Episode 39 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 Wonder Techs.

Now, this team of colleagues all work for Middlesbrough Council,

so let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Steph. I'm 31, and I'm a school-based data technician.

Hi, I'm Graham. I'm 47, and I'm a data team manager.

Hi, I'm Rich, I'm 27, and I'm a school-based data technician.

Hi, I'm Alex. I'm 32, and I'm an office-based data technician.

Hi, I'm David. I'm 47, and I'm a performance manager.

Well, welcome come to you, Wonder Techs.

Right, well, you're all techies, are you? IT specialists?

Yeah, in one form or another. Yeah.

So looking forward, one would think, to a Science round,

-should that come up?

-Yeah, possibly.

-Thought out the tactics otherwise?

I mean, do you quiz together, have you competed as a team?

Yeah, we do a bit. We've had a couple of out-of-hours quizzes

that we've been to, and done moderately well, yeah.

Moderately well. Well, I suppose that's how you would describe...

Under the influence of a few pints, kind of...let our guard down a bit.

Do you know what - maybe that's an idea for Eggheads.

No, under no influence here whatsoever,

apart from the quiz questions.

So Wonder Techs, let me tell you what's been going on here.

Every day there's £1,000 of cash up for grabs for challengers. However,

if they fail to defeat the Eggheads, the prize money rolls over

to the next show.

Wonder Techs, the challengers actually won the last game.

That proves it can be done

and means £1,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

So our first head-to-head is on the subject of Arts & Books.

Looking down the line there, wondering who wants to play this.

-Arts & Books.

-I think that's going to be you.

-Yeah?

-You want to go?

-I'm happy with that.

And who do you think we should go against?

I think the choice is yours!

-We'll have Barry, do you reckon?

-Yep.

-Barry?

Yep, that'll be me, and I'd like to pick Barry, please.

OK, well, very decisive there.

Steph's going to take on Barry on Arts & Books and, as you know,

I need to send you to the Question Room

to make sure you can't confer. So off you go.

So, Steph, what about Arts & Books then, for you?

Are you keen on literature and works of art?

Yeah, I do like to read every now and then. I like visiting museums, yeah.

OK, well, no better place

to put it to the test than against an Egghead in the Question Room.

-Do you want to go first or second?

-I'd like to go second.

That means Barry starts us off today,

and, Barry, this is your question.

In the title of a play by Shakespeare,

Timon hails from which city?

He was Timon Of Athens.

Timon Of Athens is correct. I'm sure you knew that one, Steph,

but choosing to go with the second set.

For what does the D stand in the name of the English novelist

DH Lawrence?

I'm not 100% sure.

I can't see it being Digby.

I think I'll go for David, but it's an educated guess.

OK. David H Lawrence.

It's the right answer, yes, and, Barry, do you know the H?

-Herbert.

-Herbert.

David Herbert Lawrence, no wonder he just called himself DH!

OK.

Your second question, Barry.

In publishing, what name is given to a preliminary version

of a book that contains many printing errors?

Ah, I've not heard this one.

I can't see it being called Funk Proof,

so is it filthy or foul?

Gosh, I suppose you could argue a case for both of them.

A filthy proof or a foul proof...?

I think filthy has all the connotations,

so I shall go for a foul proof.

Yeah, I see how you were working it out, and getting it right.

Yes, well done. Foul proof.

With lots of errors. Well, no errors so far in this round.

And your next question, then, Steph.

What is the name of the theatre

located in the basement of the Barbican Centre in London?

Again, I'm not 100% sure,

so I'm going to go with what my gut says, which is The Pit.

The Pit...

is the right answer, yes, well done. Have you ever been to it?

-No.

-No, OK.

It's all-square still, and, Barry...

Roger Hiorns, who was nominated for the 2009 Turner Prize,

created his work Seizure by filling an empty flat

with a solution of which chemical?

Well, I can't imagine it would be Hydrogen Peroxide,

that would be quite dangerous.

So that leaves us with Calcium Chloride or Copper Sulphate.

Hmm. Green or blue?

I think Copper Sulphate would look better,

so we'll go with Copper Sulphate.

OK. It's the right answer,

Yes, well done. You and Roger thinking alike there.

Don't know what happened when he got home and opened the door.

It means you've got to get this, Steph.

Barry's done well with his first three.

It means you need to get this to take us into Sudden Death.

One of the most celebrated paintings by Edward Burne-Jones

now in the Tate Collection

depicts which king sitting at the feet of a beggar maid?

You know, I can actually see this picture in my head,

cos it's a Pre-Raphaelite one, and I love Pre-Raphaelite pictures, but...

I'm struggling to find what the answer is. Um...

I'm going to guess for Saul.

It is a guess, and I'm frustrated cos I've seen that picture so many times.

OK, seen the picture, can't remember the name. Gone for Saul.

-It's Cophetua.

-Ah.

-Oh, bad luck. Yeah.

Seen the picture and you told me Pre-Raphaelite,

but unfortunately we end the round there.

You went second. I don't put another question to Barry,

he already got three out of three, and you managed two,

which means you won't be in the final round. Bad luck, Steph.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

Well, first blood to the Eggheads, then.

The Wonder Techs missing one brain from the final round.

Let's move on to our next subject. This one is Politics.

Who'd like to play this from Wonder Techs?

It can't be Steph, but any one of the other four.

Do you fancy that one?

-Um, I don't.

-You don't? Right.

-David, do you?

-I think you're the man.

-I'm not massively keen, but yes.

-I think the best one is David.

But who do you think you want to go with?

I would not really like a crack at any of them.

-Judith?

-Yes?

-Yes.

-Is that all right?

-OK.

-Yes.

-We think Judith.

I'll do it, Dermot, and I'll have a go at Judith, please.

It's going to be David and Judith playing the Politics round

and as you know, you both need to go to the question room, please.

OK, let's see, David, if we can get you into the final round.

It's politics. As you know, you get to choose,

you're the challenger, do you want to go first or second?

I'll try second, please, Dermot.

That means once again the Egghead starts, and that Egghead's Judith.

Which Conservative party leader

was accused of improperly employing his wife

as a secretary, in a scandal that became known as Betsygate?

Well, Iain Duncan Smith's wife is called Betsy,

and William Hague's is called Ffion,

and John Major's is called Norma, so it's Iain Duncan Smith.

OK, doing that on the names there.

Iain Duncan Smith is correct, Well done, Judith.

David, then, your first question,

which British Prime Minister

born in 1804 was the first Earl of Beaconsfield?

I wish I'd gone first, Dermot.

HE LAUGHS

Um, I don't think it's Robert Peel.

And of the other two,

I would plump for William Gladstone.

OK, Gladstone.

If you knew that first one, it's a pity that you didn't.

It's not Gladstone, it's Disraeli.

You were right to rule out Peel there,

but it was Disraeli, the first Earl of Beaconsfield. And, Judith,

who was both the 22nd and 24th President of the United States?

Oh, I'm not good at numbers and Presidents.

Um...

I don't, I don't know, but I don't think it's Woodrow Wilson.

Because I think he had two in a row.

Um, what about...

Oh, dear. I don't know anything about John Tyler. Um...

I'm going to do John Tyler because I don't know anything about him.

OK, John Tyler, because you don't know anything about him,

I'm sure you will in a moment or two

and I can tell you he was neither the 22nd

nor the 24th President of the United States.

You know that much now and it is Grover Cleveland.

Oh, I nearly went for him.

Yes, you must have been tossing it up after ruling out Wilson.

Do we know the dates of his incumbency, other Eggheads?

He was there in the late 1880s and again in the early 1890s.

He's the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms.

-And who was the president in the middle?

-Harrison. Benjamin Harrison.

Of course, yes.

Right, Judith, as we saw there, didn't get that, good news, David,

a chance to catch up here with your second question.

Julia Gillard was a member of which political party

when she became Australian Prime Minister in 2010?

My mind is blank.

Liberal seems a definite no.

And that may be reason for choosing it as much as anything else.

I'm going to go for National.

The National Party for Julia Gillard.

It's not, it is incorrect. It is Labour.

A member of the Labour Party.

So, Judith still has that narrow lead

and wins if you give me a correct answer here, Judith.

The Marxist guerrilla organisation known as FARC, F-A-R-C,

was formed in 1964 in which country?

Well, not Cuba.

And not Chile, I think it's Colombia.

Colombia is the right answer, which means, Judith,

you're in the final round. Bad luck there, David.

No place for you. Would you both come back and join your teams.

Well, Techs, not showing your wonder yet,

lost two brains from the final round.

The Eggheads are all still there but still plenty of time,

still could be all-square in that final round

as we move to our third head-to-head today.

This subject is Sport.

And who'd like to play this? Three guys in the middle,

Graham, Rich or Alex?

-I'll take it and I'll take, who?

-Chris.

-I'll take Chris, please.

OK, Rich. I see that you always planned to do this.

Straight in there.

-OK, so it's going to be Rich and Chris playing Sport.

-OK.

Into the question room, both of you, please.

So, Rich, which sports do you like? I'm assuming you do like them.

Yes, football, boxing, I'm in to everything, really,

so, hopefully, I'll have a chance.

Yes, just as well because a very wide-ranging round as they all are.

You get to choose. Do you want to go first or second?

Can I go first, please?

OK, going first.

Switching to that tactic, trying to put pressure on the Egghead,

and your question then, Rich, good luck.

Chris Smalling, David De Gea and Danny Welbeck represented

which Premier League football team during the 2011-12 season?

-Um, Manchester United, definitely.

-Exactly.

Without a shadow of a doubt, Manchester United.

APPLAUSE

Manchester United there is correct.

Well done, Rich.

And, Chris, your first question.

Who became the world's top-ranked Test match

cricket team in August 2011?

Oh, yes, they won that strange mace-shaped trophy. It's India.

BARRY GROANS

Good Lord. It's not. It's not.

A lot of heads hitting desks here

I think, around the country, Chris.

-It's when England...

-You mean we actually won something?

-..hit the heights.

-Good God above, what's the world coming to?

Don't you remember that summer?

Having won the Ashes in Australia, then took India,

who WERE the top ranked team, took them apart at home

and, er, top of the world. There we are.

"Top of the world, Ma." Jimmy Cagney.

Wasn't that just before he blew himself up?

Yes, on top of an exploding oil tank, White Heat.

Well, that's what you're sitting on.

HE LAUGHS

OK, well, it's a really good start, Rich. That's fantastic.

Chris fumbling that one, dropping that catch and you go 2-0 up

and a real chance in the final round if you get this.

Andy Turner won a gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games

in which athletics event?

I'm pretty sure it's 110 meter hurdles.

I think, yes, definitely.

OK, do you like your athletics?

Yes, I do, yes. I like the running events, definitely.

Good, well, you got it, yes, Andy Turner, it's all paying off here.

But don't count your chickens.

If Chris is to mount a revival, it has to start here.

Which position is most associated

with the England rugby union player Chris Ashton?

Eee...

Well, if he's a wiry little bloke, it's wing,

if he's a big so-and-so, it's prop.

If he's halfway between, it's scrum-half.

-Always go for the middle, scrum-half.

-Scrum-half.

Well, he is a big so-and-so, as you put it,

but he's on the wing.

-Oh, right.

-He's on the wing.

They are all big now in the backs.

You don't get those old physical stereotypes any more in rugby union.

They're all massive, it seems,

and has an interesting way of scoring tries,

he celebrates as he scores.

He does an elaborate dive,

which has given palpitations to his management,

just in case he drops the ball.

-As he's diving over, it's the swallow dive.

-He's from Wigan.

He was a former rugby league player.

Chris Ashton on the wing, and that means Chris will be

in the question room for the final round, not allowed to play.

You're playing, Rich.

Would you both please come back and join your teams.

Well, Wonder Techs, that was a wonder round.

Rich simply blowing Chris away there with your knowledge of sports.

I'm sure you're hoping for plenty of sport questions in the final round,

but we're not there yet, we've got one more head-to-head to play

and this one is Film & Television.

There's two of you left there available, Alex or Graham.

-Film & TV.

-Shall I take that one?

-Yes.

-But who do I play against?

-It's up to you.

-Kevin or Pat down the end.

-I'll go for Pat.

-I'd have thought Kevin...

Oh, right. OK.

-Kevin. I'll overrule you.

-I've been overruled by my team.

I'm going to play, and I'll will play Kevin.

OK, you wanted to play Pat?

-Yes.

-Well, really Hobson's choice.

They're both world quiz champions in their time.

And let's see, Alex and Kevin, then, playing film and television.

Into the question room, please.

OK, Alex. Taking on Kevin there, Film & Television.

Your choice, do you want to go first or second?

It helped my team-mate going first, so I think I'll go first, Dermot.

Yes, in Rich's case,

I'm not sure if it was the switch of tactics or just sheer brilliance

and breadth of knowledge, but let's see how it goes for you, Alex.

Kicking off, which member of the pop group Take That

became a main judge on the TV show The X Factor in 2011?

I believe it's Gary Barlow.

It's the right answer, well done.

And Kevin, who was the regular presenter of the TV show

Changing Rooms until 2003?

Something I never watched, unfortunately.

The only name I associate with that is Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen,

which doesn't help.

DERMOT CHUCKLES

I can't honestly claim to know much about Jenni Falconer.

I'm going to try Carol Smillie.

And makes Barry very smiley.

It's the right answer.

Carol Smillie at the helm of Changing Rooms until 2003.

So just got it and, Alex,

in which year was the TV drama series Spooks first broadcast?

It's been going on for a while, but, um...

I don't think it's 1997.

That seems too long. I think I'll go for 2002.

2002 is correct.

Well worked out, Alex.

And, Kevin,

Daniel Craig played the role of Jake Lonergan

in which 2011 film?

Yes, very sensible film(!) Based on a comic book or graphic novel,

which I did see.

Um, underwhelmed.

Cowboys & Aliens.

Bit of a crit there, as well. Thank you for that, Kevin.

Well, one word - underwhelmed.

Well, whelmed, not overwhelmed, by the answer.

Cowboys & Aliens is correct.

And it's all square as we face a third question apiece.

Alex, Don Rickles provides the voice of which character

in the Toy Story series of films?

I have seen all three of them.

And...don't have a definite answer for this one.

Don Rickles. I think he's an older actor.

And it doesn't sound like Rex, who was the dinosaur.

I think I'll go with Mr Potato Head.

Mr Potato Head. OK.

-It's the right answer, well done.

-APPLAUSE

Well worked out, Alex.

Mr Potato Head is correct.

Well, Kevin facing ejection from the game if he doesn't get this.

Which best-selling author won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar

for his work on the 1947 film The Bachelor And The Bobby-Soxer?

It won't be Mickey Spillane.

Bachelor And The Bobby-Soxer is a comedy.

and I really can't see Mickey Spillane doing that.

I'm not aware of him working

particularly as a screenwriter, either.

Irving Wallace?

Maybe a bit early.

The one who did have a considerable career as a Hollywood screenwriter

really before he became a best-selling novelist

was Sidney Sheldon.

And the age would be about right, which it might

not quite be for Irving Wallace, but it COULD be Irving Wallace.

I've got go with percentages and go for Sidney Sheldon.

OK, going with the percentages.

As he so often does in getting the right answer.

Sidney Sheldon is correct.

We go to Sudden Death. First time in the game.

And still got to give me answers

but without looking at a list beforehand.

Nothing to pick from.

So who directed the 1993 film Schindler's List?

Who directed the 1993 film Schindler's List?

It's, um, it's a powerful film.

I think very close to the director's heart.

-I think it was Stephen Spielberg.

-Stephen Spielberg is correct.

Yes. Well done,

and that means pressure back on Kevin.

Which Welsh rugby player starred in the 2011 TV series

The Bachelor?

It means nothing to me at all, I'm afraid.

I don't even know what that is. I don't know whether

it's a reality show or... I don't know.

Er, pick one with a media profile.

I suppose I'll try Gavin Henson.

It's the right answer, Kevin.

Gavin Henson, yes.

How he works them out. Well, Alex,

nearly there. I thought for a moment or two you were taking out Kevin,

but have another go here.

Which actor, born in 1969,

appeared in the films Contact, Amistad and Sahara?

I've seen Contact

and one of the older actors in there,

I'm trying to remember his name.

It starred Jodie Foster

and she was trying to meet her dad.

Um...

Tossing it between Jeff Bridges and Nick Nolte.

I'm trying to think how old those actors are.

Um...

I'm...I'm going to go for Nick Nolte.

OK. Nick Nolte. Born in 1969.

I think his agent will be on to you right away

saying thank you very much indeed.

I'm afraid they're considerably older. This actor is,

do you know, Kevin?

I'm not sure, is it Matthew McConaughey?

Matthew McConaughey, does that light anything up, Alex?

Yes, it does.

Matthew McConaughey in those films.

And it's a chance for Kevin here.

Kevin, which comedy series starring Hugh Bonneville and Jessica Hynes

follows a fictional team responsible for delivering the London Olympics?

Which comedy series starring Hugh Bonneville and Jessica Hynes

follows a fictional team responsible for delivering the London Olympics?

I'm aware of it, but I can't remember the title.

Um...

What might it be called?

I don't... Well...

I've got nothing to go on so I'll try Twenty Twelve.

Unbelievable. It's the right answer, Kevin.

Twenty Twelve.

I was composing my speech, "You'll kick yourself when you hear this."

But just thinking there. Go simple.

Put a guess up there.

Alex, a very good player there, you've proven,

but you are also up against an even better one on this occasion.

Thank you very much for playing the round,

but you're not appearing in the final round.

Would you please come back and join your teams.

So this is what we've been playing towards.

It's time for the final round, which is General Knowledge.

But I'm afraid those of you who lost your Head To Heads

will not be able allowed to take part in this round.

So, Steph, Alex and David from The Wonder Techs

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

So, Graham and Rich, you're playing to win £1,000.

Barry, Pat, Judith and Kevin, you're playing for something

which money cannot buy - the Eggheads' reputation.

As usual, I ask each team three questions in turn and, this time,

the questions are General Knowledge and you can confirm.

So, Graham and Rich, the question is,

are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

Wonder Techs, do you want to go first or second?

We'd like to go first, I think.

Best of luck, guys. First question to you.

Who was King of England from 1483 to 1485?

-Not my strong point.

-Not mine, either.

I think it would have to be, seeing as you've been our lucky charm,

-I think I would go for Richard III.

-Yeah?

-You agree with that?

Richard III.

On the basis that Rich... Is that your full name - Richard?

Richard. Yeah.

It's the right answer. Well done.

Luck staying with you there. And, Eggheads, your first question.

Where is the famous Manly Beach situated?

-It's Sydney?

-It's just north of Sydney Harbour.

That's Sydney.

Sydney is correct, Eggheads. Back to the Wonder Techs. Second question.

Teenage Dream, featuring the singles Firework,

ET and Last Friday Night, is an album by which singer?

-I think this is more up our street than the last one.

-Definitely.

-Closer to us.

-Katy Perry?

-It is definitely Katy Perry.

Katy Perry is correct.

You have two.

Eggheads, Acol, Moscito

and Carrot Club are recognised systems or tactics in which game?

Acol, Moscito and Carrot Club

are recognised systems or tactics in which game?

Acol is definitely bridge. Acol is bridge.

And a road in North London.

-Acol is definitely bridge.

-Acol is bridge.

-Yes, anything else?

-I know Acol is bridge.

That's enough.

I think Acol is named after a street in London and it relates to bridge.

OK, systems or tactics in bridge. Right answer.

Eggheads have two and we go back

to Wonder Techs for your third question.

During which Apollo mission did Harrison Schmitt walk on the moon?

Again, I think this is going to be a pure guess.

We don't know anything about any of those Apollo missions.

-Are we going to go down the middle?

-I say we should.

-We're going to go straight down the middle. Apollo 16.

-Apollo 16.

OK, for Harrison Schmitt on the moon. It's incorrect.

Do you know, Eggheads?

-17.

-Apollo 17.

That was the last one? Was he the last man out?

No, that's Eugene Cernan. The last man off the moon, he was.

Eugene Cernan, last man off the moon. OK.

Not identified by the Wonder Techs.

A chance for the Eggheads.

The dancer Nikiya - N-I-K-I-Y-A - and her lover Solar

are central characters in which ballet?

Nikiya and her lover Solar.

Must be about Don Quixote.

-Yes, but there are sub...

-Characters.

-Yeah, sub-routines within...

-Nikiya.

..the ballet, which allow people to show off their technique.

You can't rule it out 100%, but I don't recall those names.

Nikiya with a "Y" sounds Russian, doesn't it?

It does.

-Um, I'm not sure.

-La Bayadere.

-La Bayadere?

-Yeah, because that's the one I know least about.

And that was a Russian ballet.

Yup.

I don't know it, but, you know, it could...because of all the...

divertissement that they have for other dancers

within these classical ballets,

it could turn out to be a piece within a piece.

-Try La Bayadere?

-Mm.

Dermot, we're quite unsure about this,

but the names suggest a certain Russian-ness,

so we're going for La Bayadere.

Uncertain about this. Have you managed to work it out?

Yes, you have, it is the correct answer. Eggheads, you've won.

Bad luck, Wonder Techs,

you did well in the final round,

just caught out with the moon landings.

And some memorable head-to-heads against the Eggheads.

Some of you who lost, sitting in the question room, still did well.

And Rich, who stormed through into the final round.

But not to be on the day. Thank you very much for coming in

to play the Eggheads today.

But the Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them again

and they reign supreme over Quizland once again.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with £1,000 and that means

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.

£2,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

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