Episode 135 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 challenging our resident quiz champions today are

the Rigsbys.

Now, this team is made up of

ex-players and supporters

of Buckland Athletic Football Club

in Newton Abbot, in Devon.

Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Gary, I'm 50 and I'm a flooring contractor.

I'm Ken, I'm 83,

I'm a flooring and tile contractor, retired.

Hi, I'm Graeme, I'm 44

and I'm an embalmer.

Hi, I'm Roy, I'm 64 and a retired builder.

Hello, I'm Simmo. I'm 40, and I'm a facilities manager.

So, Gary and team. Welcome.

-Good to see you.

-Thank you.

-Ex-players and supporters of the club.

-Yeah, definitely.

Roy is actually still the chairman of Buckland Football Club,

and Simmo still does the groundsman.

And we're actually retired players now.

No-one actually plays any more, apart from Dad.

But the club is still going?

-The club is still going, yeah, yeah.

-How is it doing?

Very well, top of the Peninsula League, in Devon & Cornwall.

Premier Division.

And we've got a brand new club house,

which everyone thinks is probably the best club house in the area. We're doing very well.

You come from a beautiful part of the country, don't you?

-We do. We do. We...

-Make us jealous.

I look out of my bedroom, I can see the moors.

I travel a mile up the road and go to the beach,

so it's not a bad place to live.

All right. Why aren't we all living there?

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

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

So, Rigsbys, the Eggheads have won the last ten games,

which means £11,000 says you can't beat them today.

Would you like to try?

ALL: Yes, we would. I think so, yes.

All right. The first head-to-head battle is on the subject of sport.

Challengers.

-Well, Ken.

-Ken, didn't we?

-Yeah, we did say Ken.

-Yeah, I think it's got to be Ken.

-We all agree.

-Yeah.

OK, so it's Ken on this side, and against which Egghead, Ken?

Who would you like to take on?

I'll take on Chris.

-Chris on sport.

-Yeah.

Ken from Rigsbys against Chris of the Eggheads.

And to ensure there's no conferring,

would you please take your positions in the Question Room?

So Ken, how are you on sports?

Er...pretty good on certain things, but not on everything.

Which is your favourite?

-Oh, well... Like yours, football.

-OK.

Chris, your favourite sport?

Hating sport.

I thought so.

So, three multiple-choice questions on sport in turn.

Whoever answers most questions correctly is the winner

and goes through to the final. The other person gets knocked out.

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

Oh, I'll take the first please.

And here we go, good luck.

What term is used for the action of a baseball player who runs

to the next base while the pitcher

is delivering the ball to the batter?

Borrow.

Borrow is wrong, actually.

It's steal, as in...

-Stealing a base.

-Stealing a base.

Steal a march.

Chris, your question.

What was the first cricket ground in England to host a test match?

Oh... This was back in about the 1870s, wasn't it?

Trent Bridge and Heading...

Well, they're all county grounds.

But the one that's been there

the longest is Kennington Oval,

so it's got to be The Oval.

The Oval is correct.

Back to Ken.

In which sport was the United States team at the Beijing Olympics

widely known as the Redeem Team?

Oh, I think I'll go for basketball.

No hesitation.

Basketball is right. Well done.

Nice work.

Chris, your question.

Which football club is nicknamed The Millers?

Well, Plymouth Argyle are

The Seagulls, aren't they? So it's not them.

No, Brighton are The Seagulls.

There used to be a lot of steel mills in Rotherham,

but I'm not going with that either.

We've got various names for Stoke in Crewe,

most of them unflattering.

Er...perm one from three...

Rotherham United.

Is he right, Eggheads?

ALL: Yes.

You're right with Rotherham United.

I don't know how you did that.

-Steel mills.

-Steel mills, OK, well done.

So Ken, you need this one right.

-Otherwise, you'll be knocked out.

-Yeah.

Who won motorcycling's 2010 Moto GP title?

Oh... I know nothing about this sport, again so...

it's got to be a guess.

Er...Jorge Lorenzo.

It's the right answer.

ALL: Yeah!

Nicely done. OK, so...

Well done to you.

If Chris gets this right, he has taken the round.

Here's your question.

Which all-time great British boxer was born Gershon Mendeloff in 1893?

There was a great tradition in the 19th century of Jewish boxers,

wasn't there?

Er...Randy Turpin is too late,

I think Jimmy Wilde is too late.

I think he boxed as Ted "Kid" Lewis.

If you've got this right

you're in the final, Chris.

The answer is Ted "Kid" Lewis.

Three out of three. Sorry, Ken.

You come back, but you've been knocked out, I'm afraid.

Chris will be in the final round.

Please both of you come back here and rejoin your teams.

So, as it stands, the challengers have lost one brain

from the final round, whilst the Eggheads have lost no brains so far.

Early days, though. Next subject is politics.

Who would like this?

OK, I think we've got someone there.

We've talked this over, yeah.

And I was nominated for all the subjects no-one else wanted.

Not because of my knowledge, but I think because of my size.

So it's me doing politics, Jeremy.

OK, Roy on politics. Against which Egghead? It can't be Chris.

Seeing the first one I saw today was Pat, I'll go for Pat.

-Yeah.

-OK.

Right, so Roy from the Rigsbys

versus Pat from the Eggheads on politics.

To ensure there's no conferring, please go to the Question Room now.

So, Roy, you were a builder.

Yes, Jeremy, yeah.

And a lot of interest in the football club still, I know.

Yes, known as the fat controller, for obvious reasons.

I'm chairman and have been for the past ten years, I think, yeah.

You have an interest in politics?

Apparently, according to the rest of the team, yes.

Good luck against Pat. Three questions, multiple choice.

You can choose the first or the second set.

Jeremy, I'd like to go first, please.

Good luck, Roy.

Which former Conservative MP took part in the 2010 series

of Strictly Come Dancing?

Now, it's a programme I never watch,

I must admit.

But...

I do remember some talk in our local area of

Ann Widdecombe practising in one of the church halls near us,

so I'm going to plump for Ann Widdecombe.

Ann Widdecombe, so she practised in Devon, did she?

-Indeed.

-She lives in Dartmoor.

-She lives in Dartmoor.

-Yeah.

She was seen practising...

So you could have stopped it if you'd actually intervened.

-I could have, yes!

-Ann Widdecombe is the right answer.

Pat.

Pat, the incumbent of which position is the UK Head of State?

The UK Head of State.

My first instinct is it's the monarch.

Er...

I think the Prime Minister and the Archbishop

feature in the succession pecking order.

But I think the UK's Head of State is the reigning monarch.

Yeah, so obviously, you're looking for the catch there.

Monarch is the right answer.

Well done.

Roy, which Liberal Democrat MP was appointed

Secretary for Energy and Climate Change in 2010?

Er...I'm not at all sure on this one, Jeremy.

It'll have to be some sort of guess.

Something's telling me, I don't know why,

to go for Nick Harvey. And that will be my choice.

Nick Harvey is wrong, actually.

It's Chris Huhne.

Your question, Pat.

Which TV reporter made the news himself in October 2010

when he destroyed a protester's placard

by stamping on it at Westminster?

Quite an image,

a TV reporter stamping on a placard.

I have a very faint recollection

of Nick Robinson being involved in something.

It seems a pretty unlikely behaviour for any of them..

Now I think of it, Andrew Marr was also in the news for...

for something other than his standard presentation duties.

Andrew Marr, Nick Robinson... I think it's one of those two.

I think I'll go for Andrew Marr,

but it's...it's pretty much 50/50.

Andrew Marr.

It's not really 50/50.

It's definitely Nick Robinson.

Andrew Marr is wrong. He'll be pleased, I'll tell him.

He's an answer in a question on Eggheads.

You've really made it when you're the answer in a quiz, aren't you?

OK, so you're back in

with a good chance here, now Roy.

Your third question.

The US politician Jerry Brown was elected governor

of which state in 2010

after having previously served as governor there from 1975 to 1983?

Once again, my political knowledge is going to let me down, I fancy.

I haven't a clue, but...

I'm going to stab for Texas.

-It was not Texas.

-No.

-It was California.

If you get this one right, Pat, you've taken the round.

Which MP introduced the Private Members' Bill

that resulted in the passing of the 1967 Abortion Act?

Teddy Taylor was Conservative. Tony Benn is Labour.

I think it was David Steel

who introduced the Private Members' Bill.

David Steel is the right answer. You've taken that round.

Sorry, Roy, you've been knocked out

by our Egghead, and you won't be in the final.

Please both come back, rejoin us, and we'll play the next round.

So, is there a change of... What's the football analogy?

A change of the midfield needed?

Possibly. We were going to put Roy in goal originally.

-But he's been sent off.

-He has been sent off! But, it's early days, yet.

OK, The Challengers have lost two brains from the final round.

The Eggheads have lost no brains so far. The next subject is Science.

-This any good?

-Yes, this has possibilities.

-Yes, indeed.

-This is one of the subjects that somebody volunteered for!

-Yeah.

-We're going to play Graeme.

-Graeme on Science, OK. Against?

Which Egghead? I know you are an embalmer.

-You have to imagine them as living people now.

-CJ?

I think I would like to play CJ.

OK, Graeme from Rigsbys, versus CJ from The Eggheads. On Science.

To ensure there's no conferring, please take your positions.

-So, Science is up your street, Graeme?

-Yeah, pretty much, I think.

Mainly because nobody else wanted it.

Good luck, Graeme. Good luck, CJ.

Three questions on Science, in turn.

Would you like the first or second set, Graeme?

Can I go first please, Jeremy?

Of course you can, here we go.

The pituitary gland, Graeme, is normally about the size of a what?

Well, I am pretty sure I know this already.

It's definitely not a grapefruit. That's way too big.

I am going to go for pea, Jeremy.

-Pea is the right answer, well done.

-Oh, main man!

It would have been easy to get that wrong, it's a very important gland.

-What is it, down the base of the brain?

-In the base of the brain.

CJ, your question. What is a wheatear?

I haven't heard of this, I'm afraid.

Names which tend to include foodstuffs tend to be more birds.

And there are an awful lot of those.

You can see them eating ears of wheat, can't you?

I don't know this, but I'll try bird.

Bird is the right answer.

OK, Graeme, your question.

The fishing cat is a wild species native to which continent?

As soon as you asked the question, I thought South America.

Just let me think about this.

I am going to go for my initial thought. South America, Jeremy.

South America is wrong, I'm afraid. It's Asia. It's Asia.

So, back to you, CJ. To take the lead.

Tommy Flowers, who was particularly known for his work

during the Second World War, was a British pioneer of which technology?

I...

am not sure.

I don't think it's computers.

I think it's more industrial, I think it's radar or jet engines.

I am going to try radar.

It's not radar.

Anybody know on this side?

-Computers?

-Computers it is, CJ. The one you ruled out.

-Bletchley.

-Bletchley?

He was a post office engineer,

he built the first programmable computer. Electronic.

All with the valves and relays,

and that's how they finally managed to break the Enigma code.

-In the Second World War?

-Yes.

-Right. Tommy Flowers.

There we go. Graeme, your question.

One point each. Take the lead, if you get this right.

Which 19th-century scientist is credited with the invention

of the "pilot", or "cowcatcher", on the front of railway locomotives.

I am sure Chris would know this.

I am really not sure, so I will go right down the middle.

For Charles Lyell.

-Your team-mates know?

-I would have gone Lyell myself.

It's Babbage, actually. Charles Babbage.

CJ, your question, to take the round.

How did the German chemist, J Wilbrand,

intend TNT to be used when he discovered it in 1863?

Again, this is one I have heard, but unless I can place something,

it's going to be a guess.

Possibly ill-advisedly, but the more I think about it

the more I think I'll go for yellow dye.

If you've got this right, you're in the final.

The answer is yellow dye, CJ. Quite right.

It became TNT, or maybe it just exploded in front of him did it?

Is that what happened?

Well, trinitrotoluene is basically a solvent/dyestuff.

I suppose one day he was messing about and it blew up, yeah.

It would certainly give a kick to flavours, to crisps,

-if it was a flavour enhancer.

-It would.

CJ, you are in the final.

Graeme, sorry, you've been knocked out.

So please, both of you, rejoin your teams.

OK, as it stands,

The Challengers have lost three brains from the final round.

The Eggheads have lost no brains so far. The last subject is Music.

I think I might take Music.

I thought it might be you, Gary.

Gary, from the Rigsbys, against...

I don't know, mate. Daphne's very good at Music.

I think we'll go for Barry.

He's nearly as good.

Gary from Rigsbys, against Barry, hiding down there,

-from the Eggheads.

-Unsuccessfully!

It's Music, and please go to the Question Room now.

So, Gary, finally I can ask you why

you've chosen the name Rigsbys for your team.

Rigsby was my dog. Was, I say was, he was my dog from about 1987-2001.

He was forever by my side when I played football

and managed football for Buckland.

And when he passed away in 2001,

Buckland actually had a minute's silence prior to the game.

For Rigsby, who I am endeavouring to write a book on.

I see, the adventures of his life, basically.

Well, my life during that time of 15 years or so.

OK. Well, let's hope we can make a good chapter out of this.

A sort of British Marley And Me, if you like.

Would you like the first or second set of questions on Music,

which I know you love?

I think we'll go first, if that's OK.

Here we go. Good Luck.

Which Cliff Richard hit single has the opening lyrics,

"When I was young, my father said Son, I have something to say."

I'm pretty sure I know this one, it's not Living Doll.

It'll Be Me doesn't ring any bells,

but, I'm pretty sure, Cliff, as he still is, is a Bachelor Boy.

Well done, Gary.

Cliff is a Bachelor Boy, you got the right answer. Well done.

Barry, you are obviously auditioning for a part in the Beach Boys.

-Are they looking for a new member?

-Surfing?

-A fantastic shirt.

Your question, the stage musical Sunshine On Leith

features the music of which Scottish band?

Gosh, I've not heard of this one,

and they're all Scottish bands, which doesn't help.

Er, Sunshine On Leith?

I really don't know, but I'll go for The Proclaimers.

Yes, The Proclaimers is the right answer.

-I bet you like them, Gary.

-Proclaimers?

-Yes, I have seen The Proclaimers.

-Good band.

OK, your question.

The composer Henryk Gorecki

was born in, and spent most of his life, in which European country?

I am going towards Poland, but Henryk again sounds Scandinavian.

I am pushing away from Greece, I hopefully will disregard Greece.

I'm going to go for Denmark.

You've just swerved away from the right answer. Poland it is.

The logic was taking you there.

OK, Barry, your question.

What is the title of Ellie Goulding's debut album

that reached number one in the UK in 2010?

Gosh! That's another one that's passed me by.

Lights rings some sort of notice in my mind, so I will try Lights.

Lights rings a bell, does it?

It's the right answer. You've taken the lead.

Gary, you need to get this one right to stay in.

The brothers Jonny and Colin Greenwood

were founder members of which band?

Jonny and Colin Greenwood?

The brothers Jonny and Colin Greenwood

were founder members of which band?

Radiohead.

Is the right answer.

-Oh, well done!

-Ha-ha-ha!

OK, Barry, your question.

If you get this wrong, we'll go to Sudden Death.

Tchaikovsky's opera the Queen Of Spades

is based on a novella by which Russian author?

I think the Queen Of Spades is based on a novella by Pushkin.

You're quite right, Pushkin is the answer.

Gary, you're out. Barry will be in the final.

-Polish one.

-It's going to be a tough final for the Rigsbys.

Please come back and we'll play.

So, this is what we've been playing towards.

It is time for the final round,

which, as always, is General Knowledge

but I'm afraid those who lost their head-to-head

won't be allowed to take part in this round.

So, Gary, Ken, Graeme and Roy from Rigsbys

would you please leave the studio.

Simmo, you're playing to win the Rigsbys £11,000.

CJ, Daphne, Chris, Barry and Pat,

you're playing for something that money can't buy,

the Eggheads' reputation.

As usual, it's going to be three questions in turn.

They're general knowledge and I usually say you can confer

but, obviously, it's not an option now.

You can confer, Eggheads.

So, Simmo, the question is,

is your one brain better than the Eggheads' five?

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

-I'll go first, please.

All the best to the Rigsbys and to you, Simmo.

Who directed the films The Bridges Of Madison County,

Flags Of Our Fathers and Invictus?

I've not actually seen The Bridges Of Madison County

but Flags Of My Fathers I have seen and I think that's Clint Eastwood.

Clint Eastwood is the right answer, nice work.

You're off the blocks.

Eggheads, what nickname has been given to Renzo Piano's design

for a triangular glass skyscraper

on the south bank of the River Thames in Southwark?

-The Shard.

-The Shard, yeah.

That's The Shard, Jeremy.

It is The Shard, well done.

Over to you, Simmo.

The novelist DH Lawrence married a distant cousin

of which First World War figure?

Oh...I'm not very good on history.

Lawrence Of Arabia, I've seen the film.

Erm...

I'm probably going to go for Baron von Richthofen.

Baron von Richthofen is your answer. OK.

You've got it right.

Ha-ha-ha! Do you want to tell us how you got there?

-It was just a matter of elimination.

-Seems unlikely, two Lawrence's.

I really didn't know. That was a real guess.

-Well, is he the Red Baron?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-He's the one who did the First World War flying.

-Flying Circus.

-In the propeller plane and all that?

-A Fokker DR1 triplane. Yeah.

-Right.

Eggheads, your question, to catch up with Simmo.

In June 2010, Daniel Westling became a member of the Royal family

in which country when he married Crown Princess Victoria?

-It was Sweden.

-Sweden.

-Big Swedish royal wedding, yeah.

That was Sweden.

-I think he was her personal trainer at one time.

-Met her at the gym.

-He met her at the gym, did he?

-Yes. There's hope for you yet!

-Hmm!

-Is that why you hang out at the gym, CJ?

-Let's go with yes!

Sweden is the right answer, Eggheads.

They are in that, sort of, slightly complacent mood.

They give the answers quickly and think it's all going their way.

It can change, believe me, they've fallen flat on a third question.

If you get this one right

there is a chance they're going to get their third question wrong

and then you take £11,000.

-That would be nice.

-Simmo, good luck.

Where does the Pope wear his zucchetto?

It's spelt Z-U-C-C-H-E-T-T-O.

Where does the Pope where his zucchetto?

I'm just trying to picture the Pope now.

I'm sort of leaning toward his head.

Just, just, sort of, the white thing on there.

Erm, I really don't know this one again,

so, another guess, but I'm going to go with his head.

Your answer is on his head. Eggheads, do you know?

-Yes.

-Is the right answer! Three out of three!

They're going crazy backstage. How about that, guys?

How will you share the money if you win it?

-Oh, I'm taking it all, mate!

-Ha!

You go that exit and I'll try and hold them up. OK

All right, so this is interesting.

Didn't think it was going to end up like this, did we, Eggheads?

You're on the ropes now. If you get this one wrong they've won £11,000.

Wipe that smile off your faces!

Which influential 18th-century legal expert wrote that,

"It is better that 10 guilty persons escape than one innocent suffer."?

If you get it wrong you've lost the contest.

I'm not sure, but Blackstone?

-Blackstone is the legal textbooks, isn't it?

-Is the legal textbook.

-How about Pat? What does Pat think?

-I don't know.

It was 18th century?

Oh, dear.

We all know the quotation.

The only one, I mean, they might all be legal

but the only one I definitely recognise as a legal book

-is Blackstone.

-Yeah.

I've got a feeling...

I'd still go with Blackstone myself.

-Yes.

-So would I cos he was so,

so pre-eminent in his field in that century.

OK.

We don't know, Simmo, so we are go going to go for,

on the grounds he's the only one we've heard of,

William Blackstone.

Your answer is William Blackstone. OK, it's gone red, I've taken it.

Only seven times previously has a team been reduced to one player

and then defeated the Eggheads.

The answer is William Blackstone.

-Oh!

-You're off the hook for now.

You tease!

THEY LAUGH

Well, you've not won yet.

OK, we go to Sudden Death now, Simmo.

Sorry, they do sometimes get that third question wrong.

Not today though.

So, this is a bit harder, I don't give you alternative options.

Here's your question. Which British motorway

was officially opened by Margaret Thatcher on October 29, 1986?

Erm...

I really don't know that, another guess.

Erm, I think I'll go for the...

M4.

No, it was the M25 around London.

OK, Eggheads,

if you get this one right you've taken the contest.

Great swinging in fortunes in this game. Here we go.

The renowned dancer Carlos Acosta was born in 1973 in which country?

-Cuban, isn't he?

-Is he Cuban?

Cuba.

Cuba...

is the correct answer.

Eggheads, congratulations, you have won!

You really did all that could be expected of you there.

-It was all guessing.

-In the history of Eggheads,

only seven times has it happened

that one player has beaten all five of them

but you got three out of three...

-Happy with that.

-You don't always get all three right in the final.

-It's all you can hope to do.

-Yeah.

I was certain, when the legal question came up, I thought,

"There's going to be confusion.

-"And the more of them the better!"

-It was close.

-Yeah.

It was Barry who was certain about the Blackstone thing there.

-You can blame Barry!

-I'll see him after!

Commiserations to you, Challengers,

the Eggheads have done what comes naturally,

their winning streak continues.

I'm afraid that means that Rigsbys won't be going home with the £11,000

so the money rolls over to the next show.

Eggheads, many congratulations. Who will beat you?

Join us next time to see if a new team of Challengers

have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£12,000 says they don't. Till then, goodbye!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd