Episode 160 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 have won some of the country's toughest quiz shows.

They are the Eggheads.

And taking on our awesome quiz champions today

are The Punning Clan.

This team of friends share a love of community theatre

and they're all members of Dunstable Rep Theatre in Bedford. Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Joe. I'm 51 and I'm a training manager.

Hi, I'm Christine, I'm 33 and I'm a communications manager.

Hi, I'm Ed, I'm 33 and I'm a project manager.

Hello, I'm Julie, I'm 40 and I'm a training manager.

Hi, I'm Richard I'm 39 and I'm a company director.

So, Joe and team, welcome. And your love is theatre?

-Yes, indeed, yes.

-Tell us what sort of plays you have been doing.

We do a mixture. We do all sorts - comedies, farces, dramas.

We usually try and do something a little bit edgy and a bit creative.

We recently did a production of Turn Of The Screw which involved

a big revolving stage.

And, crucially, do you quiz?

We quiz a bit. We have done quizzes with the Operatic Society

and at the Little Theatre with Dunstable Rep.

Um, we actually won a quiz last year, which kind of surprised us.

And kind of got us together, really.

Because part of the prize was to set the next quiz.

So we all took a different subject area each and had to research it

and present it back at the next quiz and be individual quiz masters.

-So we all had a go at your job, Jeremy.

-OK.

Well, good luck in winning this contest. Try and beat them.

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

However, if they fail to defeat the Eggheads, the prize-money rolls over to the next show.

So, Punning Clan,

I can tell you that the Eggheads have won the last 10 games,

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

Shall we get started?

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

-OK...

-Is that good?

-Oh, dear.

LAUGHTER That was a joke.

It's very good.

We had a conflab and everybody decided that I should do sport

because I'm the only one that knows anything about it.

-Yes.

-Quite a good reason. So, Joe from Punning Pl... I keep wanting to say Cunning Plan!

Against which Egghead? Who looks as if they are not sporty?

-I think CJ.

-I think Judith.

-OK.

-I'll take Judith on.

-We'll go with you, then.

So Joe from Punning Clan against Judith from the Eggheads on sport.

To ensure there is no conferring, would you please take your positions in the question room.

Judith, how did you manage to avoid sport for so long?

Well, I don't know. But I wish I did know. Because it has failed now.

Was it a special dance, a cauldron involved?

It was broadly smiling and looking confident.

Well, good luck in this round, both of you.

It is three multiple-choice questions on sport in turn.

Whoever answers the most questions correctly goes to the final.

The other person gets knocked out. Joe, choose the first or second set.

I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

Here we go. Good luck.

In December 2010 it was announced that the 2018

men's football World Cup would be held in which country?

2018 World Cup, of course we did bid for.

Unfortunately, we got trounced by Russia.

Russia is the right answer. Well done.

Will you be travelling over for the tournament, Judith?

-What do you think, Jeremy?

-I don't think you will. OK.

Which Australian cricketer,

who played in the 2010/2011 Ashes series,

became known as The Rug because of his hairpiece?

-Because of a hairpiece?

-Yup.

Well, it could be any of them!

Um, I keep...

Doug Bollinger's name keeps coming up. Maybe he had a hairpiece.

I'm the same as you,

I'm not really clear on cricket.

-But I just think that maybe Doug The Rug is the logic here.

-Oh!

-Doug Bollinger is the right answer.

-I never thought of that!

Doug The Rug.

Your question, Joe.

In which year did Rory Underwood first play

test match rugby union for England?

Rory Underwood, how old is Rory Underwood?

His brother has played as well...

I don't think it can be 1984,

because I think he's got to be a bit older than that.

1976 sounds too early. So I think I'm going to have

to plump down the middle for 1980.

-It's not, actually, it's 1984.

-Really?

-Yeah.

So, Judith, you have a chance to take the lead

in a sporting round.

Which boxer defeated Mike Tyson in 1996,

only the second time that Tyson had been beaten

in his professional career?

He bit Evander Holyfield's ear off, didn't he?

Maybe he bit it off

because he was so cross that Evander Holyfield had beaten him?

I think I'm going to say Evander Holyfield,

just in case it's to do with the ear being bitten off.

-Daphne, you don't think so?

-No, I thought it was Buster Douglas.

Well, yes. But you're wrong.

-James "Buster" Douglas was the first defeat.

-Oh, right!

You got it spot on, Judith, there.

I don't know at what point the ear was bitten off.

It was obviously during the match,

whether he was winning or losing at that point, I don't know.

But Evander Holyfield won the bout. OK.

Two to Judith and one to you, Joe. Here is your third question.

You need to get this one right. In 1973, which race horse became

the first to win the US Triple Crown for 25 years? Was it:

1973... The one that is looking familiar there is Secretariat.

But then Omaha is an American name, isn't it?

Um...

I'll go with my initial instinct, I suppose. Which was Secretariat.

Secretariat is the right answer. Well done.

OK, your question, Judith.

If you get this wrong, it's sudden death.

Laurence Godfrey, Alan Wills and Simon Terry

all represented Great Britain in which sport

at the 2008 Summer Olympics?

Um, I don't know.

Um, what about archery?

How do you do that? How do you do that?

-I go down the magic right.

-The Keppel technique?

It's come good. Archery is right.

So three out of three. There was never a reason

to worry about sport, Judith, after all that.

You have won the round. Joe, sorry.

You have been knocked out by Judith.

And if you both come back to us, we will play the next round.

-You did well there, Judith.

-Thank you, Jeremy.

Considering that you didn't really know any of them, did you?

No, I was very, very lucky. There's an awful lot of luck in quizzing.

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

Early days, though. The next subject is science.

-Who would like science?

-Who is doing science, guys?

-Ed or Richard.

-I am happy to go with science.

-OK...

-They both want to go.

-I'll give it a go, why not?

-So, who do we want to pitch against?

-Well...

-Don't know.

-Richard on science.

-Which Egghead? Can't be Judith.

-So what do we think, then?

-They're all trying to look scientific!

-They are all too good at science, aren't they?

-OK, captain, what is your suggestion?

-What do you think, Joe?

-We will go for Kevin.

-Go for Kevin?

-OK.

-OK. All right.

Aiming high. So Richard from The Punning Clan on science,

versus Kevin from the Eggheads. Please go to the question room now.

So, Richard, you are the lighting man with the theatre company?

-I am, yes. Wrong side of the camera, really.

-Good luck. It is science.

Against Kevin. Kevin has won 24 of his last 25 rounds on science.

-So if you take him apart, you will be going some.

-Excellent.

Do you want the first or second set of questions?

A lot of people seem to go first and a lot of people seem to lose.

So I'm going to go second.

Kevin, your first question.

Gazelles are native to which parts of the world?

Well, they are definitely in...

I'm just double-checking. They are definitely in Africa,

so that is obviously going to be... Yes. Africa and Asia.

Africa and Asia is correct. On to you, Richard.

For what does the letter M stand in the acronym CD-ROM?

Ooh...CD-ROM is CD version of read-only memory. So, memory.

Memory is quite right. One point each. Kevin,

in the human body, which substance is transported in the blood

by high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein?

Well, transported in the system would imply that it's not bone marrow.

I don't think it's anything to do with adrenaline.

The prefix lipo refers to fat.

So I am assuming this is cholesterol.

Cholesterol is right. Well done. Richard, over to you.

Second question.

What were the forenames of the German physicist Fahrenheit,

who invented the mercury thermometer in 1714?

Ooh... I would much rather tell you his surname.

Let's have a look at this one. Let's go for...

-I'm going to go for Joshua Michael.

-Kevin, what's the answer?

-Daniel Gabriel.

-Daniel Gabriel is the right answer.

Difficult one to get. No way of guessing that one, is there, Kevin?

No, no. You either know it, or...

-You've either come across it or you haven't.

-OK.

Your question. If you get this right, you have taken the round.

What does an autoclave use for sterilising surgical instruments?

Hmm. I'm not sure. Sulphuric acid doesn't sound likely.

So...

I am assuming pressurised steam.

Pressurised steam is correct.

Kevin, you've taken the round.

Sorry, Richard. He knocked you out.

After his three questions, there is no way back for you.

So he will be in the final and you won't be. Do please come back and rejoin your teams.

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

The Eggheads have still not lost a brain. The next subject is film and television.

Who would like this?

-Right, then. Step up. Who is doing it?

-I'll do it.

-Julie? Yes?

-Julie? OK. Against which Egghead?

Obviously, it can't be Kevin or Judith.

Any advice?

No, not that I can think of.

Daphne was smiling so beautifully,

I would like to play against Daphne.

That smile has lured many people.

So, Julie from The Punning Clan against Daphne from the Eggheads.

To ensure there is no conferring, please go to the question room.

OK, so three questions on film and TV in turn.

Julie, choose the first or second set of questions.

OK. I would like to go second, please.

Daphne, here we go.

Kate Winslet, Patrick Stewart and Orlando Bloom

all appeared in which TV comedy series?

Ah! I think it was Extras.

Extras is quite right.

Julie,

the TV series The Royal

was mainly set in what type of establishment?

OK. "Mainly set".

From what I have seen of it, I believe it was a hospital.

Julie, well done. You're absolutely right. It is a hospital.

Here is your question, Daphne.

Who provides the voice of the super-villain Megamind

in the 2010 film of the same name?

Oh, crumbs...

Will Ferrell.

Will Ferrell is right.

Very good. OK, Julie.

Which Friends actor played the character Herbert Sobel

in the 2001 TV series Band Of Brothers?

See now, this is really interesting,

because my friend Katie loves Friends.

And will know this answer really easily.

So, I don't believe that it is Matthew Perry nor Matt LeBlanc.

I'm going to go with David Schwimmer.

You've done it very deliberately and you are absolutely right.

David Schwimmer it is. So two points each. OK, let's see if you can

take the lead, Daphne. Here is your third question.

The film director Peter Weir was born in which country in 1944?

Well, I hope it's not a catch question,

but I always associate him with Australia, so that's my answer.

Australia is the right answer. Three out of three.

-She is a difficult one to beat, our Daphne, Julie!

-I know!

Maggie Smith received the first Oscar nomination of her career

for her performance in which 1965 film?

That's an interesting question. Um...

the one that I definitely know she is in is

The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie.

So I'm going to go with The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie

and keep my fingers crossed.

-It's wrong, I'm afraid. Any Egghead know?

-It is Othello.

-Othello?

What was she doing in Othello?

Dying beautifully in the arms... She was Desdemona.

She was Desdemona in Othello, Julie, I'm afraid.

Daphne takes the round. Three out of three.

And you have been knocked out as well.

Please both of you come back and we will play the next round.

So, as it stands, the challengers

have lost three brains from the final round. Any change of tactic?

-No.

-Strategy?

-No!

We didn't have one to start and we haven't got one now.

The Eggheads have lost no brains, but we have one more subject

before the final. It is Geography.

Who would like Geography?

-Are you happy to go with that?

-Yeah, I'll take that.

-Ed? OK.

Ed against which Egghead? It can either be CJ or Pat.

Toss of a coin, really.

-You decide.

-We'll go Pat.

-OK, Pat's the man.

Go Pat? OK. Pat's not been out of the continent ever.

No. It's a crying shame, something should be done about it.

LAUGHTER

So Ed from the Punning Clan against Pat from the Eggheads.

Please take your positions.

So, Ed, you were in a production of Singing In The Rain?

-I was, yes.

-Playing how many characters?

Six different characters.

You think you could play all the Eggheads?

As long as I didn't have to answer too many questions.

So each of you gets three questions on geography and, Ed,

choose the first or second set.

I think I'll go first, please.

Here we go. Which English city

is home to a variety of small passages, alleys and footpaths

collectively known as snickelways?

OK, well, I've been to York

and I think something similar is called The Shambles,

so I don't think it's York.

I've also been to Coventry and I don't remember that.

I've not been to Winchester.

So I'm going to go for Winchester.

I would have gone exactly the same as you

and I would have been wrong as well. York, it is.

Pat, your question.

Guyana in South America has a coastline on which ocean?

Guyana lies on the northern coast

of the South American continent,

giving it an Atlantic coastline.

Atlantic is the right answer, Pat. Well done.

OK. Ed, your question.

The scenic 17-Mile Drive is a feature of which US state?

OK, so I've been to Arizona,

but I don't think it's there.

I have also been to California and I think it might be in California.

I'm going to go for California.

-California is correct.

-Yay!

Pat, your question.

Which two colours feature on the Saudi Arabian flag?

I think the Saudi flag is a solid green with the...

Is it the Muslim profession of faith in white letters?

So I think it's green and white.

Green and white is correct. So you have two points, Pat.

And that means

you need to get this one right, Ed.

In which country is the active Tungurahua volcano located?

Well, I've never been to South America

but I'm assuming that

it's going to be...

one around the mountains

on the...west side.

This is where my geography on South America

lets me down slightly.

I think I'm going to go for Chile.

Let me see if Pat knows. Pat?

I suspect it's in Ecuador,

not far from Quito.

-Because Ecuador's got a lot of volcanoes?

-Oh, chock-a-block.

LAUGHTER

Ed, it is Ecuador. I'm sorry, you've been knocked out as well!

So every one

of our great players here has been knocked out by an Egghead.

Pat will be in the final. Ed, you won't.

If you both rejoin your teams, we will play the final round.

This is what we've been playing towards, the final round,

which as always is General Knowledge.

I'm afraid those who lost your head-to-heads

can't take part in this round.

So Joe, Ed, Julie and Richard from the Punning Clan,

would you please leave the studio?

Well, good luck, Christine.

You're playing to win the Punning Clan £11,000.

Pat, Judith, Kevin, CJ and Daphne,

you're playing for something 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.

So, Christine, the question is,

is your one brain better than the Eggheads' five?

-And will you go first or second?

-I think I'll go first, please.

Here we go. Good luck. Your first question.

Which monarch awarded Sir Francis Drake his knighthood?

OK, that's...

I'm pretty sure that having

read a lot about Elizabeth I and seen a few films about her life

which obviously aren't necessarily all completely factual,

I'm going to go with Elizabeth I.

-Is she right, Eggheads?

-Yes.

100% right. Well done, Elizabeth I.

Eggheads, your question.

In the 1820s,

Constable painted a view of which structure from the Bishop's Ground?

-Salisbury.

-The cathedral?

-Salisbury.

-He did quite a few views...

-The famous faulty rainbow?

-Yeah, a few views of Salisbury Cathedral.

-Salisbury Cathedral?

Um, we think that's Salisbury Cathedral, Jeremy.

Salisbury Cathedral is correct.

One point each.

Over we go to Christine.

What is the name of Ophelia's brother

in the Shakespeare play Hamlet?

OK. Shakespeare's something I'm actually quite in to

and I've seen about four or five productions of Hamlet,

so I'm fairly confident that that is Laertes.

The thespian side comes in handy here, doesn't it?

Laertes is the right answer. Well done.

OK, Eggheads. Your second question, to catch up.

Christian is a middle name of which child

of Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II?

-Andrew.

-It's Andrew, isn't it?

Andrew. It's definitely Andrew.

Edward is E-A-R-L, and it spells out "Earl".

Edward Antony Richard Louis.

It's not Prince Charles, it's Andrew.

It's Andrew Albert Christian Edward.

Yeah. So it's Prince Andrew.

That is Prince Andrew.

And it is indeed Andrew Albert Christian Edward.

Well done for knowing that. Prince Andrew's the right answer.

So, two-two. OK, Christine.

Get this one right. Put the pressure on.

That sheen of confidence

may only be shell-thick.

Here's your question.

In which year were Uri Geller, Andre the Giant,

and Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden born?

Wow.

Erm, I'm trying to think how old Uri Geller is,

because Uri Geller's the only one I could confidently place, I think.

Erm...

I think I'm going to go with 1956.

1956 is your answer.

What about the others?

Andre the Giant, and Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden?

Andre the Giant was a wrestler who became an actor.

I think Carl XVI Gustaf,

he came to the throne of Sweden in '73.

And I think he was pretty young.

Early 20s maybe, so I'm thinking '51,

but I don't know it.

Mm. The answer's actually 1946.

Uri Geller ,therefore, is well into his 60s.

Eggheads, if you get this one right, the contest is over.

The actress Emma Watson,

who found fame playing Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films,

began studies in 2009

at which American university?

-Oh, God.

-Oh, dear.

Is there any reason why Brown is there?

Obviously, it's an Ivy League university.

-Girls go to it.

-Well...

I think if I'd read it,

and it had been Princeton, it would have sort of stuck.

A bit lame, really, but my remote guess would be Yale.

I would have gone for Princeton.

What does Pat think?

Pat is inclined towards Yale cos if it was the other two,

-he might have...stuck.

-OK.

My instinct was Yale.

Easiest one to forget,

being such a big, whopping university,

while the other two are slightly more quirky.

Are we happy with that?

We don't know it, so we have to...

Erm, I'm sure she's a wonderful student, but I'm afraid

it passed us by when we read it.

But we will try Yale.

You'll try Yale? None of you know. That's right, isn't it?

You all had suggestions. What was yours, Judith?

-Brown.

-Did anyone listen to you?

-Not many.

-No-one seemed to be listening to you at all.

You're the only one who was right. Brown is the answer.

The only reason I said it is girls tend to go to Brown.

Yeah, you said it.

So, equal after three questions.

We go to sudden death. It gets harder. I need the answer from you.

I don't give you alternatives. Are you ready?

Which French city, famous for its aircraft industry,

is the capital of the Haute-Garonne department?

(OK).

I'm now thinking of all the French cities I know.

None of them spring to mind as being famous for their aircraft industry.

Erm...

For no other reason than it's a French city,

I'm going to go with Bordeaux.

It's not Bordeaux.

Toulouse...

-Toulouse.

-..is the answer.

Eggheads, if you get this right, the contest is over.

Which stage musical features the songs

We Need A Little Christmas

and Bosom Buddies?

It's not that Avenue Q, is it?

Nothing to do with Annie?

-I thought Annie, when I heard it.

-You thought what?

-Annie.

Annie was my first thought.

Doesn't Christmas come into that,

into Annie?

I've never seen Annie.

Bosom Buddies.

-We Need A Little Christmas, and what?

-Bosom Buddies.

Cos she meets FDR, doesn't she?

I'm thinking maybe the "Christmas" is to do with the orphanage.

I don't know why I'm thinking this.

I really don't, cos I've never seen it.

I haven't,

but just go for Annie.

THEY CONFER

OK. If we'd got the last one right, we'd be on a perfect game,

but we're not sure about this one, either.

But we're going to try Annie.

It's not Annie.

It's Mame.

-ALL: Mame.

-M-A-M-E.

Mame.

You're up against all five Eggheads.

You're holding them on sudden death. There's £11,000 to play for.

You're not beaten yet. Here is your sudden death question.

In Greek mythology, Pygmalion,

who fell in love with an ivory statue,

was king of which island?

If you'd asked me what my worst subject would be,

probably it would have been Greek mythology.

So I'm going to choose a Greek island.

Crete?

Cyprus is the answer.

Your question, Eggheads, for the contest.

The designer and architect Marcel Breuer,

best known for his furniture designs, and buildings

like the Whitney Museum in New York,

was born in which country?

-Hungarian.

-He was Hungarian. Hungary.

He was born there?

I think we're on slightly surer ground here.

We think he was born in Hungary.

Well, you were playing, as you said, CJ, a perfect game.

You got three out of three in every single round until the final.

You very nearly lost the jackpot.

But you're right. It IS Hungary.

So we say congratulations, Eggheads. You have won!

How did that feel, going toe-to-toe with them ?

That was quite challenging!

Crete, Cyprus? You could have equally said Cyprus.

I know, yeah. Probably would have been my second guess, actually.

You mustn't think about Uri Geller again, at all.

SHE LAUGHS Thank you for reminding me(!)

You did well. Commiserations to you.

The Eggheads did what comes naturally.

Their winning streak continues. You won't be going home with £11,000,

so the money rolls over to our next show. Eggheads, 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