Episode 101 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.

They are the Eggheads.

And taking on the quiz goliaths today are Great British Treccies.

No, this is not a team of Star Trek fans,

they are all in fact participants in the equine sport of trec.

Sounds fascinating, doesn't it? Let's meet them.

Hello. I'm Sue. I'm 39 and I'm a housewife.

Hello. I'm Anne. I'm 21 and I'm an equine dental science student.

I'm Julian. I'm 60. I'm a computer consultant.

Hello. I'm Hilary. I'm 57 and I'm a secretary.

Hello. I'm Lynn. I'm 39 and I'm a veterinary surgeon.

Welcome, Treccies. Sue and team, good to see you.

-Hello.

-So tell us about treccing then.

Not Star Trekking but your treccing.

Our treccing is a sport which involves mounted orienteering.

So we basically get a compass and they send us off round the mountains

and we hopefully make it home.

And do you have to find treasures along the way?

Yeah, we find checkpoints along the way

and we can get them right or we can get them wrong,

and it's to an optimal time as well. So the speed becomes a factor.

So it's like a very, very exciting form of horse racing?

Kind of.

-Or not.

-Not.

-Good luck.

Every day there is £1,000 worth 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, Treccies, the Eggheads have won the last 11 games,

which means £12,000 says you can't beat them today.

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

So, Treccies, who wants this?

I think that will be me.

-Lynn.

-Not that we'd arranged it.

-Yes.

OK, against which Egghead, Lynn?

-What do we think?

-Any one you like.

-I think Chris is probably one of the weaker ones on science.

-Chris

-.

-Yeah. OK?

-We'll go with that.

-We'll go with Chris.

Good that there was no attempt to spare his feelings there at all.

So it's Lynn from the Treccies

against Chris from the Eggheads on science.

And just to ensure there's no conferring,

would you please both take your positions in the Question Room.

So, Lynn, you're a Great British Treccie too.

-Yes, I am.

-And if anyone watching wanted to have a go at treccing,

where would you even start?

The sport in Britain is run by the British Horse Society,

so the best thing to do would be to take a look at their website

and it's got all the information on there.

Competition dates, training dates, that sort of thing.

Have you ever done any horse riding, Chris?

Unless you can get some thumping great Clydesdale or Shire horse,

I don't think they'd find one big enough to carry me.

Have you tried or has there been an incident?

No, never tried.

OK. Let's see how we go on science.

Science it is, Lynn, and three multiple choice questions in turn.

And, of course, the winner of the round goes through to the final.

The other person gets knocked out.

Would you like the first or the second set of questions, Lynn?

I'd like to go first, please.

OK, here is your question, Lynn.

What is the proper collective term for peacocks and peahens?

Peacocks and peahens.

Game doesn't sound quite right,

so I'm going to dismiss that one.

They're definitely not grouse.

So I think I'll go for peafowl.

Peafowl is quite right, good.

Chris, on to you. What name is often given to common,

non-precious metals such as zinc or copper?

Well, ferric metals are iron and its compounds.

So they're base metals.

Base metals is the right answer.

Lynn, what name has been given to the vehicle

in which the Wright brothers first achieved powered flight?

I'm fairly sure that Hercules is a big bomber-type plane.

I don't know much about planes.

The Wright Flyer of 1903 sounds...

..a bit too long.

And I've heard of Kitty Hawk,

so I'm going to go for that. Say Kitty Hawk.

Kitty Hawk is the wrong answer.

The answer is The Wright Flyer of 1903.

Chris, your question.

Which scientist is famous for

inventing the rotating magnetic field

and pioneering its applications in conjunction with AC electricity?

Edison was the direct current man, wasn't he?

Alternating current, that's down to Nikola Tesla. So it's Nikola Tesla.

Nikola Tesla is the right answer.

OK, he's got two, you've got one, Lynn.

You need to get this one right. Your third question.

What type of marine creature is the golden cowry?

It's definitely not an octopus.

And I don't think it's a seahorse.

I know cowry shells are the ones that you listen to

when you put them to your ear

and you are supposed to be able to hear the sea.

So it's a type of snail.

Good, it is a type of snail. You're right.

So you're equal. Let's see if Chris can take it.

Chris, your question. What was the common name of the carnivorous bird,

up to three metres in height,

that lived in South America in prehistoric times?

They weren't wrath birds and I doubt they were murder birds.

But they would strike terror into anybody, so they were terror birds.

They were indeed terror birds.

Sorry, Lynn. He just pipped you there.

Chris has taken the round with three correct answers out of three.

Please, both of you come back to us and rejoin your teams.

Well, I know your science came up

and was maybe slightly criticised at the beginning.

But you have actually won 21 out of 23 Science rounds

since the start of Eggheads.

-Have I indeed?

-You have - you only dropped two.

-Oh, right.

-And I know you give yourself a scientific name.

-Was it a ferro...

-Ferro-equiniologist, yes.

Studier of the Iron Horse.

-Meaning trains?

-Yeah.

OK, as it stands, the challengers have now lost a brain.

The Eggheads are still going strong without any losses.

The next subject is...

Who would like this?

-Me.

-I think Anne?

-Yes.

-Anne? OK.

-Who do you get to play?

-Who looks shaky,

who looks like they never watch TV?

Do you want to have a go against Daphne?

OK, yeah. Go for Daphne, please.

You don't sound certain, Anne.

Oh, I trust my team captain.

There are no pushovers here - that's the thing.

So, Anne from Great British Treccies against Daphne from the Eggheads.

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

So, we're on Film and TV.

Daphne, I'm thinking of some of your TV appearances.

You've been on an awful lot on quiz shows and stuff, haven't you?

I started 1979 with Winner Takes All.

You won the 15 To 1 final twice, didn't you?

Yeah. And I won the Top Of The Boards trophy three times.

I gather, with 15 To 1,

you are the holder of the second highest score of all time.

-Yes, yes.

-432 points out of 433.

-That's right.

So in a way you are a quiz answer yourself, aren't you,

after all those appearances now?

-No.

-SHE LAUGHS

That's fame.

I'll ask each of you three questions on film and television in turn,

and whoever answers the most questions correctly is the winner

and, Anne, it's your choice whether you want to go first or second.

I'll go first, please.

Who became the regular presenter of the TV show Room 101 in 2012?

I've seen it recently, and I think it's Frank Skinner.

-It is Frank Skinner, well done.

-Yeah!

Still a great show as well.

Daphne, who was crowned King of the Jungle

in the 2011 series of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here?

SHE SIGHS

It was the chap from McFly, wasn't it?

I've forgotten.

I knew it was somebody from McFly.

Gosh, I just can't remember.

-Dougie Poynter.

-Dougie Poynter is the right answer.

Lucky Dip Daphne, there she goes again.

OK, Anne, over to you.

Which film received the most Academy Award nominations in January 2012?

I can't remember.

I don't think War Horse was out yet in January,

so I don't think it's that.

I don't think The Descendants did that well if I remember rightly,

so I think it's Hugo.

-Hugo's the right answer - well done.

-CHEERING

-Brilliant. Anyone know how many?

-11.

-11, yeah.

Well done, Daphne, you got it right. Well done.

Here's your question, Daphne.

The TV sitcom Desmond's was set in which city?

Oh, crumbs.

I know it was set in a Barber shop.

-London?

-London's right.

Oh, crumbs, London.

Sorry, Anne, she does this.

Here's your third question.

Who played Perseus in the film Clash Of The Titans

and Marcus Wright in Terminator Salvation?

I'm almost certain it wasn't Ryan Reynolds

and it wasn't Channing Tatum.

So I'm going to have to go for Sam Worthington.

-The answer is Sam Worthington.

-Yes!

Well done. Let us see if Lucky Dip Daphne, as she's known,

falls down a manhole.

In which 1971 film does Dustin Hoffman play the role

of mathematician David Sumner?

Don't know. Honestly, I don't know.

I know he's in all three films.

And I don't think it's going to work this time.

Mathematician.

Straw Dogs.

OK, how do you do it? How do you do it, Daphne, seriously?

That's right, that's the right answer.

Your brain will have to be donated to science.

That's amazing. Every single time you guess you get it right.

Well done, Daphne. You've done very well there. Three out of three.

-So we go to Sudden Death. OK, Anne?

-Oh.

I know it seems unfair but she has an amazing way.

And this is a bit harder cos I don't give you alternatives.

Which TV series first shown in 2009

and starring Rupert Penry-Jones and Phil Davies

is named after a part of London?

I haven't got a clue.

Chelsea.

I'm sorry. Whitechapel is the right answer.

So, Daphne, if you get this right, you are in the final round.

"Surely you can't be serious. I am serious, and don't call me Shirley,"

are lines from which 1980 film starring Robert Hays?

Airplane?

Airplane is the right answer.

Daphne, you've taken the round.

-Snatched away from you, Anne. I'm sorry.

-Yeah.

-You were close - very, very close.

-Very close.

And you won't be in the final, while Daphne will.

Please, both of you come back, rejoin your teams.

As it stands, the challengers have lost two brains.

The Eggheads have lost no brains from the final round.

But you can turn it around, Treccies.

And this is a bit like on a trec,

just being a little bit slow on the first couple of clues.

Yep. We never lose focus.

The next subject is sport.

Who's going to focus on sport?

-Are you?

-Um!

I think we should follow the plan.

As long as it's all about horses, I can do it.

-OK.

-Sue on horses.

-There are no guarantees.

-No.

-Who do we think?

-Who do you want to pick?

I think Judith loves sport, I believe.

I do.

Yeah, so I think Judith, please.

So Sue from the Great British Treccies takes on Judith.

-Back in the saddle, Judith.

-Yes, it's very exciting.

Do, both of you, please go to the Question Room now.

So, all this talk of horses, Judith,

I feel I should ask you if you've been riding recently?

Not recently. But I used to when I was younger.

Where did you go riding?

I had a pony,

and so I rode every day from home.

Right, and you would just ride around the area?

Yeah, I used to ride every morning.

It sounds almost idyllic.

It was, actually, it was lovely.

All right. Good luck in this round. It's Sport, three questions, and,

Sue, you can choose the first or the second set.

I'm going to go for the second set, please.

Judith, what was Wayne Rooney's squad number for Manchester United

during the 2011-2012 football season?

SHE LAUGHS

I don't even know really what that means.

I think, if it's the number on his back, I think it might be 10.

10 is the right answer. Well done, Judith. Over to you, Sue.

In which city did Carl Lewis win four Olympic gold medals?

OK. Munich was quite early.

Los Angeles was definitely '84 and Sydney was later.

So I believe Carl Lewis

at the height of his career would have been around '84,

so that may be Los Angeles.

Excellent. Los Angeles is correct. Yeah!

Impressive detective work there. OK, Judith, your second question.

Which role is most associated with the South African cricketer

Morne Morkel?

I don't know whether he's nowadays or when he was.

I'm always trying wicketkeeper.

It's very seldom been wicketkeeper.

There must be a time when it will be.

So I'm going to say wicketkeeper.

-You should have gone down the right, Judith.

-Oh.

Fast bowler.

OK, over to you, Sue.

In which year did Jason Leonard

first play test match rugby union for England?

OK, my flatmate when I was a student

was into Welsh rugby,

and that was around 1990.

So I'm pretty sure it wasn't that early.

I'm going to go for 2000.

Do you know what, you're 10 years out.

Cos it was 1990.

So we're equal. One each. Judith.

Which snooker player defeated Shaun Murphy

in the final of the 2012 Masters in London?

Now, this I should know.

And I'm sure I've read it and I can't remember.

Oh, dear me. Judd Trump.

-Daphne likes that.

-Does she?

Yeah, she's really celebrating.

I don't know why, cos it's wrong, but she likes the name.

-She obviously enjoyed the name.

-That is so unkind.

-You gave me hope for a minute.

-I thought it was right.

She thought it was right, she's pointing out.

She's not excited cos she knows you got it wrong.

-Daphne would never do that, would you?

-No!

Neil Robertson is the answer, Judith.

You've got one out of three. So we're building.

OK, Sue. If you get this one right, you've knocked Judith out.

Which sport was rocked by controversy in January 2012

over the air permeability

of the underwear worn by competitors?

I've never heard of this.

Air permeability.

Purely because skiing is time-based,

so it might help you go quicker, I'm going to go for skiing.

-And it's the right answer.

-Yes!

Fantastic!

I can't work that one out at all.

Why would having air

whooshing through your nether regions help you ski fast?

-Drag, I would suppose.

-Less drag?

Skiing is the right answer. Well done, Sue.

You're in the final.

And, Judith, you've been knocked out in Sport,

-which, you know, occasionally happens.

-It's familiar.

Please, both of you come back and rejoin your teams in the studio.

-Great work, Sue.

-Thank you.

My sport knowledge is legendary.

Well done. The challengers have lost two brains

but the Eggheads have lost a brain as well now from the final round.

And the last subject is Geography.

I'm thinking this is up your street.

-Literally.

-Yes, we know everything about geography.

Compasses at the ready.

I think it's got to be Hilary, hasn't it?

Cos Julian's general knowledge is better than mine.

-So shall I give this one a go?

-Yeah. I think so.

-Right. It'll be me.

-Hilary. OK.

-Who do I want to play?

-Who have we got left?

-It's one or the other, isn't it?

-Barry still looks quite sleepy.

Shall we wake him up a bit?

Shall we leave him for the general knowledge round?

I think I'll play Barry, please.

-OK, we'll have to wake him up, you realise that?

-Yep.

Thank you.

Hilary from Great British Treccies versus Barry from the Eggheads.

And to ensure there's no conferring,

please take your positions.

So, Hilary, I think you're the top treccer.

I'm the current British champion, yes, with my pony.

But how do you fit it in? Cos you're a secretary as well,

-you do your treccing, you've got four children.

-Mm-hmm.

And your pony.

You make time for the things you want to do.

That's true. OK, so I'm going to ask each of you

three questions on geography in turn

and, Hilary, you can choose the first or second set of questions.

I'll go first, please.

Good luck to you and here we go.

What is the capital of the USA?

New York is the obvious one but I don't think it's that one.

And I don't think it's Los Angeles,

so I think it's Washington DC.

Washington DC is the right answer.

Yeah!

OK, Barry. The Canadian city of Vancouver

is located on which coast?

Vancouver is in British Columbia

which is on, just let me check my geography, the west coast.

West coast is the right answer.

Back to you, Hilary. In which European city

might one cross the Liberty Bridge,

the Chain Bridge and Petofi Bridge?

I haven't heard of any of them.

I think it's not Budapest

for any particular reason.

I'm going to go for Berlin

because of the name of the Liberty Bridge

and the fact that it used to be a split city,

but I've got no idea.

Yeah, and has a river in it. OK,

let's see whether the Eggheads think Berlin is right.

No. No, it's Prague.

-It's not Prague.

-Budapest.

-It's Budapest!

Why can't you do that when you're in there answering the questions?

-Budapest is the answer, Hilary, sorry.

-OK.

Barry, what is the approximate population of Argentina?

Now, I can discount 161 million straight away.

41 million or 81 million.

I hate these sorts of questions,

they're so difficult to remember the answers to.

And it's the second most populous country in South America.

Brazil's the most populous by far.

But does it have more people than we do or less?

I'm not sure on this, but I'll go down the middle for 81 million.

-You've got it wrong, actually, it's 41.

-Ah.

OK, Hilary, your question. You're level with one point.

St Anton is a popular ski resort in which country?

St Anton.

I don't think it's Switzerland

and... I'm going to go for Austria.

-Austria is correct.

-Yeah!

Well, let's see if Barry can hold his own here.

If he can't, he's out. In the United States, Barry,

the officially designated

Land Between The Lakes Recreation Area

is in Kentucky and which other state?

Well, Indiana's nowhere near Kentucky,

so I can rule that out straight away.

I believe Kentucky and Tennessee are next to each other.

I think West Virginia's a bit further north.

So I'll go for Tennessee.

Tennessee is correct.

So we go to Sudden Death.

Hilary, that means it gets a bit harder.

I don't give you alternatives. Don't sigh!

Courage!

Northland and Southland are two of the 16 regions

in which Commonwealth country?

In which Commonwealth country?

I'm going to struggle on this one.

Well, I'm going to go all the way around the globe

and go for New Zealand.

-Yeah, you got it! Well done!

-Yeah!

Where did that come from? Just brilliant insight there.

-Chance.

-You been there?

-No, I was recently in Australia

but I haven't been to New Zealand.

OK, Barry, if you get this wrong, you're out.

Pernambuco is a state

in the northeast of which South American country?

Well, there's only 13 countries in South America,

but I don't think that really helps me that much.

I really don't know this.

I'm going to take a guess that it sounds Portuguese,

in which case I'll go for Brazil.

And Brazil is the right answer, Barry. Well done.

Over to you, Hilary.

The medieval manor house Shute Barton,

now a National Trust property,

is located in which English county?

Shute Barton.

I'm tempted to go for Somerset or Devon

because there's lots of Bartons in both counties.

But I think it's a Devon name.

Your answer is Devon.

-It's correct.

-Yes!

-Playing well.

Barry, again you're under pressure here.

What is the largest of the Ionian Islands?

Oh, goodness me.

The Ionian Islands

are on the western side of Greece.

So I think the largest Ionian Island is Corfu.

No, it is not. Any Eggheads?

-Kefalonia?

-Kefalonia is the answer, Barry.

You've been knocked out. Well done, Hilary!

You've taken it on Sudden Death.

And you are in the final round.

So if you come back to us, both of you, we will play the final.

So, this is what we've 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 that's Anne and Lynn from Great British Treccies

and also Barry and Judith from the Eggheads.

Would you please leave the studio.

Sue, Julian and Hilary, you're playing to win

Great British Treccies £12,000.

Daphne, Chris and Pat,

you're playing for something that money can't buy,

which is 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, Great British Treccies, the question is are your three brains

capable of beating the Eggheads' three over here?

-Do you want to go first or second?

-We'll take second, please.

OK, Eggheads. Here is your first question.

Which English model did the guitarist

Jamie Hince marry in July 2011?

-I thought it was Kate Moss.

-Kate Moss just got married, yes.

-You think it was Kate Moss?

-I think it was Kate Moss.

We think that's Kate Moss, Jeremy.

Kate Moss is the right answer.

Over to you, Treccies. Don't be intimidated by those Eggheads.

They can crack.

The concert venue Carnegie Hall is in which borough of New York?

Right, let me think.

It would be a guess for me.

-It's quite a smart place, Manhattan.

-It is.

-Manhattan has got quite a lot of concert venues.

-Yeah.

But whether Carnegie Hall is there.

I was thinking of, Madison Gardens.

Yeah. I don't see any reason to go for anything else.

-It's certainly not going to be Staten Island.

-I don't think it's The Bronx.

-You think it's the Bronx?

-I don't.

-You don't think it's the Bronx?

-We'll go with Manhattan.

-Yep.

We'd like to go with Manhattan, please.

-Manhattan is the right answer.

-Yes.

OK, Eggheads, your second question.

Who had UK hit singles in the 1960s with Walk Tall,

The Special Years and Elusive Butterfly?

Val Doonican.

I'm sure, Jeremy, it was Val Doonican.

Val Doonican is the right answer.

Well done.

On to you.

Theodore Roosevelt served as vice president of the United States

under which president?

-Grant's the Civil War, so that's far too old.

-Too early.

-Yeah.

So it's McKinley or Hoover. I would go with Hoover.

-I would think Hoover cos I've heard of him.

-Right.

McKinley's got a mountain named after him.

Yeah. OK, we'd like to go with Hoover.

On the basis that...?

-We like the name.

-You like the name.

-Help us out here, Eggs.

-William McKinley.

He took over when he was assassinated.

-Roosevelt took over when McKinley was assassinated?

-Yeah.

-Right.

OK.

Here's your question. And that means, if you get this one right,

Eggheads, you've taken the contest.

Which architect designed New York's Chrysler Building?

-It's not Frank Lloyd Wright.

-I think it's William Van Alen.

Frank Gehry's far too recent for the Chrysler Building.

Yeah, it's Art Deco, isn't it?

I think it's William Van Alen.

William Van Alen I would go for.

I've never heard of it mentioned as Frank Lloyd Wright.

-No.

-No, it's not his thing.

Frank Gehry, far too modern.

-Go for William Van Alen?

-Yeah.

We think it was William Van Alen.

A very major early architect.

If you've got this right, the contest is over.

They did look worryingly certain, didn't they?

-They did seem quite sure.

-Yeah.

The answer is William Van Alen.

So we say congratulations, Eggheads, you've won again.

-And McKinley was the killer, wasn't it?

-Yeah.

-And he was assassinated.

-Yeah. In Buffalo, New York, yeah.

As modest as they are, they like to show off a bit.

But, Eggheads, well done. You won fair and square.

Thank you very much for coming in, challengers.

-Thank you.

-Thanks for telling us about treccing as well.

Really interesting. We're all enthused. So, commiserations to you.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them

and their winning streak continues.

I'm afraid that means you won't be going home with the £12,000.

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.

£13,000 says they don't.

Until then, goodbye.

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