it in karaoke.

-LAUGHTER

-Sounds like you want to name names.

-No way, Jose, and it's not me.

-No, I wouldn't have imagined that,

not for a moment. It's the right answer, though, Barbie Girl by Aqua.

Number one in 1997. OK, back to you,

Chris from Five Alive. Black Holes And Revelations

was a best-selling 2006 album for which band?

The Killers, Muse or Razorlight?

I'm not terribly familiar with The Killers,

although it does seem a little bit dark,

and the title seems a little bit dark... Erm...

Muse or Razorlight...

My first inclination was Razorlight, so I'm going to go with Razorlight.

OK, Razorlight for Black Holes And Revelations. Ruled out The Killers.

It's not The Killers.

It's not Razorlight, though - it is Muse. Muse.

So, slipping up on the second one, like Ailsa.

Let's see how Chris does with his.

Chris, which Puccini opera features the characters Ping, Pang and Pong?

Tosca, La Boheme, or Turandot?

It's the only one set in China, and that's Turandot.

It is. That's the right answer, Chris. Well, up to this point,

it's followed the pattern of the first round.

Let's hope you get this, Chris from Five Alive,

and Egghead doesn't get his third one. Here you go.

The singer Eddie Vedder joined which American band in 1990?

Sonic Youth, Counting Crows or Pearl Jam?

Erm...

The name isn't terribly familiar to me,

erm, but I have heard of, erm, Counting Crows,

so, on the basis that that IS the only one I've heard of,

-I'm going to go with Counting Crows.

-Counting Crows, heard of them.

It's not the right answer, Chris. It's not Counting Crows.

It is...

Other Chris, do you, by any chance, know, after your Aqua glory?

I think it's Pearl Jam.

It is. It's Pearl Jam. He's on good musical form there.

Bit contemporary for our Chris, that one. I think, maybe for you as well, Five Alive Chris.

We end the round there. No more questions to Chris.

You won't be playing in the final round, sorry to say.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

The Eggheads, there, extending their head-to-head lead.

They've knocked out two members of Five Alive,

and we move on to our next category. This one's science.

-Oh, dear.

-Can you knock an Egghead out

on this one? And it's Betty, Carole or Kathleen to play.

-Right. Kathleen, are you all right on science?

-Not particularly, no.

-Well, Dermot, it looks like it's going to be me.

-Captain's innings required. Who will you play?

I must tell you, my schoolteacher's probably screaming. Yes, dear?

Who would you like to play? Barry and Chris have played, so that leaves Kevin, Judith or Daphne.

-Shall we have Daphne?

-Yes.

-We'll have Daphne, please.

OK, let's have Betty and Daphne into the question room, please.

Betty, tell me a bit about your antique dealing.

Do you specialise in a particular era or type of antique?

Well, I specialise in silver and porcelain,

but I do know an awful lot about the vast variety of collector's things

that are on the market, and if I DON'T know, I know somebody who does.

That's the trick, isn't it? Let's see if we can make you some money today out of quizzing.

Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go second, please.

See if this works for Betty. Putting Daphne in first.

This, then, is your question, Daphne. In the human body, by what name is the gullet also known?

Oesophagus, scapula, coccyx?

In the human body, by what name is the gullet also known?

That would be the oesophagus.

The oesophagus, the gullet.

Hard to swallow, watching you getting these right!

It's the right answer, yes. Good start.

I'm sure Betty would have got that,

but this is your question, Betty. The common raccoon is native to which continent,

Europe, North America or Asia?

Well, I don't think it's Asia.

I'm not sure about... I'm going to go for North Africa, Dermot.

We don't actually have that on the list, there...

North America, sorry!

-LAUGHTER

-Europe, North America or Asia?

Well, change... I will go for North America, now.

North America. I don't think we've ever had a contestant

making up their own answer before...!

That would be interesting. It's the right answer.

Just a slip of the tongue. Sorry to tease you, Betty.

There you are, North America.

Good start for you both, then. Daphne, which isotope of carbon

is the crucial radioactive element in carbon-dating?

Carbon-10, carbon-12 or carbon 14?

I think the chap who, erm, discovered it got a Nobel Prize.

It's carbon-14.

Libby? Ask Kevin.

-Who's the chap, then, who discovered it?

-Willard Libby.

-Willard Libby.

-Yeah.

Coming back. And it is carbon-14. It's the right answer. Betty,

where in the human body are the phalanges bones located?

Is it chest, skull, or fingers and toes?

Right, well, they'd be in a funny place if they were in the skull,

and similarly with the chest. I'm going for fingers and toes, Dermot.

Good on you, Betty. Well done!

Yes, that's what we wanted. Correct.

So, Daphne,

Newton's first law of motion,

which states that if a body is at rest or moving at a constant speed in a straight line,

it will remain at rest or keep moving in a straight line at a constant speed

unless it is acted upon by a force, is also known as what?

The law of inertia,

the law of resistance or the law of equilibrium?

-SHE LAUGHS

-I've only ever heard of it

as Newton's First Law. Erm...

Gosh, I don't know...!

The law of...equilibrium?

OK, the law of equilibrium.

Oh, paracetamol for Barry.

-You've given him a headache.

-Oh, no!

-What is it, Barry?

-The law of inertia.

-It's the law of inertia.

Is that the second one you thought of?

-SHE LAUGHS

-I told you

-I didn't know it!

-Well, this is looking good for you, Betty,

but, of course, it's not over until you get this one correct.

The term asteroid belt is used to refer to the area between the orbits of which two planets?

Earth and Mars, Mars and Jupiter or Jupiter and Saturn?

Right, well, I've been learning on planets but that question

didn't come up when I was learning. I'll try to remember.

Right... I think I'll go for Earth and Mars, Dermot.

OK, Earth and Mars. The asteroid belt...

is between the orbits of...

-Mars and Jupiter.

-Oh, dear.

-Not Earth and Mars. Mars and Jupiter.

So, well, no particular damage

done there. It's not terminal. We go to sudden-death, though, for the first time in the game.

That, Betty, means we remove the choices, and it becomes a lot harder.

So, Daphne faces this one. Daphne, what two-word term is usually given

to the tiredness and disorientation felt by a person after a long flight across different time zones?

Jet lag.

That's the correct answer.

All right, Betty,

It means you've got to get this, then. Which word, from the Latin for "wild beast," is used

to refer to an untamed animal, particularly one that has escaped from captivity?

Could I have the last question please? I knew the answer to that.

-Yeah, you would have got that, wouldn't you?

-I didn't do Latin at school, I did German.

-Oh...

-Latin for wild beast.

It refers to an untamed animal, particularly one that's escaped from captivity.

I'm going to plump for free spirit.

I know it's not right, but...

Free spirit. A bit like you lot, really. Free spirits, I can tell!

There is an F in it but it's not free spirit. Do you know, Daphne?

-Feral.

-Feral.

Used to refer to youths that get out of line these days as well, isn't it?

Feral, there.

Bad luck, Betty. You played well. I thought, for a moment you were going to do it.

Play the captain's innings, but it wasn't to be. Would you both please come back and join your teams?

So close there, Betty. It means Five Alive have now lost three brains from the final round.

The Eggheads haven't lost any. The last chance to knock an Egghead out in the category of sport.

And... Yes,

-Carole and Kathleen are delighted(!) It's one of you two to play.

-Really ecstatic. I think it'll be me.

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

Chris, Barry and Daphne have played. That leaves Judith or Kevin.

-I'll choose Judith, please.

-Judith, OK!

-My favourite subject(!)

We'll be there forever!

-Especially me.

-Let's have, then, Carole and Millionaire-winner Judith into the question room please.

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

I'll go first, please.

Best of luck.

Here you go. Chris Latham, George Smith and Matt Giteau

have all represented Australia at which sport,

cricket, rugby union or tennis?

Hm... I'm not sure about this, erm...

I don't think it's tennis.

-I'll go for Rugby Union.

-Rugby Union.

Latham, Smith and Giteau.

Rugby players. It's the right answer. Very well done, Carole.

OK, Judith,

football. Tony Adams was confirmed as the new manager

of which Premiership football team in October, 2008?

Liverpool, Arsenal or Portsmouth?

-Portsmouth.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Couldn't wait to get that out!

-I know! It's such a thrill

to know a football question. Portsmouth.

-He replaced Harry Redknapp.

-It's the right answer. Well done.

OK, back to you, Carole.

After losing to Peter Doohan at Wimbledon in 1987,

which tennis player said, "I didn't lose a war, nobody died, basically, I just lost a tennis match.",

Boris Becker, Andre Agassi or John McEnroe?

Right, erm... '87, it was Becker's time.

Andre Agassi, it could have been any of them, really.

Erm... I'm going to go with...

-..John McEnroe.

-OK, McEnroe. I could see you doing that on eras.

It was coming to the end of the McEnroe era.

Boris Becker, you mentioned. Was Agassi around as early as '87?

-It's a bit early, I think.

-A bit early for Agassi.

It's Boris Becker, though.

-It's Boris Becker. The shock being, he won Wimbledon in '85.

-And '86.

And '86, OK, so, shock being the reigning champion being knocked out.

Erm...Judith,

in which year did Cassius Clay win an Olympic boxing gold medal,

1960, 1964 or 1968?

Well, it was before he became Muhammad Ali.

I think 1960's too early.

I think... I think it might be 1964.

OK. Cassius Clay, as you identified, before he became Muhammad Ali,

er, as an amateur,

won Olympic gold in Rome...

-in 1960.

-Really?

-1960.

-I thought he hadn't got going, then.

-There we are. Yes.

Well, as a callow youth, he won the Olympic gold.

-What was his division?

-Light heavyweight.

Light heavyweight in 1960. Stays all-square. OK, Carole,

let's see if you can get this and put some real pressure on Judith.

Which cricketer took ten wickets in an innings for Durham against Hampshire in 2007,

and was appointed England bowling coach later that year?

Is it Otis Gibson, Andy Caddick or Troy Cooley?

Right... I don't think it's Troy Cooley.

Bowling coach. Andy Caddick?

I'm not sure.. I'm going to go with Otis Gibson.

Otis Gibson is the right answer. Well done!

Well, you'd better get this, then, Judith.

Which golfer was suspended indefinitely from the Asian Tour

after being accused of altering his scorecard

at the 1985 Indonesian Open?

Was it Ernie Els, Vijay Singh or Greg Norman?

-1985?

-Yeah, 1985 Indonesian Open.

Which is 23 years ago.

I think... I know golfers go on for a long time,

but I think that would be too soon for Ernie Els.

I think it might be Greg Norman.

OK, Greg Norman.

Accused of altering his scorecard in 1985 at the Indonesian Open.

-The golfer in question is Vijay Singh.

-Well done, Carole!

Vijay Singh. Carole, you've done it.

We've got one of you through! Congratulations! You'll be playing in the final round today.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

This is what we've been playing towards.

The final round which, as always, is general knowledge.

Those of you who lost your head-to-heads

can't take part in this round. So, Betty, Ailsa and Chris from Five Alive,

and Judith from the Eggheads, would you leave the studio, please?

So, Carole and Kathleen, you're playing to win Five Alive £6,000.

Daphne, Chris, Barry, Kevin, you're playing for something money can't buy - the Eggheads' reputation.

I'll ask each team three questions in turn. The questions are general knowledge. You may confer.

Five Alive, are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

Carole and Kathleen, would you like to go first or second?

We'd like to go first, please.

OK, good luck.

You could be just two or three questions away from £6,000.

Here you go. Which US President said, in a speech to the UN General Assembly in September 1961,

"Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind."?

John F Kennedy, Lyndon B Johnson or Dwight D Eisenhower?

Which US President said, in a speech

to the UN General Assembly in September 1961,

"Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind."?

-It's too late for Eisenhower.

-Eisenhower's much earlier, isn't he?

-Johnson came after Kennedy, didn't he?

-Yes,

and Kennedy was assassinated in '63, so it must be John Kennedy.

We think it's... Well, we know...

-We think it's John Kennedy. JF Kennedy.

-John F Kennedy.

You can do that on the dates if you know your presidents.

It's right. John F Kennedy.

The president, there, from 1961

till his assassination in 1963. So, a good start for Five Alive.

Eggheads, the 1958 film, Separate Tables, starring David Niven and Deborah Kerr,

is based on a play by which English dramatist,

John Osborne, Harold Pinter or Terence Rattigan?

-Rattigan.

-The 1958 film, Separate Tables,

starring David Niven and Deborah Kerr,

is based on a play by which English dramatist?

It's by Terence Rattigan.

It is by Terence Rattigan. Correct, Eggheads.

One each. Back to you, Carole and Kathleen.

Second question.

Who became the Governor of the Bank of England in 2003,

Mervyn King, Edward George or Alan Greenspan?

Who became the Governor of the Bank of England in 2003?

Mervyn King is the present one, isn't he? Has he been since 2003?

Edward George was before him.

-Well, you're the banking person.

-Who became the governor?

George was before... I think it's Mervyn King.

-I think he's been there all that time, do you?

-I think so.

-Yes. We think it's Mervyn King.

-Coming from Carole,

as Kathleen pointing out, there...!

A banking background, and you're going for Mervyn King.

Is the right answer. Well worked out.

Edward George, his predecessor

and Alan Greenspan from the other side of the pond.

Former head of the Federal Reserve. OK, Eggheads,

which chef, born in Besancon in 1949,

was awarded an honorary OBE for services to the British food industry in October, 2008,

Marco Pierre White, Raymond Blanc or Jean-Christophe Novelli?

-It's not Marco Pierre White, cos he's from Leeds.

-He's from Leeds.

That means they'd be 60... soon enough...

So, surely Jean-Christophe Novelli

-is younger than that, isn't he?

-Far younger than that, yeah.

-So, happy with Raymond Blanc?

-Raymond Blanc.

-Yep.

We think on the...

On the, er... Marco Pierre White is actually English.

This one was born in France so that narrows it down to two.

We think if we take it back to 1949, that's too far for Novelli,

so we think it must be Raymond Blanc.

OK, quite simple when you dissect it that way, Eggheads,

but you've got to, of course, have the knowledge behind you.

You've got the right answer, Raymond Blanc, honorary OBE. So...

looking very interesting. All square as we go into a third question each.

This might win you £6,000, Five Alive. Good luck, Carole and Kathleen.

In which field was the American, Jody Williams, awarded a Nobel Prize in 1997,

literature, chemistry or peace?

In which field was the American, Jody Williams,

awarded a Nobel Prize in 1997?

-Do you know?

-No, no.

-It doesn't ring a bell.

-Jody Williams.

-Jody Williams.

We'd have heard of her if it was peace, wouldn't we?

-Chemistry. Do you want to go for chemistry?

-I don't recognise it

as literary. No. I could be wrong.

We don't think it's peace, because we haven't heard about...

We're going to go for chemistry.

Jody Williams won the Nobel Prize for...

peace. Peace, in 1997.

-What was...?

-It was a campaign against land mines.

Ah! That's the first slip up by you, the team.

It's not over yet. The Eggheads have to get this one if they are to win. If not, we play on.

Eggheads, who wrote the 1984 novel entitled Flaubert's Parrot?

Ian McEwan, Peter Carey or Julian Barnes?

Who wrote the 1984 novel entitled Flaubert's Parrot?

That was Julian Barnes.

Julian Barnes. I think I hear assent from Five Alive, they know it.

It's not your question. It's the right answer, Eggheads. You've won.

Very, very close in that final round.

The way the questions fell. Thanks for playing so well in the final round,

and to all your colleagues who didn't get past those head-to-heads. Good quizzing nevertheless.

Thank you for telling us all about the Inner Wheel. My application's in the post.

-THEY LAUGH Well done. Great.

-We wish we could have you!

The Eggheads' winning streak continues. You won't be going home with the £6,000, 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. £7,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

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