Episode 127 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, where five quiz challengers pit their wits

against possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain. They are the Eggheads.

Challenging the awesome might of our quiz champions

are Lounging Around. This team of friends

are regular quizzers in Bristol. Let's meet them.

Hi, my name's Mat, I'm 32 and I'm an education project manager.

Hi, I'm Iain, I'm 30 and I'm a business development manager.

Hi, my name's George, I'm 28 and I'm a PhD student.

Hi, I'm Paul, I'm 30 and I'm an actuary.

Hi, I'm Daniel, I'm 31 and an accountant.

Mat and team, great to see you. So you are actual young quizzers? You love to quiz.

Well, yes, pub quiz, absolutely.

-Nothing too serious.

-You're all very brainy. Accountants, actuaries, PhD students...

-You're the next generation.

-Well, let's say that. We'd like to think so.

-Try to frighten them now.

-We ARE the next generation.

-And what do you find you need to be good quizzers?

To retain a lot of stuff? Practise a lot?

Good instincts, I guess. Confidence to go with your gut.

-You play in one pub or lots?

-There's a few of those pubs in Bristol, so generally one.

Well, good luck in this contest.

Every day there is £1,000 up for grabs for our challengers, but if they fail, it rolls over.

The Eggheads have won the last six games

-so £7,000 says you can't beat them today. Would you like to try?

-Absolutely.

Good luck. The first Head to Head is Film and TV.

Who would like this?

Between Dan and Iain?

-Dan or Iain?

-Fancy it, Dan?

Dan'll take it? Sounds good.

-Dan on the end?

-Yeah, Daniel.

-Against which Egghead?

-Chris, I think.

-Chris?

OK, we're going to take Chris.

-OK, so Daniel from Lounging Around against Chris. What have you been watching lately?

-Not a whole lot.

-Just putting on whatever's on?

-Yeah, yeah.

-OK. Sounds promising.

-Could be.

-Slightly worrying as well!

To ensure no conferring, please take your positions in the Question Room.

-You took part in a quiz marathon?

-Marathon might be an exaggeration. It was five days, five evenings,

from a Sunday to a Thursday. It was pretty exhausting going to work on Monday to Thursday

and each evening doing another marathon. I was pretty exhausted at the end.

-So you went through the night quizzing?

-No, not quite that far. A few hours each evening.

We had quite a good win ratio. We got 60% for the week.

-And you do that for how many days?

-Five. We wanted to do longer,

but on Friday night in a pub it's hard to find a quiz.

I'll ask each of you three multiple choice questions on Film and TV.

-Daniel, the first or second set?

-First, please.

Here we go. Good luck. In 2001, Hugh Quarshie joined the cast of which TV drama

playing a doctor called Rick Griffin? It's Q-U-A-R-S-H-I-E.

I haven't heard of the name.

I might just play the odds and say EastEnders hasn't many doctors, so I won't go for that.

Waking The Dead, I haven't seen much of. Holby City feels like the best guess for me.

I'll guess and go for Holby City.

Very good. It is Holby City.

Chris, your question.

In 2003, Susie Dent became a regular fixture on which game show?

Susie Dent's in Dictionary Corner on Countdown.

Do I sense any small resentment?

No, no, Susie's all right.

We're not going down that road again, Jeremy. Countdown, end of.

Countdown is the right answer.

Daniel,

Angelina Jolie was nominated for the Academy Award for Leading Actress for her role in which 2008 film?

My first thought was Changeling.

Wanted doesn't seem like an Oscar-nominated kind of film to me.

Alexander, I think, was another action one, so I'll say Changeling.

Changeling is the right answer. Doing well, Daniel.

OK, Chris,

in the 2010 crime drama film London Boulevard, who played a gangster called Mitchell?

Well, Daniel Craig's got away from James Bond of late, hasn't he?

I think he's been in a fairly hard-boiled gangster film lately, so Daniel Craig.

Do you know this one, Daniel?

-No, I don't.

-Colin Farrell it is. You've fallen behind, Chris.

Daniel, get this to take the round.

Then you will be in the final.

In the 1960 film The League of Gentlemen,

which crime does the League intend to commit?

Now kidnap a millionaire doesn't sound ambitious enough.

Neither does rob a bank, so I'll go for steal a painting.

A guess. Steal a painting.

OK, the actual answer is rob a bank.

-Oh.

-What was this? An Ealing comedy?

No, it's about a group of ex-Army guys, mostly ex-officers,

who feel they've been short-changed by what's happened in their careers,

all played by quite well-known actors at the time.

-It was one of these ensemble pieces, a bit like Ocean's 11.

-Good film?

-Yes, not bad at all.

Rob a bank. Sorry, Daniel. A chance for Chris to catch up.

Which leading actor appeared in the 1960 film Butterfield 8 and 1962's The Manchurian Candidate?

Butterfield 8 was Elizabeth Taylor as a high-class lady of easy virtue.

I don't see Alan Bates in that.

And I don't think Laurence Harvey was in The Manchurian Candidate, so Montgomery Clift.

How strange. I watched The Manchurian Candidate a few weeks ago and there was Laurence Harvey.

He is the answer. Well done, Daniel. You've taken out an Egghead.

That's a good start. You'll be in the final round and Chris won't.

Please both come back and rejoin your teams.

The challengers have not lost a brain. The Eggheads have lost one.

We go to Sport. Who's the sporty person?

Iain for this one.

Iain on Sport. Against which Egghead?

- I think we'll go Kevin? - Yeah.

Not Daphne, we feel, so I think we're going to go for Kevin.

So Iain versus Kevin on Sport. You don't do Sport that often.

It varies, but this is the second one I've done recently.

-But there was a long gap before that.

-Let's see how you go.

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

Good luck. Three questions on Sport. Whoever answers the most goes through to the final.

-Iain, the first or second set?

-I'd like to go first, please.

A golfer who aces a hole completes it in how many shots?

OK, I do quite like playing a little bit of golf.

Unfortunately, I've never had an ace myself.

But I do know that that is a hole in one, so the answer's one.

One is quite right.

Good start.

The tennis player Vera Zvonareva was born in which city, Kevin?

Vera Zvonareva.

-Which is Z-V-O-N-A-R-E-V-A. Yes.

-That's brilliant.

I can't give you a point for that.

-Well spelt.

-Well, she is Russian, so Moscow.

Moscow is the right answer. Zvonareva. Great name.

Iain, which Pakistani bowler had the nickname the Sultan of Swing?

OK, well, I think being from Lancashire I should probably know this.

I've got an inclination. I know Wasim Akram used to move the ball a massive amount in the air,

so... I'm just looking at the others.

I think Mushtaq Ahmed is a spinner, not sure about Qadir.

I'll go for Wasim Akram.

Wasim Akram is the right answer. Very nicely done. Kevin,

the Stadio Luigi Ferraris is a football stadium in which Italian city?

It's not Venice.

My first thought before the choices came up was Genoa,

but I'm just having a...

Just having a think.

-Yes, Genoa.

-You sure?

-Yeah.

-You're right.

Genoa it is. I don't know how he does that,

but he does. OK, Iain, as well as winning 22 caps for England at rugby union,

Paul Ackford was an inspector with which organisation?

With him being a rugby player and often size is a big factor in rugby,

I'm probably going to have to go with the Metropolitan Police.

Let me follow your logic here.

He's a rugby player so he's big?

-Yeah.

-So he's a policeman.

-Yeah, that was my logic, yeah.

You're right. Three out of three.

I would not have... That's great.

That's a quizzer. OK, Kevin, can you stay in the contest?

What did Sebastian Vettel nickname his car for the 2011 Formula 1 season?

No, that's something that's passed me by, I'm afraid.

I don't like Kooky Kelly, I've decided.

So I'm assuming there's some reference

to the shape of the bodywork in here.

Curvy Katy...Kinky Kylie.

Kinky Kylie.

It's the right answer. So it's three all. A tight, tight round.

We go to sudden death.

I do not give alternative answers.

-Ready to roll?

-Yep.

-In 2012, which horseracing trainer

broke Fulke Walwyn's career record of 40 wins at the Cheltenham Festival Meeting?

Right, OK. Got to think about racing trainers.

No, I'm going to say... I don't think it's right, I think it's actually a jockey. Kieren Fallon.

-No, it's Nicky Henderson.

-OK.

Kevin has a chance to take it.

-Did you know that one?

-Yeah, I did know it.

-Here's your question.

Which Czech tennis player won the Ladies' Singles title at the Australian Open in 1980 and 1987,

the French Open in 1981

and the US Open in 1985?

OK, I think for that I'm going to try Hana Mandlikova.

-You like that, Dave?

-I do.

-Hana Mandlikova is the right answer, Kevin. Well done.

Tough round. Iain, well played.

I'm sorry you've been knocked out. Kevin will be in the final.

Both please rejoin your teams and we'll play on.

So the challengers have lost one brain and the Eggheads have also.

The next subject is Arts and Books.

-Is that good?

-Em...no.

Not really? Who would you like to send onto the battlefield?

George will be delighted.

He bravely, before the show, said, "If art comes up, I'll take it."

It's tricky because it ranges very widely. George, OK. Against anyone but Kevin or Chris.

Have a go at Dave.

Yeah, give it a try.

-We're going to go with Dave.

-Gradually the name "Dave" becomes louder and louder.

OK, it's George against Tremendous Knowledge Dave, our newest Egghead.

Good luck on Arts and Books. Off you go to the Question Room.

Three questions on Arts and Books. George, first or second?

First, please.

Here we go. The Impressionist artist Alfred Sisley is particularly known for his work in which medium?

I know of Impressionism in painting.

I've not really heard of it in sculpture or photography.

Because of Impressionism, I'll go with painting.

Absolutely right. It wasn't a trick question.

It would have been a nasty trick to say he was an Impressionist

and then he did sculpture. Dave, the 1985 work Last Letters From Hav by Jan Morris

was nominated for which major prize?

Well, Stirling Prize is in architecture, Turner Prize in art.

I presume it's the Booker Prize, but I've not heard of it.

Booker Prize is the right answer.

Over to you.

The Crow Road by Iain Banks

starts with the line, "It was the day my grandmother..." what?

"Exploded" sounds a little bit unbelievable, but perhaps.

"Revolted"...

It doesn't quite sound right. Grandmothers are more likely to collapse, so go with that.

-Collapsed.

-Collapsed is your answer. I heard Daphne whisper it here.

-Exploded.

-"It was the day my grandmother exploded."

That is quite a famous line.

I've heard people refer to it as a great opening line.

Dave, the early-19th century woodblock print entitled The Great Wave Off Kanagawa

is by which artist?

I don't know.

-I'll go Suh Yongsun.

-Nope.

-It is Katsushika Hokusai.

-Mmm.

So Hokusai is the answer.

You're equal on one point.

George, the Sandham Memorial Chapel in Burghclere, Hampshire,

was built to house a series of large-scale WWI murals by which artist?

Another one I don't really know the answer to. For some reason,

Eric Gill and Stanley Spencer are looking more likely, but I don't know why.

I think I'm going to go with Stanley Spencer.

Stanley Spencer is right! Nice play! Nice play.

OK, Dave.

Get this wrong and you're out.

Bram Stoker, the author of the 1897 horror novel Dracula,

was born in which Irish city in 1847?

I've got no real reason to go against Dublin, so that's my answer.

Dublin is the right answer. Well done.

George, we go to sudden death.

I don't give you alternatives, OK?

In 2011 it was announced that London's Comedy Theatre would be renamed to honour which playwright?

The only playwright that's coming to my mind and I don't even know if he writes comedies is Harold Pinter.

-Is that your answer?

-Yeah.

-It's right.

OK, Dave.

-Get this wrong and you're not in the final round.

-Yep.

Which pop artist designed the Brit Awards statuettes for 2012?

All I can go with is Damien Hirst, but I don't think it's right.

That's wrong. It's Peter Blake.

George, well done.

Do both of you please come back here and rejoin your teams.

So the challengers have lost one brain, the Eggheads have lost two. You're doing well, guys.

This is a proper quizzing team here. Let's see if you can crack the shell of the Eggheads fatally.

The last subject is Politics.

Is that good for you or not?

-It's worked out OK.

-Paul or Mat.

-I think the captain.

-It's going to be me.

-OK. Now which Egghead - Daphne or Barry?

- He's looking more confident. - Daphne looked utterly exasperated in the last round.

She's dying to get a chance, so...Barry.

So Matt from Lounging Around against Barry, who's been very quiet on the end, suspiciously so.

He's like a coiled spring. When he goes into action, you wouldn't believe the energy.

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

I'll ask each of you three questions on Politics. Mat, would you like to go first or second?

Em...I'll go first, please.

Good luck. Here we go. The Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi won which Nobel Prize in 1991?

Er, well, I'm pleased to see that the Peace Prize has come up.

That was my first instinct.

I don't think she's renowned as an economist. She may well have written, but I wasn't aware of it,

so I'll go with Peace.

Peace is the right answer. Well done.

Amazing to see her take a seat

in the Burmese Parliament as an MP.

Barry, Rick Santorum was a candidate for which US party's 2012 presidential nomination?

Rick Santorum was a candidate for the Republican Party.

Republican is the right answer.

OK, back to you, Mat.

Which future British Prime Minister was born at Windlestone Hall, County Durham, in 1897?

Er, OK. So Anthony Eden, he was the Suez Crisis, wasn't he?

So he was the '50s or '60s.

Alec Douglas-Home and Stanley Baldwin, I can't think now...when...

they were around.

I guess the politicians of the day tended to be a little bit older.

Just on the fact that I think he'd have been in his 50s or 60s,

I'm going to go with Anthony Eden. That's a bit of a punt.

The logic is good and the answer is correct. Anthony Eden it was.

Two out of two. All right, Barry,

the 6th century BC political figure called Solon is described as laying the foundations of democracy

in which Greek city state?

Well, the person who laid the Spartan constitution was Lycurgus.

I'm not sure who did Thebes, but Solon is associated with Athens.

Athens is right, Barry.

OK, back to you, Mat.

Who became US Defense Secretary in July, 2011?

Er...I have a feeling Geithner is his Chief of Staff.

Em...Leon Panetta,

the name isn't ringing a bell.

I'm going to go with Rahm Emanuel.

No, actually. I thought you were going to head to the right answer. He's Mayor of Chicago now.

I don't know what he did in the White House, but it wasn't Defense Secretary.

-He was Chief of Staff.

-OK.

The answer is Leon Panetta.

Barry, it gives you a line of sight.

In 1969, who succeeded Charles de Gaulle as President of France?

Raymond Barre and Rene Coty both preceded Charles de Gaulle,

-so the person who succeeded him was Georges Pompidou.

-Correct.

Three out of three and you are in the final round.

-Sorry, Mat, but your team's done well so far.

-They have.

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

This is what we have been playing towards. Time for the final round on general knowledge,

but those of you who lost

won't be allowed to take part, so Mat and Iain from Lounging Around

and Chris and Dave, would you now please leave the studio?

So George, Paul and Daniel, you are playing to win Lounging Around £7,000.

Barry, Daphne and Kevin, you are playing for something money can't buy, the Eggheads' reputation.

I will ask each team three questions on general knowledge and you can confer.

So George, Paul and...I want to say Ringo. George, Paul and Daniel, the question is

are your three brains able to take apart the Eggheads' three?

-Do you want to go first or second?

-Stick with going first?

-Yeah.

-First.

Good luck. £7,000 in play. What word of German origin is used by scientists for a tune

that gets stuck in your head?

-Earworm, I think.

-Earworm, yeah.

-It's not something I've heard.

-George, did you think that?

-I was thinking it beforehand.

-OK.

Sounds good to me. We'll go with earworm.

Earworm is the right answer. OK, Eggheads.

What is the French word for cake?

-I think it might be gateaux.

-Yes.

I think that might be gateaux.

If you'd got that wrong, it would have a million hits on YouTube.

Gateaux is the right answer.

They may get more difficult,

these questions. What type of bird is a redwing?

-Who's good on their bird knowledge?

-Mat, unfortunately!

Any thoughts? Any feelings?

Detroit Redwings are the ice hockey team, but I'm not sure what type of bird that is.

Harrier - is that a bird of prey?

Of the three, I'd think harrier.

I sort of thought of thrush, but I have no basis for that.

It was just, you know, a feeling.

-Your feeling or mine?

-No idea.

-If it's an ice hockey team, maybe harrier.

-That's what I think.

A bit more of a bird of prey type.

-That sounds more plausible.

-Go with that? Go with harrier.

It's thrush, I'm afraid.

Feel free to hold it against harriers for a long time.

But it's not over yet.

In historical costume, what was a peruke?

Wig.

-That's a wig.

-Right answer. You're now ahead.

That does mean, challengers,

you need to get this one right or it is curtains.

The headquarters of the Special Boat Service or SBS are near which town?

-SAS is Hereford.

-Yes.

Poole's on the south coast.

Where's Barmouth? Wales, isn't it?

I'm not sure. Rosyth's Scotland. I don't know.

I don't think it's Barmouth. That's a small seaside town.

-I think the Royal Marines are based there.

-I don't know.

I think so. At Rosyth, they make a lot of boats. It's a red herring.

-Shall we go Poole?

-I'm happy with that.

I'm happy with it. I don't know.

-Poole sounds reasonable.

-We'll go with Poole.

-Poole is correct.

-We're still in it!

Exactly! You really are.

OK, Eggheads, get this to take it or we go to sudden death. £7,000 we're playing for.

King Leopold III of Belgium spent the first five years after the end of World War Two

living in exile in which country?

-I think we can discount Saudi Arabia.

-It seems very unlikely.

-So...

-South Africa is quite close to Belgian Congo.

-Yeah.

You could make a case for that.

-Switzerland was neutral.

-And it's closer to Belgium.

It seems the percentage one, the most obvious one.

OK, Jeremy.

As you can tell, we're not sure.

We haven't come across it,

but we are going to go for Switzerland.

If you're right, the contest is over and they fought hard, this team.

It may not be over yet.

It's not Saudi Arabia. Quite right.

It's not South Africa. Switzerland.

Congratulations, you have won.

That was a real slugging match.

-You really punched your weight.

-It was close. We...

-We put up a good fight.

And to get three in the final. You were set to take it, but they're still tough.

-Definitely!

-They are. And so we say thank you.

The Eggheads have won. It does come naturally to them. Their winning streak continues.

You won't be going home with the £7,000, so the money rolls over to our next show.

Eggheads, congratulations. Back on track with a bang. Who will beat you, I wonder?

Join us next time to see if a new team of challengers can defeat them.

£8,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

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