Episode 105 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 attempt

to beat possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain.

They have won some of the country's toughest quiz shows. They are the Eggheads.

And taking on the might of our quiz Goliaths today

are The Clockmakers. This team are all members

of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers,

the oldest surviving horological institution in the world. Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Mark, I'm 64 years of age

and I'm an exhibitions consultant.

Hello, my name is Mark, I'm 52 years old, a company director and a chartered accountant.

Hello, I'm Gwynneth, I'm 72,

I'm a company director and a professional engineer.

Hello, I'm David, I'm 67,

I'm a company director and third generation jeweller.

Hello, I'm Richard, I'm 51,

a company director and watchmaker.

-So, Mark and team, welcome.

-Thank you.

-Clocks have obviously cast a spell over you all?

-Indeed they have.

-So tell us why.

-We're all interested in horology, either clockmaking or watchmaking,

either because we're physically making them,

trading in them or researching them or collecting them.

-Does technology make clocks less interesting?

-Technology has made clocks and watches more accurate.

There's not a great deal of interest possibly visually in a piece of solid-state mechanism,

but in terms of horological time-keeping, they're brilliant,

but most of our members would be interested in the history

of clocks and watches going back to possibly even medieval times.

-And the tie is the Worshipful Company tie?

-Yeah.

If they lose, can we force them to wear the tie for a whole year?

-Absolutely.

-Yes.

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

If they fail to defeat the Eggheads, the prize money rolls over.

Clockmakers, the Eggheads have won the last seven games

which means £8,000 says you can't beat them today.

We wish you all the very best.

Let's go to our first head-to-head battle on the subject of Film & TV.

And you choose one of your own to go against one of them.

-That's going to be me, Jeremy.

-It's Mark. Against...?

-What about Judith?

-Try Judith.

Yes, can we try Judith, please?

OK, so Mark from The Clockmakers against Judith from the Eggheads on Film & TV.

To ensure no conferring, please take your positions in the question room.

So I'll ask each of you three multiple choice questions on Film & TV in turn.

Whoever answers the most questions correctly goes through to the final.

-Mark, would you like the first or second set of questions?

-I'll go for the first ones.

Here we go and good luck. Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood were the judges on which 2010 reality TV show?

This is one that I'm afraid is going to be a complete guess.

I haven't got a clue on all of those.

Looking at the options, the Great British Song Contest,

I haven't really heard of that, so I think I'll cast that one away.

The Great British Body...

No.

Bake Off? There's been so many cookery shows.

But I think it's more likely to be that one,

so I'll go for The Great British Bake Off.

You're right. The Great British Bake Off, it is.

Judith, your first question.

Which composer did Tom Hulce play in an award-winning film of 1984?

I think that was Mozart. Amadeus, wasn't it?

Mozart is the correct answer.

-Yes, the film Amadeus, chiefly about his great rival?

-Yes, Salieri.

OK, over to you, Mark.

Who starred as Brad Allen opposite Doris Day in the film Pillow Talk?

Doris Day was one of my great favourite actresses

of those days

and in Pillow Talk,

I'm fairly certain that I think it was Rock Hudson.

I don't think it was James Mason or Cary Grant.

I'm going to go for Rock Hudson.

Rock Hudson is your answer. CJ is an expert on films.

-CJ?

-It is Rock Hudson.

-It is Rock Hudson. Well done.

Judith, who played the role of the troubled agony aunt Jane Lucas in the TV sitcom Agony?

Penelope Keith would be very brusque as an agony aunt, wouldn't she?

"Pull yourself together," she would say.

I think Maureen Lipman. If I was casting it, I'd put her in.

That's a nice way of approaching it.

You've got it absolutely right - Maureen Lipman.

Back to you, Mark.

See if you can keep the pressure on her. The American actor Gil Gerard played which character on TV

in the late 1970s and the early 1980s?

I'm afraid that fitted in very nicely with when I was growing up

and it was a programme that I watched frequently,

I'm afraid to confess to, and it was Buck Rogers.

Buck Rogers is absolutely right. Well done.

If you get this wrong, Judith,

you will be a goner.

Paterson Joseph, who played Johnson in the sitcom Peep Show,

appeared in which film starring Leonardo DiCaprio?

I really don't know.

So it's a guess.

The Beach.

I thought you were going to use the Keppel method of going to the right

-and you went left.

-Yeah.

-The Beach is right.

So we go to Sudden Death.

I don't give you the alternatives. You've got to give me the answer.

When TV-am went on air in 1983, it was known for its famous five presenters -

Anna Ford, Angela Rippon, David Frost, Michael Parkinson

and who else?

Oh, dear. Um...

I do remember the launch of it and I remember how big it was at the time

of suddenly introducing breakfast television,

but I can't remember who the other person was.

No, no...

Russell Harty.

Not a bad guess. It probably is the least well-known one - Robert Kee.

Robert Kee.

Judith, your question for the round.

What was the name of the 1950s and '60s TV quiz show, originally presented by Jeremy Hawk,

which took the form of noughts and crosses with questions?

Criss Cross Quiz.

That is the right answer, Judith. You've taken the round.

Where did that come from?

-I must have seen it.

-It was a flash of lightning.

-Yeah.

Mark, you were knocked out after a tough round. Please come back and rejoin your teams.

So the challengers have lost one brain from the final round. The Eggheads have lost no brains.

The next subject for you is Music. Who would like this?

-It wasn't one we were looking forward to, was it?

-No.

-No chance of a different one? OK, um...

-I'm happy to take it.

OK, Richard will take Music.

Richard on Music. Against anyone but Judith?

I'll go up against CJ, please.

It's Richard from The Clockmakers against CJ from the Eggheads.

To ensure there's no conferring, please go to the question rooms now.

-Three questions on Music. Richard, you can choose the first or second set.

-I'd like to go second, please.

CJ, the Cat Stevens song Father And Son was a 1995 UK hit single for which boy band?

Ah... It's not Backstreet Boys.

As you were asking the question, I immediately thought Westlife.

Oh, hold on, can I hear Ronan Keating singing Father And Son?

The more I think about it, I think '95 is a little early for Westlife

and I think I can hear Ronan Keating singing it.

-I'll go for Boyzone.

-Boyzone is the right answer. Well done.

Richard, your question.

The pop singer Anastacia was born in which country?

Anastacia, Anastacia...

I do not know the answer.

I'm going to have to eliminate Malaysia.

I think...she has an American accent. I will say USA.

USA is correct. Nicely done.

CJ, back to you.

Desiree Armfeldt is a character in which Stephen Sondheim musical?

-Could I have her name again, please?

-Desiree Armfeldt.

It's D-E-S-I-R-E-E

and then A-R-M-F-E-L-D-T.

I'll go for A Little Night Music, please.

Do you know this one, Richard?

I'm afraid I don't. I think I would have guessed the same as CJ there.

It is right - A Little Night Music.

Here's your question.

In 1964, Brian Wilson withdrew from touring with The Beach Boys and was initially replaced by which singer?

I have a feeling John Denver would have been too young.

I'm going to say Neil Diamond.

I heard a groan this side. Does somebody disagree with that?

It wasn't really his style at all.

-Glen Campbell?

-I would have thought so.

I think they were mates. The answer is Glen Campbell.

Of Rhinestone Cowboy fame and all that.

So, CJ...

Given that you went first, if you get this right, you've taken the round.

Which conductor took over from Herbert von Karajan at the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra?

There are only two names I recognise. I don't know Claudio Abbado.

I don't know this at all.

I will pretty much blind-guess at Riccardo Muti.

No, it's not. It's Claudio Abbado.

Claudio Abbado is the answer, not Riccardo Muti.

Two points to CJ, one point to you, Richard. See if you can catch up now and take it to Sudden Death.

The Makropulos Case is an opera by which composer?

It's going to be very much a stab in the dark.

The name suggests that it was Janacek.

So I'll say Janacek.

-Let's see. Eggheads?

-Yeah.

-Yes, you are right.

Janacek is correct. You're come back into it. So it's Sudden Death now.

We go back to you, CJ. I don't give you alternatives. You've got to give me the answer. Here we go.

The Stylistics had a UK No.1 single with Can't Give You Anything But My Love in which decade?

I don't know. I'll guess the '70s.

The '70s is right. 1975.

Can anyone bring the tune to mind?

-I can, but I'm not doing it.

-I'm the same as you.

It's a tune we should not attempt. A lot of falsetto going on there.

It's far too early in the evening.

One day, we'll have a singer on the challenging side and they can sing all the answers.

-I assume you don't want to do that, Richard?

-No.

-Here's your question.

If you get this wrong, you're out, I'm afraid.

The clock has stopped ticking on you.

Richard Fairbrass became famous as the frontman of which early 1990s group?

A complete guess - Supergrass.

Nice idea. Not them.

-Right Said Fred was the band.

-Oh!

-I'm Too Sexy For My Shirt and all that, wasn't it?

-Well...

Thank you very much. It's been said on this programme before. Richard, sorry.

CJ has won. He's in the final and I'm afraid you're not. Come back and rejoin your teams.

So the challengers have lost two brains from the final round whilst the Eggheads have lost no brains.

Are we going to change...? I'm trying to find a clock analogy.

Change the tempo, wind the clock up? What about that?

-You're winding us up.

-I'm trying not to.

-What do you do now?

-We hope that we get a subject

-that we can...

-Prosper in?

-Get our teeth into.

Let's see. How about History?

-Decisions, decisions. Which one of you fancies History?

-I don't mind.

-Mark, I think you should do it.

-Mark?

-I'll have a go.

-Second Mark. And which Egghead?

-Daphne?

-Go on.

-Daphne.

-Good call.

-So Mark on History against Daphne from the Eggheads. Take your positions in the question room now.

Well, Mark, good luck. I'll ask you three questions on History in turn.

-First or second set?

-I think I'll go first, please.

Here we go.

Which royal house immediately preceded the House of Stuart on the English throne?

Well, the Stuarts... so that's the Charleses.

And that, of course, would relate to our Royal Charter.

So who preceded

the time when we got our Royal Charter?

-That must have been the Tudors.

-You worked your way there very effectively.

-Tudor is correct.

-Good.

-Daphne, your first question.

In which century were convicts first shipped from Britain to Australia?

I think it was the...18th.

I seem to recall something about the, um...

When I was over in Australia in '88, they were celebrating the centenary.

So I think it's the 18th.

The 18th? Because they were celebrating the centenary in 1988?

-No, it was the bicentenary.

-The bicentenary. Right, OK.

-So 1700 and something.

-Yeah.

-18th is correct.

-Sorry!

-It's all right.

Mark, your question. In which decade did the first parachute jump from a plane take place?

Well...

1890s sounds a wee bit early for people to be jumping out of planes.

They were just delighted to be up in them. 1930s, I think,

is late.

No, that sounds to be late.

I'm going to go for 1910s.

-1910s is correct.

-Well done.

Daphne,

on a suit of armour, the sabatons protected which parts of the body?

I think

that was the...feet.

Feet is correct. She's a mean player, isn't she, Mark?

-She's good.

-She hasn't even got into second gear yet.

Which ancient Indo-European people appeared in Anatolia at the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC?

Right. OK, Anatolia.

So that's the area... north of Turkey now?

I think.

So...I'm going to go for Batavians, Bat-A-vians - I'm not sure how you pronounce it.

-Interesting and difficult question. Eggheads?

-Hittites.

-They ALL know!

Hittites is correct.

So, Daphne, your question.

Get this right and you're through. What was the name of the Titanic's sister ship,

which saw service as a troop ship during World War One?

Well, the one...

I think I've heard of... is the Olympic.

So Olympic.

You've done it again. You've got the right answer. Well done.

So, Daphne, you've knocked out another clockmaker.

You will be in the final round. Sorry, Mark. Please both come back and rejoin your teams.

So the challengers have lost three brains from the final round whilst the Eggheads have lost none.

The last subject is Arts and Books.

Which challenger would like this?

- Not me. - I think it's David.

It's one of you two.

-I'm a scientist.

-What's your strongpoint, Gwynneth?

-Science!

-You're both scientists.

- Oh, God. I'll sacrifice myself. - Well done, Gwynneth.

There's no shame in losing. You can have Chris or Kevin.

-Chris, please.

-So Gwynneth against Chris and please go to the Question Room now.

-Gwynneth, do you want the first or second set of questions?

-I'll take the first, thank you.

I know you wanted Science, but here we go on Arts and Books.

Muriel Spark's novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is set in which city?

Well, it's certainly Scottish.

These are not my strong subjects, but I think I'm going to discard both Belfast and Cardiff

and jump on Edinburgh.

Edinburgh is the right answer. Well done. Chris, your question.

Shortly after its arrival at the V&A Museum in 1857, what was created to put on Michelangelo's David

to avoid offending Queen Victoria?

Somebody sculpted a fig leaf and stuck it on.

-It's a fig leaf.

-Fig leaf is correct. One each.

Gwynneth, your second question.

Who wrote the 2002 novel Fingersmith,

upon which a 2005 BBC adaptation was based?

Oh, my goodness.

This is right out of my depth.

I'm trying not to make a hurried judgment!

Oh, dear. I think I'll go for Martina Cole.

Martina Cole. Sorry, it's Sarah Waters actually.

Judith has her famous Keppel technique

where she goes down the right. It would have been good for that.

-Would you have used it, Judith?

-Well, I knew it.

Chris, to take the lead. Which Flemish painter was knighted by both King Philip IV of Spain

and King Charles I of England?

Hmm. Van Dyck was court painter, not Van Eyck.

Neither Brueghel was ever knighted, so it's got to be Peter Paul Rubens.

Rubens is the right answer. You've taken the lead,

albeit genially.

Gwynneth, see if you can get this right and get back in contention.

Which artist designed the stained glass windows in Tudeley Church in Kent?

Again I'm totally out of my depth on this, but I'm going to take your advice to use Judith's method.

Let's go for Modman...

Mo-Mondrian.

Piet Mondrian.

-Sometimes this Keppel thing just doesn't work properly.

-Oh, dear.

-It's Marc Chagall.

So bad luck, Gwynneth. A doughty fight there.

Chris has taken the round and will go in the final.

If you both come back to us, we will play that final round.

This is what we've been playing towards. It is the final round, which is general knowledge.

But those of you who lost

won't be allowed to take part.

So that's the two Marks, Gwynneth and Richard from The Clockmakers. Would you please leave the studio?

-David, you've been left alone here.

-I have!

-It doesn't seem fair,

-but good luck.

-Thank you.

-You're playing to win £8,000. They'll be very grateful if you do!

Judith, Kevin, CJ, Daphne and Chris are playing for something that money can't buy: the Eggheads' reputation.

I will ask each team three questions on general knowledge and you are allowed to confer.

David, is your one brain better than the Eggheads' five?

-And would you like to go first or second?

-I'll go first.

Good luck. Assiette is the French word for what?

It's plate.

Plate is the right answer. Well done.

Eggheads, what name is

traditionally used, particularly in the Highlands and islands of Scotland, for someone who rents

and cultivates a smallholding?

-Crofter. Crofter?

-That's a crofter, Jeremy.

Crofter is correct. Over to you, David.

In Greek mythology, Nyx, the female personification of night, was the daughter of whom?

I will take out Chaos...

and...

I think Nemesis.

-Nemesis is your answer? Shall I check with the Eggheads?

-Please do.

-Chaos.

-Chaos.

-It was Chaos?

-Yes, it's Chaos.

You got it wrong. I'm sorry.

Here's your question, Eggheads. Who represented the Queen at the opening ceremony

of the 2010 Commonwealth Games?

What did Andrew do? Andrew went to some sporting event.

-Did he represent her?

-Andrew was my instinct.

Andrew went somewhere to some sporting event. I don't know if it was the Commonwealth Games.

- But I'm sure he did. - But didn't Prince Charles go

-when he called Camilla Diana?

-Sorry? He called Camilla...?

-He called Camilla Diana.

-That was at the Commonwealths?

-Yes, because...

-OK. All right, fine.

Fine if that happened there.

-Does that ring any bells?

-It does slightly, yes.

Yeah? OK.

Not entirely sure, but we have a memory

-of an incident which would indicate it was Prince Charles.

-Interesting.

Suddenly the light popped on there for Prince Charles.

I've got some memory of Prince Andrew committing a gaffe.

But Daphne, well done. You're absolutely right. Prince Charles.

You were all set for Andrew and you swerved. You swerved right.

They've taken the lead.

-You need to get this right.

-I do.

-That's what it boils down to.

In which country was the cheese oka first made by Trappist monks over 100 years ago?

It doesn't sound very Spanish to me.

And both Canada and New Zealand

have cheese traditions.

I really don't know between them,

but I shall go for Canada.

I'm glad you did. You're right. Canada is the right answer.

OK, Eggheads.

Get this right and it's over. There's all five of you here, but they can fall into disagreement.

And when it happens, it's not pretty.

What name is given to the Iron Age earthwork which stretches across part of southern Ulster?

-I think I've heard of Black Pig's Dyke.

-I think I have.

An Iron Age earthwork is likely to be a dyke.

Stretches across parts of southern Ulster, did you say?

Across part of southern Ulster.

-It obviously goes for some distance.

-So it wouldn't be mound.

-Or hill.

Stretches, yeah. White Horse Hill is...

It's the only one I've heard of. A mound and a hill don't stretch.

-So Black Pig's Dyke.

-Happy?

-OK?

-Yeah.

We hope we're fairly happy with Black Pig's Dyke.

If you're right, it's over.

It's not a hill. It's not a mound either.

Eggheads, you're right.

It is Black Pig's Dyke. Congratulations. You've won.

-Well, when they're all together like that, it's quite difficult to get one past them.

-Absolutely.

-They were on top form tonight.

-But thanks for coming in. It's been great to see you all.

It's been great fun. Thank you.

Commiserations. The Eggheads have done what comes naturally and their winning streak continues.

You won't be going home with the £8,000, which means the money rolls over to the next show.

Eggheads, who will ever beat you?

Join us next time to see if a new team of challengers can defeat them.

£9,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd - 2012

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