Episode 134 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 awesome might of our quiz Goliaths

today are the Mount Olympians from Liverpool.

This friends and family team are all connected through the world

of teaching and take their name from St Mary's The Mount school

where three of them work. Let's meet them.

Hello, I'm Ged, I'm 55 and I'm a primary school teacher.

Hi, I'm Mike, I'm 26 and I'm a maths teacher.

Hello, I'm John, I'm 59 and I'm a primary school teacher.

Hello, I'm Peter, I'm 54 and I'm a maths teacher.

Hello, I'm Michael, I'm 54 and I'm a primary school teacher.

-So, Ged and team, welcome.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Great to see you, so all teachers?

-Indeed.

-Indeed.

-And that means you are knowledgeable, I'm thinking?

That means you are probably...

-In theory.

-..quizzers, I'm thinking,

but you haven't quizzed together, have you?

We haven't quizzed together, no. John runs quizzes.

I do, I'm a sort of amateur quizmaster.

Right, and have you watched these guys in action, John, as well?

Frequently, yes, frequently.

Quite impressive, aren't they? But they can also fall apart at times.

-Pretty good.

-So good luck.

-Thanks very much.

And every day, as you know, 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, Mount Olympians, I can tell you the Eggheads have won

the last 13 games, which means £14,000 is in play today.

-Would you like to have a go at beating them?

-ALL: Yes.

-Yeah?

-I think so.

-Bring it on.

First head-to-head battle will be on the subject of Geography,

so who would like Geography?

-John?

-That's fine.

-Do we want to save you? Who's going to go?

-I'll go.

-You can go.

-Ged, OK. And choose an Egghead.

-You can have any one of them there.

-Er, I'll go for Dave.

-Tremendous Knowledge Dave.

-Tremendous Knowledge Dave, in fact, yes.

All right, so Ged from the Mount Olympians versus Tremendous Knowledge Dave from the Eggheads

and just to make sure there's no conferring,

please take your positions in our Question Room.

I'll ask each of you three multiple choice questions on Geography in turn.

Whoever answers the most questions correctly is the winner.

-And Ged, you can choose the first or second set.

-First, please.

The adjective fluvial relates to which geographical feature?

Hmm. Fluvial?

"Fluv" sounds like it's flowing, so I'll go for river.

River is the right answer, Ged, well done.

APPLAUSE

Dave, Oswestry, Whitchurch

and Market Drayton are towns in which English county?

-They're in Shropshire.

-Shropshire is the right answer. Straight there.

OK, one each, back to you, Ged.

In South Africa, what is locally referred to as the Cape Doctor?

The Cape Doctor. Now, I know in Australia, I think they have

I wind that they call the Doctor, somewhere near Perth or Fremantle.

Doctor. So I'll go for wind.

-Wind is correct.

-Oh.

-Hurrah!

Dave, the Haines Index is used to measure the potential spread of what?

The Haines Index, H-A-I-N-E-S.

Erm, I've not heard of it, so I'll go hurricanes.

Hurricanes is wrong, it's wild fires.

So, if you get this one right, Ged,

you are through to the final in pretty quick order.

The Dazu Rock Carvings is a World Heritage Site in which country?

Dazu is D-A-Z-U.

I've not heard of it.

Rock carvings? D-A-Z-U.

I think the letter Z

I could associate with each of those choices. Dazu.

It's going to be a guess, erm, China...

only because it's a lot bigger than the other countries.

You're in the final round, China is correct. Well done, Ged.

-APPLAUSE

-Three out of three.

Tremendous Knowledge Dave,

you've been knocked out, I'm afraid, and you will not be in the final round.

Good news for the Challengers.

Please both of you come back and rejoin us here.

-Good start, Ged.

-Yes, it was.

-LAUGHTER

Let's see how we go.

As it stands, the Challengers have lost no brains from the final round,

the Eggheads have lost a brain.

And the next subject for you is Music,

so who would like this?

-Do you want me to send him in?

-Yep.

-Mike?

-Is that OK, Jeremy?

-I think it's me.

-Against which Egghead, anyone but Dave?

-Any preferences?

-Kevin, eh?

-Kevin.

-Kevin. Take on the big man - Kevin.

Yeah, he's struggled a bit on music, actually,

it's probably a good choice.

So, Mike from Mount Olympians versus Kevin from the Eggheads and just

to make sure there's no conferring, please go to the Question Room.

So, Mike, I'm sensing this is a really good quizzing team,

but you don't quiz together, you quiz separately?

No, I've quizzed a few times with Ged,

me dad, in a team a couple of times, but not with the rest of them.

So the first time you all are in a team together

-you're facing the Eggheads?

-Yes, why not? Take on the best.

Well, indeed, and you're winning so far,

so let's see how you do in Music.

Three questions, multiple-choice,

and you can choose the first or the second set.

I'll go first, please.

OK, Mike, here we go.

Good luck.

The singer Julio Iglesias,

born in 1943, is what relation to the singer Enrique Iglesias?

He's... I think he's his uncle. Yeah, uncle.

Do you know, Kevin?

-I thought it was his father.

-He is his father.

-Oh, right.

Kevin, your question to take the lead -

"Annie, are you OK,

"so, Annie, are you OK?" is a line from which Michael Jackson song?

Hmm.

I don't think it's Billie Jean.

-I'll try Smooth Criminal.

-JEREMY LAUGHS

You're right.

It's, "Annie, are you OK, are you OK, are you OK, Annie?"

It's like that.

I won't be rushing to the tape decks anyway.

-What, your three-quarter-inch reel-to-reel machine...?

-Yeah.

Going to have to stay off. OK, Mike, your question,

the Beatles songs Michelle

and Norwegian Wood appear on which album?

I really, really should know this. Local band, world-famous.

I love the Beatles, me dad'll be shaking his head, I can see it now.

Don't know...album tracks.

Phwoof! Rubber Soul, Revolver, Let It Be. Norwegian Wood.

I'll go with Norwegian Wood, probably...Rubber Soul? Yeah.

-OK, well, it's a Liverpool team so is he right?

-I think so.

-Yeah, you're right.

-Get in!

-Well done. Get in! Rubber Soul, it is.

Very tricky if you haven't got them. OK, Kevin, your question.

What was the only UK No.1 single for Hot Chocolate?

All very well-known songs for them, back in the, er...back in the '70s.

I think it was So You Win Again.

1977, it was So You Win Again, well done. OK, Mike, your question.

You need to get this one right.

OK. Johannes Brahms wrote how many symphonies?

I wouldn't know where to start, even...even on an educated guess.

Erm...

I've gone down the middle both times,

so I'll take that out of the equation. Er...

Johannes Brahms, symphonies...

I don't know, is a symphony long?

Er, I'll go with four. Could someone write 40? I don't know. Four.

-Is he right, Eggheads?

-Yes.

-Yes, you're right. Two out of three.

-APPLAUSE

-Kevin could still take the round with this one, though.

The African style of music known as juju is particularly

associated with which country?

-J-U-J-U?

-J-U-J-U?

That doesn't sound at all Egyptian.

And Mozambique being an ex-Portuguese colony

has styles of music there with names that sounded more, well,

Hispanic, for want of a better word. I think...I think this is Nigeria.

Yeah, you've got it. Nigeria is the right answer.

Very difficult to give Kevin any leeway.

-Sorry, Mike, he's knocked you out.

-I blame the parents.

Your dad can rescue it for the team. So you won't be in the final.

Please, both of you, come back and rejoin your team-mates here.

As it stands, the Challengers have lost a brain now, the Eggheads have

also lost one, so all square and the next subject is Film & TV,

who would like this?

-TV, I'm all right on.

-Yeah, you all right for that, Peter? Give it a go?

-Peter?

-Peter.

-Against which Egghead?

-Chris...

-Chris, yeah?

-Chris.

-Chris.

Okey-doke, so Peter from the Mount Olympians against Chris

from the Eggheads on Film & TV, please go to the Question Room now.

-Peter, you're also a teacher?

-I am indeed, Jeremy. I'm a maths teacher.

It's funny being in the presence of teachers,

cos you have that feeling like we're back in class.

-Do you have that feeling, Chris?

-Yeah, yeah, certainly do.

-Remember your school days?

-My school days? Total disaster.

-What happened?

-Not a lot, well, I got kicked out of a grammar school.

I think, at an early age, I made up my mind, I was going to learn

what I wanted to know, not what they wanted to teach me.

-I've always just gone on that way.

-And you do know a lot.

-Mm.

Let's see how you do now.

I'll ask each of you three questions on Film & TV in turn.

That's the most I've got out of him for about two years.

Peter, would you like the first or second set of questions?

I'll go first, please.

Here's your first question.

James Ivory was the film-making partner of which producer

and director who died in 2005?

Er, well, I'm pretty sure it's not either of the latter two.

I am reasonably certain it's Mr Ismail Merchant.

That's right, from Merchant-Ivory, well done.

Chris, which sport is the focus of the 2005 film Million Dollar Baby?

It's boxing, Jeremy.

Boxing is correct.

What was the plot, Barry?

Hilary Swank wants to be a boxer and she's quite old

and she has trouble finding a trainer

and she manages to convince Clint Eastwood to be her trainer.

Absolutely wonderful film.

OK, Pete, your question.

Who played Father Ralph de Bricassart

in the 1980s TV adaptation of The Thorn Birds?

Er, well, it certainly wasn't Mr Richard Harris.

Don't think that was a role that would have been suited to him.

Erm, could have been the very suave Mr Richard Briers, but it was

one of my late mother's favourite actors,

Mr Richard Chamberlain.

Indeed it was Richard Chamberlain.

It's a little bit before my time,

but there was some amazing statistic about the National Grid

when there was a break and it was one of the highest figures ever,

-wasn't it, for a TV programme?

-Yeah.

OK, Chris.

Which comic character, a burger van owner by trade,

was created by the comedian Dan Renton Skinner

and found fame on the TV comedy series Shooting Stars?

Ah, yes, now you're trying to confuse me, aren't you,

with Stavros, Harry Enfield?

Er, it was, er...

He used to shamble around in a duffel coat,

looking unshaven, didn't he? Angelos.

Angelos is correct, well done, all right.

So your third question, Peter, here we go.

Who won the Oscar for Best Actress

for her role in the 1976 film Network?

'76. Er, Network was Peter Finch.

I think it was Faye Dunaway.

-You're absolutely right, Faye Dunaway it is.

-Well done, mate.

OK, Chris,

in 2010, Dan Stevens joined the cast of Downton Abbey

playing which character?

Ah...

Well, Mr Carson's the butler, he's been there all the time.

It's between John Bates and Matthew Crawley.

John Bates sounds like he's been there all the time, Matthew Crawley

sounds like some sort of parvenu so I'll go with Matthew Crawley.

That's a good way of working it out, cos it's right,

Matthew Crawley is the one. Well done. OK, sorry about that, Peter.

His logic is amazing, his logical processes,

but we get to Sudden Death now. OK, so I don't give you alternatives.

It's a bit harder.

William Munny is the central character in which

Oscar-winning film of the 1990s?

I'm afraid, as you can probably tell by my expression

it's probably a complete guess.

I will go with Jerry Maguire.

No, it's Unforgiven.

Clint Eastwood played the part and also produced and directed it.

Chris,

the American sitcom The Golden Palace was

a spin-off from which other programme?

-This for the round.

-Well, it sounds like an Indian restaurant

but I think it was a spin-off from The Golden Girls.

-That your answer?

-Yeah.

The Golden Girls is right. Chris, you've taken the round.

Sorry, Peter, you're beaten by our Egghead

and you won't be able to play in the final round.

Still a very interesting contest.

Please both of you come back and rejoin your team-mates.

So as it stands, the Challengers have now lost two brains,

the Eggheads have lost one brain from the final round,

and the last subject before that final round is History.

-Is that good?

-OK, Mike.

-Michael?

-Go on, Mike.

-Against which Egghead?

Can be Daphne or Barry on the end there.

-Barold.

-I think, Barry.

-Barold?!

-Take Barry.

-Barry.

So, it's Michael from Mount Olympians versus

Barry from the Eggheads,

and to ensure there's no conferring, please go to the Question Room.

-You ready for this one, Barry?

-Yes, I love History.

I don't think you've ever lost a round in History, have you?

Not yet, there's always the first time.

But it was a big night last night?

Yes, I took Chris out to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society

and we sampled the very fine products they have on sale.

-So you might have picked a good moment, Michael.

-I hope so.

You might have picked a good moment.

OK, three questions on History, let's see

if you can break Barry's great record.

-Would you like to go first or second?

-I'd like to go first, please.

Here we go. First awarded in 1930,

what was the highest decoration bestowed by the Soviet Union?

Well, I doubt very much if it's going to be the Cross of Rasputin,

and given the time of it,

I wouldn't think it's the Medal of the Tsar Nicholas.

Don't think so, so I'm going to go for the Order of Lenin.

Well done, Order of Lenin is right.

Barry, which empire was formed from the Eastern Roman Empire?

This empire lasted until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453.

It was the Byzantine Empire.

Byzantine Empire is quite right.

Glad you could remember it!

Michael, born at the end of the 19th century,

Percy Toplis gained notoriety under which nickname?

Well, I haven't heard of The Tichborne Claimant, and I don't

think it was The Scarlet Pimpernel, I have heard of that character.

I'm pretty sure it's The Monocled Mutineer.

The Monocled Mutineer is correct.

Barry, John of Gaunt, so-called because he was

born in Ghent in 1340, was the son of which English king?

He was the son of Edward III.

Edward III is correct as well. Cracking on through this round here.

OK, Michael, your question, see if you can make it three out of three.

Where did a mass trespass take place in 1932

to protest against walkers being denied access to open country?

Well, it's a very famous one, this, isn't it?

Erm, it's the anniversary this year, I think, so it's Kinder Scout.

Kinder Scout is the right answer.

Barry, your question. If you get this wrong,

you've been knocked out.

What was the name of the French flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar?

Ah! This is where I might be regretting my folly the previous day.

I believe it is...

no, it's not Fou-cueux or In-comptable.

I believe it's Bucent-aire.

Bucentaure is the right answer, well done.

-The whisky helped you to mangle it when you said it.

-Yes, it did.

My French was never good, even at the best of times.

Anyway, it's three out of three here, so we go to Sudden Death,

Michael, OK, it's a bit more tricky, I don't give you alternatives.

The Maratha Empire of the 17th to 19th centuries

was mainly based in the area of which modern country?

Well, I don't know this one. So, it's going to be a guess.

The A sound may suggest one of two places, really.

It could either be South America or I'm thinking it could be, um...

northern Asia. I'm going to go for...

I'm going to say India.

Eggheads, is he right?

-He is indeed.

-You're right, well done.

APPLAUSE

Barry, which island was known to the Romans as Vectis?

Er...

Now, Vectis?

I'm just toying with the Isle of Wight or the Isle of Man.

I don't think it was the Isle of Man. Yes, it was the Isle of Wight.

-The Isle of Wight is your answer?

-Mm-hm.

It's correct.

This is a good round, guys.

Michael,

what was the pen name of the American journalist,

Elizabeth Cochrane, who, in the late 19th century,

travelled around the world in 72 days in an attempt to emulate

Phileas Fogg's literary feat?

Er, trying to think of an American and a pen name. Um...

No, I just don't know an answer for this one. Um...

I'm just come to come out with a name - Barnum.

No, the answer... Let's ask Barry. Barry, do you know?

-Yes, she was Nellie Bly.

-Nellie Bly.

-No, didn't know.

-Nellie Bly.

OK, so, Barry, if you get this one right you'll have taken the round

despite the incident last night.

There was no incident yesterday.

LAUGHTER

The session, perhaps I should say.

Priam's Treasure, a hoard of gold jewellery and bronze weapons,

was discovered by which German archaeologist in 1873?

Except that it wasn't Priam's Treasure.

It was discovered by Heinrich Schliemann at Troy,

and he thought it dated from Troy but subsequent archaeology

has proved that it was a couple of centuries earlier.

I should have perhaps said that Priam's Treasure

was in inverted commas when I asked the question.

So it was not what it seemed.

-But your answer is?

-Heinrich Schliemann.

Heinrich Schliemann is the right answer. Very well done.

A tough round for you both. Michael, sorry.

-He's good though, isn't he?

-Very good.

And Barry will be in the final round. Come back to us

and we'll 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, Mike, Peter and Michael, from Mount Olympians,

and Dave from the Eggheads, would you, please, leave the studio?

Jed and John, you're playing to win Mount Olympians £14,000.

Kevin, Daphne, Chris and Barry, you're playing for something

that money can't buy - the Eggheads' reputation.

As usual, I will ask each team three questions in turn.

The questions are general knowledge

and you are allowed to confer.

So, Jed and John, the question is, are your two brains

able to overwhelm the Eggheads' four brains today?

-Yes.

-Good answer. Would you like to go first or second?

We'll go first, Jeremy, thank you.

Here's your first question.

Roberto Di Matteo became the interim coach

of which football team in March 2012?

Chelsea. Go to go Chelsea, haven't you? Strange that should come up.

It's your favourite club, Jeremy. Chelsea.

Chelsea is the right answer. Well done.

I'm so glad you didn't get that wrong. OK, Eggheads, your question.

What name is given to the plug and socket system,

usually with 21 pins, used to connect audiovisual equipment?

-Scart.

-Yeah, I know that.

-OK. Scart.

-It's a scart lead.

I think it's French and the last two, R and T,

stand for radio and television.

-Oh, is that right?

-Yes, it is. It's an acronym.

Scart is the answer. Well done.

Mount Olympians, what type of establishment is Bedales

in Hampshire, founded in 1893?

B-E-D-A-L-E-S.

-I think it's a school.

-A school?

-Yes, Bedales. A school.

-A school.

-School or department store?

-No, it's not a department store.

-No.

-I think it's school.

-I think it's a school.

-Yes.

-Shall we go to school?

-Yes.

-We think it's a school.

School is correct.

Eggheads,

a performer known as "the infant phenomenon"

appears in which Charles Dickens novel?

Nicholas Nickleby, isn't it?

It's the travelling troupe.

-Yes.

-I think so.

-I don't think it's with...

-No.

There's nothing like it. I think it's Nicholas Nickleby.

No, it's Nickleby.

That is Nicholas Nickleby.

Nicholas Nickleby is the right answer, well done. OK, two each.

This is the one.

Get this one right and you put a bit of pressure on them.

The Australian businessman and explorer, John Batman,

is best remembered as a pioneering figure

in the creation of which city?

-Batman?

-Yes, Batman. Sydney was named after Lord Sydney.

I don't know about Melbourne. It's more remote.

I've been to Sydney, I had a tour.

-I don't remember hearing or seeing that name mentioned.

-No.

Although it doesn't mean it wasn't Sydney.

I had a little tour of Melbourne and I don't remember seeing it

although it could be that.

Adelaide was named after the wife of one of the kings.

-Apparently so.

-Shall we go for Melbourne?

South Australia, that's where it was developed first,

along New South Wales from Melbourne up the coast.

It is remote. Victoria.

More remote. South Australia, Adelaide? I don't know.

OK, shall we try Melbourne?

-Or Adelaide.

-Why Adelaide?

Only because I think Melbourne and Sydney were the first two cities...

Yes.

..to develop and Adelaide, that name doesn't link with anything.

I've never heard of Batman.

I know nothing about Adelaide and nothing about Batman,

-so only on that ground, sort of negative logic.

-Are you happy?

I've been to both of those cities but not Adelaide.

-I didn't see his name in any of the guidebooks, so...

-OK.

We are just surmising, we're not very sure,

but I've got great faith in my partner so we're going for Adelaide.

Yes, you brilliantly went towards the right answer

and then parked it and went towards the wrong answer.

The answer is Melbourne. You were on Melbourne

-and I couldn't work out why you got off it again.

-Indecision.

-That would be an ecumenical matter.

-That WOULD be an ecumenical matter.

-LAUGHTER

-OK.

It means the Eggheads can win.

Magnolia Lane is the name of the short road

that leads into which golf course?

-Well...

-Um...

-Well, the holes in Augusta are named after flowers.

-They are.

-I don't know it but it seems likely.

-I'm happy with that.

-I don't know that it just seems to make sense.

-On that basis, yes.

Well, on the basis that

there is a lot of holes on the Augusta course named after flowers,

that's what we're going for.

-Augusta.

-Augusta is your answer.

-Do you happen to know, guys?

-Augusta.

Magnolia Lane does lead to Augusta Golf Course.

Eggheads, congratulations, you have won.

-Did you know answer to the Batman question?

-Yes.

Does it make you feel better,

-that they knew that?

-They know a lot of things.

They do know a lot of things. They are very hard to beat.

-It was good contest.

-It was a very good contest. Commiserations to you.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them

and their winning streak continues.

It does mean you won't be going home with the £14,000,

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.

£15,000 says they don't. Till then, goodbye.

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