Episode 59 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 challenging our resident quiz champions today are The Tubes.

The majority of this team

work in biomedicine for NHS trusts in Lanarkshire and Glasgow.

Let's meet them.

Hi, my name's Donald, I'm 52 and I'm a senior biomedical scientist.

Hi, I'm Peter, I'm 54, I'm a senior biomedical scientist.

Hi, I'm Margaret, I'm 53, and I work in a jeweller's shop.

Hi, I'm Brian, I'm 55 and I'm a senior biomedical scientist.

Hi, I'm Graeme, I'm 52, and I'm also a senior biomedical scientist.

Welcome to you, Tubes.

We'd better explain the team name in case it's misconstrued,

why are you called that?

Well, Dermot, four of the team work in labs for the NHS,

and the fact that we're old enough to remember when we actually used test tubes,

which have sort of gone by the way nowadays,

it's more computerised analysers, so, we're also covering the base

with the Scottish vernacular in case we end up being that way.

-Being a bit of a tube.

-Yes, exactly.

That's news to me, I didn't realise test tubes were almost gone...

Almost gone.

..so long is it since I studied any sciences at school.

-Are test tubes gone from the lab now?

-Almost.

-More or less?

-Yes.

Large analysers, industrial scale some of them,

so, you know, major throughput, hundreds, thousands a day.

I see. OK, we'll keep that at the front of our minds, that's why you're called The Tubes.

OK, right, let's tell you about the game.

Every day there's £1,000 in 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 Tubes, the Eggheads have won the last five games,

that means £6,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads today.

And let's play the game then, and our first head-to-head battle,

the first attempt to knock an Egghead out will be on the subject of Arts & Books.

Who do you want to select to go forth?

THEY CONFER

I think Margaret was the nominated strong one, weren't you...?

Quite happy?

-Yeah, I suppose.

-We're going to nominate Margaret, Dermot.

OK, Margaret, not too happy about that, are you?

Which Egghead would you like to choose, any of those five?

Judith?

I'm loath to say anyone else in case I'm implying they're weaker than...

-I don't mind.

-We'll go with it. Go with Judith.

-Yes.

-We're going to go with Judith.

Margaret's taking on Judith, the subject is Arts & Books and as

you know you've got to go to the Question Room so you can't confer.

Margaret, are you settled? Do you want to go first or second?

First, please.

OK, good luck, Margaret,

and your first question on Arts & Books is this.

In which country does the plot of the 1957 Jack Kerouac novel,

On The Road, mainly take place?

In which country does the plot of the 1957 Jack Kerouac

novel On The Road mainly take place?

There aren't that many roads in the UK that make it that exciting

a journey so I would say the USA.

OK, the USA for On The Road by Jack Kerouac. Yes, of course, well done.

And Judith, what is the profession of Mitch McDeere

in the John Grisham novel The Firm?

Well, John Grisham is famous for writing kind of legal thrillers,

so I imagine it's lawyer.

Lawyer is correct. Both kicking off nicely there.

Margaret, who wrote the 16th century poem The Rape Of Lucrece?

Right, it wasn't William Shakespeare.

I think it's John Donne.

John Donne for the Rape Of Lucrece. It's not, and it is?

-William Shakespeare.

-Is it?

-So a chance, Judith, to take the lead.

Judith, The Human Stain is a 2000 novel by which American author?

The Human Stain is a 2000 novel by which American author?

The Human Stain? S-T-A-I-N?

I don't know.

The Human Stain. It sounds sort of Philip Rothian.

So I'm going to say Philip Roth, without really knowing.

It's the right answer! Well done, making Barry very happy there.

He was very agitated and excited, Barry over there.

I think he liked Rothian, I don't know why.

That means you need to get this, Margaret.

What nickname was given to the group of Glasgow artists

consisting of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Herbert MacNair

and Margaret and Frances MacDonald?

What nickname was given to the group of Glasgow artists

consisting of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Herbert MacNair

and Margaret and Frances MacDonald?

I've absolutely no idea.

I can't see why it would be Ghoul School.

But then I can't see why it would be Spook or Ghost, either.

I'll say Ghost.

OK, Ghost School, what do you think, other Tubes?

-We are heading towards that one as well.

-OK.

-We don't really know why.

OK, interesting, it's not Ghost School, it is...

Spook School.

Why so?

No idea, but I read it and I thought, oh!

Yes, the nickname is the Spook School, which means,

looking at the scores it's all over, I'm sorry Margaret,

it means you won't be in the final round.

Judith, you're there, would you both please come back and join your teams?

Well, were The Tubes spooked by the Spook School there?

A mystery why they were called that - we'll find out.

But as it stands The Tubes have lost one brain from the final round,

the Eggheads are all there, and we move onto our second head-to-head today.

This is Geography.

Who'd like to play this?

It can't be Margaret, but any of the four men there?

Peter said he would volunteer. Anyone else want to volunteer?

-No, you can have it, you're welcome to it.

-OK, that's that one then.

And from the Eggheads, remember, any of those apart from Judith.

Daphne?

Daphne, perhaps, yes.

-I'll be advised by you.

-We're going to go with Daphne, I think.

OK, so let's get it clear, Peter, you're taking this on

for The Tubes, and you elected Daphne to fight for the Eggheads.

Would you both please go to the Question Room?

Peter, I know you've travelled a lot, chosen for the Geography round.

There's an interesting reason why you've done quite a lot of it, tell us.

Well, my girls do Irish dancing and they compete in competitions,

so it's taken us throughout the UK and over to Ireland, and on one

occasion to Philadelphia in the USA for the World Championships.

-I saw a programme about that not so very long ago.

-That's right, yeah.

It's highly competitive and very international, isn't it?

Very much so. Competitors from all over the world come to the World Championships.

How have you done in it, then?

They've done fairly well, they actually won the

World Championships in the team competition, and there's a boy in our school who's won

the individual boys championship for many years in a row.

Fantastic stuff, well let's hope you can take some of that into this round and win through here.

Would you like to go first or second?

First, please.

First question then, coming your way.

What is the approximate population of India?

What is the approximate population of India?

I think it's...

..120 million.

OK, 120 million for the population of India.

It's not that, that's incorrect, it's a very big population,

we have to say approximate because they haven't really any idea once they got over the billion.

1.2 billion is the answer we're looking for there,

for the approximate population of India.

And Daphne, your first question. Monaco shares its borders

with France, but it's only about 12 kilometres from which other country?

Gosh, um, I can't even see it on the map.

Switzerland?

OK.

What's going on?

Barry's asking me if I've got a bat or something here,

so he can bang his head.

It's Italy, yeah. Italy.

Unlucky there for Peter, Daphne doesn't get many wrong,

if you'd got the Indian question you'd be in a very good position,

but all square still.

Peter, the island La Palma is part of which island group?

The island La Palma is part of which island group?

Well, I've been to Tenerife and Lanzarote

and I seem to remember seeing La Palma on the map in that area.

So, I don't think it's the Azores, or Cape Verde

so I'm going to have to plump for Canary Islands.

It's the right answer, yes, well done, Canary Islands.

And Daphne, London and Windsor are cities in which Canadian province?

-Ontario.

-Oh, look at that, look at the way you delivered that as well.

Yes.

Just to send a signal out there that you may have messed up

the first one but it's not going to continue.

All square again and back to you, Peter.

Lake Turkana, also known as Lake Rudolf, stretches from

northern Kenya into which country?

Lake Turkana, also known as Lake Rudolf,

stretches from northern Kenya into which country?

Well, I think Ethiopia is north of Kenya,

so it would have to be one of the other two.

Zambia, from recollection, is in central Africa.

So if we're talking about the east coast of Africa and the

Kenyan coast, I think I'll have to go for Tanzania.

-It's not the right answer, no. Daphne?

-Ethiopia.

-Ethiopia.

Yes, after identifying Ethiopia to the north I thought you might have

gone for that, but no, well, that means, Daphne, after getting

your first question wrong, has the chance of winning the round here.

The Bode museum is a feature of which European city?

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

..oh, dear.

Berlin.

-Berlin. Guess?

-Yes, well, it's the biggest city.

It's the right answer, Daphne.

You're in the final round in spite of getting that first one wrong.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

Well, as it stands, The Tubes have lost two brains from the final round,

the Eggheads are all still there.

Our next subject then, the third head-to-head. Film & Television.

Who'd like to play this one?

Just remember it can't be Peter or Margaret.

Erm, should have been mine, too late now.

I'll fall on my sword if you want for that one but I'm not...

OK, by the process of falling on the sword I think we're going to... Brian's going to...

OK, well, Brian, and you can choose an Egghead,

remember it can't be any of the female Eggheads,

they've played, so one of the chaps there - Pat, Barry or Chris?

I think because Chris shares my love of sport I'll choose Chris.

How aptly put. Well done there, Brian.

It's Brian and Chris then heading for the Question Room, please.

Right then, Brian, you get to choose, as you know.

Film & Television it is, do you want to go first or second?

Not really, but since the tactics so far haven't worked too well

I will let Chris go first.

OK, delaying the start for you then, this is Chris's question.

Frankie Muniz played the title role in which US sitcom?

Frankie Muniz played the title role in which US sitcom?

Well, it's not Everybody Loves Raymond, that's Ray Romano.

Um, Joey was a Friends spin-off, wasn't it?

So it's Malcolm In The Middle.

Yes, it's the right answer, well done to have got that.

And Brian, you can't put it off any longer, here's your question.

In which year was the TV show Midsomer Murders first broadcast?

In which year was the TV show Midsomer Murders first broadcast?

I know it's into its umpteenth series at the moment.

It wasn't as early as 1977.

'97 would certainly give us a good few years. I'll go for 1997.

Go for 1997. Yeah, a good few years, even the later date there,

and it's the right answer. Well done.

OK, all square after those first questions. Second question to Chris.

Which actor starred in the 2011 films, Drive, The Ides of March

and Crazy Stupid Love?

Which actor starred in the 2011 films, Drive, The Ides of March

and Crazy Stupid Love?

Well, Gerard Butler appeared in Machine Gun Preacher,

so he wouldn't have done three or four other films in one year.

Ryan Gosling or Matthew McConaughey?

He's murdered by Stewie Griffin in an episode of Family Guy,

so it's Matthew McConaughey, I think.

-OK, no, it's not.

-Oh, it's Ryan Gosling.

It's Ryan Gosling, the prolific Ryan Gosling.

It's what you hoped for,

the Egghead has slipped up.

To capitalise, you know what you've got to do here.

A 3D version of which Disney film topped

the US box office charts in September 2011?

A 3D version of which Disney film topped the US box office

charts in September 2011?

That's the Lion King.

Yes, it is. That's correct. So, you have a lead.

You are 2-1 up and you go through if Chris doesn't get this.

Who directed the '90s films, The Piano

and The Portrait Of A Lady, Chris?

Who directed the '90s films, The Piano and The Portrait Of A Lady?

Hm, The Piano.

Not Catherine Hardwicke.

Um, Jane Campion.

It's the right answer. Don't stay down for long, the Eggheads.

That means you've got to get this,

but if you do, Brian, you're in the final round.

Early in his career, Nigel Lithgow was a dancer

and choreographer for which television dance troupe?

Early in his career, Nigel Lithgow was a dancer

and choreographer who for which TV dance troupe?

I'll just go for the only one I've heard of,

which is dating me, probably. The Young Generation.

The Young Generation, the only one you've heard of,

it contained for a while Nigel Lithgow.

It's the right answer. You're in the final round.

Pah. Tosh there, Brian, "no good at this."

You really were lulling them into a false sense of security.

Enticing the Eggheads in, there.

Would you both please come back and join your teams.

Brian, I think you did what's known in the quizzing world as

a bit of a Daphne.

"I'm no good at this, oh, no, no," bish bosh, in there, out you go.

So, it's much better for The Tubes.

As it stands they've lost two brains from the final round,

the Eggheads have now lost one.

And our last head-to-head before that final round is History.

Who wants to play this?

Only two of you eligible. Donald or Graham?

-What would you like?

-I dunno...

THEY LAUGH AND CHATTER

I don't mind, I'll give it a go.

-Yes, good.

-Well done.

-Why not?

-Yeah, OK.

And, yes, you've got Pat or Barry, there.

Come on, Barry, let's have a go.

"Come on, Barry, let's have a go." You're up for it, aren't you, Barry?

-I'm up for it.

-Love your history. And, indeed, loves quizzing.

Let's have Graham and Barry into the Question Room, please.

Well, Graham, has Brian shown the way forward by going second

or do you want to dive straight in and go first?

I'll follow Brian and go second, please.

Barry, first question.

Isabella II was queen of which country from 1833 to 1868?

Isabella II was queen of which country from 1833 to 1868?

I think she had a famous spat with the Americans about the Amistad boat,

which was a Spanish boat which the Americans set the slaves free from.

And she was queen of Spain.

Queen of Spain? Right answer.

And the extra information, as we would expect from an Egghead.

Graham, we don't need extra information, just the right answer.

William Rufus was a by-name of which English king?

William Rufus was a by-name of which English king?

I think it was a William.

Very good.

The first, second or third I'm not quite so sure.

I think it was William II.

It was! It's the right answer. Well done.

Barry, the Battle of Leyte Gulf took place during which conflict?

The Battle of Leyte,

L-e-y-t-e.

The Battle of Leyte Gulf took place during which conflict?

I think this was a naval battle in which the greatest

number of ships ever in any battle in history was sunk.

And it was fought in the Philippines in WWII.

OK, very good, you just didn't,

presumably we could work it out but please tell us, which navies?

It was the remnants of the Japanese Navy against the American Navy

and the Americans absolutely slaughtered the Japanese.

So, then what? Opening up the path to the...?

Freeing the Philippines, effectively.

-And then opening up the path to Japan itself.

-Yes.

OK, WWII is so well identified there,

a very full answer from Barry.

He does know his subject, doesn't he?

Second question, then, for you, Graham.

What did the US Supreme Court rule was a vegetable

in the 1893 Nix v. Hedden dispute over import tariffs?

What did the US Supreme Court rule was

a vegetable in the 1893 Nix v. Hedden dispute over import tariffs?

Peanut grows underground.

So, perhaps because of that they chose a peanut. That's my answer.

Peanut.

Peanut.

OK. It's not.

It was import tariffs so a lot of those grown domestically.

Mind you, you'd think all of them would be. Barry, do you know?

I think the Americans would have got confused between tomatoes.

I would have thought they'd have thought that was a vegetable

so I'd go for tomato.

"You say tom-ar-to, but I say tom-ay-to."

"You say pot-ar-to and I say pot-ay-to."

It is the right answer. Tomato.

Not correct for Graham with peanut.

And you win the round, then, Barry, if you get this.

Which battle, where a German force under Arminius defeated three Roman legions,

is believed to have ensured that Germania remained independent

and not part of the Roman Empire?

This was the battle that the Emperor Octavian

rent his clothes over after the defeat and kept on saying

to everyone in his presence "Give me back my three legions."

It was the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest.

And that is the right answer,

as you seem to well know. Battle of the Teutoburg Forest.

We're going to have to drag him out of there he's loving it so much.

Telling us all about different aspects of his historical knowledge.

Graham, you don't face another question so we'll never know

if you would have got up to two,

but there's no point putting it to you because you can't win the round.

So 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.

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

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

So, Peter, Margaret and Graham from The Tubes,

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

So, Donald and Brian, you're playing to win The Tubes £6,000.

Daphne, Barry, Pat, Judith, you're playing for something which

money cannot buy, the Eggheads' reputation.

As usual, I'll ask each team three questions in turn,

this time the questions are all General Knowledge,

and you are allowed to confer.

So, Donald and Brian, the question is are your two brains

better than the Eggheads' four?

Donald and Brian, do you want to go first or second?

We're going to go first.

Deciding to kick off, and first question for The Tubes.

Elizabeth Hurley became engaged to which cricketer in 2011?

Elizabeth Hurley became engaged

to which cricketer in 2011?

It's a man now being accused of wearing a lot of make-up

and other trinkets, would you agree, Shane Warne?

-Yeah.

-Shane Warne.

OK, Shane Warne, you think. Yeah, Shane Warne it is.

A lot of comment about the remarkable

transformation in his appearance and dress.

And it's your first question, Eggheads.

Sarah Millican found fame as what type of performer?

Sarah Millican found fame as what type of performer?

She's a comedian. Comedian from Newcastle.

-OK.

-Yep.

She's an up and coming comedian.

Sarah Millican, a comedian, yes indeed.

OK, both off to an assured start.

Tubes, which British tennis player won the 2011 US Open boys' title?

Which British tennis player won the 2011 US Open boys' title?

Normally, it wouldn't be too hard a question there isn't that

many great British tennis boys, but I think there's

a few on the go just now, which makes it a bit more difficult.

There's one did well at Wimbledon, as well.

I've a feeling that was Oliver Golding at Wimbledon

but I don't know if he...

took the US. I don't know... George Morgan?

Sorry, I can't help you here at all.

We'll have a stab at George Morgan.

OK, George Morgan.

You were thinking about Oliver Golding, weren't you?

It was Oliver Golding. Did really well at the US Open, there.

-Took the boys' title. A real prospect, isn't he?

-Yes.

He was a child actor and he was in Greyfriar's Bobby.

-Children's programme.

-Really?

-Yes.

-What a talented young man.

OK, a chance for the lead for the Eggheads.

On the UK Order Of Merit badge, what are the two principle colours

that make up the eight-pointed enamel cross?

On the UK Order Of Merit badge, what are the two principle colours

that make up the eight-pointed enamel cross?

I seem to think it's red and blue... I'm sure I've seen blue on it.

I certainly haven't seen purple. Black and silver...

-No, I think it's red and blue.

-I've no idea.

-You've an idea?

-I think I have an idea it's red and blue.

Prepared to go with that, then?

We're going with red and blue.

Daphne, you're almost flinching there.

I'm only going to tell you the answer.

-You're just worried, aren't you?

-Yes.

It is the right answer, Eggheads, red and blue.

Tubes, you need to get this, then.

Brian and Donald, good luck.

Madonna's 1986 UK hit, Live To Tell, was featured in which film,

starring her then husband, Sean Penn?

Madonna's 1986 UK hit, Live To Tell, was featured in which film,

starring her then husband, Sean Penn?

Remember how long ago it was she was married to Sean Penn...

1986 so,...

-We're no Angels, was that Robert De Niro?

-I'm not quite sure.

Played a priest in it.

-If you're sure he was in No Angels then...

-If he was in that.

Were there priests on the run in that?...

It's tenuous, but...

It's as good as any, I suppose. Is there one you know he was in?

I'm sure he was in that Close Range, as well.

-Oh, right.

-Racing With The Moon doesn't mean anything.

You went off the first one you thought of last time,

-and you were wrong.

-We'll go for We're No Angels?

Go for We're No Angels.

Tenuously, we're going for We're No Angels.

OK, We're No Angels.

Goes for the Eggheads.

Live To Tell, Madonna's 1986 hit was featured in...

At Close Range.

Which means, Eggheads, you've won.

I think that final round all came down to first instincts.

And second guessing.

It's so difficult, isn't it? When you've got to have a bit of a guess.

You had that knowledge about Oliver Golding and his performance

at Wimbledon and changed your mind and then that

puts doubt into your mind when you face the next one and on it went.

Thank you very much indeed, Tubes, for coming along to play

the Eggheads today, you gave it

your best shot and told us all about test tubes, as well.

No "tubes" in the vernacular today, certainly not, very good quizzing.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally

and their winning streak continues.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £6,000 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.

£7,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

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