Episode 40 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?

Hello and welcome to Eggheads where five quiz challengers pit their wits

against possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain - the Eggheads.

And challenging our resident quiz champions today are...

They all know one another through Salford University

and originally met when they shared the same accommodation.

Hi, I'm Sean, I'm 22 and I'm a journalism and broadcasting student.

Hi, I'm Jess, I'm 21 and I'm a performing arts student.

Hi, I'm Ben, I'm 21 and I'm a bookmaker.

Hi, I'm Lauren, I'm 21 and I'm a social policy student.

Hi, I'm Will, I'm 20 and I study politics.

Welcome, Savvy Salford Crew. You shared the same accommodation. People would say, "I'm not going.

-"They just play quizzes all the time."

-Pretty much.

-Did you do quizzes then?

-There was a local pub quiz, but it was only a crate of beer to win,

-so this is a bit of a new challenge for us.

-Yeah, but you're students.

Exactly. It was perfect for us.

-Did you ever win it?

-Three or four times.

-All the time!

-That's what we should say.

-Scare the Eggheads.

The money on offer today will buy quite a few crates of beer.

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 just the last game.

That means £2,000 says you can't beat them.

OK, the first Head to Head battle is on Music.

I suspect parts of it

might suit you. Who'd like to play?

- I'll take it. - I think we'll have Ben, please.

And you get to play any Egghead you like from the Fantastic Five.

Who do you reckon?

-Will I take CJ?

-Go on, yeah.

-CJ, please.

OK, CJ. Just come back and straight into the fray!

Let's have Ben and CJ into the Question Room, please, just to make sure you can't confer.

OK, Ben. I know you're hoping for a good start, so do you want to go first or second?

I'd like to go first, please.

Here you go. First question.

Which title is shared by a UK Top Ten hit for Dizzee Rascal in 2009

and another for Madonna in 1984?

Well, I'm pretty sure Dizzee Rascal wouldn't sing about Vogue.

That doesn't seem right to me.

So it's between Angel and Holiday, I think.

I'm not entirely sure of the answer, but I'm going to go for...Angel.

Gasps! It's Holiday.

Gasps from the other members of the crew. OK, CJ...

Smirking like the Cheshire Cat! You haven't even had a question yet.

Who called Ringo Starr "not even the best drummer in The Beatles"?

-Who called Ringo Starr "not even the best drummer in The Beatles"?

-I'm trying to remember this.

He was asked in an interview, "Is Ringo Starr the best drummer in the world?"

and gave that answer. Er...I've had this question

to complete the quotation, but I've never had who said it.

Er...

My instinct was Lennon.

I don't think it's McCartney.

I'll have to go with my instinct and say John Lennon.

Very Lennonesque, isn't it? It's the right answer. John Lennon.

Great line, that.

OK, Ben, let's see if we can get you off the mark.

At which musical event were the Marcel Bezencon Awards first given out in 2002?

At which musical event were the Marcel Bezencon Awards first given out in 2002?

Again, I've not heard of this award, but I'm guessing that Glastonbury would not...

That's too poppy for that sounding name.

I'm guessing he's French, Marcel.

So it's between Henry Wood and Eurovision.

I'm going to go straight down the middle for Henry Wood Proms.

Right. As you worked out,

guessing he's French, but gone for the very British Henry Wood Proms.

But it's the Eurovision Song Contest.

That means you win the round

if you get this, CJ. Which songwriting partnership wrote Stand By Me with Ben E King

and Love Potion Number 9?

I don't know.

Em...

Stand By Me doesn't sound like a very Kander and Ebb song.

Unfortunately, I know nothing at all about Chinn and Chapman.

And only slightly more than nothing about Lieber and Stoller.

I'm just going to rule out Kander and Ebb because it doesn't sound like their sort of thing.

Between the other two...

As I've never heard of Chinn and Chapman, I'll try them.

No, not Chinn and Chapman.

It's the wrong era, isn't it?

-Yeah, they're later.

-It's Lieber and Stoller.

So right to rule out Kander and Ebb, but didn't pick Lieber and Stoller.

So you're still in it, Ben.

-Just!

-Well, yeah, just, but if you get this you never know what might happen.

What unofficial name is given to Stravinsky's Symphony in Three Movements?

Now I think I have heard of this before.

I think it's Light Symphony.

I don't think War Symphony. That doesn't come to mind at all. It doesn't ring a bell.

-So Light Symphony.

-OK, Light Symphony.

It's not.

-It's not!

-It's the War Symphony.

-Oh, dearie me.

-War Symphony.

CJ doesn't face another question.

You can't beat that one he's got up there now.

So we end the round and say goodbye to you, Ben, in terms of further quizzing.

And CJ is playing in the final round. Both come back, please.

Well, CJ turned out to be the savvier one in that round,

so the Crew have lost one brain from the final round so far.

We move rapidly on to our second Head to Head. This is Science.

Who'd like to play? Can't be Ben.

-I think you're competent. You do know enough.

-OK.

-Do you want to go for it?

-Yeah.

-We'll pick Lauren, please.

-Pick an Egghead. It can't be CJ. Any of the other four.

-What do you think?

They're all good on Science. Barry? Who do YOU want?

-Yeah, that's fine.

-Barry, please.

-OK.

-Oh, no.

-Are you excited, Barry?

-Yes!

Nobody ever picks me for Science.

OK, well, Lauren has. I hope it doesn't backfire for you, Barry. Well, we do, actually.

OK, let's have Lauren and Barry into the Question Room, please.

-Lauren, what are you studying?

-Social Policy.

-OK, so not a pure science subject.

-No, a social science.

-OK. Do you want to go first or second?

Em, I'll go first, please.

OK, here's your first question.

What general term is used for the area of study which includes

geology, oceanography and glaciology?

I'm pretty sure I know this one.

I don't think it's Life Science or Behavioural Science.

So I'm going to go with Earth Science.

You've gone the right way. Well done. Good start.

Barry, mercerisation is a chemical process used on which material?

Mercerisation is a chemical process used on which material?

I believe it's used to treat cotton to give them a shiny lustre and make them a bit longer-wearing.

-Do you know what it is, what chemicals are involved?

-No, I don't.

Well, used on cotton is enough.

All square, that's correct.

So back to you, Lauren. Willard Frank Libby was awarded

the 1960 Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his work in which scientific field?

The name's not ringing a bell whatsoever.

So I think it's going to be a guess

and I'm going to go for...

Radiocarbon Dating, I think.

Radiocarbon Dating. Barry's laughing. It's the right answer!

Yes, good guess.

OK, Radiocarbon Dating, Lauren. It's two to you, one to Barry.

He has to face a second question. What name is given to the coastal ocean regions

where oxygen levels are so reduced that almost no life can be supported?

I think I may have spent some time in one of these in a previous life.

-They're Dead Zones!

-Dead Zones.

Yeah, it's the right answer. That is correct.

Going really well, Lauren.

Which acid used in food production as an acidity regulator

has the E number E260?

E260.

Em...again I'm not 100% sure on this one.

I don't think it's citric as a regulator.

So...

I'm going to go for...

acetic.

Acetic is the right answer!

Three out of three.

Good stuff. Barry...

Which Greek astronomer made the earliest known star catalogue

as well as being a pioneer of trigonometry?

I believe there is a current satellite in orbit named after this chap,

which is tasked with denoting all the various positions of the stars,

and his name was Hipparchus.

Hipparchus is the right answer, Barry! Well...

Both quizzing fantastically.

-Lauren, you're doing too well, so we're going to make it harder.

-OK!

I'm sure you're delighted. We are going to, as is normal if it's all square, Sudden Death,

which means you just answer questions with no choices put in front of you.

The California Institute of Technology is known by which one-word name?

I have got absolutely no idea.

I can't even think

of anything in California.

-I'm going to have to pass. I can't think of anything, sorry.

-California Institute of Technology.

-Known by which one-word name?

-No, I've got no idea.

-OK, OK.

-Sorry.

When you hear the answer, you'll work out how they do it. Do you know, Barry?

-I believe it's Caltech.

-Caltech. California Institute of Technology. Cal and Tech.

OK, well, a chance for Barry.

A tridecagon is a polygon with how many sides?

A tridecagon is a polygon with how many sides?

Well, tri is three and deca is ten, so three and ten are thirteen.

-That's my answer.

-Turning out to be very lucky for you. You knew it.

Unlucky for Lauren. It's right.

Thirteen, a tridecagon.

I'm afraid we have to say goodbye to you, Lauren. Well quizzed. Got to Sudden Death, but didn't make it.

Both please come back and join your teams.

Nearly there for Lauren, but the Savvy Salford Crew have lost two brains from the final round.

No Eggheads gone, of course. Our next subject is Film and Television.

Again, it might suit

some of you students there. Sean, Jess or Will?

Eh, we'd like to pick Jess, please.

All right, Jess. Pick an Egghead. It can't be Barry or CJ.

-The three in the middle - Kevin, Judith or Pat.

-I think Judith.

-Or do you want to go for Kevin? I'm probably going out anyway.

-Judith.

-Yeah, OK.

-We'd like to pick Judith, please.

-OK, it's the two Js. Jess and Judith.

Into the Question Room, please, to play Film and Television.

Well, Jess, which side of Film and Television - or is it both - do you prefer?

I love performing. I'm a performing artist.

-I'd love to be an actress or a presenter.

-OK. So film, television...

-Yeah.

-Doesn't matter.

OK, well, choose whether you want to go first or second.

I'll go first, I think.

Best of luck. Film & TV, first question.

Which member of the Arquette family played Dewey Riley in the Scream films?

I cannot watch horror films.

I'm petrified of watching horror films.

It's quite amusing that I've got this question. Um...

Scream... I'm trying to think of any that sound vaguely familiar.

I'll go for Rosanna. Total guess.

Rosanna Arquette playing Dewey Riley...

It's not.

And wrong sex, I'm afraid, as well.

It's David.

David Arquette in that role in the Scream films.

Judith, I know you love them, don't you?

-What?

-The Scream films.

-I don't watch them either.

-A bit of blood and gore?

-I'm much too frightened. I hate horror films too.

Here's your first question. In 2011, Hilary Devey joined the panel of which television programme?

I have a feeling she's that extraordinary-looking person

in Dragons' Den with the black hair and the incredibly wide shoulders.

I think she's the new Dragon in Dragons' Den.

Dragons' Den is correct. Do you ever fancy Dragons' Den?

-What, to go into it? No, I've got no business sense at all.

-No.

Be one of the Dragons. Pots of money and you don't suffer fools gladly.

-Thank you, Dermot. Well, put me up for it. I'd love to go in.

-Yeah.

OK, she got that, Dragons' Den. This is then for you, Jess.

It's your second question.

In which British sitcom did Donald Sinden play Elaine Stritch's butler?

In which British sitcom did Donald Sinden play Elaine Stritch's butler?

Again not very confident with this one at all.

I'm going to have a wild guess and go for Two's Company.

-Two's Company is correct.

-Yes!

-Well done.

Judith, your second question then

is this.

Which British actor starred opposite Renee Zellweger in the 2003 romantic comedy film, Down With Love?

Oh, gosh, I didn't see it.

Renee Zellweger...

Well, could it have been Hugh Grant the second time round, as it were?

Um...

I don't know why, but something is saying Rupert Everett

and it just seems so unlikely. I don't know. Rupert Everett.

OK, Rupert Everett...

No. Nor indeed Hugh Grant. It's Ewan McGregor.

Ewan McGregor, so great news for you, Jess. All square.

Third question coming for both of you and this is to you, Jess.

Which actress starred in the 1964 French musical film, Les Parapluies De Cherbourg?

Again not too confident with this.

Brigitte Bardot. I'm trying to...

Brigitte, that's ringing a bell for some reason,

but I don't know whether it's relevant to this question.

I'm going to go for Brigitte.

-OK, Brigitte Bardot...

-Yeah.

It's not. It's not. Do you know, Judith?

Catherine Deneuve.

Yes, Catherine Deneuve in Les Parapluies De Cherbourg.

A chance for you to win the round, Judith.

Dorothy Parker's first Oscar nomination was for her work on the script for which film?

I really don't know, but I think A Star Is Born is more her thing

than either The Good Earth or Lost Horizon,

-so A Star Is Born.

-A Star Is Born...

is the right answer. Yes, Judith, you've made it into the final round.

Bad luck, Jess. Would you both please come back and join your teams?

It still hasn't happened yet for the Savvy Salford Crew. They've now lost three brains from the final round.

The Eggheads are all still there, so we move on to our last head-to-head and Geography is what's come up.

And two of you left to play, Will or Sean?

-Are you sure?

-I'll have a go at it, yeah.

Sean, which Egghead would you like to play? Barry, CJ and Judith have played, so Kevin or Pat for you.

-Who do you think?

-Kevin?

-Why do you think that?

-I'll take on Kevin. Why not?

-I'll take him on.

-You never know. OK, Sean and Kevin playing Geography.

Into the question room, both of you, please.

Sean taking on Kevin. Fancy your chances, Sean?

-You have to try once in a while. You only get one chance.

-Exactly.

You're absolutely right. Four times World Quiz Champion, Mastermind, Brain Of Britain.

-It wouldn't be a bad scalp.

-Exactly.

-Do you want to go first or second?

-I'll go second, please.

OK, Kevin, Weston-super-Mare lies on which body of water?

Weston-super-Mare lies on which body of water?

I couldn't face Daphne again if I didn't get this.

It's on the Bristol Channel.

Yes, Daphne's stomping ground, not playing in this round,

but Kevin identifying the Bristol Channel for Weston-super-Mare.

And Sean, you're kicking off with this then.

Which US state is sometimes known as the Goober State in reference to its peanut crop?

Which US state is sometimes known as the Goober State

in reference to its peanut crop? G-O-O-B-E-R.

Goober.

For some reason, I don't know why, I'm not really sure,

but I think I've heard of nuts from Alaska.

I'll just... I'll go for Alaska.

OK, Alaska, alas, is not the right answer.

Kevin, it is before Sean's time,

but wasn't former President Carter from Georgia and he grew peanuts?

Yeah, he was a peanut farmer.

That was one of his occupations before becoming President.

-So just to be clear...

-It's Georgia.

-Georgia is the answer.

So, Kevin...

Which city in the former Yugoslavia, now a national capital, was known as Titograd until 1992?

It's now the capital of Montenegro. It's Podgorica.

Is the right answer, Kevin knowing his former Yugoslav republics there.

It means you need to get this, Sean.

The Jet D'Eau, a fountain which rises to 140 metres high,

is a famous landmark in which city?

Again I'm not sure. Um...

I'll go straight down the middle and go for Geneva.

Geneva...

is the right answer.

Kevin, you do win the round if you get this.

Sean, maybe just a stay of execution. Let's hope not.

Kevin, what name is given to the largely uninhabited, vast area of tundra in Canada,

extending west from Hudson Bay?

Hmm. I haven't come across that before, I don't think.

I'd better have the question again.

What name is given to the largely uninhabited, vast area of tundra

in Canada, extending west from Hudson Bay?

I don't think I've come across it.

Empty Earth just doesn't sound right

I mean, it's between the other two.

They're both...plausible,

but given that the Plains lie...

There is a geographical area known as the Plains to the south of that.

I'd have to go for Barren Grounds.

Oh, you know too much... to work it out.

It is the right answer - Barren Grounds.

Barren Grounds, the link's obvious.

Barren grounds for you, Sean. You put him in first. He's got all three.

You slipped up on one. That's cost you a place in the final. Would you both come back and join your teams?

This is what we've been playing towards - the final round, which, as always, is General Knowledge.

But those of you who lost your head-to-heads

won't be allowed to take part in this round, so I'm sorry to say,

Sean, Jess, Ben and Lauren from the Savvy Salford Crew, would you all leave the studio, please?

Well, then, Will, you're playing to win the Savvy Salford Crew £2,000.

Barry, Pat, Judith, Kevin and CJ, you're playing for something which money cannot buy -

the Eggheads' reputation.

I ask each team three questions in turn. This time, they are all General Knowledge.

And you are allowed to confer. In that case, that means talking to yourself, Will.

But the question is, is your one brain better than the Eggheads' five?

-Do you want to go first or second?

-I think I'll go first, please.

Best of luck, Will. First question.

What name is given to the small, moveable arms used to manoeuvre the ball in a pinball machine?

What name is given to the small, moveable arms

used to manoeuvre the ball in a pinball machine?

Living there just by the coast,

there's lots of arcades down by where we're from

and there's a few pinball machines down there.

-I'm pretty sure they're called flippers.

-Flippers, OK.

Flippers is the right answer. Well done, Will. You're off the mark.

American school buses are generally what colour?

American school buses are generally what colour?

-Yellow.

-Yellow.

-Solid yellow?

-Yeah.

-We think that's yellow.

-Yellow is correct, Eggheads.

And back to you, Will.

Which TV presenter did Lady Edwina Grosvenor, daughter of the Duke of Westminster, marry in 2010?

Which TV presenter did Lady Edwina Grosvenor,

daughter of the Duke of Westminster, marry in 2010?

Um...I'm not sure at all again this time.

I'm trying to think.

I can't really imagine any of the people's partners in my head

when I think about them either.

Um...

I'm going to go for...

..Ben Fogle, but I don't know why.

OK, Ben Fogle marrying the Duke of Westminster's daughter...

It's not correct. Do you know, Eggheads?

-Dan Snow.

-Dan Snow marrying into the Duke of Westminster's family.

And your question, Eggheads.

Who wrote the novel Elmer Gantry?

Who wrote the novel Elmer Gantry?

Sinclair Lewis.

That's Sinclair Lewis.

Sinclair Lewis is correct.

The Eggheads not seemingly troubled by the first two.

Will, you've got to get this.

Which naturalist created the scientific name Nessiteras rhombopteryx

for the Loch Ness Monster?

Which naturalist created the scientific name

Nessiteras rhombopteryx for the Loch Ness Monster?

No idea...at all.

I've heard of Jacques Cousteau and David Attenborough.

The name means nothing to me, the Latin one.

I'm going to go for...

Peter Scott.

Is the right answer, yes.

Jubilation breaks out behind you, your teammates in the question room.

Peter Scott keeps you alive, so you've got to hope the Eggheads don't get this.

Moko is a disease that affects which fruit?

Moko. M-O-K-O.

Moko is a disease that affects which fruit?

-M-O-K-O.

-I've no idea.

My only observation is that in recent years,

bananas have come under threat from several diseases.

-Yeah, if I had any instinct, it was banana.

-Any other reasons?

-I've got nothing.

-From the name, I don't think it will be coconut.

I thought it might be because of the name.

-What, coconut?

-I've got absolutely no idea.

Apple has lots of diseases.

I've not particularly heard of anything that affects a banana.

-There are serious international problems with bananas.

-Yeah.

-That's good enough for me. I've got nothing.

-I've got nothing.

-I think you've got the inkling.

-Hmm.

-OK?

-We've got a reason for it. Let's go for it.

We don't know, but certainly bananas internationally,

there have been big problems with various diseases damaging crops,

-so we're going with banana.

-Banana?

Moko is a disease that affects bananas.

It's the right answer, Eggheads. You've won.

Gallantly played, Will. You just didn't know your society weddings and no harm in that at all.

Two out of three against the Eggheads on your own by any estimation isn't a bad performance,

so thank you very much for taking on the Eggheads

and those that went before you and fell before the mighty Eggheads.

Great to see you, Savvy Salford Crew. Best of luck with the studies.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally and they reign supreme over quizland.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £2,000 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.

£3,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

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