Episode 1 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 were a team of five quiz challengers

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

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

And amongst them, a new Egghead! There he is, Pat, at the end.

The winner of Are You An Egghead. Of course, we saw you on those celebrity specials at Christmas,

but this your first appearance on Eggheads proper.

-How does it feel, Pat?

-It's tremendous.

First day at school! Tremendous.

Just talk us through that win on Are You An Egghead, I mean,

-there was some really tough quizzers there, weren't there?

-Yes, very tough.

Five rounds, knock out, the pressure is always on you.

You've got to keep winning. It was very exciting. Perhaps too exciting!

The same as regular Eggheads, pressure's always on you and you've got to keep winning.

Let's meet today's challengers. They are The Wye Aye Factor.

This team all work for the same energy efficiency company

in Newcastle Upon Tyne. Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Lawrence.

I'm 61 and I'm a compliance manager.

Hi, I'm Carol. I'm 54 and I'm an office manager.

Hi, I'm Annette.

I'm 50 and a director of customer service.

Hi, I'm Ian. I'm 34 and I'm operations leader.

Hi, I'm Paul. I'm 29 and I'm a government affairs caseworker.

Now, the first thing I want to know,

-and welcome to you by the way, is am I saying it properly.

-You are.

-Oh, good!

So, could I become an honorary Geordie?

We'll call you one for the purpose of this programme!

THEY LAUGH

OK, right, but you know I'm not swayable at all.

Maybe I am this time!

-Are you all Geordies?

-No.

-No.

-Three of us are from Newcastle.

That's Paul, Ian, myself.

Carol, sadly, is an outcast. She's from Sunderland.

Oh, Carol!

But we allow her to come and experience civilisation every day.

-And Annette is from Stoke on Trent originally.

-I am.

Oh, I see. And I mean, Wye Aye Factor, obviously...

Obviously a play on it, but you're quite proud of that.

If people go, "Oh, you're a Geordie," and go, "Wye aye", you don't want to give them a thump?

The other teams may think they've got the X factor, we've got the wye aye factor!

OK, well, let's see if you can take the Eggheads' money away 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.

So, Wye Aye Factor, the Eggheads have won the last 34 games.

Let's do the maths, it means £35,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

OK, the first head-to-head battle is on the subject of Geography.

Any one of you can pick up this round.

Who's it going to be and who would you like to play?

-I suppose that's got to be me, hasn't it?

-Absolutely, it's got to be you, Lawrence.

-I'm the first in the firing line.

-Which Egghead would you like to play? Any one of those fine five.

What about Pat, because we don't know about Pat?

-Pat?

-Shall we give Pat a run out?

We'll give Pat a run out, he's the new boy, he deserves a bit of experience, bit of exposure.

OK, well, Pat's going to get a run out.

Could I ask you both to run, or make your way by whatever means you like,

into the question room to make sure there's no conferring. Pat and Lawrence.

Well, Wye Aye Factor, you were wondering a bit about Pat's quizzing credentials.

Shall we enlighten you? Now, Pat, apart from Are You An Egghead, which as we said there is very tough,

you won that which is why you're playing for the Eggheads now

and for ever more we hope. What else have you won in quizzing terms?

I was fortunate enough to win a million on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and I've won Mastermind

and Brain Of Britain and I've been World Champion, as well.

-World Quiz Champion?

-Yes.

Well, how do you feel about that Wye Aye Factor?

-Absolutely fine!

-We have faith.

-He's not bad at it.

-Not bad, but, you know, Lawrence is very good, too.

Every dog has its day, exactly.

Lawrence, OK, well, let's play it and now you know what Pat can do and has done,

find out what he can do about geography in a moment.

Do you want Pat to face the first set of questions or will you take them?

I'll go first.

Here you go, Lawrence, and best of luck.

Here's the question coming. What is the capital of Denmark?

What is the capital of Denmark?

Right, well, Helsinki, while they're all Baltic states,

Helsinki is the capital of Finland,

Stockholm is the capital of Sweden

and Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark.

It certainly is. A very assured start.

Well, done, one to you, Lawrence.

Pat, your first question, then.

The Mont Blanc Tunnel links France to which other country?

Well, Mont Blanc is in the Alps.

If it was linking France to Spain it would be going through the Pyrenees

and the Alps don't really suit a link to Germany,

so it links France to Italy.

OK, Italy is correct.

One to you, Pat. All square after the first exchanges.

Lawrence, second question.

In which US state is the United States Bullion Depositary located?

Right, the Bullion Depositary, I think, is Fort Knox.

I'm going to say it's in Virginia.

Virginia for Fort Knox, the US bullion depositary.

It's in, Eggheads, is it?

-Kentucky.

-It's in Kentucky, Lawrence.

Kentucky, so I guess then you didn't land it.

-It famously features in Goldfinger...

-Goldfinger, yeah.

OK, Pat, for the lead then, second question.

What is the official language of Cambodia?

Sinhalese is predominantly in Sri Lanka

with, I think, some speakers in southern India.

French is spoken, or has been, quite widely in south east Asia,

but I think the Khmer civilisation

is the ancient Cambodian civilisation,

-so I'd... I'd go for Khmer.

-Khmer.

It is the right answer, Pat. Well done.

So, you're in the lead and it means Lawrence needs this.

Which Central American country is bordered by Nicaragua and Panama?

I don't think it's Costa Rica.

So that's between Honduras and Guatemala.

I'm going to say that it is Guatemala.

Guatemala to stay in the game.

It's Costa Rica.

The answer is Costa Rica. So bad luck, Lawrence.

Tough round there and, Pat,

off to a flying start there.

You're in the final round, you'll be playing there for the Eggheads.

No place for you, Lawrence, I'm sorry to say. Would you both please come back and join your teams.

OK, after the first round The Wye Aye Factor have lost one brain from the final round,

the Eggheads are all there and we move on to our next subject today. This one is Sport.

I'm sure a lot of you would like to play this.

-Four of you few left. It can't be Lawrence. Who wants to do it?

-Ian?

-Ian?

-I'll take it.

-Are you all right with that?

Ian's keen for it. OK, who would you like to play ? It can't be Pat. Any of the other four.

-Take your pick. Not Daphne.

-Far too good!

-Not Daphne.

-CJ.

-CJ.

-CJ.

Let's have Ian and CJ into the question room to play this sports round.

So, Ian, you were very eager to play this round I noticed.

What are the major sports that you enjoy watching or playing?

Football first and foremost, and everything else pales into a very far distant second,

but cricket, tennis, hockey, golf.

-I'm a pretty big sports fanatic, I think.

-OK, then. Would you like to go first or second?

I think I'll go second this time.

OK, it's your question then, CJ.

Which undefeated British boxer announced his retirement from the sport in February 2009?

Well, I believe both Hatton and Khan have been defeated,

and I think Calzaghe announced his retirement, so Joe Calzaghe.

It is, that's the right answer. Good start, CJ.

And, Ian, your first question.

Goalkeeper David Seaman played for which football club between 1990 and 2003?

We know it's not Manchester United,

Peter Schmeichel was in goal at that particular time.

It's Arsenal.

It is the right answer, yeah. One all.

And here's your second question, CJ.

The French rugby union player Serge Blanco is best known for playing in which position?

I've only vaguely heard the name, so here we are, blind guess time.

He was a scrum half, Dermot.

Scrum half, Eggheads?

-Full...

-Fullback.

-Yeah.

He was a fullback.

And, so, there we are, now great news for The Wye Aye Factor.

Ian can get his nose in front here.

Which tennis player won her fourth Australian Open singles title in 2009?

Well...

I don't think it's Maria Sharapova, I think she's been injured for a while.

So, I'm looking between the Williams sisters.

I'm going to go for Serena Williams.

OK, tough decision choosing between the Williams sisters

and having lost one brain in that first head-to-head,

a chance opening up.

You don't get too many chances in Eggheads.

You've taken it, it is the right answer!

-Oh!

-Two-one to you.

So, CJ has to get this.

If he doesn't, Ian, you'll be in the final round.

So, CJ, in 2005, who became the first cricketer to score a century

and take six wickets in a one day international?

I don't know. I mean, I don't...

I don't think I would go for Collingwood. I think he's...

I'm not sure when he came to prominence, but he seems...

a more recent name to me.

Jayasuriya, certainly, very proficient

and I know absolutely nothing about Afridi,

so I'll go for Sanath Jayasuriya.

OK, down the middle there.

Well, Ian's taken your middle stump out, that is incorrect.

It is Paul Collingwood. Paul Collingwood.

A round of applause there for The Wye Aye Factor as I announce, Ian,

that you're playing in the final round. Would you both please come back and join your teams.

Well, a really closely-fought contest so far.

Both teams have lost one brain from the final round.

We move on to our third subject today.

This one is Film & Television and, Wye Aye Factor,

you get to choose who plays this

-and it's Carol, Annette or Paul.

-Ready, Carol?

-I'll give it a go. I'll try.

-OK.

-Carol.

-Carol is going to give it a go. Good on you, Carol. And who would you like to give it a go with?

It can't be CJ or Pat, so those three in the middle, Barry, Chris or Daphne?

-I don't know, take your pick.

-My brother's called Barry.

-Your choice.

On the basis that your brother's called Barry...

My brother's called Barry, I'll go with Barry.

It's an omen. How do you get on with your brother?

-Very well.

-Oh, you'll get on with this Barry, too.

A very nice chap, useless at quizzing, as well!

Should be a breeze for you.

OK, let's have Carol and Barry into the question room, please.

Carol you get to decide, as the challenger, would you like to go first or second?

I'll go second, please, Dermot.

Barry, here it comes.

Eddie Murphy provides the voice for which character in the Shrek series of films?

A wonderful series of films, but Eddie Murphy is the Donkey.

The voice of the donkey.

Donkey is correct, yes. Good start.

Are you a big fan of them, Barry?

I am indeed, yes. They're very funny.

OK, well, Eddie Murphy voices Donkey, there.

So, Carol, what is the profession of Joey Tribbiani,

the character played by Matt LeBlanc in the TV series Friends?

Well, I wasn't a big Friends fan,

but my daughter was so it was inevitably on in our house

so I know he wasn't the chef, cos I think that was one of the girls.

Palaeontologist, no, I haven't even got a clue what that is,

so I think he was an actor.

Actor is right, yeah. Very honest about palaeontologist.

That's Ross, the character, he's a palaeontologist.

And didn't he go off, the character Joey, to have his own series?

-Yeah, he did.

-Apparently, but nobody watched it, so we don't know!

OK. Well, there we go, it's one-all. Good start, Carol.

Barry, who played the role of Lois Lane opposite Dean Cain

in the 1990s TV series

Lois And Clark, The New Adventures Of Superman?

I'd have rather liked to have seen Eva Longoria in that role,

but I believe it was Teri Hatcher.

Steady now, the wife's watching, Barry!

She's always watching!

Teri Hatcher is the right answer, well done, Barry.

OK, Carol, let's see. I hope you get this and keep it all square.

What is the name of the character played by Christian Bale in the 2009 film Terminator Salvation?

I have never seen a Terminator movie at all. It's just not me.

I'll just take a wild guess at John Connor

because it's the only one I've heard of.

Wild guess because you've heard of it. There's probably a reason.

If Ian was telepathic, he was willing you the answer there.

"Get in!" Like seeing Shearer score in his pomp, wasn't it?

It's the right answer, well done, John Connor!

What a guess.

Two-all. Going well, Carol, going really well.

Next question each could decide it.

Barry, Isla Fisher played the role of Shannon Reid in which TV soap?

Gosh, I haven't seen any of those for years, so I'm struggling...

Struggling a little here.

Isla Fisher. There was a Fisher in Home And Away,

but I don't think that was Isla Fisher,

I think he played a headmaster,

so I'm going to take a punt here and go for Neighbours.

Neighbours, OK. Shannon Reid was in...

-Home And Away.

-Home And Away.

-Well, here we are.

-Another Fisher!

-Carol's playing away.

She's going second and she's got a chance, just like Ian, to make it into the final round.

For that place, playing for £35,000, Carol, can you tell me,

which Cambridge-educated actress has starred in the films RocknRolla, W and Crash?

I have never heard of any of those films.

Emily Mortimer, I've never heard of her.

I have heard of Thandie Newton.

I've heard of Rachel Weisz and I know Rachel Weisz was in The Mummy.

And being as she's the only one I really know

I'll go with Rachel Weisz, but it is a guess.

OK, a guess.

It was working so well, Carol, the one's you'd heard of,

Maybe she was too busy doing those Mummy films.

-It's Thandie Newton.

-Oh!

It's Thandie Newton. But, you know, no real damage done there.

The game goes on. You don't go out.

Often one slip can be fatal in this game, but it isn't because Barry got his third question wrong, as well.

So, for the first time in the game, we go to sudden death and, Carol,

I know you understand the rules, but let's just be crystal clear,

you don't get any choices now, I've just got to hear the answer from you.

So, Barry, which actress, who won the third individual Golden Raspberry Award of her career

for the 2003 film Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle

was born Demetria Guynes in 1962?

That was GI Jane herself, Demi Moore.

Demi Moore is the right answer, well done, Barry.

So, back to you, Carol, for a correct answer I know is coming.

Good luck.

Kelly Taylor, Dylan McKay and Steve Sanders were characters

from which American TV series, that was first aired in 1990?

There was one about a school, I remember that the kids, my kids, watching it.

But what was it called?

Golly.

-Well, I can't remember it so I'll just have a stab at The A Team, but I know it's wrong.

-The A Team.

You say your kids used to watch it, involved with school.

Again, this just goes to prove the fiendish nature of the sudden death part of these rounds.

Definitely you would have picked this one out. It's not The A Team. It is, Eggheads?

-Beverly Hills 9020.

-Beverly Hills...

What... What's the number, Barry?

-9020.

-I wouldn't have allowed that. 90210

-Oh!

You're an Egghead...

-That would have ruled you out.

-Sorry.

-But it's Beverly Hills 90210.

Barry is not ruled out, Barry is through to the final round, but only just there.

Carol, bad luck, well played, but it's not to be for you today.

Would you both please come back and join your teams.

Well, a really gutsy performance there from Carol, but as I said, not to be.

The balance has now tipped in the Eggheads' favour.

The Wye Aye Factor have lost two brains from the final round, the Eggheads have lost just the one

-and our last subject before the final round is History

-SIGHS

and it's Annette or Paul to play. History.

-Some sighs, there, I heard.

-It's going to be me.

It's going to be you, Annette. Well, Daphne or Chris for you.

I'm going to go for Chris cos he's lovely.

Chris is love... He is, isn't he? Yes.

Let's have you both into the question room then, please, Annette and Chris.

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

I'm not sure it matters, but I think I'll go first.

Here you go, Annette, first question.

Which 20th century conflict is also known as the Great War?

Er...I think...

It's not the Vietnam War, I know that.

It's World War II.

OK, World War II, the Great War.

Well, all big conflicts.

-It's World War I, though.

-Oh, God.

Which presumably was always called the Great War up until 1939.

That's just so... OK.

But very early days, lots of time to recover.

Chris, your first question. Who was king of England from 1216 to 1272?

Well, it's not Henry VIII, he was a Tudor.

It's not Henry V because he was Agincourt, 1415.

So it's got to be Henry III.

He knows the dates, it's the right answer, yes. Chris, one to you.

OK, Annette, let's get you up and running here.

Who was invested as the Prince of Wales in 1911?

I think I'll eliminate George V.

I want to say VII, but I'm going to say...

Something is pulling me towards Edward VIII.

Edward VIII. On those dates would have been Prince of Wales

during the Great War, which links up your two questions so far.

Eggheads, it's it Edward VIII?

-It is.

-Yes.

-It's the right answer, yes.

Well, done, Annette. Well, done, Annette. There you are.

All right, well, Chris, you will go back in the lead if you get this.

Which army was victorious at the Battle Of Marathon in 490 BC?

Well, the Trojans weren't around

and the Athenians kicked lumps out of the Persians,

so it's the Athenians.

-That's a military term?

-Yes.

-It's the right answer, yes.

Athenian is correct so you've got a two-one lead

which means Annette needs this.

Which 20th-century American criminal was nicknamed Baby Face Nelson?

Well, perhaps Charles Floyd was Pretty Boy Floyd.

I'm not sure I've heard of Lester Gillis.

John Dillinger is ringing a bell, so I'm going to say John Dillinger.

OK, Dillinger for Baby Faced Nelson.

-Eggheads?

-Lester Gillis.

It is Lester Gillis. Bad luck, but working...

You were working well on it, but it means the round is over, I'm afraid.

Bad luck, Annette. It was beginning to go well, but we can't continue.

Chris, you will be in the final round and no place for Annette.

Would you 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.

Those of you who lost your head-to-heads

won't be allowed to take part in this round, so Lawrence, Carol and Annette from The Wye Aye Factor

and CJ from the Eggheads, would you all leave the studio now, please.

So, Ian and Paul, you're playing to win The Wye Aye Factor £35,000.

Daphne, Chris, Barry and Pat, you're playing for something which money can't buy, the Eggheads' reputation.

As usual I'll ask each team three questions in turn.

The questions are all general knowledge

and you are allowed to confer, which is why that victory, Ian, against CJ was so important,

or else Paul would have been on his own and not able to avail himself of that rule.

And the question is, guys, are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

And, Ian and Paul, would you like to go first or second?

Second seems to have worked OK so far, so we'll continue with going second, thank you.

It means, Eggheads, you face the first question.

For what does the letter M stand in the Government abbreviation MI5?

For what does the letter M stand in the Government abbreviation MI5?

That would be military.

-Military.

-Intelligence.

OK. And what... What about the number, then?

The number five department.

Yeah, it is department five and it is military. M for military.

That's correct, Eggheads.

So, an assured start for them and, Wye Aye Factor,

The village of Beaulieu, famous for the National Motor Museum,

is located in which English National Park?

The village of Beaulieu, famous for the National Motor Museum,

is located in which English National Park?

No, I don't think it's the Peak District.

There's nothing in Exmoor in order for there to be a museum there.

-Exmoor, it is moors.

-You're thinking of the New Forest.

On that basis alone... Hampshire is next to the New Forest.

That's good enough for me, Paul.

That's good enough. I don't know... Can we go first, Dermot?

Powers of deduction, whether they're right or they're wrong,

we're going to go with New Forest.

New Forest, that's based on kind of populations around there.

Yeah, pretty much. Exmoor is deserted.

Peak District, peaks, mountains, so last one left's New Forest.

Lots of ways of doing it with those choices.

You've worked it out well, it's correct.

Good start. Look at that.

So, it's all square

and hoping for an Eggheads' slip-up here from The Wye Aye Factor.

OK, Eggheads, in Greek mythology Athena, the goddess of war,

emerged, fully grown, from the forehead of which god?

In Greek mythology Athena, the goddess of war, emerged,

fully grown, from the forehead of which god?

That would be Zeus.

Zeus. All know it very well, it's the right answer. Yes, Zeus.

The forehead of Zeus.

OK, again, Wye Aye Factor, you've got to get this to stay level.

Good luck, Ian and Paul.

Richard Nixon and which other US President were born in 1913?

Richard Nixon and which other US President were born in 1913?

Ronald Reagan was the oldest President when he got in in 1980.

He would have been somewhere between 75 and 80.

Right, that's possible.

Kennedy was, what?

-In his 60s...

-No, he was in his 40s when he got shot.

So that was 19...63, so that would have been...

I couldn't do any better than that, so I think...

I'm thinking it's Gerald Ford, but do you want to go with...

I don't know. Ready?

-I'm going Gerald Ford.

-What are we going?

-Gerald Ford.

Gerald Ford. Of course,

the man who took over from Richard Nixon when he stepped down.

And they were both born in the same year, it's the right answer!

Very tricky question, because they weren't too far apart,

but you worked that out really, really well. Congratulations to you.

It's all square.

The fate of the money could hang

on the next two questions. This one to the Eggheads.

In which year were Elizabeth Taylor, Julie Andrews and Shirley Bassey

made Dame Commanders of the Order Of The British Empire?

-Have you got any...

-I think it's later.

-I'd be inclined for 2000.

-But it's only a hunch.

-OK.

-Shirley Bassey certainly hasn't been a Dame for that long.

-No.

-I'd go with 2000.

-I'm not sure.

-It's just a hunch.

-All three of us feel the same, so...

Well, we've come to the conclusion it's probably later

rather than sooner, so we're going to go for 2000.

It is the right answer, yes. Later rather than sooner.

2000 is correct,

all becoming Dame Commanders of the Order Of The British Empire.

A clutch there of great Dames.

And it means you've got to get this then, guys.

You've been playing really, really well, but this one to save the game, take us into sudden death

and give you a chance at the money.

Who wrote the 1925 play Easy Virtue,

which was turned into a film starring Jessica Biel and Kristin Scott Thomas in 2008?

Who wrote Easy Virtue in 1925?

Well, I haven't seen the play, I haven't seen the film, so...

It sounds like Noel Coward.

I'm basing that on absolutely nothing other than guesswork.

I don't know, I haven't seen the film or the play, either.

I'd go for the one in the middle.

I don't know why I'm dragging back towards George Bernard Shaw.

I don't think it's Noel Coward.

I just think Kristen Scott Thomas being an English actress

with an English playwright...

Was George Bernard Shaw English, as well?

What do you reckon? A or B?

I said B when it came up, but if you think Bernard Shaw...

The fact is, Dermot, we don't know.

-I think I've deduced that!

-It wouldn't take a rocket scientist.

Working with those possibilities, what's your conclusion?

I'm tempted going to go for George Bernard Shaw.

-Go for it.

-You think? You're not going to hold us...

-No.

-If that's what you're think, go for it.

-George Bernard Shaw.

OK, George Bernard Shaw. You were wondering about nationalities.

Well, I think George Bernard Shaw was actually Irish,

so...

the English ones there...

-Oh, Noel Coward!

-It was Noel Coward.

Noel Coward, I'm sorry, guys.

Noel Coward, which you were toying with, decided to go for a GBS there.

Noel Coward means the game is over.

Eggheads, you've won.

Well, Ian, Paul, bad luck there. You were so close.

-We had it, as well!

-We talked ourselves out of it.

-That is just the nature of quizzing, isn't it?

-Yes.

-And the difficulties of doing it.

-They're a tough team to beat.

Thanks for playing. I hope you've enjoyed it as much as we've enjoyed having you.

-Absolutely.

-Absolutely.

-Congratulations to you, Eggheads.

You've done what comes naturally and it means your winning streak continues.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £35,000, 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 have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£36,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

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