Episode 129 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 challenges

pit their wits against possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain.

They are the Eggheads.

And taking on our awesome quiz champions today are...

This team of friends all volunteer for Hospital Radio Bedside,

an organisation whose programmes transmit

to five hospitals in the East Dorset area. Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Kev. I am 49 and I am an IT Service Manager.

Hi, I'm Karen.

I'm 59 and I'm a School Careers Assistant.

Hi, I'm Steve. I'm 46 and a Financial Planner.

Hi, I'm Mary. I'm 70 and I'm a retired nurse.

Hi, I'm Amelia. I'm 19 and I'm a freelance writer.

-So Kev and team, welcome.

-ALL: Hi.

-Good to see fellow radio broadcasters.

-Indeed.

And so Hospital Radio Bedside is based in one place

-but you go out to five. Is that right?

-Yes. We're based at the

Royal Bournemouth Hospital and we broadcast to all five hospitals in

-the region plus online on the Internet.

-OK.

-You play records and have interviews and do all that stuff?

-Indeed.

Yes, we try and get as much variety as we can.

We have records, we have CDs, we have 20 odd thousand

tracks on the wall, on the Internet system. Can't be bad.

How about quizzing? Has there been any quizzing done together?

We have a quiz every year that's organised by Alan Dedicoat,

-our esteemed president.

-My colleague.

That's the extent of our quizzing together,

but we all go to quizzes and things like that separately.

And do you think that hospital radio is still as appreciated

-now in hospitals?

-Absolutely, by the patients.

If we can get through to one patient and make their stay a bit easier

then it's appreciated, absolutely.

Tremendous. What was it they used to say?

If you want to get into radio it's the place to start.

-It's a fantastic place to learn.

-Indeed.

-Well, good luck in this contest.

-Thank 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 prize-money rolls over to the next show.

So, Bedside Brigade, the Eggheads have won the last nine games

which means £10,000 says you can't beat them today. How's that?

THEY MURMUR

They've helped you by going on a bit of a run.

-Would you like to start?

-Why not?

The first head-to-head battle is on the subject of Science.

-Who would like this?

-Science.

-Science.

-So unfair!

-Go on, Mary.

-All right.

This was thrust on me suddenly at the last minute.

-So you've become the scientist?

-Yes.

Which Egghead would you like to take on then, Mary?

I think I'd like to take on...

-Pat, please.

-OK.

Pat from the Egghead versus Mary from the Bedside Brigade on Science.

And to ensure there is no conferring,

please take your positions in the Question Room.

So what do you do on the radio station, Mary?

Well, I am head of on-air interviews

and I also co-present a children's programme called I-Kids

which is great fun and that's for the patients, obviously,

-but we do have children who come in and help us as well.

-Good luck.

-Thank you so much.

-Would you like to go first or second?

Please, could I go first?

Here we go with your first question.

Which of these elements has the lowest atomic number?

Well, I believe these are called the noble gases or

they used to be called the noble gases.

Erm, and I have a feeling that argon is the heaviest.

So I will go with argon.

I am following your logic there but Pat,

does that take you away from the highest, lowest number?

Argon is a noble gas but hydrogen and nitrogen aren't.

The lowest atomic number is to some extent directly related to the mass

-of the atom.

-Right.

But funny enough, you had half the information there, Mary.

-You got it wrong. It's hydrogen.

-Right, thank you.

The numbers, you can tell us, Pat.

-Hydrogen is...

-One.

Nitrogen is seven...

-Argon...

-Argon is about 18 or 20, somewhere around there.

18, yeah.

Bad luck, Mary. Pat, your question.

Equus asinus is the Latin name for which animal?

Asinus is redolent of ass. It could be donkey.

A camel isn't particularly closely related to the horse or horses.

The zebra is but I do not think it is called equus.

Asinus...

I think that must be donkey.

Donkey is correct.

OK, Mary, the raccoon-like Coati is

an omnivorous mammal native to which part of the world?

Just to help you, I'm spelling C-O-A-T-I. Coati.

Right. A raccoon.

I have a feeling...

..that raccoons...

are possibly the Americas.

Erm...

No, actually, I think it's Australasia.

Well, as in Asia. Erm... Oh, dear!

No, I'm going to go for Africa after all that! I'm sorry.

Let's see if your team know. Coati?

We think it's the Americas.

-They flinched when you moved off the Americas.

-Oh, dear.

-The Americas is the right answer.

-Thank you.

Not to worry. Pat, get this right you'll be in the final round.

Which of these scientists was born first?

I have to be careful here.

I am pretty sure Copernicus preceded Galileo.

Galileo was 1564 he was born.

And I think Copernicus had already caused

a bit of a stir...

before Galileo.

But he did not push it and he sort of got away with that.

Galileo was a bit more public and ended up in the soup.

I think the sequence is Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler.

So, I'll say... sorry, can I have the question again, please?

Which of these scientists was born first?

I will go with Copernicus, please.

You're right about the sequence because Galilei, 1564,

and then Kepler. Who knows... let's test you, Eggheads,

-Kepler's birth year?

-1580.

Nearly, Barry. 1571.

So Copernicus, Nicolaus Copernicus is the right answer. Well done,

you've got two right.

-There's no way back for you Mary. Not to worry.

-Thank you.

Thank you for playing. You won't be in the final and Pat will.

Please, both of you, rejoin your teams.

So as it stands, the Bedside Brigade have lost one

brain from the final round, the Eggheads have not lost one yet.

The next subject is Sport.

Prepared for this?

-You are doing it!

-Really?

-Yeah.

-That'll be me, then, Jeremy.

-Steve. OK, against which Egghead?

I am going to take on Chris, please, Jeremy.

OK, a sigh of relief from Judith over there.

I think we could hear it. I felt my hair blown back by it, Judith!

So, Steve from the Bedside Brigade versus Chris who won't be

-any happier.

-No, but you remember what happened last time.

-I remember.

We won't even mention the way the studio had to be repaired

after your celebrations.

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

Steve, would you like to go with the first or second set of questions?

I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

Here we go.

The 'Cheltenham roar' is a term used to describe

the atmosphere at an event in which sport?

Well, I'm not aware of any Formula 1 events at Cheltenham or snooker,

but there certainly is horse racing so that is my answer.

Horse racing.

Horse racing is correct.

Chris, your question.

Which position is most associated with the footballer

Danny Wellbeck who made his senior England debut in 2011?

I think I'd know if he was a goalkeeper. I don't think he is.

Erm, what have we got more of?

There's more defenders than there are strikers

-so I will go with defender, down the middle.

-Steve, do you know this one?

He's a striker for Manchester United.

Striker. It's lucky for you

Tremendous Knowledge Dave is not here.

Did he have a ballot before he went on strike?

JEREMY LAUGHS

-It is a wildcat strike, I think.

-Oh, right.

Second question, Steve.

Joe Root has represented England in which sport?

He's not rugby league or hockey.

He's just recently established himself in the England

cricket team. Cricket is the answer.

Cricket is the answer, well done. So, you are ahead.

So, if you get this one wrong, Chris, it is curtains.

You're off on your express train.

Which of these tennis players won the most Men's Singles

titles at Wimbledon?

Erm...

HE MURMURS

He was around for the longest time as I remember,

so it's got to be Boris Becker.

-Boris Becker is quite right. Do you know how many?

-Huh, as if I would!

-Judith?

-I think it is three, isn't it?

-Yes, three. And Pat Cash, one.

-Yep. Stefan Edberg, two.

-Edberg, two.

Steve... which British sportsman won a gold medal in the

Men's 200m Kayak at the 2012 Olympics?

Get this right you're in the final round, Steve.

I am sure Nick Skelton is a show-jumper.

I've got a feeling it might have been Ed McKeever,

but I am not sure about Anthony Joshua so Ed McKeever.

You're very good on Sport, aren't you? Ed McKeever is correct.

You've got the round. And you are in the final. Chris, you've been

knocked out on Sport. You've lost fair and square. You're out of the

final, Steve will be in. Please come back and rejoin your teams.

So, as it stands, the Bedside Brigade have lost one

brain from the final round, but they've pulled a bit back now

because the Eggheads have had a brain knocked out as well.

The next subject is Geography. Who would like this?

-Now there's a thing.

-Is this not a good one?

Well, I was going to do Geography, you see,

-and then they threw Science at me at the last minute.

-Mary!

-I'd been practising so hard.

-How's your Geography?

THEY CONFER

European or America, but...

-All right, I'll have a go.

-Karen, OK, against?

-Not Chris or Pat.

-Judith. Judith, please. Jeremy.

Right, Karen from the Bedside Brigade against Judith

from the Eggheads on Geography. How's that?

-I haven't done it for ages!

-Don't worry.

Have you been anywhere lately?

No. I go backwards and forwards to France. I never go anywhere else.

-France and Kensington?

-Yes, exactly.

-Yeah.

-It's a tough old life, isn't it(?)

-It's a mistake?

It is rough, having to slum it(!)

JEREMY CHUCKLES

Please take your positions in the Question Room.

Geography now and Karen, would you like the first or second set of questions?

First please, Jeremy.

Here we go, Karen, good luck to you.

What is the official language of Argentina?

Well, it's not English.

Portuguese, I think is Brazil.

So I am going to go for Spanish.

Spanish is the correct answer. Well done.

Judith, Malibu is an affluent beach

community in which part of the USA?

It's in California, Los Angeles.

Los Angeles is correct.

Karen, which river rises in southwestern

Tibet before flowing 1800 miles to enter the Arabian Sea?

Erm, I don't think it's the Volga. Or I don't really know why.

Erm, I will go for Indus, but I am not sure.

Indus is the right answer. Well done. Nice one.

Judith... to catch up.

Which of these countries has the largest population?

Well, France has got about the same as us which is

roughly 60 something million.

Oh, Lordy. I am not quite sure. I think I am going to say France.

The 60 something million.

Yeah, you have got it. France is correct.

OK, over to you, Karen.

The road to Hana, which is spelt H-A-N-A, is a popular tourist

route around the coast of Hawaiian island?

-I don't know, so I am going to go for Oahu.

-Anyone know on this side?

-I think it's Maui.

-Judith says Maui. You're right, Judith.

Maui is the answer, Karen.

So, Judith has a chance to take the round.

The international airport situated near Oracabessa on Jamaica is

named after which British author.

Well, Ian Fleming famously had a house called Goldeneye.

But actually, Noel Coward also lived there.

I think it's Ian Fleming because Ian Fleming and Bond and all that.

-Ian Fleming lived on Jamaica, did he?

-Yes.

Ian Fleming is correct, Judith.

Three out of three on Geography, Judith.

Sorry, Karen.

They are playing rather well today, these Eggheads, and you've

been beaten by yours and you won't be in the final as a result.

Karen and Judith, please, if you can, come back to us.

As it stands The Bedside Brigade have lost two

brains from the final round, whilst the Eggheads have lost one.

The next subject is Film & Television.

-Amelia?

-Yep.

Amelia, is it? OK.

And against which Egghead?

Could be Barry or Daphne.

-I like both of them.

-Go Daphne.

I'm going to go Daphne. She's one of my heroes anyway.

She's awesome, so I'm going to say Daphne.

OK, Bedside Brigade's Amelia is going to play

Daphne from the Eggheads on Film & Television.

Let's see how you both do. Please, go to the question room.

Amelia, you do writing, I gather.

-I do. I do do writing.

-And it's on the entertainment field?

Yep, film and music and a bit of TV.

-OK. Well, it's handy for this round, I hope, for you.

-Hope.

Film & TV against Daphne.

-How are we?

-Fine. Fine.

-On we go.

Do you want the first or second set of questions, Amelia?

First, please.

Which actor plays the role of Gareth Mallory in the 2012 film Skyfall?

Um, great film and I believe...

Ralph Fiennes plays a really important role in it,

so I'm going to say him.

Ralph Fiennes is correct.

Well done.

Which boxer finished third in the 2012 series

of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!?

I don't watch those sort of shows, but...

Oh, yes, wasn't it David Haye?

David Haye is correct.

Amelia. Which Oscar did Quentin Tarantino

win for his work on Django Unchained?

I'm a HUGE Tarantino fan, I'm also a huge fan of the Oscars -

I stay up till 4am watching it.

I don't think he was even nominated for Director, which I was

very sad about, but I do think he deserves to win Original Screenplay.

Original Screenplay is correct.

Well done.

OK, Daphne.

What is the official title of the fifth entry in the Die Hard

series of film, released in February 2013?

I haven't seen it, but I've seen it advertised

and it's A Good Day To Die Hard.

It is indeed A Good Day To Die Hard.

You're right.

That's what we always say here, isn't it?!

When you get in that question booth.

So 2-2.

She's a good player, Amelia, isn't she?

-Yes.

-Here's your question.

In February 2013, Timothy West appeared in the short-term

role of Eric Babbage in which TV soap?

Don't think it's EastEnders, so between the other two.

Um...

Babbage - sounds Coronation Street, but my instincts said Emmerdale.

Um...

I'm going to go Coronation Street.

Coronation Street is right.

Daphne, your question and if you don't get this right, it's curtains.

Which Englishman directed the films Unfaithful, Indecent Proposal

and Lolita?

Crumbs!

I don't know. Um...

Adrian Line.

It's pronounced "Lyne", but you're right.

Adrian Lyne is the right answer.

I'm sorry, Amelia.

We're on Sudden Death now, Amelia.

You've done very well to keep toe-to-toe with her,

but it gets a bit harder cos I don't give you alternative answers.

OK?

Which cartoon series, first seen in 1968,

was inspired by the comedy film The Great Race?

The Great Race...

The first thing that comes to my head is Wacky Races.

I'm going to say Wacky Races.

Wacky Races is quite right.

Daphne, you're on the brink here.

-Yes.

-She's playing so well.

Which American TV medical drama had the tag line,

"Genius has side effects."?

House.

House is correct.

Who is that great British actor?

Hugh Laurie.

That's right.

Amelia, keep going.

"Yoffy lifts a finger, and a mouse is there,"

are the first words from a song regularly played on which

children's TV show, presented by Rick Jones and first shown in 1972?

I don't even know who Rick Jones is, to picture it, to be honest.

Um...

I'm going to say Magpie.

Fingerbobs.

Right, Daphne, over to you.

Get this right you're in the final.

Phil Harris provided a voice for which

character in the 1967 Disney film The Jungle Book?

Oh, who was he?

Sorry, Baloo.

No, it's not.

-Say it again.

-Baloo.

Baloo is correct.

-What?!

-Baloo is correct!

I'm so sorry!

I thought you were just going to say anything then.

Yes.

Baloo the bear is the answer.

Well done. Baloo from The Jungle Book.

Daphne, you're in the final round.

Ah, Amelia, you played really, really well there.

Thanks.

It seems unfair. Daphne's guesswork earlier was extraordinary.

Quite irritating, if we're to be frank!

But, please, come back and rejoin your team-mates.

Well done, Amelia.

And bad luck.

This is what we've been playing towards, it is

time for the final round, which, as always is General Knowledge.

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

be allowed to take part in this round,

so Karen, Mary and Amelia from the Bedside Brigade

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

Kev and Steve, you are playing to win the Bedside Brigade £10,000.

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

that money can't really buy, which is 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, Kev and Steve, the question is,

are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

Would you like to go first or second?

We'll go first, please, Jeremy.

OK, Kev and Steve, good luck.

He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother was a Christmas number one

single by which group in 2012?

Band Aid was early '80s.

Band Aid was definitely early '80s.

-USA For Africa was also early '80s.

-It was, for the same purpose.

Straight after Band Aid.

Justice Collective was the justice for the 96 last year in Liverpool.

-The Hillsborough...

-I say Justice Collective.

-Agreed.

We're going to go for Justice Collective, Jeremy.

Justice Collective is the right answer.

Eggheads, which of these English monarchs reigned first?

Let me think.

-Henry I.

-Henry I.

Willie, Willie, Harry, Stee...

Henry I.

Richard I was the son of Henry II, so it can't be.

Henry I. We all agreed?

Yeah.

Henry I.

No controversy here, Jeremy.

I thought you'd get this one!

Henry I is the right answer!

My goodness, if you'd struggled with that...

you don't know your kings and queens.

That's being an Egghead, the first thing they do is...

It's another world.

I'll never understand it.

Your question, challengers.

In 2013, which political leader was criticised over the amount of money

he'd budgeted for ice cream in his household in the previous year?

It wouldn't be Barack Obama.

No, surely not.

Not for...2013.

Mm. No. I wouldn't have thought so.

Netanyahu would be logical.

-Yes.

-Because of where he...

Exactly. Yeah? Go for...?

Let's go for Netanyahu.

We'll go for Benjamin Netanyahu.

Good answer, you're right - Benjamin Netanyahu.

Well done.

OK. Eggheads,

when Catholic cardinals meet at the Vatican to elect a new pope,

what share of the vote is required to seal

victory for a particular candidate?

I thought it was two thirds,

which is 66%.

I thought it was two thirds.

It used to be just a simple majority

and Pope Benedict XVI reverted to a previous arrangement,

which I think was two thirds.

-Are we all agreed on two thirds?

-Yeah.

When the Catholic cardinals elect a new pope in the Sistine Chapel

they need a two-thirds majority, which is 66%.

66% is the right answer.

Well done. And then, what is it - blue smoke? White smoke?

-White smoke, yes.

-Out comes the white smoke.

-Yes, and then Habemus Papam - we have a pope!

-Yeah.

OK, your question.

Third question can be crucial, just to keep the pressure on those eggs.

And there are only four of them there.

Fleance is a character in which Shakespeare play?

F-L-E-A-N-C-E. Fleance.

It's not Macbeth.

OK, I'm going to bow to your superior...

I haven't got any knowledge to base this on,

but I don't remember it from Macbeth.

-Hamlet or King Lear.

-Toss of the coin, isn't it now?

-Down the middle?

-Why not?

We'll go with King Lear, Jeremy.

King Lear.

Eggheads, do you know this.

-Banquo's son in Macbeth.

-Banquo's son - he is in Macbeth.

That means the Eggheads will take

the contest if they get this one right.

The Oscar-nominated actor Stanley Tucci became

the brother-in-law of which English actress in 2012?

Don't think it was Kate Winslet, she married Ned Rocknroll,

who was Richard Branson's nephew.

He's actually called Abel Smith.

I can't imagine he'd be related to Stanley Tucci.

Who did Emily Blunt...?

Emily Blunt got married last year.

Keira Knightley is marrying someone from a pop group.

-She's not married yet.

-No. No.

So, Emily Blunt, who did she marry?

Well, I don't know.

But don't forget if he's become her brother-in-law, he could have...

He could have married her sister.

Yes.

Or she could have married his brother.

The only two ways it could have happened.

If she'd married his brother...

She'd keep her acting name, she wouldn't switch to Tucci.

No.

Who are we talking about? Emily Blunt?

Well, any of them.

If they married a Tucci brother, they wouldn't take Tucci as a surname.

No Kate Winslet married Ned Rocknroll.

I don't think Kate Winslet's got a sister.

He's called Abel Smith.

I haven't heard of Keira Knightley...

Keira Knightley's not married yet.

No, but he could have married her sister.

I see what you mean.

Would any of them be called Tucci?

No.

-I'm more inclined to go for Emily Blunt.

-Yeah.

I have a feeling that Emily Blunt was recently married.

-So we go for Emily Blunt.

-OK.

-Blame me.

-All right.

Well, as you've gathered, we're not really sure on this one,

the only thing we're sure of is it probably isn't Kate Winslet.

We think we will go for Emily Blunt.

If you've got this right, you've taken the contest,

but my goodness, what a struggle at the end there.

Well, the situation is this...OK.

Two people got married, one of them was called Felicity.

Felicity was the sister of Emily Blunt.

So you have got it right.

The answer's Emily Blunt.

Congratulations, Eggheads, you have won.

It's the worst thing

when they get the right answer from completely duff information.

It's the way it goes.

The sudden appearance of Keira Knightley's sister was compelling.

I'm not even aware she's got one!

That was the point.

This was an incredibly exciting revelation!

THEY LAUGH

Anyway, that's how they do it - they do it by hook or by crook.

-Absolutely.

-By hook, or by guesswork, I should say.

Never by crook!

Commiserations to the Bedside Brigade,

the Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them,

however hard work it may seem, and their winning streak continues.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £10,000,

so the money rolls over to our next show.

Eggheads, congratulations. Great to watch you at work today.

Who will beat you, I wonder?

Join us next time to see

if a new team of challengers have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£11,000 says they don't. Till then, goodbye.