Episode 124 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 the might of our quiz goliaths today

are the Sporting Wanderers.

Now, this team of friends love the sport of Rugby Union

and they regularly travel across Europe together,

watching Six Nations games. So, let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Gary. I'm 55 and I'm a pension plan secretary.

Hi, I'm Alan. I'm 61 and a retired IT consultant.

Hi, I'm David. I'm 67 and I'm a retired restaurateur.

Hi, I'm Mike. I'm 51 and I'm a company director.

Hi, I'm Nick. I'm 51 and I'm a rail project engineer.

-Gary and team, welcome, good to see you.

-ALL:

-Hi.

And Six Nations obsessives, basically, aren't you?

Yeah.

Every year for 30, 32 years, I think, now.

I won't even ask how many matches that makes, but a lot.

You go to matches here in the UK?

The story behind the Sporting Wanderers is, we tour once a year

and go to one of the away Six Nation games.

-So, obviously when it started, it was the Five Nations games.

-OK.

Now, I hate to bring in the subject of quizzing.

Whether you quiz together at all? Tell me.

Yeah, after the audition for Eggheads,

we actually quizzed together in a pub

just round the corner from the audition, and, uh...

Ah, so you had a look to see whether it worked or not.

-Yeah, and we won.

-You won! Ah, OK.

Eggheads, eat you hearts out.

As they say, game on.

Every day there is £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, Sporting Wanderers, the Eggheads have won the last four games,

which means £5,000 says you can't beat them today.

The first head-to-head battle will be on the subject of Music.

So who would like this?

-Yes.

-Alan for Music.

OK, Alan for music, and you can choose any Egghead.

They're all looking, well, like Eggheads.

-Barry.

-Yep, we'll take Barry on Music, please.

OK, Alan from the Sporting Wanderers

against Barry, who's wearing a sort of a rugby shirt here.

-Not quite sure what club.

-No, I don't think he is either.

To ensure there's no conferring,

would you please take your positions in the Question Room?

So, Alan, tell me about the tie that you're wearing.

It is our Sporting Wanderers' club tie.

We've had it since 2000.

We designed it after Italy joined the Five Nations

to become Six Nations.

And each colour represents a country, I'm assuming, does it?

-It does.

-And, as you can see, Barry has attempted to wear

a shirt version of your tie today, out of respect.

Anyway, it's Music, Alan,

and your choice - would you like to go first or second?

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

Here we go. Which member of ABBA came out of retirement in 2013

to release a single called When You Really Loved Someone?

I think that was Agnetha.

Yeah, very much Agnetha. Correct!

OK. Barry, your question.

Which singer had the biggest selling album in the UK in 2012?

Ah, interesting question.

In 2012, I think that really was the year

of the wonderful Emeli Sande, so that's my answer.

And completely right. Emeli Sande, it is.

Over to you, Alan.

Which of these Verdi operas is set in Jerusalem and Babylon in 587 BC?

Ah. Um...

Rigoletto doesn't sound like it was set in Babylon.

I'll go for Nabucco.

-Nabucco is correct!

-Well done.

Well done, two out of two. It's going well so far.

Let's see if we can score a try, here.

Barry, between 1993 and 2010,

Danny Goffey was the drummer with which band?

Oh, goodness me.

It's bad enough having to learn lead singers,

never mind having to learn all the drummers, as well.

Danny Goffey...

I think that was Super Furry Animals.

Nope.

Drummers are difficult, as we know.

You had a drummer joke, didn't you?

What do they call a man who hangs around with musicians?

A drummer.

Well, so this question is the revenge of the drummers here,

-because you got it wrong.

-Oh.

-It's the drummer from Supergrass who's going to be angry.

-Ah!

Danny Goffey was with Supergrass.

All right, so that's handy, Alan.

Just means that if you get this one right, you're in the final round.

I Missed Again, If Leaving Me Is Easy and One More Night

are the titles of UK Top 20 singles by which singer?

I'm a great fan of Steve Winwood, so I know it's not that one, um...

I think it's Phil Collins.

Yes, nice one.

Phil Collins is the right answer,

so you are in the final round, Alan, with three correct answers.

Good play.

Sorry, Barry, you've been knocked out by your one wrong answer.

-You won't be in the final.

-Deservedly.

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

So, as it stands, Sporting Wanderers have started very, very well.

The Eggheads have lost a brain. You've conceded, already.

The next subject is Sport.

Sport, guys, this is fantastic.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, OK.

Mike will take Sport.

Mike on Sport, against which Egghead?

I'm sorry, Judith, my apologies, but, yeah, Judith, please.

You decided this some time back?

Well, yeah, a little while ago on a train with a bottle of wine.

It's the best way.

It's Mike from Sporting Wanderers versus Judith from the Eggheads.

To ensure there's no conferring, please go to the Question Room.

OK. So, Sport it is. Mike, would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first again, please.

Here we go.

Which footballer scored his 200th goal for Chelsea in March 2013?

Um... Oh, thank goodness.

John Terry's a defender, so he doesn't get that sort of many goals.

Ramires hasn't been there that long.

It's Frank Lampard.

Frank Lampard is the right answer.

Judith, which sportsman became

Chancellor of the University of Sunderland in 2008?

Well, I suppose it's whoever came from there, um...

I don't think it's Sebastian Coe.

I don't know which of either of the others came from there,

so it's a guess. Steve Ovett.

Nope.

Ooo, I thought you'd know Steve Cram was from there.

-He is from there, isn't he, Eggheads?

-Yeah, Jarrow.

-Is he from there?

-Jarrow, yeah.

-I don't know.

-Steve Cram.

-Yep.

Well, that makes sense, that he's from there.

Mike, your question.

Scott Johnson was appointed interim coach

of which country's Rugby Union team

for the 2013 Six Nations Championship?

Um, that's rather...

that's rather helpful in this,

particularly where we're filming today.

Um... It's not Italy.

It's certainly not France, it's definitely Scotland.

-Yep. The tie is working its magic, isn't it, here?

-Indeed, yeah.

Scotland is the right answer.

Judith, you need this to stay in.

Willie Mullins is a leading name in which sport?

He's a trainer in racing, horse racing.

So, there is a sport you love?

Yes, but I mean, again, it's sort of full of names and statistics

and all that kind of thing, so it's difficult to memorise.

Horse racing is correct.

Catching up, but let's see whether it was too late.

Mike, if you get this right, you're in the final round.

In 2013, the Welsh sportswoman,

Becky James, became a world champion in which sport?

Um... It's not gymnastics,

I don't recognise her from the Olympics at all, or badminton.

I think she's our new great cyclist.

Cycling is correct. You've taken the round.

Second round going to our challengers.

Sorry, Judith.

-You are not going to be in the final.

-Never mind.

I know it hurts. Please, come back, rejoin your teams.

Well, this is an uncommonly powerful start

for a challenging team, I must say.

You've had six correct answers out of six questions.

The Eggheads have so far managed two correct answers.

Don't know whether normal service will be resumed soon,

or whether they're just having the day off.

As it stands, the Sporting Wanderers

have not lost a brain from the final round.

The Eggheads have been...

not decimated, but they've gone down two

and I'm wondering what's going to happen next.

It's History.

The trouble is, if Food and Drink then comes up...

-I'm quite happy with

-Food and Drink. Are you?

-Yeah.

Shall I go History?

-I mean, I think that's... If you're OK with it.

-And either go with...

-Dave?

-Dave.

-So, David?

-Yes.

-Dave against Dave.

-Oh, Dave on Dave, OK.

David, from the Sporting Wanderers,

versus Tremendous Knowledge Dave, from the Eggheads.

Please, if you can, go to the Question Room now.

David, let's see how you do here. First or second set of questions?

I will go first, Jeremy.

OK.

David, who was the King of England

when Robert the Bruce became King of Scotland?

Don't think it was Charles.

It's Henry or Edward.

I think it was Edward I.

Edward I is the right answer.

Well done, David.

Tremendous Knowledge Dave.

-They haven't got a question wrong so far.

-No, they haven't.

Here's yours. In the early part of the 20th century,

which part of Europe was referred to as the Powder Keg?

I'll go for the Balkans.

Balkans is correct.

Channel Islands would've been

very flattered if you'd chosen them.

Yeah.

David, in 1951, General Douglas MacArthur

was relieved of his command of UN forces in Korea,

due to his public advocacy of attacking which country?

I don't think it was China.

I think Japan were...

Korea, Korea...the Chinese would have been there.

Don't think it's Japan. It's Russia or China, I think.

I think, actually, I'm going to go China, in the middle.

-Let's see what your team-mates think. Is he right?

-Yes.

They like the answer and you are absolutely right, David, well done.

China.

Still no questions wrong on this side.

Dave, at the end of the 19th century

Britain was involved in a diplomatic conflict with which country

over its so-called Pink Map,

a list of disputed African territories?

I'll go Portugal.

Portugal is correct.

OK. Third question to you, David.

In the 19th century, Charles Barbier

created night writing in response to which leader's demands

for a system of communication that could be used by soldiers

in the dark?

Don't think it's Garibaldi.

Alexander's early, I think Alexander's early...

I'll go Napoleon Bonaparte.

-Let me see if the Eggheads know. Is he right?

-Yes.

Yes. You are right with Napoleon Bonaparte.

-Dave, if you get this wrong, you're out.

-Yep.

In 1949, what became the tenth province of Canada?

Erm...Newfoundland.

Newfoundland is correct.

Well, you've already scored more correct answers

than all your team-mates put together, Dave,

so we'll call that a victory of sorts.

We're onto Sudden Death now. David, back to you.

As you know, it's a bit harder. I don't give you alternative answers.

Which highwayman was using the alias John Palmer

when he was captured and sentenced to hang in the 1730s?

1730s...

I'll go Dick Turpin.

Yes, Dick Turpin it was.

Always a good solid guess to make there.

So once again, an Egghead on the edge of the eggcup.

Tremendous Knowledge, here's your question.

Which US President died in a building known as the Petersen House,

across the street from Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC?

Abraham Lincoln.

Correct.

100 years before I was born, 1865.

OK. Sudden Death, you're equal. David, back to you.

The historical word "cordwainer",

used to describe someone who worked in shoemaking,

was derived from which Spanish town,

itself a centre of leather work?

I would say Cordoba?

Absolutely right. Cordoba, correct.

Tremendous Knowledge Dave, Vindobona was the Roman name for which city?

V-I-N-D-O-B-O-N-A, one word, Vindobona.

Vindobona...

HE MUTTERS TO HIMSELF

Don't know. I'll go Winchester, but I don't think that's right.

-Vienna.

-Vienna! All right.

Vienna is the answer, so, Dave, you were wrong,

you've been knocked out as well.

So, this is going very, very well for your team, David, well done.

You're in the final round!

Come back to us, both of you.

As it stands,

Sporting Wanderers still have not lost a brain from the final round.

The Eggheads have lost three brains from the final round.

How often do we see this?

The next subject, and the last before the final, is Geography.

Who would like this?

-Oh, I suppose I'd better go.

-I think you've got to go for it.

-Yeah.

-Nick.

-OK, Nick on the end there, against which Egghead?

Could be Pat or Kevin.

-It's choosing methods of execution, really, isn't it?

-I think Kevin.

Kevin? All right.

Nick from Sporting Wanderers versus Kevin from the Eggheads.

Can he get the great Kevin out before the final?

Please take your positions, gentlemen, in the Question Room.

So, it's Geography, Nick. Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

Well, good luck, you're up against a very powerful Egghead here,

so if you can get him out, it really is looking very good for your team.

But it's a big if. Your question.

The island of Thasos belongs to which European country?

Um... I certainly don't think it's Spain.

I've not been to Italy, but it's not something I've heard in talking.

So, I'm going to go for Greece.

Greece is correct.

Kevin, which of these

is a port on the English Channel?

Well, Marseille is on the, well, the Mediterranean,

and La Rochelle is on the Atlantic, but the Channel one is Cherbourg.

Cherbourg is the right answer.

Back to you, Nick. What is the capital of the US state of Maryland?

This is going to be a bit of a guess, I think.

I'm not certain, so I'll be going for...

Annapolis.

You are correct.

Annapolis is the capital of the US state of Maryland.

Still all these correct answers from this team!

OK, Kevin. The long-distance footpath called the White Rose Way

stretches from the city of Leeds to which costal resort?

Well. There's only...

A white rose is obviously the symbol of Yorkshire,

so it implies Yorkshire, so...

Since I haven't heard of it,

I've got to go for the one of those three that is actually in Yorkshire,

which is Scarborough.

-Very neatly done. You see how he did that?

-Yep.

-That is the quizzer at work.

-Impressive.

-Yeah, exactly.

One little fragment of information gives it to you, doesn't it?

Scarborough is correct.

Two points each.

OK, Nick, third question.

What is the approximate area, in square kilometres, of South Africa?

And if Daphne was here she'd fall off her chair

cos she hates these questions.

Erm...

Well, I've been there.

But I haven't been round that much of the area. Erm, I'll go...

for...

2.2 million, right down the middle.

It is the lowest number here, actually. It's 1.2 million.

OK.

Kevin, for the round.

Is this the turning point for the rather battered Eggheads?

In Brazil, what is a fazenda?

Erm, it's a...

Well, I think this is right...

a historical term for a type of ranch or estate,

so it would be a plantation.

Plantation is the right answer, Kevin.

You got three out of three this time. Sorry, Nick.

You've been knocked out, but he's a very hard man to beat.

Left quite a few in the final there for your team.

Kevin, well done, you will be in the final,

and if you both come back to us, we will play it.

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, Nick from Sporting Wanderers

and Barry, Judith and Dave, from the Eggheads,

would you please now leave the studio?

So, Gary, how many quizzes did you say you'd won before today?

One.

One?

Kevin's been British Quiz Champion nine times,

Euro Quiz Champion six times,

World Quiz Champion four times and won Mastermind.

Pat won £1,000,000 on Millionaire,

Brain of Britain 2006,

World Quiz Champion three times, Mastermind Champion of Champions...

so, they've won a few.

Yeah, our tactics didn't quite work as to who's left at the end.

Well, there aren't really that many weak links, in truth,

so, all I'm saying is, hold focus as you would do in any game of rugby.

So, Gary, Alan, David and Mike,

you are playing to win Sporting Wanderers £5,000

and have played brilliantly so far.

Pat and Kevin, you're playing for something that money can't buy,

the Eggheads' reputation.

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

This time the questions are all general knowledge,

and you are allowed to confer.

So, Sporting Wanderers, the question is,

are your four brains better than the Eggheads' two.

And would you like to go first or second?

Ah, I think we'll continue to go first, please, Jeremy.

Here we go.

Which group performed a theme song to the James Bond film

The World Is Not Enough?

It's not Metallica, is it?

I know they're not...

So, it's Suede or Garbage.

-This is terrible.

-I don't know it.

I'll go for Suede, but I'm not sure.

I'm going with Suede, as well.

-I'd go for Suede, but I don't know.

-Yep.

We're certainly not certain on this,

but the consensus is Suede.

Are they right?

-No.

-No, Garbage.

Garbage is the answer.

Oh, that hurts.

It goes right through me.

Eggheads.

Which DJ was well-known for offering listeners

a woof, woof, from Arnold?

Think it's Tony Blackburn?

I think it goes...

-It sounds a bit old-fashioned.

-Yeah.

I think it goes back a bit,

but then that's my...

I don't actually know it, as such.

No, I don't know it.

Yeah, I think Tony Blackburn had some bit of business about a dog,

but I...

Maybe one of the others, but...

-OK?

-That's what I would go for,

but then I don't know it, as such.

No, I don't know it either.

We don't know this, but we have a feeling it's a bit, uh,

it dates a bit, and we think it might be Tony Blackburn.

Tony Blackburn is the right answer,

well done. Your question, Challengers.

In Louisa May Alcott's novel Little Women,

who is the younger sister of Meg, Jo and Beth March?

It's Amy, isn't it?

-It's Amy.

-Amy...

I think...

Yep, Amy.

You've got it right.

Amy is the right answer.

Eggheads. The gastrocnemius is a muscle in the human body

that performs which of these functions?

It's in the leg, isn't it?

Gastrocnemius - it's the lower leg.

OK. We just...

Well, it's interesting but it's

nothing to do with the nose.

Erm, is it one of the neck...

-I'm sure the gastrocnemius is in the leg.

-OK.

-And I think the lower leg.

We're going to go for lifts the heel.

Lifts the heel is your answer.

You got it right. Lifts the heel is correct.

OK. Well, the first answer

was the problem, wasn't it,

because if you get this one wrong, the contest is over.

Get it right and then we've got to hope they mess up.

Here's your third question, Challengers.

The shade of blue known as Alice blue

is named after a daughter of which US president?

Theodore Roosevelt was FD Roosevelt's father,

wasn't he?

Did he have a sister called Alice?

Alice...

Teddy bears is all a bit childish,

-isn't it, maybe?

-Yeah.

Bit of a long shot, I'll admit.

-If we've got nothing else for the other two...

-We don't know, so...

No, no.

I think that's the one that's most...

those kind of common things that fell off it.

We're not sure, by any means,

but just with the loose connection of teddy bears

having the connection with Theodore Roosevelt, and childish,

so we'll go with Theodore Roosevelt.

Yep, Theodore Roosevelt is right.

-Still in this.

-Logic.

It's a very good way of working it out.

So if you get this right, the contest is over, Eggheads.

Which then-married couple wrote and performed the theme tune

to the 1980s children's TV programme, Button Moon?

-What was the name of the show, again?

-Button Moon.

-Well...

-Do you know who it is?

-It says which then-married.

To the best of my knowledge, Mike Smith and Sarah Greene

remain married. So perhaps that's...

that's of some relevance.

So are Peter Davison

and Sandra Dickinson, aren't they?

I don't know.

They're married...

It's not entirely trustworthy,

-that logic, is it?

-It isn't, no.

It does imply they're no longer married.

It doesn't guarantee it.

I don't know.

Keith Chegwin and Maggie Philbin were both children's presenters,

but then, I suppose, so were Mike Smith and Sarah Greene.

-So we don't know, do we?

-No.

So, I think we'll have to take a punt on...

-Chegwin and Philbin.

-OK. Yeah.

We don't know,

but we've decided to go with Keith Chegwin and Maggie Philbin.

OK, so you think Keith Chegwin

and Maggie Philbin,

while married, wrote and performed the theme tune to Button Moon

and if you've got it right, the contest is over.

We don't actually have the faintest idea.

-Peter Davison and Sandra Dickinson is the right answer.

-Oh, OK.

You've got it wrong.

Well, I'm glad that that James Bond answer

didn't cost you the whole contest.

It would have been extremely cruel after the way you've played.

It gets harder.

It goes to Sudden Death, and as you can tell,

you're up against two super brains here. Here we go.

The question - will it play in Peoria? -

refers to a town in which US state?

-(Peoria...)

-Can you spell it, please?

Yes, P-E-O-R-I-A.

Well, I'd say, by implication, it's will it go round the country?

So it's probably something out in the sticks somewhere.

So you know, you're talking some of the kind of big midwest...

Midwest, somewhere.

So, Iowa, or Idaho, or Montana, or...something like that.

I'm afraid, though, I don't know the reference to it.

But Peoria...

It must be an expression, it's not just a local thing. Will it go...

You've got to go somewhere like Illinois or...

THEY CONFER

Or Idaho, or Iowa, or something, or Kansas, whatever.

-Yeah, Kansas, that's quite good.

-All right.

-Go on, then.

We think it's somewhere in the middle,

which doesn't really narrow it down too far,

but we'll take a stab at Kansas.

It's not Kansas.

It's, as you rightly guessed, about appealing to middle America.

-It's Illinois.

-Oh, it's Illinois.

-I said Illinois.

-You did say Illinois and I heard that.

-Well, amongst the other 50.

Will it play in Peoria? refers to Peoria, Illinois.

So you've let them back in.

Eggheads, for the contest.

The alloy invar, commonly used in the manufacture of clocks,

is a combination of iron and which other metal?

-Is it aluminium?

-I thought it was nickel.

-Oh.

-Invar.

-Invar is I-N-V-A-R.

Iron, nickel - I, N, VAR? No?

That's true, I suppose.

I'm not sure. Do we get many aluminium alloys? It's unusual.

-It is.

-It's not generally alloyed very much.

-No.

It's what immediately sprang to my mind.

-I thought of nickel.

-Yeah.

Iron and nickel pop up quite regularly together in various alloys.

-Yeah.

-But could be aluminium.

What else could it be? Could it be iron, nickel - I, N, and then VAR.

Could the name be composed, influenced by its contents?

-I think aluminium is a bit unusual in an alloy.

-Yeah, OK.

I mean, your scientific knowledge is better than mine, so...

-I've just a faint feeling it's nickel.

-OK. Fair enough.

I'll go with nickel.

OK, we're unclear here, but we're going with nickel.

Going with nickel...

So in the battle of science information,

-a Pat-piece of information outweighs a Kevin-piece.

-Just for the moment.

In a few seconds, it could swing wildly.

The reason that this alloy is so-named,

is not actually cos of the I-N meaning iron,

it's because invar is short for invariable,

which means that the particular alloy

doesn't expand or contract in changes of temperatures,

and that's because that's what happens when you mix

iron and nickel. You got it absolutely right. We say, congratulations, Eggheads,

you have won.

But you must quiz again cos you were absolutely on fire there.

Fantastic. What can I say? Illinois.

-Hard pair to beat.

-Illinois.

-Illinois!

-But thanks for playing such a great game.

-Thank you.

Commiserations to Sporting Wanderers,

the Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them

and they still reign supreme over Quiz Land.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £5,000,

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.

£6,000 says they don't. Till then,

what a great game. Goodbye.