Episode 111 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 our awesome quiz champions today are...

Now, this team all work for the same IT firm based in Stirling,

and whilst at work, it is quite common for them

to fire a quiz question or two at each other,

just as long as it starts with the phrase, "As we all know..."

So, let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Scott, I'm 46 and I'm a senior analyst programmer.

Hi, I'm Andy, I'm 53 and I'm a senior analyst programmer.

Hi, I'm David, I'm 43 and I'm a systems analyst.

Hi, I'm Dave, I'm 35 and I'm an analyst programmer.

Hi, I'm Alan, I'm 37 and I'm a senior analyst programmer.

-Scott and team, welcome.

-Hi.

So, while working for the IT firm, you type out, "As we all know..."

and then the question, is that right?

It's not so much type out - we all sit together,

so one of us is the question master, comes up with the question

and everybody turns round - we say, "As we all know,

"Paris is the capital of France, what's the capital of Bolivia?"

Right.

That's almost what we do here, really, isn't it?

-It's the same thing.

-Yup.

So you've got some handy quizzers on the team?

Um.... THEY LAUGH

We'll see.

-Shall we get cracking?

-Sure.

-Absolutely.

-Good luck to you.

Every day there is £1,000-worth of cash

up for grabs for our Challengers,

however, if they fail to defeat the Eggheads

the money rolls over to the next show.

So, "As we all know," the Eggheads have won the last two games,

which means £3,000 says you can't beat them today.

-Would you like to start?

-Yes, please.

OK, so, the first head-to-head battle is on the subject of Sport.

-This good?

-Yep.

We've got a strategy worked out for this one.

It's called Alan.

-So, Alan...

-Yes.

-OK, which Egghead would you like to take on?

They're all available.

-Um, what do we think? Maybe Daphne...?

-Judith.

-Judith?

-Judith, I think.

-We'll go for Judith, please.

So, Alan from As We All Know versus Judith from the Eggheads,

and to ensure there's no conferring,

would you please take your questions in our Question Room?

Alan, it seems like the natural choice that you were put on sport.

I think so, yes, Jeremy.

I think I was lucky to get the sport up front first.

Saved some of the more horrible subjects later on for me.

I gather it's tennis and football for you, anything else?

That's right, I play a lot of tennis.

I like all sports, really, Jeremy, I play a bit of golf,

football, tennis, anything, really.

So, it's sport, Alan. Your choice, first or second?

Er, I'd like to go first, please, Jeremy.

Here we go with your question.

Which football manager is sometimes nicknamed The Translator?

I'm not sure about this one, Jeremy.

I think it's unlikely to be Alex Ferguson,

which leaves Jose or Arsene.

Something rings a bell at the back of my mind that Jose Mourinho

might have had that role in one of his early clubs.

I think he may have been given that task to help out one of the managers

he learned from, so I think I'm going to go for Jose Mourinho, Jeremy.

-Jose Mourinho is right.

-Thank you.

I can see that your team know.

Was it Bobby Robson he used to translate for?

Bobby Robson he translated for at Barcelona, I believe.

Yeah, so he was Bobby Robson's translator in Barcelona, we think.

-Well done. You got it right, Alan.

-Thank you.

Judith, here's your first question.

Which Formula 1 driver was involved in multiple crashes when

driving for the Lotus Team during his first full season in 2012?

Um, I think that was Romain Grosjean.

Yes, you're right. Well done.

OK, Alan, your question.

In which year did Ronnie O'Sullivan

become snooker world champion for the first time?

2005 sounds a little bit late.

I think around about 1997

would probably have been still Stephen Hendry's era

of domination.

Actually, thinking about it,

2001 perhaps sounds a little bit too far away as well.

I'm not sure if Ronnie's...

..been at the top quite that long.

I think I'm going to go for 2005, Jeremy.

Team, what do we think?

-We think it's 2001.

-Yeah, they think you're late,

and you are, it's 2001, Alan.

OK, Judith has a chance to pull ahead.

In American football, the annual showcase every February

when college football players are assessed for their potential

as professional players is called the NFL Scouting what?

The NFL Combine, the NFL Stakeout or the NF...

I think it might be Stakeout.

-Anyone here know? Eggs?

-I think that's right.

Yeah? They think Stakeout.

They're wrong, though. Combine.

-Oh.

-The NFL Scouting Combine. OK, so you're still equal,

she's given you a bit of daylight there, Alan.

-Have a chance.

-Take your chance now.

In 2012, which country won the three main team tennis tournaments?

Davis Cup, Federation Cup and Hopman Cup.

Switzerland are more associated with the male game,

Argentina are very strong in both. Um...

But I have a feeling, actually,

I watched some of the final of the Davis Cup,

and I think the Czech Republic won against Spain, I think,

in the final, so I'm going to go for Czech Republic, Jeremy.

Ooh, you've done well there, you're right. Czech Republic.

So, Judith, you need this one, now, to stay in.

The Australian athlete Sally Pearson broke the Olympic record

in which individual event at the 2012 Summer Games?

Failed to watch her.

-Um...

-If you get this wrong, you're out on sport, Judith.

-I know.

Um...Sally Pearson.

I don't know, 100m hurdles.

Let's see. Team?

-Yes.

-You're right.

-Ooh!

-Luck, luck.

-You are right, so we go to Sudden Death.

Three questions, Alan, gets a bit harder,

-I don't give you alternatives.

-Yep.

Which sportsman who announced his retirement from Olympic sailing

in order to concentrate on the America's Cup

was knighted in the 2013 New Year's honours list?

Hmm. I'd have to admit that sailing's not one of my fortes, sportwise.

However, I think I remember watching some of the Olympic coverage,

hopefully I remember this,

that I think Ben Ainslie had announced his retirement

after he won the last event, so I'm going to go for Ben Ainslie.

You've got it right, Ben Ainslie is right. Well done.

Judith, your question.

The new trophy awarded at the 2013 PDC World Darts Championship

was named in honour of which commentator?

Oh.

Can't remember his name.

I don't know. Can't think.

I can't remember his name.

-You can't remember his name.

-No.

-I'll take that as a pass.

-He died in August 2012.

-Yes...

-Brilliant commentator.

-Yeah.

-That's...

-Sid Waddell is the answer...

-That's right.

-..Judith.

-That's right.

-So, you've passed and therefore not got it,

and the round has gone to Alan and to our Challengers, well done.

As We All Know take first blood.

Do both of you please come back and retake your teams.

As it stands, As We All Know, which is their team name,

have not lost a brain from the final round. The Eggheads have.

So, the next subject for you is Science.

-That's me.

-Scott, yes.

-That's me.

-Scott, against which Egghead?

-Obviously can't be Judith.

-Er... Can I take Tremendous Knowledge Dave?

You certainly can.

So, Scott from As We All Know versus Tremendous Knowledge Dave

on the subject of Science.

Please go to the Question Room now.

So, Scott, good luck on this round.

Would you like to go first or second?

Er, I'll go first, please.

Here's your question. What is produced by a spider's spinneret?

I'm torn between silk or venom.

I'm going to go for silk, given it's "spinneret",

so, they spin silk, so I'm going for silk.

Silk is the right answer.

Dave, in February 2013, a meteor

estimated by NASA to have a diameter of around 17m

exploded over which country?

I believe that was Russia.

Russia is the right answer.

OK. Back to you, Scott.

Which of these letters, as a single letter,

is not a chemical symbol of an element in the periodic table?

I'm not sure about this one at all.

Um, there's something in me that says A is probably the correct answer,

but I don't know why I'm discounting B or C, to be honest.

But I'm going to go for A, it's a bit of a guess.

Well, C is carbon...

And B is Boron, so you've got it right.

-Oh!

-Excellent.

The periodic table comes up all the time.

OK, Tremendous Knowledge Dave,

the UK government's defence, science and technology department

has its headquarters at Porton Down in which English county?

I don't think it's Lancashire, so it's either Wiltshire or Kent.

I've not heard of this.

Wiltshire...

It's not far from Swindon, which has got a lot of science...

Er...

Purely on the basis that Swindon has got science bases there,

I'll go Wiltshire.

Wiltshire is correct, Dave.

OK.

Scott, your question, keep the pressure on.

Torticollis is a condition that affects which part of the body?

Can I ask you to spell it, please?

T-O-R-T-I-C-O-L-L-I-S, all one word, torticollis.

From torticollis, I think "tort" is something to do with the neck.

Um, the actual...

the derivation of the word is pointing me towards neck,

I'm going to go for neck.

Neck is correct.

Playing really well, Scott. So, you've got three out of three.

Pressure on Dave.

What name is sometimes given to the condition of becoming dizzy

and overwhelmed by the impact of looking at great works of art?

Let's go for Stendhal syndrome.

Where'd you get that from?

Just sounded, you know, with a bit of an alliterative thing,

just sounded better than the other two.

You're right, Dave, Stendhal syndrome.

So, it's three all.

You're playing well, Scott, but so is Tremendous Knowledge Dave.

We go to Sudden Death. It's a bit harder,

-I don't give you alternative answers, OK?

-Yep.

Which large number, originally described as 1

followed by writing zeroes until you get tired,

is now defined as 10 to the power of 10 to the power of 100?

10 to the power of 10 to the power of 100...

Again, it's not something I've heard of,

but I'm tempted to go for either infinity or a googolplex,

given that infinity is supposed to be as high as you can go,

I'm going to go for a googolplex.

-Googolplex is the right answer.

-Oh, well done, Scott!

Well played, Scott.

Dave, your question, to stay in, now.

What is the name of the alkaloid discovered by the scientist

Hans Christian Orsted

that is responsible for the pungency of black pepper?

I can't think. Alkaloid...

Alkaloid that's responsible for the pungency of black pepper,

I should know. Um, I'll go nigrum.

Yeah, I'll go nigrum, but I haven't got an idea, really. Nigrum.

-It's piperene.

-Piperene, fine.

-So, you've lost that round.

Scott has won it, and Scott will be in the final round.

This is going well.

You're playing very well, As We All Know.

Please, both of you, come back and rejoin your team-mates.

So, Scott, this is going well,

considering you've told us you just bandy questions around the office.

It is. I can't believe how well we're doing.

You're taking down the Eggheads, here, one at a time.

It won't last.

They have the capacity to strike back, there's no question.

So, you have not lost a brain, the Eggheads have lost two brains.

Getting interesting.

The next subject is Geography.

Who would like this one?

-Geography?

-Is it me?

I don't know. It's got to be one of you two.

One of us two?

-Yeah, unless...decide who fancies it.

-I'll take it if you want.

-Yeah, go on, then.

-It will be me.

So, David, against...? Which one would like it?

Kevin or Pat or Daphne?

It's the "Ronaldo or Messi" question.

I think I'd be tempted to go for Pat, but not for any good reason.

-Yeah!

-We'll go for Pat.

OK, so it is David from As We All Know versus Pat on Geography.

Would you go to the Question Room?

David, Geography.

Yes, unfortunately, yes.

And a very high standard to maintain here,

because your team are playing so well.

Yes. It's going to be a difficult act to follow.

OK, well, good luck on this, Pat and David,

and David, you can choose the first or second set of questions.

I'll go first, please.

Here we go, with your first question.

The term "Tiger Cub Economies" has most often been applied

in recent years to countries in which part of the world?

Unfortunately, it's not a term that I've heard.

Which suggests to me it's not Western Europe.

Tigers would be associated with both Asia and North Africa.

But I'm going to plump for South-East Asia.

South-East Asia is correct, well done.

Here's your first question.

Saxony-Anhalt is a state of which country, Pat?

It's one of the Lander states

that make up the Federal Republic of Germany.

Germany is the right answer.

You've both got one.

Back to you, David.

An area around which group of English hills

is sometimes referred to as Elgar Country?

Right, again, I've never heard that term

Ooh, this is going to be a complete guess,

I'm going to go for the Malvern Hills.

You've done it, you've got it right.

OK, let's see how Pat does. His second question.

What type of physical feature is a bergschrund?

It's got something to do with glaciers, I know that much.

I'm going to have to say crevasse, I think it's to do with glaciers.

Crevasse is correct.

Back to you, David. Your third question.

Which county in Northern Ireland, famous for its apple-growing,

is traditionally referred to as the Orchard of Ireland?

Once again, not something I know.

For some reason, I don't think it's Armagh.

Which leaves me with Down and Tyrone. Um...

I'm going to go for Down.

I don't know if your Irish expertise goes this far up, Pat.

What do you think?

I think it's Armagh.

Armagh is the right answer, David.

Pat has a chance, now.

Will this be the first Challenger to go? Let's see.

Venezuela shares borders with Brazil, Guyana

and which other country?

I think the Orinoco forms a good chunk of a long border

between Venezuela and Colombia.

You've got it right, Pat.

Colombia is the right answer, so, three out of three.

David, you were beaten there by our Egghead,

so Pat will be in the final and you won't.

Please, both of you, rejoin your team-mates.

So, is the tide turning here?

As We All Know have now lost a brain, sorry David,

from the final round.

The Eggheads have lost two brains,

and the last subject before the final is Film & Television.

-Who would like this?

-Got to be Dave.

-I'll take this, please.

Dave, OK. Against which Egghead?

-Ooh...

-Kevin or Daphne.

-Kevin or Daphne.

I'll be brave, and I'll choose Kevin, please.

Very good. Dave from As We All Know versus Kevin from the Eggheads.

And to ensure there's no conferring, please take your positions.

Well, good luck in this round, and Dave, you can tell us

whether you want the first or second set of questions.

I'll take the first set of questions, please, Jeremy.

Here's your question.

Who won the Academy Award for best supporting actress

for her role as Fantine in the film musical Les Miserables?

Um, I haven't been to see it yet,

but I do know from having seen the film news, it was Anne Hathaway.

That's right, Anne Hathaway, it is.

OK, your question, Kevin.

Who plays the character of Mrs Overall in Victoria Wood's

spoof TV soap opera Acorn Antiques?

HE SCOFFS

I'm sure Judi Dench could do it,

but Julie Walters is the one who was in that.

Julie Walters is correct.

Over to you, Dave. Who took over as the presenter

of The Apprentice - You're Fired in 2010?

Um...

I'm not a big fan of The Apprentice,

although we do have a sweep on it at work.

Um...

I don't think it was Frank Skinner.

Something says it probably wasn't Rob Brydon,

so I'm going to guess at Dara O'Briain.

Dara O'Briain is correct.

Two out of two, you're playing well.

Kevin, Peter Sellers played a character called Robert Danvers

in the 1970 film There's A Girl... Where?

I think it was based on a stage play,

but I'm not absolutely certain about that.

It was called There's a Girl in My Soup.

Correct, it was "In My Soup".

And what's that all about? A hotel scene or something, or...?

It's a farce, I think, basically.

I've got an idea that's one of the films where Goldie Hawn

first made a name for herself.

OK, your question, Dave.

Which Hollywood star founded the production company Happy Madison

in 1999?

I don't have an instant answer, um...

Ben Affleck, obviously known for his directing

and getting involved in the production of films.

Adam Sandler, don't know. Just in a few comedies, really.

I'm going to go with Ben Affleck.

-Team-mates, do you know?

-Adam Sandler.

Oh, they all know it's Adam Sandler.

-So, how do you all know that?

-I don't. They know.

Well, you are called As We All Know, so...

-It's from the "Happy" from Happy Gilmore.

-Yeah.

Adam Sandler is the right answer.

OK, Kevin, your question. For the round, now.

Which British actor's films have included The Business,

Human Traffic and The Football Factory?

I need the three again just make sure, Jeremy.

Which British actor's films have included The Business,

Human Traffic and The Football Factory?

I don't think either of the others is in any of those,

if I remember correctly, but one who is in all of them is Danny Dyer.

Danny Dyer is correct. Dave, he's hard to beat, isn't he?

It's tough, it's tough.

Kevin has taken the round, he'll be in the final.

Dave, you've been knocked out.

Let us see what happens, then, in that final round.

So, this is what we have been playing towards.

It is 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, David and Dave from As We All Know

and Judith and Dave from the Eggheads,

would you please leave the studio?

So, here we are. You played really well, and good luck to you.

Scott, Andy and Alan, you're now playing to win,

As We All Know, £3,000.

Pat, Kevin and Daphne, you're playing for something

that money can't buy - the Eggheads' reputation.

As usual, I will ask you three questions in turn,

this time the questions are all General Knowledge,

and you are allowed to confer.

So, As We All Know, the question is,

are your three brains better than the Eggheads' three?

And would you like to go first or second?

We're going to go first, please, Jeremy.

OK, Andy and team, good luck to you.

You played really well. Let's see where we go from here.

The phrase "lashings of ginger beer" is often used humorously

to refer to the work of which author?

-Pretty much Enid Blyton, eh?

-From The Famous Five.

-Famous Five.

-Secret Seven. Yeah.

-Enid Blyton.

-Yeah.

-Unanimous - Enid Blyton on that one, Jeremy.

Enid Blyton is the right answer, well done.

Your question, Eggheads.

The Anti-Fascist Protection Rampart

was an early term for which construction?

-Berlin Wall, wasn't it?

-Berlin Wall?

-Yeah.

-Berlin Wall.

OK.

That was the Berlin Wall.

-How long ago that all seems.

-Mm.

-Yes.

Berlin Wall is the right answer.

Here we go with your second question.

According to the words of the song, where is Mother Kelly's doorstep?

I have no idea.

Do you know what song this is from?

Yeah, it's On Mother Kelly's Doorstep.

Strangely, and it's Down Memory Lane.

-Is it definitely...?

-Definitely down Memory Lane.

We're going to go for down Memory Lane, please, Jeremy.

Down Memory Lane is your answer - is this right, Eggs?

-Paradise Row.

-Daphne?

-Paradise Row.

-It's Paradise Row.

-Oh...

-Uh-huh.

-Down Paradise Row.

-Sorry, boys.

-Oh, well. OK.

OK, so you have a chance now to take the lead, Eggheads.

In 2013, which act was the recipient

of the first ever global success award at the Brits?

-It's One...

-One Direction.

-Yeah.

That is One Direction.

One Direction is correct. OK.

So, you need to get this right, now, Challengers,

or you've crashed out in the final round.

Semiramis was a ninth century BC queen of where?

Let me spell you her name. It's one word, S-E-M-I-R-A-M-I-S.

-Egyptian.

-Sounds Egyptian to me.

So, what's the choices, again?

-Assyria...

-Assyria and Judea.

-Or Carthage.

It's not going to be Carthage.

Carthage is quite close to Egypt, isn't it?

Yeah, but so's... It's all kind of up that side of things.

But then, Judea was Egyptian...

-Yeah...

-I'm thinking Assyria, but I've no idea why.

I thought Assyria when it first came up, but just on the basis...

On the basis of two against one, we'll go for Assyria.

We're going to take a pot at Assyria, please, Jeremy.

Is this the kind of question you throw around the office

-when you're doing your quiz?

-No, no...

-"As we all know, Semiramis..."

Assyria was correct.

It's funny that you get Assyria, but the Mother Kelly's Doorstep...

None of us are that old, Jeremy.

Well done. OK, you've pulled it back. Let's see.

If the Eggheads get this right, they have ended the contest.

Who wrote the poem When We Two Parted,

about the end of a love affair?

-I don't know it, do you?

-No, I don't know it.

-I know which one I'd guess at.

-I know which one I'd...

Why don't we sort of do, like, one, two, three, so we don't...

OK, influence one another.

Do, one, two, three on your hands now,

who you think it is. Go on.

-I've no preference at all.

-Yeah.

Pat's not playing.

-Well...

-Pat's not going to play the game.

-Um, yeah...

-What was going on? What on Earth was going on?

-The point...

-We're doing the choices, one, two or three...

Behind - so as not to influence one another.

-Behind our palms, and then we compare.

-Yes.

-So, it's a kind of variant on rock, paper, scissors.

-Yes.

You can't say it, or anything like that?

-That would be too simple.

-Well...

-Because, like...

-Sometimes...

You say, "I think it is..." Then you distract the others.

-Yeah.

-OK.

I mean, it's quite - it's entirely possible it could be,

because Wordsworth - obviously, Wordsworth did have love affairs.

-Yeah.

-Um...

-But I don't think about him...

-Byron...

Fanny Brawne...

Yes, that's what I was thinking of,

-I mean, he's the logical answer, in that sense.

-Yeah.

But it could be Wordsworth, because he did have a couple of,

for him, turned out to be quite disastrous love affairs.

-So...

-OK.

-But I...

-We both think...

-On balance.

-..logically.

-Yeah.

-OK.

We think it's Keats.

You were doing this hand signal.

Pat refused to play, folded his arms.

Pat's not been allowed to take part in this one at all.

No. He didn't have any idea.

-Well, you don't have any idea either, cos it's Byron.

-Oh!

Fair enough.

We look forward to the next time that particular technique is used.

You're back in it, guys. You're on Sudden Death, now.

It gets a bit harder, I don't give you alternative answers.

Tatton Park is an historic estate in which English county?

-Um...

-I've really got no idea.

-I know some English counties, but...

-Tatton Park...

-Doesn't ring a bell at all.

-No.

I've heard of it, I think it's fairly far down, but...

I don't know where all the counties are.

-But you think...

-To be honest, I don't know it's fairly far down,

-I just think it's fairly far down.

-Tatton, Tatton, Tatton...

There's Tattenham Corner, one of the racecourses.

Tattenham Corner, that's maybe what I'm thinking of, Epsom.

I think Tattenham Park is something to do with the racing, as well.

It's Surrey.

-Yeah.

-Could be Hampshire or something.

-I'm not sure.

-Try Hampshire?

-Go with Hampshire, yes. yes. I've no idea.

-Complete guess.

-Um, yeah, we don't really know,

but we're going to try Hampshire, please.

Funnily enough, Tatton came up the other day

as a parliamentary constituency, so it's...

-Am I right in saying it was the Neil Hamilton constituency?

-Yes.

-And it was in Cheshire.

-Oh.

Quite a long way away.

Tatton Park is in Cheshire.

This is your question, now, Eggheads.

Looking forward to how you solve this one.

Get this one right, the contest is over.

The Binnenhof, a complex of buildings

that is home to both houses of the Dutch parliament,

is located in which city?

It's in The Hague.

-Must be The Hague.

-It's in The Hague.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, it's in The Hague.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Um, it's The Hague, Jeremy.

-No doubt at all?

-No.

-No need to do the funny signing thing?

-No.

No, we all thought The Hague.

The Hague is the right answer, we say congratulations,

Eggheads, you have won.

-Bad luck. Sudden Death, though.

-Yeah.

-You pushed them close.

-Yeah.

-And we say commiserations,

As We All Know, you played a great game,

but the Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them,

and they still reign supreme over Quizland.

It does mean you won't be going home with the £3,000,

so the money rolls over to our next show.

Eggheads, very well done. Who will beat you?

Join us next time to see if a new team of Challengers

have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£4,000 says they don't.

Till then, goodbye.