Episode 4 Eggheads

These people are among 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.

Hoping to beat them are It's Good But It's Not Right from Sheffield.

Their quizzing prowess has resulted in winning a few beer tokens, something they're happy to receive.

Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Kev, I'm 58 and a transport manager.

Hi, I'm Hadrian, I'm 39 and I work in print.

Hi, I'm Phill, I'm 46 and a self-employed market trader.

Hi, I'm Tony, I'm 38 and a carbide operative.

Hi, I'm Philip, I'm 42 and a bus driver.

Welcome, It's Good But It's Not Right.

-What's not right?

-Well, it's Hadrian's obsession with Roy Walker.

We thought we'd expose it to the world.

A particular obsession, Hadrian? Has it led to stalking?

-I just like the name. It'll probably be quite apt for our answering of questions.

-OK.

Not too much quizzing. No quizzing as a team.

-Correct.

-A few of you have done the odd quiz, mainly Kev and Phill.

That's right. We tend to go to the pub quite a lot and do quizzes.

-Right.

-And...we do OK. We do OK, but it's mainly for the beer tokens.

-You go into the pub and there's a quiz or do you go for a quiz...

-No, we go to the pub.

OK, well, let's see if you can win a few beer tokens today.

Every day there's £1,000 up for grabs for our challengers, but if they fail to win

the prize money rolls over. So the Eggheads have won the last 14 games.

That means £15,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

-Worth having a go at.

-It certainly is!

OK, let's open up the game and our first round is Science.

Which of you would like to play and which Egghead do you challenge?

-That's Tonio.

-Yeah, we had a chat.

- And I think we decided I was going to go for Science. - OK, go with Phill.

Confident man. And one of those Eggheads for you. Any one of the five.

I think Judith.

-Judith?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, I'll play Judith.

-She's terribly clever says Hadrian.

OK, let's have Phill and Judith into the Question Room, please.

OK, Phill, you said you had a plan before you started. Why have you taken on Science?

We'd all kind of decided on a couple of subjects we'd be relatively strong on

and then decided who would take each of these subjects first,

-hopefully leaving a strong contender at the end.

-But you must have been a strong contender for music.

-You're a huge music fan.

-Yeah, music was in the mix,

but some of the guys have got a really good angle on music anyway.

There was just myself and Tony that were kind of edging towards the science side of things,

-so I plumped for the science one.

-It'll be interesting if music comes up. We don't know what comes next.

-Would you like to go first or second?

-I think I'll go first, please.

OK.

Phill, here's your first question. And this is it.

What name is given to the tooth-like projections on the rim of a wheel

that engage with the links of a chain?

Em...

Well, calipers sounds more like brake parts, to be honest with you.

Em...jigs not so much, really.

I'm pretty certain it's going to be sprockets. I'll go with sprockets.

Anyone who has ridden a bike knows sprockets. It's the right answer.

And, Judith,

first question to you. In 1974, which country's first nuclear test explosion was referred to

as "peaceful nuclear explosive or Smiling Buddha"?

Well, I think the Buddha bit means it must be India.

You've got it. The right answer. Well done, Judith. One-all.

The Carrington Event in 1859 that caused after effects all over the Earth

resulted from unusually powerful disturbances on the surfaces of which celestial body?

I've not actually heard of it, if I'm perfectly honest.

Jupiter seems a bit far away to have any kind of real impact,

although I may be totally wrong on that. The moon...

Possibly tidal events,

but all round the Earth, I'm edging towards the sun.

Maybe solar flares, something of that nature.

I'll plump for the sun.

It is the right answer. Well worked out.

All right, two to Phill.

Judith, in the name of a type of computer image file, for what does the letter I stand

in the acronym GIF? G-I-F.

I'm terribly bad at computer language.

-I really don't know, but I think maybe it might be integrated.

-OK.

Integrated for GIF.

Barry, our techie there.

-Interchange.

-Interchange.

-What's the whole acronym?

-Graphic Interchange Format.

Yes, Graphics Interchange Format and Interchange is the I part.

That's great news.

It's when you want the Egghead to fail. Phill, the creature

with the scientific name Eptesicus Serotinus is which type of mammal?

Again, I've not... I've not heard it.

Em, I would feel, purely from the fact that a cat, I would think,

would have some kind of feline type of inflection on it,

so rightly or wrongly I'll discount cat.

Again, I think Latin for rat is rattus rattus, I think.

-So the only thing I'm left with is bat, so I'll go for bat for that reason.

-OK, bat.

I'll check your workings, but you got it right!

It is the right answer, Phill! It puts you into the final round.

Was Phill right there,

the way he eliminated cat and rat?

-Rattus rattus?

-Common rat, yeah.

And Eptesicus Serotinus is a bat. It puts you through. No place for Judith.

Both back to join your teams here, please.

You might want to change your name. He was good and right as well!

An excellent performance there. So you're all there.

And there's one Egghead gone, in the form of Judith.

Our next subject today is Sport. Who wants this one?

-I think we know who we're going with.

-I think so.

-I think I'm playing that.

-OK, Hadrian. Which Egghead? Any of the chaps.

-I think Chris, yeah?

-Chris, please.

OK, it's Chris playing Sport. Into the Question Room, just to make sure you can't confer.

OK, Hadrian, taking on Sport and Chris from the Eggheads.

-Any particular sporting areas you excel in?

-I like most sports.

-One or two I'm not too good at - cricket and rugby.

-Ah, right.

-But you watch? Rugby league or union?

-I watch bits of both, but I'm not an avid viewer.

OK, let's put what knowledge you have to the test right now.

-First or second?

-First, please.

Right. Identify the sport here. In which sport did the Chinese competitor Li Na

win a major title in 2011?

Em, well, I know it's not golf.

And I think she won one of the Grand Slams in tennis.

-So I'll go for tennis.

-That's your answer. Li Na won - you're right - the French Open.

It's the right answer.

OK, Chris. What is the surname of the golfer known as G Mac?

-Because there's a G in there, I'd say McGinley.

-OK.

McGinley. G Mac. Ah, but there's a G

-in one of the other names. Eggheads?

-Graeme McDowell.

-Graeme McDowell.

-Ah.

-G Mac. OK, so...

A great start, Hadrian.

Let's see if you can make it 2-0.

In which year were women allowed to compete in track and field athletics at the Olympics for the first time?

Em...

I'm not 100% sure on this.

1948 might be a bit late.

I think I'll go for the middle option, 1936.

The 1936 Olympics. No, it's not and you were right about 1948

so it was 1928 when women were first allowed into track and field events.

OK, you're still in the lead.

Let's see if it stays that way.

Chris, the Epsom Derby winners Oath, Kris Kin and North Light were all ridden by which jockey?

Er, Frankie Dettori's too obvious, never heard of Kevin Darley,

so go down the middle. Kieren Fallon.

At least you don't pretend to be scientific!

You've got the right answer. The prolific Kieren Fallon.

OK, well it is now

all square after two questions, so anyone can win the round.

In which motor sport was Richard Burns the 2001 World Champion?

Em, I'm pretty confident that's rallying.

It's the right answer! Rallying.

Back in the lead.

Let's see what Chris does.

Which Leeds club was expelled from the Football League in 1919

due to financial irregularities?

I don't think there was ever a Leeds Rovers. Leeds City is the station in Leeds,

but I think it was Leeds Albion.

Leeds Albion? We've got a lot of Yorkshireman in the studio today.

More to my left than my right, but one here. You know it, Barry.

-Sadly, it was Leeds City.

-Leeds City.

-Well, that's a station.

I thought you'd go for that. The answer is Leeds City.

Puts you through. Another victory for It's Good But It's Not Right.

Two out of two, Hadrian. Would you both please come back and join your teams?

Well, It's Good But It's Not Right out of the blocks very quickly. Eggheads looking sluggish.

They've lost two brains, but everyone's there from It's Good But It's Not Right.

This one's Geography.

Who wants to play this?

It cannot be Hadrian or Phill.

I know who it's NOT going to be!

-Who's it not going to be?

-I can barely find Sheffield!

Has to be one of you two.

Do you want it? If you don't, I'll do it. I don't know owt about geography.

You have to decide who knows...

-All right. Wish me luck.

-Good luck, Tony.

-I'll have a go.

All right. Tony, pick an Egghead. You can pick Kevin, Barry or Pat.

-Kevin. There's a bit of a tactic that possibly...

-Yeah.

-Might get lucky.

-Just the luck that we might just knock him out.

-Yeah.

-But we do doubt it.

-Kevin.

-You never know, do you?

Let's have Tony and Kevin into the Question Room, please.

Tony, it's not your favourite subject, but let's see how you do against the World Quiz Champion

and so many other titles as well.

-Would you like to go first or second?

-I'll go first, please.

OK, Tony, good luck. The resort of Mablethorpe is on which English coast?

-That would be the North Sea.

-It would be, yeah!

It is the right answer. Mablethorpe.

OK, Kevin. Finland has land borders with how many countries?

I think I know the answer, but I'm just checking.

It borders Russia, it borders Norway and it borders Sweden. So it's three.

Yeah. Identified the countries as well, as we would expect!

It's classic, isn't it?

OK, good start, Tony. See if you can get another one.

In terms of population, what is the second-largest city in Germany?

It could be any of the three.

I imagine they're all pretty big, but I'm going to go straight down the middle and guess at Bonn.

Bonn, OK. In terms of population, is it Bonn, Kevin?

-No, it's Hamburg.

-It IS Hamburg.

Hamburg is what you needed.

Nothing there for you, Tony.

Kevin, what is the distance from Moscow to Vladivostok by the Trans-Siberian Express?

It's not even in proper measurements. I never went metric.

I'm trying to think of it in miles and then do a conversion.

I'm not good at this sort of thing, I'm afraid. Not good at all at this sort of thing.

I would go for the middle one. 6,738.

-6,738 kilometres?

-Yeah.

-OK. Chris?

It's 5,000 and some odd miles, so it's got to be 9,259km.

-It's 9,259km, Kevin.

-I was torn between those two.

Not identified by Kevin.

Maybe the kilometres foxed him. It's good news for you, Tony. Still well in it. All square.

The Mali capital, Bamako, lies on which major African river?

Again, I haven't got a clue.

I'll go down the middle again and say the River Niger.

It's the right answer! Well done. You have the lead.

You are...

staring at a place in the final round. If Kevin trips up, you're in.

The Isle of Walney is in which part of England?

-Is it...? Presumably that's...

-W-A-L-N-E-Y.

-Walney.

-It's not Cornwall.

There are various isles in Kent - Sheppey, Thanet, et cetera, all along the north Kent coast -

but I think Walney is Cumbria.

That's the right answer, Kevin. He's steadied the ship.

Takes us to sudden death.

Tony, you've done well to get this far, but let's get one last push and get you into the final round.

Sudden death means you don't see any more options. I've got to hear an answer from you.

The naval base of Devonport is located within which English city?

I've never heard of it. I know there's a couple of naval cities on the south coast.

Er, I'm going to have a stab at...

-Portsmouth.

-It's the wrong answer. Not Portsmouth. You can work it out from DEVONport. Kevin?

-Plymouth.

-Plymouth. So close.

Plymouth, not Portsmouth.

Kevin - has he turned it round? What is the capital of the Austrian state of Tyrol?

It's somewhere I've actually stayed. It's Innsbruck.

Innsbruck is the right answer, Kevin. You are through.

Bit of a wobble.

Innsbruck puts you through, though. And Portsmouth cost you a place in the final round, Tony.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

All right. Good news for the Eggheads because Kevin just won through there.

Two brains missing from the Eggheads, one from It's Good.

We reach our final Head to Head before that final round. Last chance to kick an Egghead out. Music.

It would have been Phill, but who is it going to be

-from Kev or Philip?

-It's you, Kev.

-I know nothing about music.

-I'll do Music.

-All right, Kev.

And you've got Pat or Barry to play. Which one will it be?

I think Barry knows loads about all sorts of music. I'm not sure about Pat.

I'm sure he does as well, so...

- I'll take a chance on Pat. - Fair comment, yeah.

-We'll go for Pat, please.

-Take a chance on Pat.

An ABBA song in the title there. OK, let's have Kev and Pat into the Question Room, please.

Right, Kev. Let's see if you can balance it in your favour in that final round.

-Can you knock Pat out? First or second?

-I'll go first, Dermot.

Here it comes, Kev.

Your first question. Mr Mistoffelees is a song from which Andrew Lloyd Webber musical?

I'm not really big into musicals, but I know the film Sunset Boulevard

which was an old black and white film. Evita's about Argentina.

So I'm pretty sure it's Cats.

You're right, yes. Cats. Mr Mistoffelees. And, Pat,

what is the title of the classic 1969 Dusty Springfield album

that included tracks such as So Much Love, Son of a Preacher Man and Breakfast In Bed?

I think this was a breakthrough album for her. I think she went to Memphis and recorded

with various country session musicians. Dusty In Memphis.

Dusty In Memphis. It's the right answer, yes.

One each. Kev,

what name is given to the curved sound holes in the upper surfaces of violins?

I have no idea.

I can only go on the shape of them,

so I would go for C-holes.

Em, they're not. They are... Do you know, Pat?

-I think they're F-holes.

-F-holes, Kev.

So, a chance for Pat.

Which American singer had UK hit singles with Straight Up in 1989

and Rush Rush in 1991?

She also did Opposites Attract.

And she went on to become an American Idol or X Factor judge. It's Paula Abdul.

Well identified. It's the right answer.

Kev, you need this.

For Emma, Forever Ago was the debut album of which US music act

fronted by Justin Vernon?

Well, Justin is a man's name.

So I wouldn't think it would be Fleet Foxes.

I'm thinking of Little Feat, so I'll go with Little Wings.

Little Wings. For Emma, Forever Ago was the debut album

by Bon Iver. It's not the right answer, which means, Pat,

you're through to the final round.

The Eggheads have evened it up. Would you both please come back and join your teams?

This is what we've been playing towards. The final round,

which is General Knowledge. But those who lost

won't be allowed to take part. So Kevin and Tony from It's Good But It's Not Right

and Chris and Judith, would you all leave the studio now, please?

So Hadrian, Phill and Philip, you're playing to win It's Good But It's Not Right £15,000.

Barry, Pat and Kevin are playing for something money cannot buy - the Eggheads' reputation.

I'll ask each team three questions. They're all general knowledge and you are allowed to confer now.

The question is are your three brains better than the Eggheads' three?

-Would you like to go first or second?

-Go first?

-Yeah.

-We'll go first, please, Dermot.

Let's get on with it.

See if you can win the money today.

Your first question is this -

which phrase is traditional London slang for a wife?

It's meant to be an easy one.

-I don't think it's rhyming slang.

-That would be trouble and strife.

Trouble and strife is rhyming slang.

Welsh just doesn't seem right.

French... Dutch is the only one that seems to ring true.

-Would you say?

-Yeah.

-Go with that, yeah?

-OK? We'll go for My Old Dutch, Dermot, please.

-My Old Dutch.

Traditional London slang. It's the right answer. Well done.

The only person who uses that

is Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins. OK, correct answer there.

How will the Eggheads start? Your first question...

On a standard dartboard, which number lies between 3 and 2?

-That's...

-17, isn't it?

1's up near the top, 7 is down in the left corner.

-But 3 is bracketed by 17 and 19.

-Yeah.

-So 17.

-Excellent. We're all agreed on 17.

It's the right answer, Eggheads.

OK, second question.

The traditional measurement called a virgate was typically equal to what?

Anybody any idea at all?

Em, well, the only thing is "ver" is green, foliage.

"Gate" - land. Gates...have land.

-I've no idea.

-Grain doesn't seem right.

The only thing I can think is if we don't really know,

-you've got a reference linking gates between fields and acres of land.

-Does "ver" mean anything?

-"Ver" is a reference to green.

-Green sounds good to me, then.

-Gates of greenery?

-Yeah.

-We're not really sure, but...

-Not really sure at all.

We're not really sure, but we'll take a punt at 30 acres of land.

Because of that gate in virgate.

It's the right answer! Correct!

Eggheads, your second question.

Playing catch-up. Who played the lead role of Kate in the 1980 rock film Breaking Glass?

-That was Hazel O'Connor.

-You associate her with the song.

-Whether she was in the film or not...

-It's either her or Toyah.

-I'm pretty sure it's Hazel O'Connor.

-That was my first guess.

I can visualise the poster.

-Yeah, I think it's Hazel O'Connor.

-OK.

Once again we're agreed. We think it was Hazel O'Connor.

It's the right answer, Eggheads. I thought this might be close.

Two-all. Your third question, It's Good But It's Not Right.

The part of the world that Francis Drake named New Albion is now in which region?

The part of the world that Francis Drake named New Albion is now in which region?

New Albion. New Britain, basically. Albion were Britain.

Is Patagonia Argentina? Andalusia's Spain.

California is obviously America.

-Where did Francis Drake go?

-Everywhere! He got about!

Anywhere in particular? Argentina, Spanish-speaking.

That's probably more likely.

-Yeah.

-I'm not sure, but I...

-I'd plump for Patagonia.

-Is that what we're going for?

-Yeah.

-No other thoughts?

-I'd agree with that, yeah.

OK, then.

We've no real idea, but we're going to pick Patagonia.

Patagonia. OK. You negotiated the other two. They were tricky.

But you haven't got the right answer this time, I'm sorry.

-It's not Patagonia. It is...?

-California.

-California.

Drake made it all the way there?

Part of his round the world voyage.

He stuck up a sign there saying,

"Claimed on behalf of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth,"

and everybody completely ignored it.

OK, New Albion, now in California.

Is that a crucial slip-up?

Eggheads, in the mid-20th century, Hugh Cudlipp was famous in which journalistic role?

In the mid-20th century, Hugh Cudlipp was famous in which journalistic role?

-Newspaper editor.

-Editor?

Yes.

I'm afraid Hugh Cudlipp was a newspaper editor.

Newspaper editor is correct, Eggheads. You've won.

Always in games that are this close it just comes down to one question.

That's all there was in it. Well, we could re-analyse the game

and look at Tony's gallant effort to try to knock Kevin out.

You can rewatch it when it goes out, but we know you were both good and more right than not.

Thank you very much indeed for playing the Eggheads today.

It's been great having you.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally. Their streak goes on.

You won't be going home with £15,000, so the money rolls over.

Eggheads, congratulations again. Who will beat you?

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

£16,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

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