Episode 120 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 A Fine Vintage from Largs.

Now this sociable bunch of friends

have been meeting once every two months at one another's houses

without fail for nearly 30 years.

No, not to quiz, but to do blind tastings of each other's

recommendations of wine, port and whisky. Let's meet them.

Hello, I'm Eddie, I'm 67 and I'm a retired management consultant.

Hi, I'm John. I'm 61, I'm a retired IT project manager.

Hi, I'm Dave, I'm 65 and a retired IT manager.

Hi, I'm David, I'm 56 and I'm a human resources director.

Hi, I'm Alastair, I'm 55, and I'm a business development manager.

-So, Eddie and team, welcome to you.

-ALL: Hi, Jeremy.

Largs on the west coast of Scotland, is that right?

Yes, on the Ayrshire coast.

OK, and you obviously have some very good sessions together.

-Erm, they're sometimes difficult to remember.

-You can't remember them?

JEREMY LAUGHS

They're that good. You do whisky, you do port, you do all stuff.

We do a blind tasting of six wines and none of us,

including the host, knows what the wines are

because our wives very graciously pour the wines for us

before we enter the room.

So we each have six glasses, numbers one through six,

so we work our way through the six and decide which is which.

-Do you then usually agree on which the best wine is?

-Usually.

-Do you really?

-There have been...

-Sometimes.

Yeah, but I think it's fair to say that

when there's been a really outstanding wine we tend to agree.

OK, well, if Food & Wine does not come up today

-it's a complete travesty, isn't it?

-Absolutely.

It's not Food & Wine, it's Food & Drink, what am I saying?

It was close.

OK. Eggheads, who's the whisky person here?

-I like it.

-Barry!

-Barry.

-Oh, everyone! OK.

-But I'm the only member of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

-Ah!

Ah, good, so you have a kindred spirit.

-Good luck, guys.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Every day there's £1,000 worth of 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, A Fine Vintage, I can tell you the challengers did actually

win the last game, which means that £1,000 is on the table today

saying that you can't beat the Eggheads.

The first head-to-head battle is on the subject of Arts & Books.

-Who would like this?

-Who's going to take that?

-THEY WHISPER

-Yeah...

-I'll have a go at Arts & Books.

-John's going to do Arts & Books.

John on Arts & Books, against which Egghead? Any one of them, John.

-What d'you think? Dave?

-Yeah.

-Dave, please.

OK, so John from A Fine Vintage

against Tremendous Knowledge Dave from the Eggheads on Arts & Books,

and just to ensure there's no conferring,

would you please take your positions in the question room?

So they went straight for you on Arts & Books, then, John.

-Yeah, afraid so.

-Is that because of your drama activities?

Well, it could be. We'll see how good I am, though.

Tell us about the amateur theatre stuff that you do.

Well, I've been doing drama since 1979, I think,

and the last few years in panto I've been playing the Dame.

And currently we're rehearsing The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.

Now you've said you play the Dame in panto,

I'm not going to be able to get that out of my head!

-I'll send you a picture.

-JEREMY LAUGHS

OK, good luck on Arts & Books,

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

I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

Here we go.

The best-selling 1999 book by Stephen Chbosky is called

The Perks of Being A...what?

Now, the surname is C-H-B-O-S-K-Y, Chbosky.

Oh, dear, this isn't a good one.

Erm, I don't think it'd be Cornflower,

so I'll go between Wallflower and Sunflower.

And I'll just opt for Wallflower.

Wallflower is the right answer.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

Dave, your question.

The Snail and the Whale and Room On The Broom

are works by which popular children's author?

I don't think it's JK Rowling,

I'll have to go between Jacqueline Wilson and Julia Donaldson.

With no certainty, go Julia Donaldson.

-You've never read The Gruffalo, have you?

-No.

-She did The Gruffalo and she also did these.

-Right, yes.

So you're bang on with Julia Donaldson. They're amazing books.

OK, here we go.

John, the book Charles Dickens and the Great Theatre of the World

was written by which actor?

Now, I know that Simon Callow has got

a one-man show about Charles Dickens,

so he'll be my favourite pick just now

and I'll have a look at the other two.

No, I'll stick with Simon Callow.

Well done, you've got it right. Simon Callow.

Oh, well done, John.

Very busy man. Dave, your question.

The ghost story Eloise, first published in 2012,

is the debut novel by which television personality?

I've got no idea.

Not heard of this at all.

I'm going to go for Vanessa Feltz but, again, no certainty about it.

I think Vanessa will be chuffed to be named, but it's not her.

-Is it Judy Finnigan?

-It is Judy Finnigan.

OK, so, John, how's that? He's put you into the lead.

You can clinch it with this question.

A portrait of 1519 by Sebastiano del Piombo in the

Metropolitan Museum of Art is said to depict which historical figure?

I don't think it'd be Michelangelo.

And I don't think it would be Anne Boleyn, either.

I think with Christopher Columbus discovering the States...

I would go for Christopher Columbus.

Christopher Columbus is the right answer.

-John, you've taken the round. How's that?

-Excellent.

-Dave, you're knocked out.

-Yes.

No point in going back to you for the third question.

John, you'll be in the final. That's great news for the challengers.

Please rejoin your team-mates.

So a very good start for A Fine Vintage. You've not lost a brain.

The Eggheads have lost a brain, Dave is out.

The next subject is Geography.

Geography. Who's going to...?

I think I got landed with this, didn't I?

-Did you get landed with it?!

-THEY LAUGH

-It's you or me.

-You guys decide then.

-I'll go for it.

-You going to go for Geography?

OK, Dave on geography against anyone but Dave on this side.

-What are you thinking?

-Daphne.

-We'll go for Daphne.

Dave from A Fine Vintage versus Daphne from the Eggheads

on Geography. Please go to the question room.

So, Dave, you've been on cruises, I know, so tell us

where you've been cos it's another world to me, I must say.

Well, I've done one cruise to Alaska which was very nice.

Central America, we did most of the countries there.

Colombia was the best of that lot.

I've done the Caribbean

and next year planning going out to Singapore and Hong Kong.

-Sounds fantastic. Daphne, have you been cruising at all?

-No.

Well, my husband thinks the worst thing in the world is to be trapped

on a ship with lots of other people.

-And they'd all know who you are, as well.

-Yes.

And will they come up to you and ask you questions like,

"What is the capital of Finland?"

Helsinki.

That's why you must never go on a cruise.

-DAPHNE LAUGHS

-So it's Geography.

-Dave, would you like to go first or second?

-I'll try the first.

Here we go. On which gulf does the port and capital city of Muscat lie?

Right, well,

I've got one that I think is the obvious answer.

It's not the Gulf of St Lawrence.

It shouldn't be Odessa, so I'll go Gulf of Oman.

Gulf of Oman is quite right.

So, excuse me for showing my ignorance here,

-Muscat is the capital of Oman?

-Of Oman, yeah.

-Right, OK.

Thank you for that, Dave. You've got the first one right.

Daphne, over to you.

Rothesay is a town on which of the British Isles?

Rothesay is on the Isle of Bute.

The Isle of Bute is correct, well done.

Dave, OK, here's your second question.

Traditionally, which country was divided into

25 provinces known as "landskap?"

My initial thought when you said that, I was

thinking of Switzerland, but it's not one of the ones that's there.

Erm, so I think I'm going to go for...

Austria.

Austria is wrong.

-Sweden is the right answer.

-Unlucky, Dave.

Sweden is the answer, Dave.

Daphne, over to you.

The Limpopo River flows into which body of water?

Erm...

The Indian Ocean.

Yes?

-Yes!

-Yes.

-You're right.

-I'm trying to visualise it!

You've taken the lead, it is the Indian Ocean.

Dave, you have to get this one right now

or you won't be in the final round. Here we go.

The state flag of Wyoming

features the white silhouette of which creature on a blue background?

Now, let's think about this.

I would have to go wolf.

Is he right, Daphne?

I'd have gone bison.

-Bison is the answer, Dave.

-Dave, unlucky.

Daphne has taken the round,

Daphne will be in the final. Dave, you've been knocked out.

Plenty of time, though, for your team.

Do come back and we'll play on.

So, as it stands, A Fine Vintage have now lost

a brain from the final round

and the Eggheads have also lost one.

The next subject for you, guys, is Film And Television.

Who would like this?

-That was me.

-It was, yeah.

-THEY CONFER

It's going to be Alistair.

-Alistair on the end, against...?

-Chris.

-Chris.

Chris. We're going for Chris.

OK, Alistair from A Fine Vintage versus Chris on Film And Television.

To make sure there's no conferring, please go to the question room.

-Tell us about your interests, then, Alistair.

-My interests are music.

Steely Dan has been my favourite band for about 40 years.

You could say I am a 100% Danorak, or disciple of Donald Fagen.

-Right, so you've see them in concert?

-A few times, yeah.

-They still going now?

-They're still going now, yeah.

OK, but you're on film and TV here

-so I'm not sure we can promise any Steely Dan.

-Well, you never know.

And you're the one who isn't the regular member of the tasting group?

That's right, I was the reserve member, I was the backup.

So I'm the man coming to rescue them today.

Are they going to let you into this wine-tasting group?

I think I'm being inaugurated next month, yeah.

-Especially if you win this round!

-I think so, yeah!

Good luck against Chris. Film and TV,

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

I'll go first, Jeremy.

Here we go, good luck.

The phrase "soggy bottom"

has become particularly associated with which television programme?

It's definitely not Strictly Come Dancing.

I watched that, never heard it on that.

Countryfile I don't watch,

but I would just say by the nature of it, The Great British Bake-Off.

The logic is impeccable. You are quite right.

The Great British Bake-Off.

It would be worrying

if it was either of the other two.

OK, Chris.

At the Oscars ceremony in February 2013, who made a surprise appearance

by live video link to announce the winner of the Best Picture award?

It wasn't Madonna.

Certainly...

Yes, Michelle Obama.

Michelle Obama, yeah, has the status to do that.

Probably only her. Thank you, Chris, you're right.

Alistair, your second question.

In which US sitcom was the character Maris frequently mentioned

although her face was never seen?

I think that was Frasier, Jeremy.

Frasier is the right answer.

Well done, Alistair!

OK, Chris, your question.

In 2012, filming of the TV drama Waterloo Road,

originally filmed on location in Rochdale, moved to which town?

It's not Rhyl.

Neither is it Ipswich, it's moved up into Scotland,

it's filmed at Greenock.

It is filmed at Greenock, you're right.

OK, so, two points each.

Alistair, we're back with you.

Get this one right, you put pressure on Chris,

and when the pressure goes on Chris, there can be terrible results.

In which film does Audrey Hepburn say,

"I don't bite, you know. Unless it's called for."

Ooh. I'm guessing at this one.

It doesn't sound like something from Breakfast At Tiffany's.

I'm going to take a guess and say, How To Steal A Million.

You started well, but it's not How To Steal A Million, it's Charade,

Alistair. Which gives Chris a chance here. Chris, your third question.

1984 And A Half was an early working title

for which science-fiction film?

District 9 and Solaris are both fairly serious films.

1984 And A Half is a little bit jokey. A bit Terry Gilliam-esque.

So it would be Brazil.

Brazil is the right answer, Chris, you're in the final round.

Alistair, you've been knocked out by our Egghead.

But pretty tight, you played well.

Come back to us, both of you, and rejoin your teammates.

So, as it stands, A Fine Vintage have now lost two brains

from the final round, the Eggheads have still lost one.

The next subject for you is Music.

I'm hoping you've got a musician here.

LAUGHTER

-We don't.

-It's Eddie or David, isn't it?

Basically, this is a bit of a disaster

-so I'm going to have to take one on the chin for the team.

-Eddie, OK.

Which Egghead? It's Barry on one end or Kevin on the other.

-None of them is the easy option.

-I realise that.

-Who we going for?

-So...

Kevin, just for the privilege of playing Kevin.

A lot of people say that.

Eddie from A Fine Vintage versus Kevin from the Eggheads,

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

-Eddie, have you got a big record collection?

-Couple of thousand CDs.

I very foolishly, like many others,

gave away loads of vinyl several years ago when CDs came into vogue.

-I've regretted it ever since.

-Yeah, I gave my vinyl away, too.

We should form a club of people who regret it. Why did we do that?

-Goodness knows.

-I don't know.

My son still loves vinyl and he gives me

into serious trouble every time we talk about music.

And you've got 2,000 CDs, is that ranging from classical to rock?

Very little classical, mostly rock.

For example, about 50 of them are Neil Young albums.

JEREMY LAUGHS

I'm hoping you got at least one Steely Dan album

or you'll fall out with Alistair!

I do have one Steely Dan album,

Alistair persuaded me to buy it and it was a mistake.

LAUGHTER

OK, Music, Eddie, would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, Jeremy.

Here we go. Which famous family hosted the 2008 Brit Awards?

I have never seen the Brit Awards.

It's not my kind of music generally speaking.

Doubt it would be the Beckhams or the Corrs.

So I'll guess the Osbournes.

The Osbournes is the right answer.

-Well done, Eddie.

-Well done.

Kevin, your question.

Who released One Way Or Another (Teenage Kicks)

as the official single for Comic Relief in 2013?

I think that was One Direction.

One Direction is the right answer. OK.

Your question, Eddie.

"Like the beat, beat, beat of the tom-tom,

"when the jungle shadows fall,"

are the opening lines of which Cole Porter song?

Well, I can tell you there'll be two guys

sitting out there beside you who know the answer to this straight away.

John Wilkin and David Cameron.

Because they're the thespians and singers amongst us.

The one I think it scans with is Anything Goes.

So I'll plump for Anything Goes.

So, John, he was saying you would know the answer, is he right?

-Night And Day.

-Can you sing it for us so we can hear it?

-No!

LAUGHTER

-Eddie, it is Night And Day.

-Ah.

Kevin, your question.

In 1978, the first ever UK production of the musical Chicago

was staged at which British regional theatre?

Hmm. Right, OK.

I can't think of a reason why it would particularly be any of them

so I am assuming there isn't a particular reason.

I haven't got the faintest idea,

it's inevitably going to be a one in three...

guess.

So on the basis that the least known of those three,

I suppose, with all due respect to them and therefore why is it there,

would probably be the Haymarket, Leicester.

So maybe that's a trap, but I'll go for the Haymarket Leicester.

-No, it's not, it's the Crucible.

-The Crucible, OK.

There we are.

So Kevin has stumbled just as you did, Eddie. Is it a sign?

Here's your question.

The American classical musician Van Cliburn, who died in 2013,

was a virtuoso on which instrument?

Could you spell that surname for me, Jeremy?

Yeah, Van and then C-L-I-B-U-R-N, Cliburn.

Well, again, I don't know. This is going to be another guess.

I'll just go for...

..the most common of these three instruments, and I will guess piano.

Interesting, you used Egghead-style logic on those answers.

Didn't serve Kevin just then, but it served you well,

it is piano, well done. Nicely done.

So, Kevin is on the brink here slightly.

If you get this one wrong, Kevin, you are out of the contest.

Ellen Orford is the main female character in which opera?

She is the main female character in Peter Grimes. By Benjamin Britten.

Peter Grimes is the right answer.

So, Eddie, we go to sudden death now.

And it's a little bit harder, I don't give you alternatives, OK?

-Yes.

-Here's your first question. Music. Think about your 2,000 CDs.

-I shall.

-Which American band,

whose UK hit singles include Boogie Wonderland in 1979,

was named after the elements in the astrological chart

of the founder member Maurice White?

Fortunately, I think I know this one. I think that's Earth, Wind & Fire.

Earth, Wind & Fire is quite right, well done.

Well done, Eddie!

Kevin. On the edge again.

Which 1970 UK number one single features the line,

"Now, if there's a smile on my face,

"it's only there trying to fool the public"?

Well, the first part of that, "There's a smile upon my face,"

makes me think of something in particular. So I'm just...

I've got to go for it, I think Tears Of A Clown.

Yes, you're right.

OK, Eddie, your question.

Who had a UK top 10 single in 2011 with I Need A Dollar?

Not my generation at all.

I doubt if I could even hazard a guess.

I'll pick one of these reality show people.

JLS.

You'd know it if you heard it. It's Aloe Blacc.

Who?

LAUGHTER

# I need a dollar, and a dollar... #

Whatever. A good song.

OK, Kevin, if you get this right, you are in the final round.

In 1986, Something Outa Nothing was a UK top 20 single

for Paul Medford and which other member of the cast of EastEnders?

I'm trying to remember who Paul Medford actually played. Um...

I don't know, I'll try Tom Watts.

No! Judith would know, anyone here know?

-Letitia Dean.

-Letitia Dean.

-Oh, I see.

OK, you got that wrong, Kevin.

So, Eddie, your question, sudden death.

Which male vocalist had a UK top 40 single in 1977

with Year Of The Cat?

Oh! That's fallen into my lap, that one. That's Al Stewart.

-Al Stewart is quite right.

-Well done, Eddie.

The CD collection is coming in handy, isn't it?

-I bet that's in there.

-It is.

Kevin, if you get this wrong, it's over, it's curtains.

Nothing But The Beat is the title of which French artist's 2011 album?

Nothing But The Beat.

I would assume the great club and beat man, David Guetta.

David Guetta is correct. Well done.

You have to really work hard to shake him off.

Try again, Eddie.

Which folk group originally from Northumberland

is fronted by sisters called Rachel and Becky?

The only folk group I can think of from Northumberland,

who were a family group were The Waterstones?

-It's not The Waterstones, it's The Unthanks.

-Ah, OK.

And their surname is Unthank.

-Yes, yes, I do know them.

-Rachel and Becky Unthank.

OK, Kevin, your chance for the round now.

The mediaeval German poets Walther von der Vogelweide

and Wolfram von Eschenbach

appear as characters in which Wagner opera?

Well, they were mediaeval court poets known as Minnesingers.

They feature in the opera Tannhauser.

Tannhauser is correct.

You've taken the round, but my goodness,

Eddie, you ran him very close there.

Very nearly took him out of the contest which would have been

handy for your team, to say the least.

Yes. Closer than I expected.

Eddie won't be in the final, Kevin, you will.

If you come back, we will play 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.

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

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

So, Eddie, Dave and Alistair from A Fine Vintage,

and Dave from the Eggheads, would you please now leave the studio?

So, John and David, you are playing to win A Fine Vintage £1,000.

Kevin, Daphne, Chris and Barry, you're playing for something

that money can't 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, John and David, the question is,

are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

It's possible, no question about that.

-Would you like to go first or second?

-What do you think?

-First?

-First, yeah?

-We'll go first.

Here we go, good luck.

Which of these games involves guessing a word or phrase

one letter at a time?

-Is that Hangman?

-Hangman.

-It is. Beetle's where you roll dice for it.

-It's Hangman, OK.

-Hangman.

Hangman is the right answer. Well done.

OK, Eggheads.

What name is given to an underground layer of rock such as coal?

-Seam?

-Seam of coal, yes.

Well, we're all agreed, we have a seam of coal so the answer is seam.

Seam is the right answer. Well done. Back to you, challengers.

What type of creature is a Scarlet Mormon, found in Asia?

-A Scarlet Mormon?

-Have you ever heard of this?

-Never.

Would you go for a fish or a lizard? Would we throw out butterfly?

I would... I would out throw butterfly.

-Right. Fish or a lizard then? Lizard?

-Lizard.

Lizard.

Butterfly should not have been thrown away!

A Scarlet Mormon is a butterfly.

OK, so the Eggheads, unfortunately,

have the chance to take the lead now. Here we go.

What was the athlete Daley Thompson's

personal-best points total for the decathlon?

-8,000. Wasn't it?

-10,000 is a perfect score.

-Yeah.

10,000 is a perfect score in the decathlon

and nobody's ever got anywhere near that. I think Daly got 8,847.

8,847 is the right answer. OK.

Now, the brutal truth here is,

because they managed to get that right and we can't pretend

it was difficult for them, you have to get this question right, guys.

Otherwise we're going to be drinking wine. Here's your question.

Which British actress, a star of the 1930s and 1940s,

married the politician John Profumo in 1954?

-You got any ideas?

-I just know it was controversial.

Well, no. You're thinking of the actual Profumo scandal.

That was Christine Keeler.

Valerie Hobson is the least common one, I think

she would have given up her career after marrying a politician.

Lockwood and Withers were still acting later on.

-But I don't remember Valerie Hobson at all.

-Let's go Valerie Hobson.

You've got it right, well done.

-JEREMY CHUCKLES

-Valerie Hobson is correct.

OK. It still leaves the game in their hands, unfortunately.

But let's see what happens here.

In January 2013, the former Archbishop of Canterbury,

Rowan Williams, took up his role as Master of which Cambridge college?

-I thought it was Magdalene.

-That's the one that...

Let's have a think, that's the one that leapt out.

-I don't think it's Jesus.

-No.

Yeah, I think, I don't know it but I think that's my inclination.

Jesus or Corpus Christi would have stuck more.

It rings a tiny bell, I think. Not certain.

There would have been punning references in the papers. Yeah.

-OK?

-Yeah.

-From the names,

Corpus Christi or Jesus would seem to have been obvious choices,

but we're all agreed that we believe it was Magdalene.

If you have this right, the contest is over.

Magdalene is the right answer, so we say congratulations, Eggheads,

you have won.

-Commiserations to you.

-Thank you.

-Thank you. Congratulations.

Hopefully this was no more stressful

-than one of your wine-tasting evenings.

-Just a tad!

We'll grab a few glasses of wine tonight.

I think so, you can afford to wind down now.

Commiserations to A Fine Vintage.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them,

and they reign supreme over quiz land once again.

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

so 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.

£2,000 says they don't. Till then, goodbye.