Episode 56 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.

Question is, can they be beaten?

Hello, welcome to Eggheads, the show where a team

of five quiz challengers pit their wits

against possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain.

You might recognise them as they've won the country's toughest quiz shows.

They are the Eggheads.

And taking on the might of our quiz Goliaths today

are the Tiger Bay Brawlers.

Now, this team are all members of the same roller derby squad

set up in 2010 by team captain Sian.

Let's meet them.

Hi, my name's Sian, I'm 28 and I'm a store manager.

Hi, I'm Amy, I'm 21 and I'm a bartender.

Hi, I'm Jenny, I'm 25 and I'm an administrator.

Hi, I'm Beth, I'm 26 and I'm a photographer.

Hi I'm Kat, I'm 32 and I'm a probation officer.

Welcome to you, Tiger Bay Brawlers. What a name.

So, tell me about this roller derbying. Is it a bit rough, then?

Well, it's a contact sport for women played on roller skates,

so it's a little bit rough but not too bad.

How does it work, then?

You've got two teams of girls and you've got

a girl who's a point scorer who has to lap the pack,

and the more girls she gets through, the more points she scores.

So you go round a track against one other team

-or lots of other teams?

-Just one other team. There's two teams.

And if you lap them you get a point.

Yeah, but you've got blockers who are trying to stop them getting through at the same time.

That's the brawling bit?

-Yeah!

-How do nice girls like you get involved in something like that?

We're not nice girls.

Oh, right! We'll find out in the course of the show.

Do you get knocked over, get bruises? How much contact are you allowed to have?

-Lots.

-There's certain areas where you can't contact,

so you can't hit anyone above the shoulders and everything like that.

-So you can't punch them in the face, basically.

-Yeah, unfortunately.

-But anywhere else?

-Yeah, you can bash them out the way using your hips.

-Hips, shoulder.

-Yes, shoulders.

But you're not allowed to move the arm, the elbow, no?

-No elbows.

-Fists?

-No.

-no hands at all. What about knee?

-No knees, nothing below the thigh.

-No tripping up, either.

No tripping, all right. And there is a ref, is there?

-There are lots of refs.

-Several refs, yeah.

Do you get big crowds for this?

We haven't started competing yet, we're still training,

but it's getting a lot bigger in the UK now. It's bigger in the US.

Yeah. Chris, do you fancy going along?

Could the Eggheads... Can anyone have a go?

Only the ladies.

Judith and Daphne, it'd be great, wouldn't it, the Egghead Brawlers?

I know you've all got nicknames. We'll work through those as we go through the quiz.

Let's play, see how you do against the Eggheads.

Every day there's £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, Tiger Bay Brawlers, the Eggheads have won the last 17 games,

that means £18,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

-Buy a few roller skates, wouldn't it?

-Yes!

OK, our first head-to-head battle is on the subject of Film and Television.

Who'd like to play this?

It's the opening round, any of you can do it.

It's me, isn't it?

-That would be me.

-All right, then, Kat,

who would you like to play from the Eggheads? Any one of them.

THEY CONFER

Daphne.

Kat and Daphne, you can learn a few of those contact skills

on your way to the Question Room. No kicking, gouging or biting.

I want a fair fight, Daphne.

I've brought up four boys, so yes.

All right, let's have Kat and Daphne

into the Question Room to make sure there's no conferring.

So, Kat, that's a very striking tattoo, is that permanent?

-Yes, that is permanent.

-What is it?

It's all the ships from the Star Wars films.

So you've got the Millennium Falcon and all that?

-I haven't got the Millennium Falcon.

-That's still to come, is it?

No, it's done now.

How long did that take?

-About 16 hours.

-Not too bad.

Not all in one go.

-Family like it, do they?

-Not particularly, no.

And tell me about the nickname.

My skater name is Judge Red.

I'm getting it, I'm liking it, and do you wear it on your T-shirt?

It goes on the back of our shirts.

OK, Judge Red.

Let's play the round. Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please.

Best of luck, Kat. First question.

In March 2010 it was announced that which TV series was to be axed after 27 years?

This actually came up at a quiz I was at recently,

so I think I know it. I think it's The Bill.

The Bill, OK.

It is, yes, it's the right answer.

You've done a bit of practising in other quizzes, good.

The Bill gets you off to a flying start.

Daphne, which actor has appeared in the films Titanic, The Departed and The Man In The Iron Mask?

That would be Leonardo DiCaprio.

Yes, it is a very tiny sample of his prolific output there.

It's Leo DiCaprio.

So, one each, and back to you, Kat.

In which year were the films GoldenEye,

Babe and Casino released?

I'm not sure about this one.

I don't think it was 1995.

I'm going to say 1997.

1997 for GoldenEye, Babe... Have you seen any of them?

I've seen them all, yes.

GoldenEye, Babe, and Casino were released,

it's earlier than you think, it is 1995.

Didn't seem that long ago, but there they were.

So, Daphne, Sam Worthington played the role

of Jake Sully in which 2009 film?

I haven't seen any of them.

Was it Avatar?

Yes, Avatar is correct.

That means you've got to get this, Kat.

Who directed the 1938 film comedy Bringing Up Baby?

Who directed the 1938 film comedy Bringing Up Baby?

Frank Capra.

Frank Capra. All great directors.

Is it Frank Capra, Daphne?

I would've gone for Billy Wilder, but I don't know.

No, you don't, either,

and Kat doesn't, it's Howard Hawks.

Interesting you didn't know it.

Good job I didn't get that.

But it means Daphne's already got those two, so it means

there's no point in another question, she's clinched the round with her previous answer on Avatar,

which I'm sure you would have liked, Kat, didn't come your way.

Means you won't be in the final.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

So the Eggheads have knocked their first Tiger Bay Brawler off the track.

-Is that what it's called?

-Yeah.

-But it's early days.

-Our next head-to-head is going to be on the subject of History.

-CHALLENGERS SIGH

Who'd like to play this? A few sighs there!

-Can't be Kat.

-Amy.

All right, Amy, who would you like to play from the Eggheads?

-Can't be Daphne, but any of the other four.

-CJ?

-CJ.

-Lovely.

Amy and CJ playing History.

Could I ask you both please to go to the Question Room?

So, Amy, what's your nickname, then?

Airy Hell the Little Murder Maid.

-Airy Hell the Little Murder Maid?

-Yeah.

-I see. So Ariel the Little Mermaid?

-Yeah.

Not the shortest nickname there! Airy Hell the Little Murder Maid.

History, then, do you get a lot of time to study history?

Not as much as I probably would like right now.

Well, let's put what you do know to the test. Would you like to go first or second?

First, please.

OK, good luck, Amy, and first question. Here you go.

Charles II was a member of which royal house?

I'm not totally certain but I'd go for Stuart.

Yes, it's the right answer, Well done. Stuart.

CJ, the 1854 Charge of the Light Brigade took place during which battle?

It was during the Battle of Balaclava.

Yes, it was, Charge of the Light Brigade, well done.

Good start there, Amy. Second question.

In which decade of the 20th century did Peter Anthony Allen and Gwynne Owen Evans

become the last people in the UK to be hanged?

In which decade of the 20th century did Peter Anthony Allen

and Gwynne Owen Evans become the last people in the UK to be hanged?

Again, I'm not totally certain,

but I'd think it's quite late, so 1960s?

1960s, yes, well done, it's the right answer, correct.

Well done, Amy, you have two.

CJ, the 1814 Treaty of Ghent,

which ended the war of 1812, was an agreement between Britain and which country?

The 1814 Treaty of Ghent which ended the war of 1812 was an agreement between Britain and which country?

The War of 1812 was between Britain and the USA.

Yes, it was, Britain and the USA, so it's all square.

Amy, this is very good quizzing. If you get this

you might go through to the final round, see how you do.

In Russian history,

the emancipation of the serfs took place under which Tsar?

I'm going to go for Alexander II.

OK, why is that, Amy?

It's just a wild guess, and Alexander I can associate more with Russians.

You've got the right answer, it's correct, three out of three.

So, CJ.

-Oh, goody(!)

-Are you going to be Tiger Bay Brawled out of the game?

Your question. Edward Borough was the first husband of which wife of Henry VIII?

I'm trying to think which one of those I know was married before.

I don't think Ann Boleyn was.

I think Catherine Parr was.

I'm not at all sure.

I don't think it's Ann Boleyn, I don't think she was married before.

I'm not sure about Jane Seymour,

but I'm going to take a punt

because I think she was married, of Catherine Parr.

Catherine Parr

is the right answer. Well done, CJ, you worked it out.

Catherine Parr it is, well identified, CJ. It's all square.

We're going to go to sudden death, Amy.

Because you're so good we're going to take away the choices,

so it's a lot harder, you've nothing to have a look at if you do need to guess.

The ruins of the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh

are in which present-day Asian country?

The ruins of the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh

are in which present-day Asian country?

I don't know, I'm not very good with countries or anything.

I don't know any Asian countries, really.

Bangladesh, is that a country?

It is, yes, very much a country, yes, quite a few people living there.

It's not Bangladesh, no, it's Iraq.

Right, Amy not getting it there.

CJ, in 1867, which country, consisting initially of four provinces,

became the first dominion in the British Empire?

That would be Canada.

Canada is the right answer, CJ, you are through to the final round,

I think almost to Amy's relief there.

She did ever so well in the first three questions,

just fell apart a bit on the sudden death there. Not to be, then.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

Good round there, but CJ in the end

turning out to have the sharper elbows, knocked Amy out,

means they're missing two brains now, the Tiger Bay Brawlers, and the Eggheads are all there.

Next head-to-head is Arts and Books.

Who wants to play this?

Can't be Amy or Kat, so that leaves Sian, Jenny or Beth.

-Beth, then.

-I'll go for it.

OK, good stuff, Beth, and who would you like to play from the Eggheads?

CJ and Daphne have played so you've got Chris at the end there, or down this end, Kevin and Judith.

-I'll go for Judith, please.

-So it's going to be Beth and Judith

playing Arts and Books. Could I ask you both, please, to go to the Question Room?

-So, Beth, you're a photographer?

-Yeah, just part-time at the moment

but I'm hoping that'll be my career in the future.

-Photographed anyone famous or anything published, anything like that?

-Yeah, I have.

I used to work with Lucie Jones who was a contestant on the X Factor,

and she modelled for me in my end of year degree.

Yeah, so she modelled.

Did anyone use any of those photographs?

Yes, they were published in a paper and a magazine.

Good stuff. She fell foul of Jedward, didn't she?

Yeah, what was all that about?

-I bet you weren't voting for them after that.

-No!

And what's your nickname?

It's Domino Beats-a.

Right. Is that because obviously they fall over like dominoes when you give them a bit of a shove?

Well, hopefully, yeah, and I like junk food as well, so it makes sense.

Let's hope you like Arts and Books as well.

Do you want to go first or second, Beth?

I'll go first, please.

All right, Beth, first question is coming to you.

In Old Possum's Book Of Practical Cats,

TS Eliot says of Macavity the Mystery Cat

that not only has he broken every human law,

he also breaks which physical one?

I haven't got a clue, to be honest with you.

It says physical, he's broken every physical law,

so I'm going to go with the law of gravity.

The law of gravity.

Yes, Macavity and gravity, it's the right answer, well done.

Judith, what name is often given to art

that's typified by a straightforward, simple and childlike style

which may give the impression of a lack of formal training on the part of the artist?

That is Naive Art.

Yes, it is, correct answer. Back to you, Beth.

Which Shakespearean character describes himself as

"deformed, unfinished, sent before my time into this breathing world,

"scarce half made up?"

It sounds really familiar.

I'm trying to think of what I did back in school.

The two I'm stuck between is Hamlet and Othello.

I'm going to go with...

..Othello.

Othello for that quotation, description of himself.

It's not, Beth, no, it's not Othello, it is Richard III.

It was not Othello from Beth, and a chance for the lead for Judith.

Which Narnia book, although the sixth to be published,

is considered to be the prequel to The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe?

I don't know because I've never read any of them.

My daughter read them all but I never did,

so I really don't know.

I wonder what it could be.

I think maybe it's The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader.

I'll try that one, nice title.

It's a great title, but it's not the right answer.

-No, CJ is shaking his head.

-It's The Magician's Nephew.

The Magician's Nephew. OK, no harm done, then, getting that one wrong,

Beth, still all square, and your third question.

What nationality was MC Escher,

the artist famed for his prints of enigmatic optical illusions?

I think I may have done a bit of this in art college.

I think he was German.

Yeah, I'm going to go with German.

MC Escher was Dutch, not German.

So a chance for Judith to take this round.

Judith, what is the name of the title character

of the play known in English as The Misanthrope by French writer Moliere?

That's another thing I don't know.

Dear me.

Florian?

Florian The Misanthrope. No, it's not.

It is, other Eggheads?

-Alceste.

-Alceste.

Oh, dear.

Still all square, into sudden death, anything can happen now.

OK, then, Beth, in which Jane Austen novel

do the main characters go to Box Hill in Surrey for a picnic?

In which Jane Austen novel do the main characters

go to Box Hill in Surrey for a roller derby...

No, for a picnic?

Ooh...

-No, sorry, pass.

-Any Jane Austen novels in there?

Not in my head.

-Nothing?

-No, sorry. No, I'm going to pass.

It's a pass. Do you know, Judith?

-Emma?

-Emma is the right answer,

but it's no good to you, you need to give me

a right answer to this one.

The artist Hans Holbein the Younger died in which century?

The artist Hans Holbein the Younger died in which century?

I should think he died in 15-something, so 16th century.

16th century is correct.

Anybody more specific on the date?

-1543?

-1543 from Kevin, there we are, laser-like.

1543, Hans Holbein the Younger, he died then.

And with that answer your hopes of appearing in the final round disappear as well, Beth.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

As it stands at the moment, Tiger Bay Brawlers,

you've lost three brains and no Eggheads have gone,

so here's your last chance to knock one of them out, and it's on the subject of Geography.

Geography, you fancy that?

And it has to be either Sian or Jenny playing,

you're the only two left.

Jenny will play against...

Chris or Kenny.

Chris, yes.

OK, it's going to be Jenny and Chris playing this Geography round.

Could I ask you both please to go to the Question Room?

So, Jenny, Geography. What's the nickname then?

My nickname is Jen-Claude Van Slamme.

I'm liking it.

How long did you take to think up these nicknames?

Was it a big session or did it just come to you?

We all spent quite a long time going through a few different ideas

before we all settled on one that we liked.

Jen-Claude Van Slamme. You've got a degree, haven't you, in marine and freshwater biology?

-Yes, that's right.

-And now you spend your time brawling.

Yeah, it was a really interesting degree but I don't get much use out of it now.

Not a lot of brawling in that, then?

-No, not much.

-More fun with the roller derby.

OK, what about geography, have you got around a bit,

have you travelled, have you been to other parts of this country?

I've been to most parts of the UK and Ireland.

I've been to a few places in Central and South America and in Asia as well.

OK, well, let's see how you do. It's Geography, do you want to go first or second?

I'd like to go first, please.

Best of luck, Jenny.

First question. Cancun is a tourist resort in which country?

Well, I've never been there but I'd love to go one day,

-but Cancun is in Mexico.

-Yes, it is.

There you are, on the board,

turning nicely green there for you. So, Chris, your first question.

What's the official monetary unit of Denmark?

It used to be the krone but it's now the euro, surely?

-No, it's not, it still is the krone.

-Is it?

-Didn't join.

Well, good for them!

Good for them, OK! You got something from that wrong answer, then!

Well, Jenny, bit of a chink there in the Eggheads' defence.

Let's see if you can build on that lead.

The Vieux Carre is a neighbourhood in which American city?

The Vieux Carre is a neighbourhood in which American city?

Well, I don't know off the top of my head, but it sounds French,

I don't know what it translates to,

but I'll go for New Orleans.

New Orleans, huge French influence, of course,

it's the right answer, well done. OK, New Orleans there,

well done, Jenny.

Chris playing catch-up, and goes out if he gets this wrong.

Chris, in Scotland, the city of Stirling and the town of Alloa are on which river?

In Scotland, the city of Stirling and the town of Alloa

are on which river?

It's not the Clyde because that's on the west side,

and it's not the Forth, that's too far south, so it's the Tay.

The Tay for Stirling and Alloa.

Bye-bye, Chris, it's the Forth.

Stirling and Alloa. He just wants free tickets.

He's just currying favour. You won't get them, Chris.

A remarkable performance there by Jenny,

let's just enjoy that moment. Congratulations, Jenny, really well done.

You have knocked out a Mastermind and a Brain of Britain and many other things as well.

That means you're playing in the final round. Would you both please come back and join your teams?

Well, I tell you what, Jenny, if you're as good at roller derby as you are at quizzing,

I'll tell all the other teams now, watch out for Jen-Claude Van Slamme.

That was quite a performance.

This is what we've been playing towards, the final round, which as always is General Knowledge,

but I'm afraid those who lost head-to-heads won't be allowed

to take part in this round. So, Amy, Beth and Kat

from the Tiger Bay Brawlers and Chris from the Egghead Brawlers, would you leave the studio, please?

So, Sian, we haven't had your nickname. What's yours?

-Mine's Sian of the Dead.

-Sian of the Dead, liking that.

OK, well, Sian and Jenny, you're playing to win the Tiger Bay Brawlers £18,000.

Judith, Kevin, CJ, and Daphne, you're playing for something which money can't buy,

the Eggheads' reputation.

As usual I'll ask each team three questions in turn.

This time the questions are all General Knowledge and you are allowed to confer.

Sian and Jenny, the question is,

are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four,

-and Sian and Jenny, would you like to go first or second?

-First.

-First, please.

OK, first question, then, Sian and Jenny, good luck.

Which country hosted the 1990 football World Cup finals?

Which country hosted the 1990 football World Cup finals?

I think I was five. I think maybe...

Italy's big on football, isn't it?

-Erm...

-No idea.

Neither of us have got any idea.

I suppose you were very, very young back in 1990,

but do you follow football?

-No.

-1990 World Cup finals, which country?

I think we're going to go for Italy, just a guess.

Just a guess. It's a good one, it's the right answer. Well done.

I remember Gazza weeping and all that stuff, Italia 90.

OK, well done.

First question for the Eggheads. In which year were the politician David Blunkett,

the inventor James Dyson and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, born?

In which year were David Blunkett, James Dyson

and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, born?

James Dyson was born in '47, I think.

It's 1947.

1947. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, James Dyson, David Blunkett

all born in 1947, it's the right answer.

OK, Tiger Bay Brawlers, what type of food is strozzapreti?

What type of food is strozzapreti?

-Can you spell it for us?

-Yes, S-T-R-O-Z-Z-A-P-R-E-T-I.

it's all one word, strozzapreti.

That sounds Italian to me.

I would go with...

-I think it sounds like sausage.

-Yeah.

Or is it pasta?

We're not sure, but we're going to go for spicy sausage.

OK. spicy sausage. Going for Italian as well after that first question,

sticking with the Italian side of things.

It's pasta, which was the other one I heard you thinking of, bad luck.

OK, Eggheads, who wrote the 2009 autobiography Saturday Night Peter?

Who wrote the 2009 autobiography Saturday Night Peter?

-It's Peter Kay, isn't it?

-Do you think it's Peter Kay?

-He's written one recently.

-Who does Saturday night performances?

I've got a picture of the cover of the book

with him in a disco-dancing pose.

-Yes, he's wearing a purple jacket. Yes.

-Did you buy the book?

No, I didn't buy the book, I saw it in a bookshop!

-Peter Kay.

-Peter Kay.

Saturday Night Peter. That's the right answer, Eggheads, yes,

it's two to you, that means you've got to get this, Sian and Jenny.

Derived from Latin, osculum is a word meaning what?

Derived from Latin, osculum is a word meaning what?

O-S-C-U-L-U-M, osculum.

I think osculate is something to do with shaking,

-isn't it? Something vibrating, maybe?

-Oscillating is vibration.

You think maybe handshake, or do we know...?

Yeah.

I've got no leads to either of the other two words, so, handshake?

Handshake for osculum, you need to get this.

Osculum means what, Eggheads?

-Kiss.

-Kiss, you didn't get it. It means, Eggheads, you've won.

Bad luck, there, Sian and Jenny,

just didn't suit you, those questions, all with

an Italian link, with that last one based on the Latin as well.

Bad luck. I hope you've enjoyed playing the Eggheads today.

You can play them at roller derby later. When you do go for your first competitive event let us know,

we'll all be down there, all be ringside cheering you on.

We'll think up some nicknames for us.

Thank you very much for playing the Eggheads.

They've done what comes naturally, their streak continues.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £18,000,

so the money rolls over to the 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.

£19,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

E-mail [email protected]