Episode 13 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, where five quiz challengers pit their wits

against possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain. They are the Eggheads.

And challenging our quiz champions

are The Pod Squad from Chester. These old school friends

put together a weekly podcast on football called Soccer Max. Let's meet them.

Hello. I'm Neil, I'm 31 and an energy analyst.

Hi. I'm Gareth, I'm 31 and a mental health team co-ordinator.

Hi. My name's John, I'm 31 and a sales manager.

Hi. I'm Alex, I'm 31 and I work in shipping.

Hi. I'm Paul, I'm 32 and I'm a regional director.

Welcome to you, Pod Squad. Our Eggheads are all tech savvy, but explain to those who don't know

-what exactly is this podcast.

-It's a free audio conversation that we have every week about football.

We stick it up on iTunes and people download it and listen to it.

-How many people download it?

-Thousands!

-It started off at quite a few hundred

-and it's steadily declined.

-I see. OK.

We've got a hardcore loyal band of maybe six or seven who...

Is it about any particular club? Do you all support similar clubs?

We've got three Liverpool, one Manchester United and I'm Everton. All north-west.

But we talk about everything - Europe, the lower leagues, anything topical.

OK, well, I'll try to get my ears round that.

-Soccer Max it's called?

-Yeah.

Every day there's £1,000 up for grabs for our challengers,

but if they fail to defeat the Eggheads that money rolls over.

The Eggheads have won the last 16 games

so £17,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

Now I'm sure you are hoping for Sport, but our first Head to Head is going to be on History.

Who would like to play this one?

-Alex...

-I fancy that one.

-You've got a keen interest in history.

-Yeah, I'd like it.

-Alex is the logical choice. He likes his history.

-All right. And which Egghead?

-Who do we think, chaps?

-Try to take Kevin out?

-Let's go for it!

-Kevin, please.

-All right.

Going for the jugular. Let's have Alex and Kevin into the Question Room so you can't confer.

Alex, I don't need to remind you you've got your work cut out here against the tall poppy on History.

-Never lost, never got a question wrong.

-Brilliant(!)

-It's got to change sometime!

-Do you want to go first or second?

-First, please, Dermot.

OK, Alex. What nationality was the 16th-century explorer Hernan Cortes?

Em, well, I know the Spanish did conquer a fair bit of South America

so I think he's Spanish.

Spanish, yes, indeed. OK, easing yourself in.

See if Kevin can do that.

How old was Elizabeth I at the time of her death?

Well, she died in 1603...

..and she was born in 1533.

So she didn't quite make her 70th birthday, so 69.

Do you know what month she died?

-March, I think.

-Oh, OK.

All right. It is the right answer, of course. 69.

The death of Elizabeth I.

Alex, second question. The destrier, used in medieval warfare, was what type of creature?

Hm, medieval warfare.

Destrier...

I don't think it would be a dog.

I don't really know the answer, but I wouldn't have thought a dog.

So I'm left with elephant or horse.

Medieval.

I'd say a horse. Something to do with cavalry, perhaps. A horse.

OK, it IS a horse. Well worked out, Alex.

You have a lead, but Kevin hasn't faced his second question.

Here it is. Which country was known as Northern Rhodesia until its independence in 1964?

Yeah, Southern Rhodesia is now Zimbabwe

-and Northern Rhodesia was Zambia.

-Yes, it was.

Well done, Kevin. You have two.

Joan of Navarre married which English king, having previously borne eight children

to her first husband, John IV, Duke of Brittany?

It's going to be a bit of a guess, to be honest. I'm not 100% sure

at all.

I'll go Richard II.

OK. Richard II married Joan of Navarre. No, he didn't. Kevin?

-Henry IV.

-Henry IV.

Ah, now.

You're at Kevin's mercy here. Henry Addington was British Prime Minister during which period?

1801 to 1804.

He was known as Viscount Sidmouth at other times.

OK. We'll confirm it is the correct answer. 1801 to 1804.

Well tried, Alex,

but not to be. It means Kevin goes through to the final round.

No place for you. Both please come back and join your teams.

As it stands, the Pod Squad have lost one brain. The Eggheads are all there.

Our next subject is Arts and Books.

Who wants to take this one?

The one we were hoping wasn't going to come up!

Do you want to try it, John? You've read books!

I don't want to try it, but I know it's the one we all dreaded, so...

None of us really wanted Arts and Books, but we're going to put John up.

I love the way you bigged him up. "You've read some books."

- Just a couple. - Not many.

-Which Egghead would you like to play?

-You can have whoever you want.

- TKD? - Yeah.

-Tremendous Knowledge Dave, please.

-Tremendous Knowledge Dave. What a good idea.

Let's have John and Dave into the Question Room, please.

-John, do you want to go first or second?

-I'll go second.

OK, see if Dave trips up for you. Dave, first question to you.

A Clash of Kings and A Storm of Swords are titles in a series of books by which author?

I've got to go JRR Tolkien,

but not with confidence. I see CS Lewis there.

But JRR Tolkien.

Kings and swords, plenty of those in Tolkien, but it's not, though.

-CS Lewis.

-No! It's George RR Martin.

I want to hear more about him from the other Eggheads.

- Game of Thrones? - The fantasy series.

All part of the sequence.

A good swerve, John, but it all depends

on getting your first one correct.

The ArcelorMittal Orbit in London's Olympic Park,

which became the UK's tallest sculpture on its completion, is approximately what height in metres?

Right. I did make it to the Olympics, so I've seen it,

-but I don't remember reading anything...

-You didn't measure it!

No, I didn't.

714 sounds too high to me.

-I'm going to go for 114 metres.

-OK.

Maybe helped that you did see it. We've all seen pictures of it,

but maybe seeing it physically helped. You got it right. 114.

Well, early days,

but you have a lead. Dave, Deaths and Entrances, first published in 1946

and heavily influenced by the impact of WWII, is a collection of poetry by whom?

I'll have to go Philip Larkin.

-OK, Philip Larkin. Daphne looking concerned.

-Dylan Thomas?

-Dylan Thomas.

-Dylan Thomas!

-Yeah.

-Dylan Thomas.

Didn't he work at the BBC during the war, Dylan Thomas?

He did briefly, I think. Yes, that's right.

-And then off to Wales again afterwards.

-OK, John,

you have a chance to book your place in the final round with this.

In the Shakespeare play King Lear, who does Cordelia marry?

Right.

As you can probably tell, I'm a little bit stumped on this.

-Have you read it or seen it?

-No. I'm pretty weak on my Shakespeare.

I think I'm just going to take a punt at King of Spain.

King of Spain for Cordelia. One of those diplomatic marriages.

It was to the King of France, not the King of Spain.

So Dave faces another question.

The full title of Henry Raeburn's 18th-century painting commonly known as The Skating Minister

is The Reverend Robert Walker Skating On what?

Em, I don't know this,

but I've got a leaning towards the Lake of Menteith,

but like all my leanings it's probably wrong.

-Going for that?

-Yep.

-You've gone for Lake of Menteith.

-You're going under, Dave!

-Duddingston Loch?

Yes, it is. Duddingston Loch.

You're sinking without trace.

I don't need another question.

Well played, John. You're in the final round. Both please rejoin your teams.

Halfway through the Head to Heads and both teams have lost one brain from the final round.

Our next subject is Sport!

Who'd like to play this?

It's Neil, Gareth or Paul.

Decisions...

-Do you want to do it?

-I think we should let Paul do it.

Potentially, we've got Music and TV, which we'd need you for.

-OK, we'll send Paul. We'd rather it was just football.

-It might not even be football!

OK, Paul. Daphne, Judith or Pat.

- Who do you think? - Judith? - Yeah.

We're going to say Judith. We know she doesn't like it and my grandma really likes her cardigans.

OK. So you're trying to butter her up for picking her.

Let's have Paul and Judith into the Question Room, please.

Let's see if you can get the Eggheads on the run by knocking Judith out.

-First or second?

-I'd like to go second, please.

All right, first question, Judith.

Which position is most associated with the footballer Joleon Lescott?

Absolutely no idea. Never heard of him. Joleon Lescott...

-Perhaps he... A striker.

-Striker? Well, he does score goals.

Paul would have liked this.

He asked for football questions. You tell us, Paul.

He's a centre back for Manchester City.

-You'd better translate for Judith!

-What does that mean?

He's a defender, sorry!

Yeah, Joleon Lescott. An England defender as well.

Is this going to work for Paul, going second?

In which year did Mike Atherton first play Test match cricket for England?

Well... he's certainly too old for '99.

And I'm sure he was playing already in '89.

So I've got to go for '79.

OK, '79.

A prodigious talent, but he'd have to have been very good.

No, 1989. Your reasoning was good, but you went too far back.

OK, well, there we are.

Nothing on the board. Piggy French became well-known as a leading British competitor in which sport?

Oh, dear. I haven't heard of him either. Well, horsey people have names

like Piggy and whatnot.

I'm going to try...equestrianism.

Equestrianism. It is! You've got one on the board.

Paul playing catch up.

Which boxer suffered a controversial defeat to Timothy Bradley

in a June, 2012, welterweight world championship bout?

Well, I remember Amir Khan losing in a very controversial fight.

But I also remember Manny Pacquiao losing, I think, for the first or second time.

I don't think Floyd Mayweather's lost or he's lost very few times.

It's between Pacquiao and Khan. I'm going to go Amir Khan.

No, it's Manny Pacquiao. Oh, dear.

Well, Judith...

Don't hold your breath.

A chance for victory here. Which team won the first Rugby League World Cup in 1954?

I certainly wasn't looking at rugby league results in 1954!

Rugby league...Great Britain.

It's the right answer, Judith!

-Oh, well!

-Oh, gosh! I am really embarrassed.

-I'm so sorry.

-And very pleased.

-I'm thrilled!

-But I'm really sorry, too.

-After Joleon Lescott, we thought

it wouldn't be the best of rounds.

Paul looked chirpy, but you turned it round and you're in the final and have deprived Paul of a place.

Both please come back and join your teams.

I have no idea which way this game is going to go!

Swinging back and forward! Pod Squad have now lost two brains and the Eggheads have lost one.

We reach our last Head to Head and this one is Music.

Two of you left.

Gareth and Neil.

-I think we've got to take a tactical one.

-And go for Gareth.

-You're good on music.

-Well, we'll see.

-And leave me to the end.

-Who shall I face, Neil?

-We'll put Gareth up.

-And then it's Pat or Daphne.

-Pat or Daphne?

-I fancy Daphne.

Daphne's strong. You could get rid of her as well.

-Yeah.

-Daphne, please.

-All right.

Gareth and Daphne, could you both please go to the Question Room?

OK, Gareth, this could level it up if you can get rid of Daphne,

if you'll excuse me using that terminology.

-First or second, Gareth?

-I'll go first, please, Dermot.

Good luck, Gareth. Going first. Cantatrice is the name for a female what?

I have absolutely no idea.

So I'm going to have to guess.

Unless it's a type of singer, I suppose,

-I'm going to guess conductor. That was the first thing that came to my head.

-Conductor.

No, it's not. It is a type of singer.

I thought you were going to go for singer, but you went for conductor.

It's linked with cantatas.

-It's just a French term for singer.

-OK, Daphne, your first question.

The boy band Five had their first UK Top Ten hit single in which year?

I hate boy bands!

-I haven't got a clue about them.

-I thought you'd be their target market.

No!

Five?

I can't even place them.

Come on, think!

Boy band Five...

Middle one. 1997?

I love the way you share your internal dialogue with us. "Come on, think!"

-It's the right answer, Daphne! 1997.

-I'm sorry.

-That was a pure guess.

-I think we got that!

1997.

Makes the task harder for Gareth.

"The child is a king, the carollers sing, the old has passed, there's a new beginning,"

are the opening lyrics to which Cliff Richard song?

-Are you a Cliff fan, Gareth?

-Absolutely huge!

-Yeah. No, not really, but I think I know this one.

-Oh!

From Christmases past. I think it's Mistletoe and Wine.

Yes, it is! Mistletoe and Wine.

OK, Daphne.

Which musical, first performed on Broadway in 1991,

features the songs The Movie In My Mind and I Still Believe?

I'm supposed to know all the musicals, but no,

it doesn't ring a bell. Well, it's not Les Miserables.

-Oh...Rent.

-OK, Rent.

No, it's not.

-Miss Saigon.

-Miss Saigon. Well, you have a big chance here, Gareth,

to attain the lead. Jazz musician McCoy Tyner is best known for his expertise on which instrument?

I can't abide jazz.

It's going to be... It's going to be a guess.

I guessed the middle one last time.

I'm thinking trumpet or saxophone.

And I'm going to go...

trumpet.

OK, trumpet for McCoy Tyner.

All instruments very familiar to jazz aficionados. Gareth's not one of those. Can't abide it.

Probably likes it even less now when I tell you it's piano.

Piano. So a chance for Daphne.

The guitarist Neil Giraldo married which US singer in 1982?

I've no idea!

No idea.

Pat Benatar.

-Pat Benatar.

-I don't know it.

Well, you do now. It is the right answer. Pat Benatar is correct.

Married Neil Giraldo in 1982.

You're into the final round. No place for you, Gareth.

Both please come back and join your teams.

After some enthralling Head to Heads, it's time for the final round which is on General Knowledge.

But those of you who lost

won't be allowed to take part, so Gareth, Alex and Paul from the Pod Squad

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

Neil and John, you're playing to win the Pod Squad £17,000.

Pat, Judith, Kevin and Daphne are playing for something money can't buy - the Eggheads' reputation.

I'll ask each team three questions in turn, all general knowledge. Just to remind you.

And you can confer in the final round. So are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

Neil and John, would you like to go first or second?

We will go first, please, Dermot.

Very good luck to you. Here's your first question.

Moshe Dayan was prominent in the politics of which country?

It sounds like a Jewish name to me.

-Yeah, I mean...

-Which would rule out Japan.

-My instant leaning was towards Israel.

-So is mine.

-But there is...

-A Jewish contingent in Russia.

-Yeah.

Our first instinct was Israel.

-Mine certainly was.

-Yeah.

-What do you think?

I've a slight leaning towards Russia as well, but go with that.

We don't know her. Or him. We're not sure!

We think, just on the basis of the name, it sounds Jewish-sounding,

so we'll go for Israel.

Israel, OK. Looking worried, Neil!

You don't know her or him. It's a him with a female Prime Minister at the time.

Israel is the right answer. Israel is correct.

OK, listen,

a very good start. A tricky one to identify and you did. Eggheads,

what is the value of the banknote released into circulation by the Bank of England

in November, 2011, that features the images of Matthew Boulton and James Watt?

-The £20, I looked yesterday, is Adam Smith.

-Yeah, he's on the 20.

He hasn't been there all that long.

-Matthew Boulton...

-I don't think I've noticed them popping up on the ten.

Whereas...

-Sir John Houblon had been on the 50 for...

-A long time.

-Yeah.

I don't recall seeing Boulton and Watt, so the logical one is 50.

You don't see so many. I don't!

-So...do you think?

-Let's bet on 50, then.

I think we...

-Are you spokesman?

-No, Pat.

-I've a slight inclination for 50.

-Same.

-OK, we'll go for 50?

We're unsure, but we are going to go with the £50 note.

OK, the £50 note. Kevin doesn't see many. Pat does. You've got thousands under the bed after Millionaire.

Paper currency? Are you mad?!

It is the right answer. You worked it out. £50.

Pod Squad, Dilys Powell was film critic for which newspaper from 1939 to the 1970s?

-'39...to the '70s.

-Not an area I'm great on, newspapers.

I can't imagine...

-News of the World seems...

-Would that have a film review for that long every week?

Not sure. I don't think you'd stay at the News of the World that long

-as a film reviewer.

-I'm judging the papers on how I know them today.

-We have to rule out that.

-Yeah.

The Observer...

I know it does have a big culture section now.

Presumably it always has done.

It's a kind of...liberal thing.

I don't know anything about the Sunday Times.

-My leaning would be the Observer.

-I'm happy to go with that.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

Again, we're not entirely sure, but we will go for the Observer.

OK, the Observer for Dilys Powell's very long tenure as film critic.

It's the Sunday Times, the other one you were thinking of.

Not the Observer. Bad luck.

Let's see how the Eggheads do. Your second question.

What is the approximate population of Switzerland?

-Eight.

-Somewhere in the high sevens.

So it's about eight million.

-We think it's eight million people.

-Eight million.

It's the right answer, yep.

It's now 2-1 to the Eggheads.

You need to get this, as you know.

Tenrecs are small, insectivorous mammals native to which part of the world?

T-E-N-R-E-C-S.

Right. You ever heard of it?

-No.

-Strange-looking name. Strange word.

-Tenrecs.

-R-E-C-S at the end.

I feel quite guilty that Paul gave me a book on Madagascar to read this morning and I didn't!

It's more likely, if it's a mammal, to be Madagascar.

-Wouldn't you say?

-Or Borneo.

That's confused us even more now!

-I'm leaning towards Borneo.

-Are you? As it's a mammal?

Yeah, it just rings a bell.

OK. On nothing more than it rings a vague bell in John's head, we'll go for Borneo.

They're all pretty plausible.

Insectivorous mammals called tenrecs are native to...

Madagascar.

Madagascar. Bad luck with that. That means, Eggheads, you've won.

That was an intriguing contest. The Head to Heads were fascinating, swinging back and forth.

In that final round, just a set of questions that didn't suit you.

Some good play by those behind you in the Question Room after their Head to Heads.

-Thanks for playing, Pod Squad. Best of luck with that podcast.

-Thank you.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally

and you won't be going home with the £17,000. That means it rolls over to the next show.

Eggheads, congratulations. Who will beat you?

Join us next time to see if a new team can defeat the Eggheads.

£18,000 now says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

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