Episode 50 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

pit their wits against possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain.

And you might recognise them,

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

Hoping to beat them today

are the Ards Ladies from County Down.

This team are all members of a new rugby squad

brought together by team captain Ross. Let's meet them.

Hi. I'm Ross, I'm 30 and I'm an architect.

Hi. I'm Pauline. I'm 28 and I work in events management.

I'm Donna, I'm 26 and I work in customer service.

Hello, I'm Debbie, I'm 25 and I'm a night shift hospitality host.

Hi. I'm Rebecca, I'm 22 and I'm a receptionist.

Welcome to you, Ards Ladies. I am loving this team name.

No puns, no plays on words as some other teams come up with.

It's direct, it's to the point, but it is inaccurate, Ross.

-Yeah, just a bit!

-You being the case in point.

-You're obviously not playing in the rugby team. You're the coach?

-Yes, I am.

-So, are you a rugby player yourself?

-I am, actually.

I have been playing now for coming on 20 years.

Why did you get into women's rugby?

I was asked to help out a friend who was playing for a university team,

and I just kept falling from one position into another.

It is certainly a unique challenge, guiding women to do what you say.

So why have you decided take on the Eggheads today? Are you mad?

It is always nice to show that rugby players can do

something off the field as well as on it.

OK, let's play the game. Let's see if you can take the Eggheads' money.

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

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

So, Ards Ladies, the Eggheads have won their last 11 games.

That means £12,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

That would buy a few tackle bags and stuff, wouldn't it?

OK, let's play it, then, and our first head-to-head battle.

I'm sure it will suit you all, but only one of you can play. Sport.

Who wants to play this? Sport.

-Who did we say was going to play sport?

-It was me.

-It was Pauline?

Go for Pauline? Pauline.

OK, Pauline, you get to choose any Egghead you like at this stage, the opening round.

Who do we think?

-Chris.

-We will go for Chris.

-Chris, please.

Chris, you are playing sport.

The last three sports rounds I have played, I have won.

Let's play the round, then. It's sports.

Pauline and Chris playing it from the question room, please.

So, Pauline, we know about the interest in rugby.

What about other sports, do you watch or participate in?

I broke my arm playing football a couple of months ago.

And I'm currently training for a triathlon.

Tell me about the incident with the broken arm.

-This was punching an opposing player?

-Unfortunately not.

I was playing in a tournament, and within the first couple of minutes

of the first match, I managed to fall over, fractured my arm.

I didn't realise it was fractured, kept playing for the rest of the day

until I realised that I wasn't able to drive home.

Then I had to go and get my arm in plaster for eight weeks.

Oh, dear. Are you sure rugby is the right sport to be taking up after that?

-It is better than my luck at football, I suppose!

-Too true.

Do you want to go first or second in this round?

-I will go first, please.

-First, Pauline, here is your question.

What role did Michael Vaughan usually play in the England

cricket team, batsman, fast bowler or wicketkeeper?

Michael Vaughan. I saw a picture of him in the paper the other day.

Cricket wouldn't be my...

-Not one of your sports?

-No.

This is going to be a complete guess. I am going to go with...

Michael Vaughan...

I know what he looks like, and I think I can see him throwing a ball.

-I am going to go with fast bowler.

-OK, fast bowler.

Throwing the ball may have been in his fielding skills as well,

pretty quick at getting the ball back to the wicketkeeper,

but he neither was a fast bowler or a wicketkeeper.

Batsman, a key batsman for England during those great Ashes years.

And it means nothing there for you,

and let's see what Chris does with his first question.

Which footballer scored five goals for Tottenham Hotspur

in a Premiership match against Wigan in 2009?

Well, Kevin'd know.

Who is still playing?

I don't think Michael Owen is still playing for them.

-But I will go for Jermain Defoe.

-Yes, that is correct.

Jermain Defoe who scored those five goals against Wigan.

So, you have one tick for those five goals,

and it means, Pauline, let's get you started with your second question.

Which golfer was knighted in 2009?

-Again, golf wouldn't be one of my sports.

-Oh dear.

Um... Sorry, guys.

The only one I have heard of

who would probably be reasonably high profile

would be Nick Faldo, so I'm going to go with him.

Sir Nick Faldo is the right answer. Well done. You got it!

OK, you are on the board, and a question about a board,

a dartboard, now, for Chris.

On a dartboard, which number sits at the nine o'clock

position between the 8 and the 14?

There is no rhyme or reason or logic to these things, is there?

-11.

-Do you play?

-No, not for years.

-Well, you have got it.

It is the right answer.

Yes, 11 between 8 and 14 in the nine o'clock position on the dartboard.

Which means you need to get this, Pauline.

The Sinclair coefficients is a formula used to compare

the ability of competitors in which sport?

Sinclair coefficients.

Sinclair. That sounds like the person who would have devised the theory.

Which again, I have no clue about.

None of that even relates to anything in my brain.

Again, sorry in advance, guys, I'm going to have to take a wild guess.

-I am going to go with weightlifting.

-Is that one of your sports?

-Unfortunately not!

-Not with a damaged arm. It is the right answer, though.

Well done. Sinclair coefficients.

Well worked out there, Pauline.

Really coming back very strongly indeed after a shaky start.

But that shaky start means Chris can take the round if he gives me a correct answer here.

How many points did Denise Lewis score in the heptathlon to win her gold medal at the 2000 Olympics?

Hepthalon, well, it's...

700 is 7,000. It's not 7,584.

I don't think she'll have won with 5,584, so I'll go with 6,584.

6,584 won Denise Lewis a gold medal

and won you a place in the final round.

It's correct. Bad luck, Pauline, coming back really strongly there

but slipped up at the first, which means you won't be playing in the final round.

Would you both come back and join your teams.

First try to the Eggheads, knocked Pauline out, got very close there.

Chris has won four sport rounds on the bounce. Pretty good, that.

OK, let's play out next category. This subject is Arts & Books.

Who'd like to play this one? Arts & Books, can't be you, Pauline.

-Any of your friends there.

-OK.

I like the way you did that without speaking, Rebecca. Very elegant.

Now who would you like for the Eggheads? It can't be Chris.

-Not CJ.

-No?

-No. Which one looks less confident?

-And not Daphne.

-Not Daphne?

-Yeah.

-OK.

-Barry.

-Barry.

After some pondering they've picked you, you look less confident.

-It's always the case.

-Always picking on Barry.

Let's have Rebecca and Barry into the question room.

So, Rebecca, how did you get into rugby?

Did you answer Ross's ad, did you play before?

I did answer his ad. I was looking for pilates classes in Belfast.

Completely off track and fell into the rugby ad and thought, "why not?"

I suppose there's a bit of stretching in rugby. Would you like to go first or second?

I'd like to go second, please.

Barry's in first and this is your question.

In Shakespeare's Hamlet, over whose skull does Hamlet reminisce?

-"Alas, poor Yorick." It was Yorick's skull.

-What's the next line?

"I knew him, Horatio, a fellow of infinite jest."

Very good. Yorick it is.

That's you on the board and your first question, Rebecca.

What term is used to refer to the analysis of the metrical structure of verse?

I'm going to say...

Oh. I don't think it's conjugation.

-Mnemonics.

-OK.

No, it's not. It's scansion, not mnemonics.

How would you have been with Yorick?

-Do you know your Hamlet, your Shakespeare?

-I know Macbeth.

You might have struggled a bit.

Just out of interest, more often than not, the Challengers

choose to go first, you put Barry in and he got that.

He's in the lead and will have a bigger lead if he's correct here.

Who wrote the 2010 novel, The Pregnant Widow?

That one's passed me by completely. Let's see. The Pregnant Widow.

-On no basis, whatsoever, I shall say Alan Hollinghurst.

-OK.

Alan Hollinghurst... The Eggheads not too pleased with you, Barry.

-It is...

-Martin Amis.

-Martin Amis! So that really did pass you by.

Good news for you, Rebecca.

If you get this it'll be all square.

"Death be not proud though some have called thee

"Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so"

are the opening lines to a poem by which writer?

Something's drawing me towards Pope because it doesn't sound like Milton.

I'd say Alexander Pope.

Alexander Pope for "Death be not proud, though some have called thee

"Mighty and dreadful, for though art not so."

What do you think, Barry? Alexander Pope.

-No, it's John Donne.

-John Donne is the answer.

It means Barry still has a lead

from those first questions and will win the round if he gives me a correct answer here.

Who wrote the poem, The Wild Swans At Coole?

Oh, that's another one I don't know. This is fun.

Something is telling me it's Yeats, so I shall go for Yeats.

Yeats for the Wild Swans At Coole. It's the right answer,

which means you have won the round.

I don't get to put another question to you, Rebecca. Sorry about that.

You won't be playing for the 12 grand.

Would you both please come back and join your teams.

Now, as it stands, Ards Ladies, two of you have been knocked out of the final round.

No Eggheads have gone. With two more head-to-heads, that would even it up

if you're successful in both those in the final round.

Let's see what happens in our next round and it's Geography.

Who'd like to play this, Geography? Ross, you can play Donna or Debbie.

-Want to you want to do, shall I go?

-Are you happy to go?

-Yeah, OK.

-Who am I going against?

-We'll have Debbie going.

Which Egghead would you like to play? It can't be Chris or Barry,

-so that's Daphne, CJ or Kevin.

-I'd say, Daphne.

-Yeah, Daphne.

I'll play against Daphne because I'll not feel too bad when I lose.

That's not the spirit! Coach, have a word with her.

I'm sure you'll do very well. Let's see how you do in the question room, Debbie and Daphne.

Debbie, have you decided what position you want to play in the team?

No, I don't know anything to do with rugby so I'll put my faith in Ross. He can assign me a position.

-I see. Ross, you've got your work cut out there.

-Yeah, a lot of pressure.

All right, Debbie, would you like to go first or second?

I'll go second, please.

OK, putting the Egghead in first.

That means you get the first question, Daphne.

The island of Tasmania lies off which coast of Australia?

It's off the... Down the bottom, so it's south.

It's that how an Egghead describes the points on the compass,

-up, down, left and right?

-No, it's the way I do it.

OK, south is the right answer for Tasmania.

Debbie, in which country is the Suez Canal located?

That's a tough one. I've absolutely no idea.

I am going to say Libya.

-OK, Suez Canal, it's not Libya. Daphne?

-Egypt.

Egypt is the answer you wanted there.

The Suez crisis centring around that. So, you have the lead, Daphne.

Second question for each of you.

Which shipping forecast area lies in the English Channel between Portland and Dover?

Oh, God! I think...

Yes, it must be. Wight.

-You're just doing it on the geography there.

-Yes.

Yeah, you can work out where Portland and Dover are

and Isle Of Wight inbetween. It's the right answer, yes.

You need to get this, Debbie.

In the north of England the term "beck" refers to what type of geographical feature?

Oh, dear. Er, right...

Beck, well, back home, when we say "beck" that would mean face.

Only it would be spelt different.

So, what would be more like a face, a mountain, stream or valley?

Er, dear. Well I suppose a river has a mouth, there's a mouth on a face.

I'm not gonna go for stream.

-I'm gonna say valley.

-OK, valley. Barry?

-A stream.

-You've messed around in plenty of them in your time, I bet.

-I certainly have.

-It's a stream.

You were gonna say that with some rather interesting logic.

It would have led you to the correct answer but you didn't get it.

There's plenty of becks in the valleys but it is a stream.

That means, I'm afraid,

you won't be in the final round. Daphne's through. Would you both come back and join your teams.

Well, Ards ladies, you're 3-0 down. The Eggheads are all there.

You've lost three brains from the final round. I'm sure out of adversity great things will come.

Last head-to-head coming up, let's get an Egghead out.

This is Film & Television. Who'd like to play, Ross or Donna?

-Shall I do it? That's dead on.

-OK, Donna's keen to go.

Donna, keen to play and you've got CJ or Kevin here.

-I'll take on Kevin.

-Kevin?

-Yeah.

-We'll have Kevin.

OK, let's have Donna and Kevin into the question room, please.

Donna, I guess when you're training with the team you'll miss a few of your favourite TV shows?

-Oh, I know.

-What do you like to watch?

I'm more American soaps, kind of thing. Films, DVDs...

Whatever's on the TV, really.

Ideally suited to the category! Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please.

All right, good luck, Donna and first question.

In which children's TV show do the characters often say, "Eh-oh"?

Erm, I was in school when that came out.

-I believe it was the Teletubbies.

-The Teletubbies?

Yes, it's the right answer. I'm not going to say it again.

A good start, that's what we wanted, straight on the board.

Kevin, what's the name of dwarf-like people Dorothy meets in the 1939 film, The Wizard Of Oz?

They were the Munchkins.

There are various stories about how wild the actors playing them were.

They apparently all got mass drunkenness at some point.

Lots of stories about the making of The Wizard Of Oz.

-Drunken Munchkins.

-Yes.

Didn't I read somewhere that some of them were children

in the background, obviously they didn't have CGI.

-There seemed to be dozens of them.

-I don't know about that.

A lot of myths have grown up around it as well.

OK, well, Munchkins is correct. That's Dorothy meets the Munchkins.

Both successfully on the board there with the first question.

Donna, your second one.

In the TV sitcom Gavin and Stacey, what's the name of Smithy's sister, played by Sheridan Smith?

-Do you watch it?

-Yeah. Quite a lot.

-I'm going to go for Rudi.

-Rudi?

-Yeah. I'm pretty sure but I may be wrong.

OK, you're either right or wrong and you are right.

Yes, Rudi, well remembered. Rudi, Smithy's sister.

OK, Kevin's second question.

Who played the role of Miss Fritton, the headmistress, in the 2007 film, St Trinians?

Yes, doing his Alastair Sim. It was Rupert Everett.

-Yep, Rupert Everett is correct and in the second one, as well.

-Yep.

So, two-all.

Good stuff, Donna. This might take you to the final round.

Who played Jill, the ex-wife of Isaac, played by Woody Allen in the 1979 film, Manhattan?

I've never seen the film before. I'm not too sure who it would be.

I'll go for...

Jessica Lange. Yeah, I'll go for that.

-OK, it's Jessica Lange.

-Lange, sorry.

Woody Allen's wife, he plays Isaac and Jill his ex-wife is played by...

-Kevin, is it Jessica Lange?

-No, Meryl Streep.

Not a big part but it was the early days for her in films at that time.

It is Meryl Streep. You hadn't seen it, so it was a guess,

went down the middle. So, a chance for Kevin.

What mode of transport is referred to in the title of the 2002 film,

K-19, The Widowmaker, starring Harrison Ford?

I believe it's meant to be a Russian variety, it's a submarine.

-Submarine?

-Mmm.

-I'm loving the question, mode of transport?

-Yes.

I often get the submarine to work myself and if not I take the tank!

Yeah, of course.

K-19 is a submarine, it's the right answer.

Well done, Kevin. Donna, you were beaten by an Egghead.

As a result you won't be able to help your team in the final round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams.

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

which as always is General Knowledge.

Those of you who lost your head-to-heads won't be allowed to take part in this round.

So, Pauline, Donna, Debbie

and Rebecca from Ards Ladies, would you please leave the studio.

So, Ross, you're playing to win the Ards Ladies £12,000.

Kevin, CJ, Daphne, Chris and Barry - a long list.

You're playing for something which money can't buy, that is the Eggheads' reputation.

I'll ask each team three questions in turn. This time the questions are all general knowledge

and you are allowed to confer.

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

-Ross, first or second?

-I'll go first, please.

All right, best of luck, let's see if you can do it and take £12,000.

It has been done before, one player on their own beating the Eggheads.

Let's see if you can match that. Your first question is this.

Claire Rayner, born in 1931, became famous in which role?

It's not really a name I'm familiar with, to be honest.

If it's a big name I'd doubt that it's to do with dog training

from that era.

I would go with agony aunt.

Agony aunt, I think you put the Ards Ladies through some agonies.

I think they knew it. It is the right answer, yes, agony aunt.

OK, Eggheads, Let's Get Ready To Rhumble was a 1994 top ten

single for two characters from which TV show?

It's PJ and Duncan from Byker Grove, later became Ant and Dec.

-We think that's Byker Grove.

-Byker Grove, Let's Get Ready To Rhumble.

That's the one we were looking for. Back to you, Ross.

Who topped Forbes' magazine's 2010 billionaires list?

I think there was a lot of stuff about it

because it's the first year that Bill Gates hasn't topped it.

That would rule him out.

-My guts tell me it's Carlos Slim.

-OK, Carlos Slim?

-Yeah.

It's the right answer, well done. Eggheads, Mexican...?

Telecommunications.

OK, Eggheads, the choroid is found in which part of the body?

-I think it's the eye.

-Yeah?

We are going for the eye on that one, Dermot.

Good stuff, right answer. The choroid is in the eye. It's two-all.

Ross, if you get this right, you're in the driving seat and one hand on the 12 grand.

Let's see.

The footballer Roger Miller scored four goals for which team in the 1990 World Cup at the age of 38?

I'm gonna go for Algeria. Pure guess.

OK, Algeria, Roger Miller scoring four goals

and became famous for his celebrations when he scored.

He used to wiggle around the corner flag, didn't he?

-Roger Miller scored four goals for, Eggheads, Algeria?

-Cameroon.

Cameroon. Cameroon, it was.

So, bad luck and instead of being in the driving seat,

you're now staring defeat in the face. You've got to hope the Eggheads don't get this.

Jean Carles, born in 1892, became well-known in the 20th century fashion world in what role?

-Spelling, please.

-Surname.

C-A-R-L-E-S.

If I was making a guess I'd say perfumer.

I'm wondering... I've got something nagging me about Carles and shoes.

I only know a few hairdressers and nothing around that time.

Perfumers, I know none.

Early 20th century, how many famous hairdressers would there have been?

My instinct is shoe designer

but I'm happy to be shot down if anyone's got anything.

-You thought shoe designer.

-That was my instinct but I don't know.

-Anybody?

-I'm happy to go with that.

We have absolutely no idea beyond the vaguest inklings,

-so we're going for shoe designer.

-Shoe designer, Jean Carles.

So, first instinct Daphne, perfumer and these two, shoe designer.

-Er, perfumer. It's the wrong answer.

-There you go.

Daphne's first instinct would have collected the game for you.

You're still in it, Ross.

It's sudden death for the first time, which means we're removing the multiple choice element

if it's all-square after three questions.

Ross, the three buildings dubbed the Three Graces on the city of Liverpool's waterfront

are the Liver Building, the Port Of Liverpool building and which other?

The three buildings dubbed the Three Graces on the city of Liverpool's waterfront

are the Liver Building, the Port Of Liverpool building and which other?

-Now, have you been to Liverpool, Ross?

-Just travelling through it.

-On the ferry from Belfast?

-Yeah.

I know the Port Of Liverpool building was refurbished last year by Belfast architects.

Some controversy.

As to placing the third building, it would just be a pure guess.

I'm trying to think of a third building, to be honest.

The Town Hall?

Is that what you're saying? It's better to say something than nothing.

I have seen them landed but not this time, it's not the Town Hall.

-It is, do you know, Eggheads?

-The Cunard Building.

-The Cunard Building.

The Cunard Building, making up the Three Graces of Liverpool.

Well, Eggheads, if you get this you have won the round

and if you should do that then you've been a lucky set of Eggheads.

Here's the question.

The Secret Policeman's Ball is the benefit show held periodically for which charity?

The Secret Policeman's Ball is the benefit show held periodically for which charity?

-Amnesty International?

-Amnesty International.

I've run three marathons for them, Amnesty International.

Amnesty International, that is the correct answer. Eggheads, you have won.

Well, well, well, what a game. None of these games of Eggheads are ever predictable.

It didn't go well, as I'm sure you will admit.

All the team would admit in the head-to-heads.

It looked like things would go badly in the final round but you were a whisker away from winning the money.

It's not often you see the Eggheads getting questions wrong. Good luck in the scrum downs

or whatever it is you're practising over the next few months.

Let us know about the results. We'll all come and watch.

Thanks, Ross, and the Ards Ladies. The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them

and their winning streak continues. You won't be going home with the £12,000.

The money rolls over to the next show.

Eggheads, congratulations, who will beat you?

Do join us next time to see if a new team of challengers have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£13,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

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