Episode 159 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 pedigree is known. They've won some of the country's toughest quiz shows. They are the Eggheads.

Taking on our quiz Goliaths today are Rodney's Trotters from Luton.

This team of friends all trip the light fantastic at the same ballroom dancing classes

and have named themselves in honour of their dance instructor, Rodney. Let's meet them.

Hello. I'm John. I'm 63 and I'm a motor engineer.

Hi. I'm Rosemary. I'm 53 and a receptionist.

Hello. I'm Andrew. I'm 53 and I'm a finance process consultant.

Hi. I'm Carol. I'm 56 and I'm a senior finance officer.

Hi. I'm Phil. I'm 57 and I'm a database administrator.

John and team, welcome. Great to see you. It's a shame Rodney's not here.

Yes, he's not good enough for our team. He's a good dancer.

-He's a good instructor, but he's not a quizzer.

-Yes.

-OK.

-Do you quiz together?

-Yes, we do, at weekends away.

The club goes away to dance weekends in Bournemouth

-and we do our quizzing then.

-OK. Good luck in this contest.

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

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

So, Rodney's Trotters, the Eggheads have won the last nine games,

which means £10,000 says you can't beat them today.

First head-to-head is on the subject of Arts & Books.

-Is that a good one? Who would like this?

-That will be me.

OK, very decisive, Carol. Against which Egghead?

-You've got the full set.

-I think Pat's doable on this.

-Can we have Pat, please?

-Pat, what do we know about your Arts and your Books?

-I quite like paintings.

-You never get anything out of this guy.

What does that mean?

So, Carol, from Rodney's Trotters, against Pat from the Eggheads.

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

Arts & Books and you get three multiple choice questions.

-Carol, would you like the first or the second set?

-I think I'll go first, please.

Here we go, and good luck to you.

Great Uncle Bulgaria is seen as the head of which group of fictional characters?

It's something that I have watched on television quite a few years ago.

It definitely isn't the Borrowers. It isn't the Moomins.

-It's the Wombles.

-The Wombles is the right answer, Carol.

One point to you. Pat, here's your first question.

What mode of dress is most associated with the artists

Gilbert and George?

I saw these chaps being interviewed recently.

They both seemed to turn themselves out invariably in suits.

With ties. So suits.

Suits is the right answer.

Carol, found on antiques, picture frames and furniture,

what type of finish is ormolu?

Ormolu is usually on things like clocks and mirrors.

So it definitely isn't distressed leather.

Or painted wood. It's gilded bronze.

Well done, Carol. You're quite right. Gilded bronze it is.

Pat, which broadcaster and former MP has written a series of books

known collectively as the Oscar Wilde Murder Mysteries?

Matthew Parris generally writes

a political comment column in the Times.

Gyles Brandreth has been very busy.

I think he wrote Something Exciting To Read On The Train.

And he has also written a series of murders with the Oscar Wilde

character weaved in.

So it's Gyles Brandreth.

Gyles Brandreth is quite right. Well done. So two points each.

Carol, here's your third question.

The Djanogly Art Gallery is in which British city?

Right. Well, it doesn't sound a British word at all. So erm...

I'm not sure on this one. I'm going to plump for Nottingham.

Nottingham is the right answer.

So where does the name come from, anybody?

There's an MP called Jonathan Djanogly.

Is he the son of the man who funded the gallery?

I don't know. If I was to take a guess at a name like that, I'd say something like Armenian.

-But I don't know it.

-The same family, do we know?

-I wouldn't be surprised.

OK. Pat, if you get this wrong, you'll be knocked out.

Sir Fopling Flutter is a character in which Restoration Comedy?

I have no idea, I'm afraid. The Man Of Mode. The Recruiting Officer.

I'm not sure I can identify any logical way of getting at it.

It's just a name, just an alliterative name.

Sir, that doesn't really help. The Man Of Mode.

The Recruiting Officer.

I'll guess The Beaux' Stratagem, but it's a complete guess.

I thought you'd go for that, and it's wrong.

It's The Man Of Mode. Pat, you have been knocked out by Carol.

Well done, Carol. You'll be in the final round.

And Pat, after three questions, you have gone. Please, both of you, come back and rejoin your teams.

As it stands, the challengers have lost no brains from the final round.

The Eggheads have lost a brain. The next subject is Politics.

-Who would like this?

-Rosemary or Phil.

-One of you.

-Phil?

-You want me to go?

-Yeah.

-I'll take the bullet.

-Before you go, just choose an Egghead for us. Can't be Pat.

-Judith, I think. Go for Judith?

I'm happy with that.

-We'll take Judith.

-We'd like Judith, please.

-You got picked and she got picked for you!

-I think so.

-I think she did. Phil from Rodney's Trotters, Judith, on Politics.

-Yep.

Please go to the Question Room.

I'll ask each you three questions on Politics in turn.

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

Phil, you can choose the first or second set.

I'd like to go first, please.

Here's your question. Which Ukrainian politician suffered from dioxin poisoning in 2004,

allegedly due to an assassination attempt?

Not very familiar names.

One that stands out more than the other two is the first one,

Viktor Yushchenko.

So I think I'll go for that one.

Viktor Yushchenko is the right answer. Well done.

Judith, your question.

Who became the Greek minister for culture in 1981

and campaigned for the return of the Elgin Marbles?

That was the film star, Melina Mercouri.

Melina Mercouri is the right answer.

-I don't remember Demis Roussos doing anything in that role!

-No. Nor do I.

Phil, your question. Woodford in Essex was the last constituency

held by which prime minister?

I don't think it was Winston Churchill.

Of the other two, I think I'll have to go for Stanley Baldwin.

-Let's see if your team know.

-Always Churchill.

-Churchill is the answer.

Should always go for the one you don't think it is.

OK, so, Judith, your chance to take the lead.

What was the name of the series of political events

which culminated in the resignation of Eduard Shevardnadze

as president of Georgia?

Oh, dear! I don't know. I'm not sure. It's a guess.

-I think it might be the Rose Revolution.

-It is. Well done.

Back to you, Phil. You need to catch up with Judith now.

What was the first state of the USA to give women the vote?

Again, I don't know.

Can't imagine it was Georgia.

I'm going to have to take a guess at Wyoming.

He's right, isn't he?

-He is indeed.

-It's also the one...

You wouldn't really guess Wyoming cos there's a lot of cowboys there.

-It is nicknamed the Equality State for that reason.

-Is it?

-Mm-hmm.

So Wyoming is the right answer, Phil. Well done.

So Judith, if you get this right, you will be in the final.

The president of which country lives in the Malacanang Palace?

Dear.

Malacanang, what language does that sound like?

I think it sounds Filipino for some reason.

I'm going to guess, it is a guess, Filipino. Philippines.

Philippines is the right answer, Judith. Well done.

Sorry, three out of three, Phil,

and your Churchill answer knocked you out, I'm afraid.

You won't be in the final. Judith, you will be.

Please, both of you, come back and rejoin your team-mates.

As it stands, the challengers have lost one brain from the final round

and the Eggheads have also lost a brain.

The next subject is Music.

Who would like this? Is this a good one?

That's going to be Andrew.

-Got to be you, I think, Andy.

-Our musician.

-Yeah.

-OK, Andrew.

-Looks like it's me!

-Against which Egghead?

Can't be Pat or Judith.

-Go for Barry?

-Yeah, Barry, I think, please.

You said that as if inspiration was coming to you there.

THEY LAUGH

Barry, are you feeling musical?

I'll let you know shortly.

OK, so it's Andrew from Rodney's Trotters

versus Barry from the Eggheads, and to make sure there's no conferring,

please go to the Question Room now.

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

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

Here we go, good luck.

Falling In Love Again became the signature song of which performer?

I can sort of picture it in my head, the actual tune,

and I'm just trying to think who it actually fits.

I think it's Marlene Dietrich, yes. I'll go for Marlene Dietrich.

Marlene Dietrich is quite right. Well done.

First point to you. Over to Barry now.

Hands touching hands/Reaching out/ Touching me, touching you...

are lyrics from which Neil Diamond song?

I think that's... Ooh, let me think. It's not I Am...I Said.

I think it's Sweet Caroline.

Go on, sing it.

# Hands touching hands

# Touching me, touching you

# Sweet Caroline. #

Very good, Barry, well done. You're right, Sweet Caroline it is.

OK, Andrew, your question.

The song I Enjoy Being A Girl features in which

Rodgers & Hammerstein musical?

It's interesting.

I was brought up on the musicals

and I'm just trying to place where I've heard that one.

But I think I can remember it being in South Pacific,

so I'll go South Pacific, please, Jeremy.

Now if Daphne was here, I think she would tell you you're wrong.

It's Flower Drum Song. That's the musical.

Barry, your question to take the lead.

In which Benjamin Britten opera is the title character elected

May King in the absence of any suitable female candidates for May Queen?

Well, that sounds quite an amusing thing to do, and the only

comic opera there is Albert Herring, so I shall go for that one.

Albert Herring is the right answer. He's in the lead.

You need to get this one right, Andrew.

The Elton John song Benny And The Jets

originally appeared on which album?

Well, Elton John is sort of my era growing up.

I'm going to go for...

Honky Chateau.

It's actually not.

It's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, the better known of the three,

but not an easy one to guess. Andrew, sorry.

Barry, you don't need your question cos there's no way back

for our challenger.

You've been knocked out, Barry's in the final.

Both of you, please rejoin your teams.

Well, as it stands the challengers have lost two brains

from the final round. The Eggheads lost a brain themselves.

The last subject is Film & Television.

Which one of you wants this? Can be John or Rosemary.

-Well, it's got to be Rosemary, I think.

-Who watches the most?

OK, Rosemary, against which Egghead?

I think I'd like to take on CJ, please, Jeremy.

What is that expression, CJ, on your face, there?

When this category comes up, I never expect to be picked.

I mean, even though I don't watch film or TV,

it is my favourite subject.

You looked almost self-satisfied,

but I can't imagine you'd ever feel that.

I think the word you're looking for is smug.

Rosemary from Rodney's Trotters against CJ from the Eggheads,

please go to the Question Room now.

I'll ask each of you three questions on Film & Television in turn.

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

I think I'd like to take the first set, please, Jeremy.

OK, good luck, Rosemary. Here we go.

Which actor has appeared in the films The Departed, Oceans Eleven

and True Grit?

I've not seen any of those films at all,

so it's going to be a complete guess,

and I'm going to guess with Harrison Ford.

No, not Harrison Ford.

The answer's Matt Damon.

CJ, here's your question.

In 2009, which Strictly Come Dancing regular became the host

of the TV game show Hole In The Wall?

It's not Bruno.

I'm not completely sure, but I think it's Anton du Beke.

Anton du Beke is the right answer, well done.

Rosemary, your question.

What were the names of the two sisters who were the main characters

in the TV drama series The House Of Elliot?

Yes, I remember watching this series,

and I can rule out the one on the left and the one on the right.

I'm going to go straight down the middle with Beatrice and Evangeline.

Well done, you're absolutely right. Beatrice and Evangeline.

CJ, which 1992 film starred Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn

as rivals for the affections of a plastic surgeon played by Bruce Willis?

Yeah, it got a lot of recognition for it's groundbreaking

special effects, especially the scene at the end where

Goldie Hawn has her middle blown out by a shotgun and still lives.

And it's Death Becomes Her.

Death Becomes Her is correct. I'm almost thinking you've seen it.

I have actually seen that one. I didn't particularly like it.

Yeah, I thought from the way you spoke about it

-you must have seen it.

-Yeah, I did.

-Amazing!

So, he has two and you have one, Rosemary. Got to get this one right.

In the first episode of Coronation Street,

which character asked for "half a dozen fancies, but no eclairs?"

I think Ena Sharples was the sort of character

who would be quite fussy about what she ate,

so I think we'll go with Ena Sharples.

Well done, Rosemary, you're absolutely right.

Ena Sharples it is.

I guess, cos there was a wonderful anniversary, wasn't there?

-Was it 50 years?

-BARRY:

-50th, yes.

And I think they reran it, didn't they? The first episode.

-Yeah, the first one.

-Yeah.

OK, CJ, if you get this right you're in the final.

In 2005, Rosie Marcel started playing which character

in the TV drama series Holby City?

Never seen it, blind one in three guess, Kyla Tyson.

No!

Ha-ha-ha-ha, ha! Sorry.

Jac Naylor is the answer.

-No? Still drawing a blank?

-No, absolutely nothing.

You got it wrong, so you're equal after three questions.

Well done, Rosemary, you held on in there, kept your nerve,

and eventually he fumbled one.

So now it's Sudden Death, gets a bit harder. It's not multiple choice.

-Are you ready?

-Yes, thank you.

OK. Rosemary, which comedienne and author regularly appeared

as Ethel Davis in the 1980s children's TV show No. 73?

It's not something I've ever seen or even ever heard of.

And the lady was called Ethel?

I've heard of a comedienne called Ethel Merman,

so I think I'm going to go with that, please. Ethel Merman.

Not Ethel Merman. I'm trying to place her. Earlier in the...

Go on, CJ, you want to say.

It's Sandi Toksvig.

Sandi Toksvig is the answer.

Wasn't a very well-known children's TV show.

OK, CJ.

All right, you disagree. Let's play on.

That is noted.

Here's your question.

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

Which actress born in 1975 played the role of Clementine

in the 2005 film Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind?

Well, the actress who plays the lead female role in that is Kate Winslet.

-Is that your answer?

-It is indeed.

Kate Winslet is correct.

-It's a great film, that, CJ, you must watch it sometime.

-I'll try.

So you've taken the round, and Rosemary,

sorry he's knocked your out, but you got him to Sudden Death!

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

So this is what we have been playing towards,

it is time for the final round which as always 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 Rosemary, Andrew and Phil from Rodney's Trotters,

and Pat from the Eggheads, would you please leave the studio?

Well, John and Carol, you're playing to win Rodney's Trotters £10,000.

Barry, Judith, Kevin and CJ, you're playing for something

that money can't buy, the Eggheads' 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.

John and Carol, the question is,

are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

-We certainly hope so.

-Do you want to go first or second?

We'll go first, please.

Good luck to you. Here we go.

What type of garments are reefers and bombers?

-We know that one, don't we?

-I think we do.

Yes, I think we're OK with that one.

It's not skirts or ties, it's definitely jackets.

Jackets is the right answer. Well done.

First point to you. OK, over to the Eggheads.

Lindow Man, popularly known as Pete Marsh,

is the preserved body of an early man,

usually kept on display in which museum, Eggheads?

-Where is he?

-I'm not sure.

I haven't seen anybody like that in the British,

unless he's tucked at the back but...

I don't know it that well.

-It's from Cheshire, isn't it?

-Is he?

-That's where he was found.

-Yes.

His body preserved in the peat.

There was a whole range of them.

There was Tollund Man in Denmark which was similar.

-Natural History's more animals, isn't it?

-Yes.

And birds and whatnot.

Maybe it is the British Museum.

I just don't know where he is.

I went round the Science Museum fairly recently

and I didn't see him.

The British Museum's full of mummies.

The British Museum is the more logical...

-The more likely, yeah.

-..of the three.

-I can't see it in the Science Museum.

-No.

-Science Museum, I think not.

-It's not Natural History.

-I think we have to...

-We have to go for the British Museum.

-Yes.

We should know this but we don't, as it happens.

The Natural History tends to be the animal world, essentially,

and the physical environment.

Erm, Science Museum, possibly. We're going to go for the British Museum.

-Do you think they've got it right?

-I think they have.

You have got it right, Eggheads, after a wonderful struggle.

Ooh, that would have been nice, wouldn't it?

To have a wrong answer there.

Your second question. Odo, Bishop of Bayeux,

who became Earl of Kent, was the half brother of which king?

So, Odo is O-D-O and Bishop of Bayeux,

B-A-Y-E-U-X.

I've heard of him. I don't think it's Edward I.

-You don't think it's Edward I?

-I don't think so.

He would have been around that time, wouldn't he?

Tapestry.

Richard I...

He spent most of his time in Palestine and on crusade.

I've got a feeling it's William the Conqueror,

William I, but I'm not 100% sure.

-But that's what you think?

-I think it is, yeah.

Carol's our historian so we'll go with William I.

Carol is right. Well done.

William I it is. Good stuff.

OK. Over to you, Eggheads.

See if you can make heavy work of this one.

Alouette is the French name for which bird?

-The lark.

-It's the lark, isn't it?

-Fine.

-Yes.

It's a lark. Alouette is a lark.

How do you know it's a lark? Is it in a song or something?

-Rossignol is nightingale.

-Rossignol is nightingale.

-I don't know what sparrow is.

-Erm...

Piaf?

THEY LAUGH

OK. Lark is the right answer, Eggheads.

Two points each. It's tight, this one, isn't it?

Which psychoanalytical concept is also known as parapraxis?

-Para?

-Parapraxis...

-is through or...

-Yeah.

-I'm going towards Freudian Slip.

-So am I.

-Shall we go with that?

-Yeah.

We don't really know

-but we're going to plump for Freudian Slip.

-OK.

You went straight there, just a little, quick discussion

and you're right. Freudian Slip it is.

Three out of three. Well done.

Many have fallen by the wayside by this point and you have not.

Let's see what happens in the Eggheads' third question.

Here we go, Eggheads. The architect Otto Wagner

designed many art-nouveau style stations

for a rail system of which city?

I thought it was Vienna but I'm not 100%.

Vienna Secession.

Otto Wagner was associated at the end of the 19th,

beginning of the 20th century, with a group called the Vienna Secession.

He was Viennese. So on that basis...

I think also the underground stations in Vienna

do have art nouveau facades, or some of them. So, Vienna.

Vienna is the right answer, Eggheads.

What a shame!

It was the first question we wanted them to get wrong,

that first British Museum question.

So we're on Sudden Death.

It gets a bit harder. I don't give you alternative options.

Which Australian tennis player defeated Greg Rusedski

in the final of the men's singles competition at the 1997 US Open?

Um, the name that came immediately to me was Pat Rafter.

-Was he around?

-There was another

younger one after that but I can't think what his name was.

1997?

1997...

-Lleyton Hewitt?

-Yes, that's the name I thought of

-but I wouldn't swear that...

-Lleyton Hewitt?

I wouldn't know if that was his era.

Pat Rafter was a bit earlier.

Do you think so?

-I can't...

-Shall we go for Lleyton Hewitt?

Well, you'll strangle me if I'm wrong!

We'll go for Lleyton Hewitt.

Your answer is Lleyton Hewitt. CJ knows all of these names.

He retained the title the next year. I'm afraid it's Pat Rafter.

Pat Rafter's the answer.

Sorry. Let's see if they get this one right.

They may not do. They may not.

Published in 1948, Other Voices, Other Rooms

was the debut novel by which American writer?

1948? Was that Norman Mailer?

Just rings a bell with me for Mailer for some reason.

-Rings a bell with me...

-I thought of somebody straight away.

-Who?

Somebody else. James Baldwin.

But I don't know. I may be getting confused

because he later wrote one called Giovanni's Room.

Giovanni's room, yes. What about...

Truman Capote?

Yes, that's possible.

Erm, yeah, that's a possibility.

Yeah, that is a possibility, definitely.

Maybe Truman Capote.

Do know what Capote's first novel was? Does the date...?

The date's OK cos he'd have been in his mid-20s then.

I think I'm perhaps now more inclined to Capote.

For what my modest opinion on this is worth,

-I'd go for Capote.

-OK.

We don't know it as such.

On balance, we've decided to go for Truman Capote.

Truman Capote.

The answer is Truman Capote.

Very well done there, Eggheads.

You weren't sure at the start and you gradually got towards it.

Congratulations. The Eggheads have won.

I suppose in a way it would be worse if they'd got that one wrong

because then you'd think your answer on the Pat Rafter... you would have won it.

-They are pretty fearsome, aren't they?

-They are.

-They are indeed.

I thought, they're not going to get this cos they've thrown in Norman Mailer

and then, was it James Baldwin? Yeah?

Then, Judith, well done to you.

Truman Capote, and everyone seized on it.

Commiserations to you, challengers.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them,

their winning streak continues.

That does mean you won't be going home with the £10,000 so the money rolls over to our next show.

Eggheads, very 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.

£11,000 says they don't. Till then, goodbye.

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