Episode 146 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 might of our quiz Goliaths today

are The Fruiterers.

This team all quiz together in the Sittingbourne quiz league.

They take their name from their local quizzing haunt, The Fruiterers Arms in Rodmersham.

Let's meet them.

Hello, I'm Chris, I'm 64 and I'm a financial adviser.

Hello, my name is Kojo, I'm 51 years old and I'm an outdoor advertising contractor.

Hello, I'm Lesley, I'm 59 and I'm a school librarian.

Hello, I'm Eddie, I'm 69 and I'm a retired teacher.

Hi, I'm Phil, I'm 63 and a regional improvement officer.

Chris and team, welcome, great to see you.

So you are a proper quizzing team from a proper quizzing league.

-Yes, we are.

-And do you go round as the five of you, or more, or less?

We have one or two reserves that step in from time to time

but we're the nucleus. We compete regularly in a league,

so every Tuesday night.

And do you think there's an optimum number of people for a quiz team?

Sometimes, with this lot, you think five is stronger than two,

-but actually, they all start disagreeing and fights break out.

-Our regular team is four

so we think that's an ideal number. So four is easier to manage.

-Eggheads, what do you think?

-I agree, for me, four is the best number

which is why I lose so often, so I can sit in the back.

Good luck, the five of you, The Fruiterers.

As you know, every day there's £1,000 worth of cash up for grabs,

for the challengers. If they fail to defeat the Eggheads,

the prize money rolls over to the next show.

So, The Fruiterers, the challengers actually won the last game.

So £1,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads today.

-Do you want to try?

-We do indeed.

-I think so.

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

-Who would like this?

-Me!

Well, yes, it was going to be yours, wasn't it? Yes.

OK, so Lesley on History against which Egghead?

-What do you think then?

-CJ?

-You fancy CJ, do you?

-Yes.

-So to speak.

-You fancy CJ? It's never been said before in this studio.

Lesley from The Fruiterers against CJ from the Eggheads, on History,

looking already rather pleased with himself!

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

Lesley, when I said "history", you really jumped at it?

That is one of my main interests. I did a degree in it, so...

That's a long time ago though!

But you are a librarian so you are surrounded by learning.

I am, school librarian, yes.

Good luck. Three multiple-choice questions.

As you know, the person who wins the round goes through to the final.

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

The first, please.

Here we go, good luck.

What is the name of the item in Westminster Abbey

in which Scotland's Stone of Scone was installed for hundreds of years,

from around 1300?

Er, I don't think it's the Royal Wardrobe

or the High Altar. I think it's the Coronation Chair

which, I think, featured in The King's Speech.

Coronation Chair is right.

Where's the Stone Of Scone now, Eggheads?

-Back in Scotland.

-It's not under your table or anything like that?

-No.

CJ, your question.

Which items form most of the hoard excavated in Snettisham, Norfolk,

that dates back to about 75BC?

Oh dear, I don't know.

There has been a find which was just gold and silver rings.

I'm wondering if that was one of those brilliant finds by accident.

Er, a lot of treasure trove.

I don't know this, I don't know the particular find

but I will try gold and silver neck rings.

Gold and silver neck rings is the correct answer.

Well done.

Lesley. The rebellion of the Five Pecks Of Rice movement

began in the 2nd century AD

in an area that now forms part of which country?

Er, well, they all eat rice, obviously! Er...

I'll go for China, I don't know, I'm afraid.

-Let's see if Kevin knows this one.

-I think it's China.

-It is China.

You got it right, Lesley, well done.

CJ, your question.

Who was the wife of Henry VII of England?

Unfortunately, I don't know these.

Apologies to the team, I'm just going to have to plump for one.

Er...

I don't even recognise the name of Jacquetta of Luxembourg.

I think the other two have been consorts.

I don't know, I'll just guess at Elizabeth of York.

Let me ask Lesley, is he right?

-He is.

-You are right, CJ, Elizabeth of York it is, well done.

He combined the two houses

-to make the Tudor rose, York and Lancaster.

-This is a good round.

Back to you, Lesley.

Which epithet is used to describe Philip V of France,

who was king from 1316 to 1322?

I think The Spider was Louis XI.

Er... Philip The Tall...

I'll go for Philip The Good but I'm not sure.

I'm afraid he's The Tall. He may have been good

but he was known as The Tall.

So you got that wrong, gives CJ a chance to take the round.

Which general of the American Civil War was named Tecumseh,

after a chief of the Shawnee?

I always get this the wrong way round.

An answer came straight into my head before the options came up.

Unfortunately, it's there.

OK, I'm just going to have to go for Sherman.

Daphne likes that, so it must be right!

Sherman is the right answer, well done, you've taken that round.

Sorry, Lesley, I can tell

you've got so much history knowledge there!

Sorry not to see you play on in this contest.

CJ will be in the final. Please come back and rejoin your teammates.

As it stands, the challengers have lost a brain - Lesley.

Eggheads have still not lost a brain at all. Next, it's Arts & Books.

-Who would like this?

-Oh no!

That was Lesley's next subject, so I'm afraid it's me.

OK, so against which Egghead? Now's the tricky bit. Not CJ.

-Anyone else.

-Pat, would you say?

-Yes, try Pat.

-Try Pat.

-Try Pat.

-We don't know Pat's pedigree.

-We don't know a lot about Pat, we must admit.

OK, Chris from The Fruiterers against Pat, the mysterious Pat...

from the Eggheads on Arts & Books. To ensure there's no conferring,

please take your positions in the Question Room.

I'll ask you three questions on Arts & Books in turn.

Whoever answers the most goes through to the final.

Chris, you can have the first or second set.

I'll go for second because that's the way we always go in our quiz league.

Very well. Pat, here's your question.

Which former jockey won the Edgar Allan Poe Award

for Best Novel in 1970, 1981 and '96?

Lots of jockeys have written books.

Richard Pitman has written several

and John Francome, so thankfully, they're not up there!

Dick Francis is the most famous, I suppose, of the jockey authors.

I think I'll go for Dick Francis.

Dick Francis is the correct answer. Well done. OK...

Chris, here's your question.

Who commented on his portrait of the Queen by saying,

"I'm not making any claims that this is the greatest painting in the world, I've done the best I can."

Damien Hirst would be interesting.

I don't know what he'd make of the Queen.

I don't think it's Peter Blake, I think it was Rolf Harris,

as he was a slightly surprising choice for painting the Queen.

Rolf Harris is the right answer, well done.

Pat, your question. Which fictional female crime-fighter

was created in the 1960s by the writer Peter O'Donnell?

I think Peter O'Donnell died in 2008, 2009

and I think he created Modesty Blaise.

Modesty Blaise is the right answer.

Chris...

The 1782 painting, Self Portrait In A Straw Hat,

is one of the best-known works by which female artist?

I've got to admit that I have not heard of any of those three.

From that sort of era, there's not many female artists.

So it's a pure guess.

I'll go for the longest name, Hortense Haudebourt-Lescot.

OK, I like that use of elimination logic.

-Anyone on your team know?

-Was it Berthe Morisot?

No, it's not, it's the one in the middle - Elisabeth Vigee-Le-Brun.

Pat, third question for you.

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

Who took the famous photograph known as "VJ Day in Times Square" that depicts a sailor kissing a nurse?

It's been reproduced on posters, celebrated image.

I'm pretty sure it's Alfred Eisenstaedt.

The correct answer is Alfred Eisenstaedt. Well done, Pat.

Chris, that was a costly error

on the female painter so you have been knocked out

and you won't be in the final.

Please come back and we'll play the next round.

The challengers have lost two brains now from the final round.

The Eggheads have lost no brains. The next subject is Food & Drink.

Have we got a Food & Drink person left?

-That was my round!

-That was whose round?

-It was my round.

-It's completely out of sequence for you.

-Yes.

-So it's Phil, Eddie or Kojo.

-This could be me?

-Phil?

-Yes, OK.

-Phil?

-Yes, I'll take on Food & Drink.

Which Egghead will you take on?

-Who are we going to go for?

-If it's Food & Drink, it's Kevin!

Got to be Kevin, I think.

-I wish you luck.

-You are called The Fruiterers so that's a head start.

OK, so Phil against Kevin on Food & Drink.

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

Kevin, let's see how you're doing on your Food & Drink.

It was an area of concern about a year ago but maybe it's improved.

-Three questions...

-I wouldn't bet on it.

Let's see. Phil, you can choose the first or the second set.

I'd like to go first, please.

Here we go, good luck.

What name is given to the process in which prawns

are cut in half lengthways and flattened out?

OK, I think chiffonade is cutting things quite finely.

I've heard of shuck in relation to getting peas out of a pod.

But I think with prawns, it would be butterfly.

Butterfly is the correct answer, good.

Here we go, Kevin.

"Chicken of the woods" is a type of what?

If it's coming from the woods, you have to assume mushroom, I think.

So I'll try mushroom.

Mushroom is correct, I was certain you'd go for cheese!

-Really?

-Based on the old quizzer's tactic

-that if cheese is there, choose it.

-Not if it's stupid!

JEREMY LAUGHS

Wouldn't stop me.

Phil, what name is given to a joint of beef consisting of two sirloins

left uncut at the backbone?

This is much more difficult.

I've not heard of duke or lord.

But I think the baron is right across the backbone

so I think I'll go for baron.

And you'd be absolutely right. Baron it is.

Kevin, your question.

In which country is Alentejo a major wine-producing region,

growing grapes such as Roupeiro and Periquita?

We have to go for Portugal there.

And Portugal is the right answer. So, Food & Drink,

two points each.

Phil, back to you, see if you can keep the advantage.

In medieval England, "manchet" was a particularly fine type of what?

Spelt M-A-N-C-H-E-T, Phil.

This is more like a history question than a food question. Er...

I don't really know the answer at all

so I'll go straight down the middle and go for milk pudding.

-Milk pudding, OK. Manchet, anyone?

-Bread, I think, isn't it?

Yes, bread. So bread is the answer there, Phil. If you get this right,

Kevin, you're in the final round.

In 1991, who became Scotland's youngest chef

to receive a Michelin star?

The trouble here is I don't know anything about Andrew Fairlie.

Gordon Ramsay in 1991 would have been...

What would he have been? Round about 25, something like that?

Nick Nairn is older, I believe, I hope I haven't got that wrong.

Unfortunately, I just don't really know anything about Andrew Fairlie.

On the basis that Gordon Ramsay would have been in his mid-20s,

I'll try Gordon Ramsay.

It's not Gordon Ramsay, it's Nick Nairn,

-who you ruled out.

-I've got the ages wrong, got the dates mixed up.

After three questions, the scores are level.

-You've taken him to Sudden Death on Food & Drink. I don't give you alternative answers, OK?

-Yes.

Here's your question. Which sauce in Cantonese cuisine

takes its name from a local dialect word meaning "seafood"?

Must admit, there's nothing springing to mind that...

The only one I think of as sauce that I can really think of,

beyond sweet and sour, would be hoisin.

-I'll try that.

-Hoisin sauce is correct.

Well done, Phil.

Keeping the pressure up on Kevin.

Kevin, what type of soup derives its name from a Latin verb

meaning "to serve", as in to serve food?

I've gone blank, which does happen, unfortunately.

Er...

I can't think of any Latin word involving that at all

which is ridiculous.

I'm going to have to give up.

It's one of those things, I'm going to kick myself.

My mind, as it does sometimes, has seized up.

-You've passed on it, have you?

-I'll say bourree, but it's not.

No. Think of ministering, ministrare is the verb, minestrone is the soup!

You didn't get it. Well done, Phil!

You knocked out

an Egghead so you will be in the final round and Kevin will not be.

Please rejoin your teammates.

The challengers have lost two brains

but now the Eggheads have lost a brain and it's Kevin.

The last subject is Music. Which of you would like music?

Well, it's the first time,

apart from the History round, we've got the person still here

that would have been here, you know, available, to answer. It's Kojo.

Kojo, OK, on Music. Which Egghead would you like?

Either Judith or Daphne, so one of the ladies.

Judith, it's got to be Judith. Daphne's got grandchildren and...

-Daphne's got grandchildren.

-So, Judith.

-Judith might have grandchildren.

Judith might have grandchildren, sorry!

Kojo from The Fruiterers against Judith from the Eggheads.

The decision is made.

Please, if you will, go to the Question Room now.

-We should say, you are a grandmother as well?

-Yes, I am a grandmother.

-You were chosen on the basis...

-Of not being a grandmother.

-..of Daphne having the grandchildren

-but you do have them.

-I do, I've got five.

-What sort of age range?

-The youngest one is two, not quite, even.

The eldest one is 15.

The 15-year-old may be playing kind of cool music that you listen to and you get answers from that.

He's so cool, he's away in his bedroom playing cool music.

Good luck in this round, both of you. Three questions on Music.

Kojo, you can choose the first or second set.

I'll choose the first, please.

And here is your first question, Kojo.

Which instrument commonly has a soft pedal and a sustain pedal?

Er, I don't really know

but on the basis that I don't think a tuba

or a double bass has a pedal you put your foot on,

they may have finger pedals but I wouldn't know them as that...

I'm going to go for...the piano.

You sound uncertain but you're wrong to be, it's the right answer.

Piano is correct. Yes, there's not a pedal arrangement

attached to the double bass

that we hadn't spotted, there really isn't one there. Judith.

Which song by The Beatles starts with the words,

"Got a good reason for taking the easy way out."

Oh, gosh.

"Got a good reason for taking the easy way out".

SHE HUMS

I can't follow it up with any more words.

I think it might be Eleanor Rigby.

You said Eleanor Rigby. It's got one of the most famous bass riffs

in rock history, which is...

# Bom, ba ba ba ba bam, ba bam, ba ba bam... #

-And it's Day Tripper.

-Oh.

Kojo, this is good.

-It's early days.

-Your second question.

What is the name of the rap artist who featured on the 2010 UK hit singles

All Night Long with Alexandra Burke and I Like It with Enrique Iglesias?

My 15-year-old daughter makes me watch a lot of music stations.

I'm quite confident it will be the middle one,

Pitbull.

Pitbull is correct.

Well done!

-Did you know that, Judith?

-Absolutely, tip of my fingers.

Your question. Which famous singer had the real name Terence Nelhams-Wright?

I think that was Adam Faith.

It was Adam Faith, well done,

you are coming back into contention.

But if you get this right, Kojo,

you've taken the round and you're in the final.

In 1979, which band released the hit album

Black Rose: A Rock Legend?

I honestly do not know.

Round about that age, I was a bit of a Queen fan

and I can't remember Queen having an album called Black Rose.

Er, most of the famous Led Zeppelin albums were numbered,

with their name in the title. So, on that basis,

that only leaves Thin Lizzy, I'm afraid.

Well, don't be afraid, cos they are the right answer.

Thin Lizzy and Black Rose, great band as well.

Good performance, Kojo, three in a row.

You've knocked out Judith. Sorry, Judith!

You're going to have to listen more carefully

at that bedroom door of your grandson.

-He wouldn't be listening to The Beatles!

-He might be, we don't know.

But you're not in the final, that's what we do know.

Kojo, you are. Please come back and we will play the final round.

OK, so we've reached that moment, the final round.

-Lesley, I'm wondering what's going through your head cos this is your 60th year, isn't it?

-It is.

And you've decided to do what?

I'm doing 60 things I've never done before in the year between January and December.

-And one of them is...

-Yes, being on television.

-Can you give us a little summary of any of the others?

-Yes, I've had a fish pedicure.

I've, er, got to drink a sambuca and do a karaoke

and I've dressed up as a greyhound to raise money for the Retired Greyhound Trust.

A busy year! I'm sorry Eggheads ends with you in the sin bin

but your team could still win, no question.

It is time for the final round, which is General Knowledge.

Those of you who lost your head-to-heads

aren't allowed to take part. Chris and Lesley from The Fruiterers,

Kevin and Judith from the Eggheads,

would you please now leave the studio?

So, Kojo, Eddie and Phil, you are playing to win The Fruiterers £1,000.

Pat, CJ and Daphne, you're playing for something money can't buy,

the Eggheads' reputation. I will ask each team three questions in turn.

The questions are all General Knowledge. You are allowed to confer.

So, Fruiterers, the question is, are your three brains better than the Eggheads' three?

-Do you want to go first or second?

-First...

-Shall we go first?

-Yes.

-First, thank you, Jeremy.

Good luck, here we go, Fruiterers.

Which fruit is referred to in French as "pamplemousse"?

-Grapefruit?

-Grapefruit.

-It's grapefruit.

I think so.

-Grapefruit.

-Your answer is grapefruit?

-It is.

-And you are the Fruiterers, aren't you...

-Indeed!

This question was written for you. Grapefruit is the right answer.

Let's hope all the questions are about fruit.

Eggheads, which term was used to refer to the act of levelling

a fortification or castle to the ground?

-Slight.

-You slight a castle.

Yes, castles were slighted.

Slight is correct. I've never heard this word, like razed, is it?

I don't think it had to be razed,

but damaged, so it no longer could function as a fortification.

Thank you. Fruiterers,

here's your question.

The flag of which West African country

is very similar to that of Ireland

but with the colours reversed, with orange on the hoist side,

and then white and then green.

Nigeria's definitely got green and white

but I don't know if it's got the orange,

I'm not sure it's got the orange.

I don't know this one, at all.

I don't know it, but Cote D'Ivoire, going on the football team,

er, play in red quite often, usually you play colours of your...

Nigeria, as I say, is green and white

but I don't know of an orange in there.

By a stupid process of elimination, I'd go Benin

but I have no idea, really.

I've got nothing further to add to that at all.

Sounds like as good a set of reason as any.

Very tight question, that. OK, we'll go with it.

We're going for Benin.

Benin is your answer. You ruled out Nigeria,

-did you rule out Cote D'Ivoire as well?

-Yes, we did.

-On the basis that...

-Their football colours have red in them.

Cote D'Ivoire is the answer, I'm afraid, guys.

Here's your question, Eggheads.

Who was appointed Minister for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport

in May 2010?

CJ AND DAPHNE: Jeremy Hunt.

-Jeremy Hunt.

-Liam Fox is Defence,

Theresa May was Home Secretary.

That's Jeremy Hunt.

OK, I'm going to say it very slowly.

The correct answer is Jeremy Hunt.

THEY LAUGH

Now...

we're at an awkward junction, aren't we? If you get this wrong,

you will have lost, we want Lesley's 60th year

to end with a win. It's got to be a big year

so get this one right, please, Fruiterers.

Who was the businessman who founded the All England Jumping Course at Hickstead?

Dorian Williams...

Dorian Williams and Raymond Brooks-Ward were commentators,

-weren't they?

-I'd associate it with that.

-They crossed between events.

-Yes.

-Douglas Bunn?

-I don't recognise that name.

I don't recognise the name.

Would one of the commentators have been

the man who established the course?

It's quite possible. It was one of those sports

where people involved in it became commentators.

I don't know Douglas Bunn.

Both the first two have commentated but I don't know...

-I'd probably go for Dorian Williams.

-So would I...

-But for no real reason!

-Often, we say, if we're in doubt,

let's go down the middle!

Well, there's that one.

-Your choice!

-Thank you.

-I fancy Dorian Williams as well.

-Two of you, I'd go with that.

Jeremy, we have not the faintest idea, really,

but we're going to go for Dorian Williams.

Dorian Williams, let me see if my colleagues here know.

-Douglas Bunn.

-Douglas Bunn.

The correct answer is Douglas Bunn.

We say congratulations, Eggheads, you have won.

Douglas Bunn, you've gone out on Douglas Bunn.

I'm sorry it's come to this but well played.

You are a very good quizzing team, we can tell that,

and respect is due. Commiserations, the Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them

and they reign supreme over quiz-land once again.

I'm afraid that means you won't be going home with the £1,000

which means the money rolls over to the next show.

Building up quite a streak here, Eggheads, you've won a game!

Congratulations, 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. Until then, goodbye.

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