Episode 45 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.

Taking on the might of our quiz Goliaths today are Court In The Act.

This team of colleagues all know one another

through their work at Preston Crown Court.

Let's meet them!

Hi, I'm Derek, I'm 55. I'm a civil servant.

Hello, I'm Jason. I'm 41, I'm a civil servant.

Hi, I'm Steve, I'm 28 years old and I'm a civil servant.

Hi, I'm Ian, I'm 48 and I'm a civil servant.

Hello, I'm Hugh, I'm 65, and I'm also a civil servant.

Welcome to you, Court In The Act. Do you get time for any quizzing then?

Yeah, occasionally we quiz together and quiz on our own now and again.

How do you do when you quiz together?

Is that in pub quizzes, things like that?

Mainly, we do stuff for charity,

Ian and myself have done one or two bits.

We've never quizzed as an actual five,

but we've quizzed on and off.

-I used to play in the Merseyside Quiz League.

-Ah!

-Many years ago.

-It's a very tough league.

-I'm sure it is. How did you do in that?

We had a good team.

It's split into divisions, we were in the Warrington league

and we used to come pretty well to the top.

Have you ever come across it, Pat, it's your neck of the woods?

I play in the Ormskirk branch of the Merseyside

so I come across Warrington teams every now and again.

Right, well, you've come across each other on Eggheads today.

Every day there is £1,000 up for grabs for all our challengers.

If they fail to defeat the Eggheads

the prize money rolls over to the next show.

So, Court In The Act, the challengers won the last game,

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

Let's play then.

First head-to-head coming right up.

Trying to knock an Egghead out, as you know,

and the subject is Film & Television.

Film & TV to kick off. Who wants to take it?

Jase wants it.

-I'll have a go of that. I'll have a go of that.

-Jason.

OK, Jason, pick an Egghead, anyone you like.

INDISTINCT CHATTER

Who do you think is best? I think Pat. Go for Pat?

I'll try Pat.

OK, try Pat.

He is going to go to the question room with you.

It's Jason and Pat playing Film & Television.

The Question Room, of course,

because we don't allow you to confer with your teammates. Off you go.

-Jason, do you want to go first or second?

-I'd like to go first please.

Good luck, Jason. Here you go.

Small, furry creatures called Mogwai first appeared in which film?

Mogwai, that's not a creature I've heard of, to be honest.

Educated guess, Grease doesn't sound plausible at all.

I've seen Ghostbusters a couple of times,

I don't recognise them in that, so I'll go for Gremlins.

Gremlins is the right answer. Well done.

Mogwai is a Chinese word for monster.

-Ah, OK.

-That's where it came from.

-Mogwai from the film Gremlins.

Pat, your first question.

In the TV series Upstairs, Downstairs,

what position in the household was held by Mrs Bridges?

My first thought is cook. I haven't seen very much Upstairs, Downstairs.

Mr Hudson is the butler.

Mrs Bridges, the cook.

I think that sounds better than nanny or secretary.

I'll go for cook.

Yes, presiding over that kitchen is cook Mrs Bridges. Yes, well done.

Jason, second question for you.

In a 2011 ageism row, who described David Dimbleby

and John Simpson as "charming dinosaurs"?

Right, I'm really not sure about this one unfortunately.

It'll have to be another educated guess, I'm afraid.

Selina Scott, possibly.

It's going to have to be a stab in the dark.

I'm going to go for, down the middle, Jennie Bond.

Jennie Bond calling David Dimbleby and John Simpson charming dinosaurs?

It's not. Do you know, Pat, of the other two?

I think I recall Selina Scott being involved in a tiff over ageism.

She has but it wasn't her. It was Anna Ford.

Anna Ford who called those two charming dinosaurs.

A chance for you, Pat, to take the lead here.

Who played Paul McCartney's grandfather

in the 1964 film A Hard Day's Night?

The one that rings some sort of bell is Wilfrid Brambell

of Steptoe And Son.

Arthur Lowe does pop up here and there.

I don't think it's Tony Hancock.

So it's a pick between Lowe and Brambell.

I think Wilfrid Brambell rings a bell so I'm going to go with him.

As you said, better known as old man Steptoe. It's the right answer.

Wilfred Brambell as Paul McCartney's grandfather

in A Hard Day's Night.

It means you need to get this, Jason.

In which Woody Allen film does Alan Alda play Lester,

a successful television producer?

I do remember Alan Alda in one Woody Allen film.

Of those three, Crimes And Misdemeanors does stand out

so I'll go for that one.

-Crimes And Misdemeanors?

-Yep.

It's the right answer, well remembered.

You got it

and hope's still alive.

Pat, which character has been played on film by both James Mason

and Jeremy Irons, in 1962 and 1997 respectively?

I can certainly remember Mason playing Rommel in The Desert Fox.

I'm not sure it's been remade.

I think he was also Captain Nemo.

But he was certainly Humbert Humbert in the original Lolita,

and I think there was a remake, which may have had Irons in it.

Of the three, I'm going to have to go for Humbert Humbert.

Identifying Humbert Humbert from Lolita.

James Mason having played all those characters

but which one of those did Jeremy Irons play as well in 1997?

It is Humbert Humbert.

It's the right answer, Pat, you're through to the Final Round.

Bad luck, Jason. Just the one in the middle gone wrong,

means you won't be in the Final Round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams.

Jason just getting the one wrong there,

which funnily enough Pat didn't know as well.

Cost the place in the Final Round.

Our next subject today is Arts & Books.

Who'd like to play this?

INDISTINCT CHATTER

-We're heading towards that hen at the end.

-That hen?

What do you think, Hugh?

-I'll go for it.

-Ian?

-I'll go for it.

-You sure?

-Yeah, well...

Of the choices, yeah.

Ian, choose an Egghead.

Remember Pat's already played so any of the others.

-Judith maybe?

-It's up to you.

-I think Judith.

-Judith.

-Yeah, good with that?

I'll take Judith then please.

OK, just to confirm, Ian and Judith contesting Arts & Books.

Into the Question Room, both of you, please.

Ian, do you want to go first or second?

I'll go first please, Dermot.

Good luck, Ian. First question for you then.

Who wrote the 2011 book The World According To Joan?

I can't imagine that the Joan Jett book would do great business

as I can only remember one hit that she's had.

Joan Baez... Haven't heard much of her recently.

I think I'm going to go for Joan Collins.

The World According To Joan by Joan Collins. It's the right answer.

Well done.

Judith, works by Banksy have depicted what type of creature

parachuting or holding a placard saying, "London doesn't work"?

Gosh, I don't think I know.

Umm... I don't... I just think it probably isn't a hedgehog.

Could be a snake, but I'm inclined to think it's a rat.

I'm thinking it's a rat. I'm saying it's a rat.

Sorry. Trying to get the positive answer.

I thought you might still be pondering

when you said you were thinking. Thanks for being clear.

A rat parachuting or holding a placard saying

"London doesn't work."

It's a tough one, isn't it? You've got it though.

It's the right answer. Yes, rat.

Well done, Judith.

Ian, second question then.

The National Gallery of Australia acquired David Hockney's 60 canvases

which form one large painting of which US landmark?

Er, now then.

I can't imagine that 60 canvases would be enough

for the Grand Canyon.

Yosemite Falls...I don't think.

-I'm going to go Mount Rushmore.

-Mount Rushmore.

A massive collection of canvases which form one large painting

by David Hockney.

It's not. It is the Grand Canyon.

A chance for Judith to take the lead.

Which institution is the focus

of David Hare's award-winning play Racing Demon?

I always wish I'd seen it. I have a feeling it's the Church of England.

-You're nodding, Daphne.

-I think it's that.

Yeah, it is Church of England, the focus of Racing Demon by David Hare.

Well, to have a racing chance, to have any chance,

you need to get this, Ian.

What is the title of James Randerson and Peter Walker's book

based on their bicycle blog in the Guardian newspaper?

Now then. For the first time in many months, I bought the Guardian today.

Umm... And I would have to say...

Cycleanalysis sounds a bit heavy.

Cyclology, again, a column in the Guardian I would

think would be slightly light-hearted.

I'm going to pick, and on my own head be it, Cyclebabble.

On your own head be it.

Is someone going to put a stick through your spokes?

No, it's the right answer. Cyclebabble is correct.

But that was the bit

you had control of, and you got it,

but now you have no control over this.

It's all up to Judith, and if she gets it, she's in the Final Round.

Valerie Fletcher married which poet in 1957?

Well, I don't think it's Peter Porter or Ted Hughes.

I think it's Valerie Eliot. TS Eliot.

OK, TS Eliot, Valerie Fletcher marrying in 1957.

It's the right answer. There we are.

Three out of three.

And again, same pattern as Jason there, Ian,

just that one wrong in the middle means you're not in the Final Round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams.

Court In The Act getting close twice there,

but still lost two brains from the Final Round.

The Eggheads are all still there

at the halfway stage in the head-to-heads.

Our third head-to-head coming up right now is Politics.

Who'd like to play this one?

Steve or Hugh?

-It's Hugh.

-It's me, Dermot.

-All right, Hugh.

And which Egghead would you like to choose?

Pat and Judith have played so Barry, Chris or Daphne?

-Daphne.

-No, well, OK.

-Yeah, we'll go for Daphne.

OK, it's going to be Daphne.

Hugh and Daphne then for Politics.

Off to the Question Room first please, both of you.

Hugh, would you like to go first or second in the Politics round?

I'll try first then.

Good luck, Hugh. This is your first question.

Which politician was depicted in Private Eye

as the Vicar of St Albion's?

My first reaction is, I don't think it was Margaret Thatcher

but it's probably the correct answer.

I think perhaps Harold Wilson is a bit too dated.

I'll risk Tony Blair.

Tony Blair as the Vicar of St Albion's, is the right answer, yes.

Daphne,

on polling day of a general election,

who is responsible for the conduct of the ballot in polling stations?

Well, logically, it ought to be the Presiding Officer.

-OK, going for that?

-Yes.

-It's correct. Yes, Daphne.

-A little tentative there.

-Yes.

You got it. Hugh's second question.

Which politician said, "I believe what I said yesterday.

"I don't know what I said, but I know what I think and, well,

"I assume it's what I said"?

Um...

It could be Colin Powell. I don't think it's Donald Rumsfeld.

I'm going to go down the middle, as they say, for Dick Cheney.

Dick Cheney. Former Vice President, Dick Cheney. It's not.

Three out of three times,

you guys have gone astray on the second question.

Do you know, Daphne, of the other two?

I think it's Donald Rumsfeld who gets his words muddled up.

He does rather, doesn't he? Donald Rumsfeld it is.

Curse of the second question so far for Court In The Act.

Three out of three have failed.

When that's happened before, the Egghead went on to score.

Will that happen with Daphne?

In 1994, David Cameron started working at which media company?

I haven't heard it, I'm just trying to work it out.

Um...

I don't think it's the BBC.

So 50-50... Carlton?

Carlton is the right answer, Daphne, yeah.

The pattern still sticking.

If you're staying to the script, Hugh, you need to get this

and then hope Daphne strays from what's happened so far.

The introduction of premium bonds was announced in the

budget speech of which Chancellor of the Exchequer?

They've been going quite a while now

and I think they've just had an anniversary.

I'll go for Harold Macmillan.

OK, Harold Macmillan, been around a while. You've got it. Yes.

This to win it, Daphne.

In 1988, the European Parliament established a human rights award

and named it after which Russian?

I've heard of the Sakharov Award.

Andrei Sakharov?

It's a peace prize or something, isn't it?

Human rights award. Um...it's the right answer.

It has happened again. We have had three carbon copy rounds.

There we are. Bad luck, Hugh.

It means you won't be in the Final Round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams.

Time running out now for Court In The Act.

They've lost three brains from the Final Round

and the Eggheads are all still there.

We move on to our last head-to-head before that Final Round. It's Music.

-Derek or Steve to take it on, please?

-Steve?

-Yeah, it's going to have to be me.

-All right, Steve.

Choose your Egghead. Only two of them left, of course.

Either Barry or Chris.

-I don't know, which one do you think?

-Chris or Barry.

-You choose, mate, you choose.

-I'll have Chris.

Chris, all right. Steve and Chris playing Music.

Into the Question Room, both of you, please.

Steve, do you want to go first or second?

I'll go first please, Dermot.

Good luck, Steve, here you go.

According to the lyrics of A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square

there were angels dining at where?

Hmm. Don't know. Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square.

I'll hazard a complete guess at The Cafe Royal.

OK, angels dining at The Cafe Royal.

It's not. Chris?

There were angels dancing at The Ritz, and I'm perfectly

willing to swear a nightingale sang in Berkeley Square.

The Ritz is what we wanted. Let's see how Chris kicks off then.

Michael Forever, the 2011 tribute concert to Michael Jackson,

was held at which venue?

That was held on the site of the South Metropolitan Gasworks

at the O2 Arena.

THEY LAUGH

Right. OK, I'm just absorbing what you said there about the O2 Arena.

What? You think the Gasworks would have been...

I prefer the Gasworks myself.

THEY LAUGH

Well, that's you. But it's the wrong answer. No, it wasn't at the O2.

It was very big at the time and much reported. Other Eggheads?

-Millennium Stadium?

-At the Millennium Stadium.

-In Cardiff?

-Yeah.

-Oh!

OK, well, no harm done then, Steve.

Thankfully, we've already got a different pattern

from the previous rounds. From your point of view,

let's hope with a different outcome as well.

Here you go.

She Moves In Her Own Way and Naive were UK hit singles by which band?

I've heard of She Moves In Her Own Way. Um...

I think it might be The Kooks.

It's the right answer. Well done. You're on the board.

Let's see if Chris follows you.

John Barrowman and Stefanie Powers appeared in the short-lived

West End production of which musical

loosely based on the life of El Cordobes?

Well, they're all bullfighters of one sort or another.

El Cordobes was a matador. Presumably, it's Matador.

It is Matador. Right answer. Well done, Chris.

Both on the board,

matching each other there.

Steve, under what stage name did the rapper Bobby Ray Simmons find fame?

Bobby Ray Simmons. Um...

Never heard of B.o.B.

Is Bobby Brown a rapper, I don't know. I'll go for Busta Rhymes.

Busta Rhymes. It's not. Chris, you'll surely know.

You're joking, aren't you? I'll go for Bobby Brown.

-That wouldn't be it either.

-B.o.B.

-Yes, it's B.o.B. And, Daphne, you do know that, don't you?

-Yes.

I'm just trying to get my head round the fact that there's

a B Simmons as a rapper.

THEY LAUGH

Of course!

We're awaiting your output very soon, Barry.

Nothing there for Steve,

and a chance for Chris to take the round.

Which musical term refers to the provision of an alternative

passage that may be played instead of the original passage?

Ah.

Now, dal segno means from the sign,

which would be go, back to wherever you're going from.

Ossia, I haven't got a clue about.

It's probably something to do with bones.

But portato means sort of carried, so it's a passage you can

carry over from once place to another, so I'll go for portato.

On that reasoning I'd give you the point,

but I can't cos it's incorrect.

-It is...

-Ossia, which means also.

-Ossia, which means also.

-Oh.

-Ossia.

Low scoring but all square.

First time we're going into Sudden Death.

I'd better underline the rules for you.

You'll know them, I'm sure.

It's quite simple, we're taking away those choices,

so if you do have to guess, it's an awful lot harder.

Here it is, your Sudden Death question.

In 2009, Thomas Walsh and the Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon

released a pop album devoted to which sport?

Oh. I've got no idea.

I will hazard a guess at hockey.

Hockey?

OK, well, it does involve sticks and hitting balls but it's not hockey.

Do you know, Chris?

Well, since they're Irish, probably hurling.

No! No, it's not. Other Eggheads?

-Cricket.

-Cricket.

Chris, another chance for you.

Which record label was founded in 1979

by Jerry Dammers of The Specials,

taking its name from a style of music fusing punk rock with ska?

That sounds to me like 2 Tone.

-Oh, well done!

-It's the right answer, Chris. Yes. 2 Tone Records.

Well done, Chris.

The other Eggheads were astonished you knew that.

It's amazing what's in there while you're thinking about your gasworks.

THEY LAUGH

So 2 Tone takes you through to the Final Round as well.

Sorry, Steve, you won't be playing there.

Would you both please come back and join your teams.

This is what we've been playing towards.

It's time for the Final Round, which, as always,

is General Knowledge.

I'm afraid those of you who lost your head-to-heads

won't be allowed to take part in this round.

So Jason, Steve, Ian and Hugh from Court In The Act,

please leave the studio now.

So then, Derek, you're playing to win £1,000.

Daphne, Chris, Barry, Pat and Judith, you're all playing

for something which money can't buy, the Eggheads' reputation.

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

This time the questions are all General Knowledge

and you are allowed to confer.

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

Derek, would you like to go first or second?

I'll stick with tradition and go first.

OK, Derek, time to start the final round. Here's your first question.

What is a Sir Roger de Coverly?

What is a Sir Roger de Coverly?

I'm not sure. Blooming heck!

I seem to remember from a Carry On film someone mentioning that name

and it was a dance, so I'll go for a folk dance.

It's the right answer. Well done. Good start. From a Carry On film.

Eggheads, to start your campaign,

dubbin is a mixture of oil and tallow,

used to waterproof what material?

Are we all happy with leather? MURMURING ASSENT

Yes, we're all happy with this and I'm sure some of us

have used it many times in the past. It's leather.

Leather, right answer, Eggheads.

Back to you, Derek. Second question.

The flag of which country depicts a frigate bird

flying through the air as the sun rises above the sea?

The flag of which country depicts a frigate bird

flying through the air as the sun rises above the sea?

Oh, dear. Um...

This has to be a complete guess. I've no idea.

I'll go for, down the middle as they say, Kiribati.

It's the right answer. Well done, you've got it.

That means, Eggheads, you need to get this, I would suspect.

Which explorer, a former governor of Van Diemen's Land,

disappeared in the Arctic in 1847?

INDISTINCT CHATTING

-We're all happy with Franklin?

-Hold on a second.

-Is the date good for Franklin?

-Yes, the date, yeah. About 1840s.

-Are you happy with that?

-I don't really know.

We believe it was John Franklin.

John Franklin, a former governor of Van Diemen's Land,

disappearing in 1847. It's the right answer, Eggheads.

You've got two.

Derek, if you get this right,

you might beat the Eggheads on your own.

Here you go.

Which town hosted the first WOMAD festival in 1982?

Which town hosted the first WOMAD festival in 1982?

HE LAUGHS I've never heard of it.

I've obviously heard of them three places.

Blandford Forum in Dorset...

is the one I'm going to go for because I really have no idea.

I'm going to go for Blandford Forum.

OK, Blandford Forum for WOMAD. First one in 1982. It's incorrect.

-Do you know, Eggheads?

-Shepton Mallet.

-Shepton Mallet, yes.

-Peter Gabriel's festival, wasn't it?

-He founded it?

-He founded it.

WOMAD standing for?

World Of Music And Dance.

World Of Music And Dance, yeah.

So Shepton Mallet

is what we wanted to hear.

We didn't, so an opening for the Eggheads.

At the age of 29,

Caroline Still was appointed Chief Executive of which football club?

I have an idea.

I think a lady connected with Mansfield Town

was in the news at some point.

Yeah, definitely.

There was a link between Mansfield Town and a female senior figure.

-That's more than I've got.

-It's not any sort of guarantee.

-I'm fine.

Yeah. We're all happy with that.

I think it's safe to say four of us don't know,

but Pat has an idea that there was a lady from Mansfield Town

in the news recently, associated with a football club.

-So we'll go for Mansfield Town.

-29, Caroline Still.

You think it's Mansfield Town who made her the youngest

CEO in English football.

Mansfield Town is correct, Eggheads. You've won.

Bad luck, Derek. Well played there, on your own in the Final Round.

Got two out of three,

as did so many of those that went before you from Court In The Act.

Three in a row there.

The first three head-to-heads following that similar pattern,

with your teammates getting the one in the middle wrong,

and then going out.

You got the last one wrong, unfortunately,

and the Eggheads have finished the job.

But great to see you,

thank you for playing the Eggheads and happy quizzing in the future.

Those Eggheads have done what comes naturally

and they reign supreme over quiz land once again.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £1,000

and that means the money rolls over to our next show.

Eggheads, congratulations. Who will beat you?

Do 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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