Episode 99 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

attempt to beat possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain.

Their quiz pedigree is well known.

As they've won some of the country's toughest quiz shows.

They are the Eggheads.

And taking on the awesome might of the Eggheads today

are Extremely Well Red.

This team of friends and family take their name from their love

of football teams that play in red.

Trouble is, three of them support Liverpool,

whilst the other two support Manchester United. Let's meet them.

Hello, I'm Niall. I'm 47.

I'm an IT contractor.

Hi, I'm Hugh. I'm 38 and I'm an accountant.

Hi, I'm Austin. I'm 38 and I'm an IT project manager.

Hiya, I'm Sean. I'm 38 and I'm a teacher.

Hi, I'm Andy. I'm 53 and a science teacher.

So, Niall, welcome to you and your colleagues.

And football supporters and friends?

That's right, yes. And identical twin brothers here?

Twin brothers, yes. Right, yes. I won't ask how you met each other.

Long time ago. Since birth. So, how do you all get together?

Well, obviously Hugh, Austin and myself are brothers.

And Sean was at school with Hugh and Austin. And Andy and I met in 1987

when we did Krypton Factor together.

We've kept in touch since then. We've done two quiz shows together since then. This is our third time.

You get the chance to see football live, or not?

Not very often live, no.

But occasionally we get across. I've been to Anfield a few times.

We try and get over once a year.

I wish your teams well. Thank you. Good luck in the game today.

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, Extremely Well Red,

the challengers won the last game, proving it can be done.

That means ?1,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

And first head-to-head battle is on the subject of History.

Who wants this?

Nobody, actually. Nobody wants this one.

Anybody fancy this one?

I'll give it a go, yeah? Did I hear somebody say they did history once? That was me.

Sean, do you like this one? Fair enough. It's up to you.

I could do it. Yeah, want to try that one? OK.

OK. Sean is going to play History. OK, against?

And think try Daphne?

We'll try Daphne, then.

Daphne. Daphne. We'll try Daphne against Sean, please.

OK. So, it is Sean against Daphne from the Eggheads.

To ensure there's no conferring please take your positions in the Question Room.

I'll ask each of you three multiple choice questions on History in turn.

Whoever answer the most questions correctly is the winner.

Are you ready, Sean? I'm ready. Your choice. Would you like to go first or second

First, please.

Which man, born in 1869, famously gave a speech

in which he announced he had achieved peace for our time?

1869.

That would put them at 70, around the time of World War II.

I, I don't think it was Chamberlain.

Churchill could be a good guess.

George VI, I'm not quite sure why he would have felt that.

Something's nagging me about Chamberlain, though.

I'm going to go with Winston Churchill. OK.

Peace for our time was actually Neville Chamberlain.

And it was on the occasion of...

Barry, you will know this immediately.

It was coming back from the Munich Agreement

that split up Czechoslovakia

and gave the Sudetenland to the Germans.

So, he waved a bit of paper and said it's all right, and it wasn't?

That's about it, yes. 1938.

Daphne, your question.

The Covenanter, the Matilda and the Challenger

were all types of which British military vehicle in Word War II?

Well, the Challenger was a tank.

So, I assume the other two were as well. Tank.

Tank is correct.

Need to make up ground now, Sean.

Which ancient battle resulted in

Constantine the Great becoming Roman Emperor?

I haven't heard of any of them.

But I'm going to have to make a judgement.

On the basis that it's got a "PH" in it I'm going to go with Pharsalus.

That's wrong I'm afraid, it's Milvian Bridge. Tough question.

Daphne, over to you. If you get this right you've taken the round.

What name was given to the Moderate Republican Faction,

active in the French Revolution,

and led by Jacques Pierre Brissot

and Jean-Marie Roland de la Platiere?

Well...erm...

We have a saying.

If you've only heard of one of them, that must be the right answer.

So, hopefully it's the Girondins.

The Girondins. Is she right?

I don't know.

Yeah. She's right.

Daphne, well done to you.

Because with two questions gone, there's no way back for Sean.

Sean. You won't be able to join your team in the final round.

Please both of you come back to the studio.

As it stands, the challengers have lost one brain from the final round. The Eggheads have lost no brains.

Our next subject is Music.

Which of you wants this?

I think you should do that one, yeah?

That's one of the easier ones.

Me, sorry? OK, Austin.

I think Chris would be the best one for this. I suggest Chris. Happy with that?

We'd like to see how Chris has improved his knowledge of the more recent pop culture.

So, it's Austin from Extremely Well Red versus Chris from the Eggheads.

And to ensure there's no conferring please take your positions in the Question Room.

Three questions on Music, in turn. Austin, you can ask for the first or second set.

I'd like to go first please, Jeremy.

Which Petula Clark song includes the lyrics,

"Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city,

"linger on the sidewalk where the neon sides are pretty,

"how can you lose?"

Well, the Petula Clark...

I'm not sure of the other songs.

But the one I definitely know, from those lyrics, would be Downtown.

And you're right. Chris...

Chris, the singer Jesse Norman is most commonly associated with which type of music?

Jesse Norman. She's an opera singer.

She is indeed.

Over to you, Austin.

Allan White, Tony McCarroll and Chris Sharrock

are all best known for playing which instrument with the band Oasis

Obviously I know the Gallagher brothers from that band.

Those names don't ring a bell at all.

So, it's just going to have to be a guess.

I thought one of the Gallagher brothers played guitar...

..bass guitar, lead guitar, I'm not sure.

I think it'll be a total guess.

Let's go for drums. Anyone know on the Eggheads side?

I think that's right. I'd have gone for bass.

Kevin? I think, I think that's right, isn't it... drums?

Yeah, drums. Kevin confirms it's drums. Thanks, Kevin.

In which year, Chris, is the musical Miss Saigon set?

It's the fall of Saigon, isn't it? At the end of the Vietnam war.

So, it's 1975.

Quite right. Two points each.

Tight round on Music. Back to you, Austin.

Which singer-songwriter famously said of his time

as a middle-of-the-road artist that, "Travelling there soon became a bore

"so I headed for the ditch...

"A rougher ride but I saw more interesting people there."

I'm just thinking about the words, middle of the road.

Because, obviously, Paul Simon had a quite a successful pop...

success with Art Garfunkel.

Tom Petty...

had his success with The Heartbreakers, and stuff.

And I know Neil Young's done collaborations with other people.

But just based on the middle-of-the-road comment,

I'd probably go towards Neil Young.

Is right.

Neil Young it is.

Chris, to stay in the round.

What operatic term is given to the expressive device in which one note

is carried to the next by a slide,

without any interruption of tone production?

Well, coloratura is sort of timbre of voice.

Sort of between mezzo and soprano, isn't it?

A coloratura, a soprano. She's... well, it's literally coloured.

It's, yeah, in between mezzo and soprano.

Squilo, I haven't got a clue what squilo is.

But portamento, it's got that sense of carrying the note over.

So, I'll say portamento.

And portamento is quite right.

So, three points a piece after three questions. Well done.

And we go to Sudden Death.

Gets a bit harder. Not multiple choice now, Austin.

John Frusciante and Anthony Kiedis are members of which American band?

Names mean absolutely nothing to me.

So, I'm just trying to think - are they just on their own?

Are they just a duo? I'm just trying to think which duos American groups would have.

I've got to think about this one.

I've no idea. I'm not even going to say a duo.

So, I'll just say Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

It's a complete guess.

Well, your brother thinks you're right.

And you are.

No way!

Well done. Chris, to stay in it.

Which band leader, known as the 20th Century Gabriel,

is best known for the hit song Tuxedo Junction?

Tuxedo Junction.

I know the song.

The only name that's coming through is Benny Goodman. I think he played the clarinet.

So, it wouldn't be the 20th Century Gabriel.

The Gabriel plays a trumpet, so...

Well, the big band of that swing era was Paul White.

But I don't think it was him, either.

It's not Glenn Miller.

No, it is pounding away insistently that it was Benny Goodman. So, I'll say Benny Goodman.

Benny Goodman is wrong.

Erskine Hawkins is the answer.

So, Chris, sorry you're out. And well done, Austin. You took on an Egghead.

Emerged triumphant. Good news for our challengers.

It means Austin will be able to join them in today's final round.

Both of you, come back to your teams.

As it stands, the challengers have lost one brain from the final round. The Eggheads have also lost one.

Our next subject is Geography. So, who wants Geography?

I'll take that. Andy's one of our more, more travelled team members. So, he'll wants a go on Geography.

Andy against?

Let's try Barry, shall we?

Let's try Barry. OK.

So, Andy from Extremely Well Red versus Barry from the Eggheads. Please go to the Question Room now.

So, three questions on Geography, in turn.

Andy, you can choose first or second set. I'd like to go first, please.

Here's your question. Exmoor National Park

straddles which two counties?

I was brought up in Somerset, Central Somerset.

And Exmoor is mainly in Devon

but parts of it extends into West Somerset. So, Somerset and Devon.

Quite right. You've been there.

You've seen it. You know.

Barry, which US city does McCarran International Airport serve?

It's Las Vegas.

Correct. Well done.

OK, over to you, Andy.

Through how many African countries does the Greenwich Meridian pass?

Two, five or ten.

Well, Africa is...

well, I think the Greenwich Meridian passes through

the western part of Africa.

Rather than sort of down through the central parts.

So, I don't think it's ten.

It's a case whether is passes through the small countries

like Togo and Mali.

So, between two and five...

I'm going to go for five.

Good logic, you're right as well.

Back to you, Barry.

Dzongkha, spelt

D, Z, O, N, G, K, H, A is the official language of which country?

Well, it's unlikely to be Macau.

Because that's likely to be either Portuguese or Chinese.

Brunei will probably Malaysian or something similar.

But Dzongkha is actually the language of Bhutan.

You're right. It is the Bhutanese language.

OK, Andy, your third question to press the advantage.

Franz Josef Land is an Arctic territory of which country?

It's not a person I've heard of.

It doesn't sound as if it's a Russian name.

Doesn't sound that Norwegian, either.

So, between Norway and Canada...

Difficult.

I'm going to try Norway.

No. It's Russia.

So, Barry, your chance.

Into which body of water does the River Niger flow?

Well, the River Niger is in the west of Africa.

And it flows through various African countries.

Such as Niger, possibly Mali. And it flows into the Gulf of Guinea.

Quite right. It does.

Well done, Barry. Andy, I'm afraid you were beaten by our Egghead.

It was tight at the end.

As a result, Andy, you can't join your team in the final round.

Barry, you will be there in the final. Please both of you come back and rejoin us.

So, as it stands the challengers have now lost

two brains from the final round. The Eggheads have lost one brain.

Our last subject is Sport.

I reckon you will fancy this.

I just... it's something about your team. From the team name, maybe

Who wants it? It's between myself and Niall.

I think I'll give it a go, please, Jeremy. Hugh, OK. Against Judith or Kevin?

I think we'll just keep the logic going. Going from right to left we'll pick Judith.

Right. Hugh from Extremely Well Red against Judith from the Eggheads.

To ensure there's no conferring please take your positions in the Question Room.

Let's see how we go. Three questions on Sport in turn.

And, Hugh, you can choose the first or second set.

I think I will be polite and say ladies first.

Judith, how old was Lewis Hamilton

when he won the 2008 Formula 1 World Championship?

I think he was... 23 came into my mind.

So, I think it's 23.

Before... 23 came into my mind before that came up. So, 23.

23's right.

Hugh, your question.

In which stadium was the Greyhound Derby held for many years, before it was switched to Wimbledon in 1985?

Dog racing.

I'm trying to remember the...

greyhound racing.

We did have a track in Belfast one time. But that's long closed.

And it's not one of the choices.

Wembley is sticking out in my mind for some reason.

I don't think it's Highbury.

I'm going to go for Wembley, please, Jeremy.

That's the wrong answer. The answer is White City.

Judith, in the acronym RICE...

R, I, C, E...

used by sport physiotherapists as a guide to treat sports injuries,

for what does the letter C stand?

I wouldn't think it's composure.

Because that's kind of mental.

I have no idea what it stands for.

What could it stand for?

Actually, probably compression.

Compression is your answer. Let's check with the Extremely Well Reds.

Yes, we agree. They do unfortunately agree with you. You're right.

Rest, Ice, Compression, Exercise?

Elevation. Elevation, yup.

Elevation.

What is it?

Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.

Doesn't sound like it would work to me but it's obviously been

tried over a period of centuries.

Hugh, your question.

In which sport might you use the techniques drifting and heel to toe?

Well, I can't see it applying to rallying.

Hockey, it's possible. I'm thinking of techniques here.

So, I'm going to go for weightlifting, Jeremy.

It is actually rallying.

The answer is rallying. I'm afraid there's no way back here for you.

So, Judith has won on Sport which...

yeah, what about that?

You've made her very happy, anyway.

She'll be in the final round. Hugh, I'm sorry you won't.

Please both of you rejoin your teams.

This is what we've been playing towards.

It's time for the final round which 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, Hugh, Sean and Andy from Extremely Well Red

and Chris from the Eggheads, please leave the studio.

Niall and Austin, you are playing to win Extremely Well Red ?1,000.

You have the non-twin brothers here, right?

Yes.

Daphne, Barry, Judith and Kevin,

you are playing for something which money can't buy - The Egghead's reputation.

As usual, I will ask each team three questions in turn.

This time the questions are all General Knowledge and you are allowed to confer.

So, Extremely Well Red, the question is are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

Niall and Austin, would you like to go first or second?

First probably, yeah?

We'll go first, please.

Best of luck.

In the original standard version of the board game Trivial Pursuit,

what colour represents the Science and Nature category?

From memory pink is Entertainment.

Pink is Entertainment, OK yeah.

Is yellow History?

Probably. Green, green, green's nature.

Sort of stands for nature, green grass.

Yeah, sort of makes sense. Rings a bell.

I can't remember what yellow is. I think yellow's History. Yeah.

I thought it was green or brown before the answers came up.

I thought it was brown, then...

Happy with green? I think we'll have to go for green then, yeah.

We'll go with green. Green is right.

Green is right.

Eggheads, the malamute is a breed of dog native to which American state?

Alaska.

Alaska. Yeah, it's a husky. Yes.

It's like, it's like a husky.

So, used in sledding and that sort of thing. So, Alaska.

Alaska is your answer and it's correct.

They won't be beaten that easily.

Extremely Well Red, which American TV award consists

of a winged woman statuette with outstretched arms holding an atom?

Well, Grammy's for music. So we can rule that one out.

This is television.

Peabody I haven't actually heard of.

Not in relation to television, no.

There's nothing else.

Emmy certainly is a television award. Emmy is, yeah, the dominant.

On that basis. Out of those we have to go to Emmy, I think.

We know it's not Grammy. We're not sure what Peabody is.

We're going to go with Emmy.

Going with Emmy? Correct answer, well done.

Back to you, Eggheads.

The town of Bassano in the Veneto region of Italy

is famous for which alcoholic drink?

I been there and had it.

Oh, been there, drunk it, had the hangover.

Been there, drunk it basically. Yeah, it's grappa.

Grappa is the correct answer. Well done, Eggheads.

Third question now.

Ask and Embla are the first humans created by the gods

in which mythology?

Let's think about this. Norse?

Possibly. It doesn't sound Hindu.

Just the, the sound of the words and spelling doesn't sound Hindu.

Definitely not, no.

Polynesian, I think they're very similar to Hawaiian languages which.

With a lot of vowels and stuff. And it's a very small...

The Hawaiian language has something like 13 letters.

It's very small. That's right, yeah. Selection of the consonants.

I don't think it sounds Polynesian.

Happy with Norse? Out of those three, I'd be more comfortable with Norse.

We're not very sure but by process of elimination we think it's Norse.

Well done. You're right.

Norse is correct. I know that was a stressful one for you. It was.

So, Eggheads.

The former US Deputy Secretary of Defence, Paul Wolfowitz,

was forced to resign as president of which organisation in 2007?

World Bank, yeah.

Yes, he had rather a torrid tenure at the World Bank.

He did indeed. The World Bank is correct.

OK, so we're equal at the end of the multiple choice stage.

It gets harder now.

We go to Sudden Death.

I need the answer from you.

Which English word, meaning an ancestral line or breed,

comes from the French for crane's foot,

referring to the lines used to connect people on a family tree?

Crane's foot. Well, foot in French is pied.

And pedigree starts with ped.

Could be. Any idea what the French for crane would be?

Ped surely has a French connection with foot.

"Digree" could be a bird.

Perhaps, yeah. Happy enough with that?

We're going to try pedigree. Pedigree.

Pedigree is correct. Well done. Well done.

Eggheads, this to stay in it.

Which extreme pursuit,

started as a business by AJ Hackett

at the Kawarau Bridge in New Zealand,

celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2008?

Bungee jumping, yeah?

That's bungee jumping, Jeremy. Bungee jumping is quite right.

Extremely Well Red, here we go.

Next question. Sudden Death.

What is the name of the 109-mile trail, opened in 1969,

that stretches from the market town of Helmsley through the North York Moors to the coast at Filey?

Trying to think where they...

Don't know where Helmsley is!

I'm guessing Helmsley is in England, yeah?

It does narrow it down.

Yeah. OK, the Northern Hemisphere, possibly England.

The only thing that's coming to mind is the Pennine Way. Isn't that the name of it?

The Pennine Way? Yes. Which I'm guessing goes through the Yorkshire Moors.

Because it's the Pennine...

So...

It's as good a guess as any.

Can't think of anything else.

Certainly be in that area. For that length, 109 miles.

It's quite a long stretch. Go with that?

I think so, yeah, yeah. Pennine Way.

It's not the Pennine Way. It's the Cleveland Way.

Half a point.

That means, Eggheads, if you get this right you've won.

But you haven't got it right yet.

The Great Court Run, as famously featured in the 1981 film Chariots Of Fire,

is an attempt to run around the court of which Cambridge college

in the time it takes for the clock to strike 12?

I think it's Trinity. Think it's Trinity. Yeah, it's Trinity.

OK? No other candidates?

That's the thing that came into my head.

It's the Cambridge college you want, Jeremy? Sorry, just to clarify.

Attempt to run round the court of which Cambridge college?

We think it's Trinity.

Trinity College is the correct answer. Well done.

Congratulations, Eggheads, you've won.

Bad luck to our challengers. Have you enjoyed the day?

Definitely, yes. Great time. Been great to have you all.

Commiserations to you. The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them.

And they reign supreme over quizland once again.

You won't be going home with the ?1,000. Which means that the money rolls over to the next show.

Eggheads, well done. 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.

Till then, goodbye.

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