Episode 135 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 Composite.

This team of friends have been quizzing together for over 20 years

and currently meet up every Wednesday to test their brainpower

at the Mexborough Arms in the village of Thorner, near Leeds.

Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Don. I'm 74. I'm a retired lecturer and dentist.

Hi, I'm David. I'm 56 and I've been a dentist for 33 years.

Hi, I'm Mal. I'm 60 and I've been a dentist for 38 years.

Hi, I'm Paul. I'm 58 and I'm a commercial operations manager.

Hi, I'm Edward. I'm 69 and I've been a dentist for 43 years.

-So, Don, team, welcome. Good to see you.

-Thank you.

-And you are big quizzers, I can tell.

-Well, weekly quizzers.

-Very regular quizzers.

-ALL:

-Very regular.

The name Composite is crucial

because you are all dentists or retired dentists, is that right?

Except for Paul. Paul's our newest arrival.

Composite is a dental material, tooth-filler dental material,

and it's also a composite of dentists plus Paul.

I see. A bit of an amalgam?

Well, that was the original name.

So when you quiz, do you win?

-Fairly frequently.

-Good. We have a contest.

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, Composite, it was a bit of a painful one for the Eggheads

the last show and they crashed out

on a question about the Costa Rican national airline.

The challengers won. It proves it can be done, of course.

It means the jackpot for you today is...

Do you want to get cracking?

-Can we?

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

Who would like this?

-What do you think?

-David.

-We've got to put David.

-David on Sport.

-Which Egghead would you like to take on, David? Any of them.

-Chris.

-Chris, please.

-Right, that usually puts him in a good mood.

Your ticket's booked on Lacsa, I tell you.

So, David from Composite versus Chris from the Eggheads,

to ensure there's no conferring

would you please take your positions in the Question Room?

Good luck. It's Sport, and would you like to go first or second?

Please can I go first?

Here we go. Which heavyweight boxer was jailed in 1999 after a road rage

attack on two motorists?

Mike Tyson was jailed for something else, I think.

Lennox Lewis I'm sure has a clean record.

I would think, therefore, Jeremy, I'll go for Evander Holyfield,

-although I'm not fully convinced.

-It's interesting.

-I don't have much of a memory of this but it is Mike Tyson.

-Right.

OK, Chris.

Which footballer, born in 1940,

scored a record 77 goals for the Brazilian national football team?

Er... well Jairzinho and Zico are both later than that.

So, born in 1940, it's got to be Pele.

Pele is the right answer, well done. Back to you, David.

Which Paralympian became a dame in the 2013 New Year Honours List?

Of the three, it's got to be Tanni Grey-Thompson, Jeremy.

Let's see if your team knows. Is he right with this?

-I think she was already a dame, wasn't she?

-I think she was already.

-What do you think?

-Ellie Simmonds.

-It's not Ellie Simmonds.

-Sarah Storey it is.

-Sarah Storey, yes. Sorry.

If you get this right, Chris, you've taken the round.

Which of these golfers has won the Open Championship

on the most occasions?

Yeah. That was...not Tom Watson, not Jack Nicklaus.

Gary Player.

-Not Gary Player, not Jack Nicklaus. Tom Watson.

-Tom Watson.

-He was five.

So he is the right answer. OK, David.

He's let you off the hook but you need to get this one right.

The Basin Reserve is a Test cricket ground in which country?

Basin is spelt B-A-S-I-N, as you'd expect.

Well, Jeremy, as I play cricket, I should know this,

but at the moment I'm having to have a think.

I've got a feeling it's New Zealand, Jeremy.

Well done, you've got it right. It is New Zealand. OK, over to Chris.

If you get this one right, Chris, you're in the final.

The British athlete Robbie Grabarz

won a medal in which field event at the 2012 Olympics?

I think he's a shot-putter. Shot put.

Oh, heads in hands at this end.

-Help us, Eggs.

-ALL:

-High jump.

-High jump.

So, you're equal after three questions with one point each.

We go to sudden death, David. It gets a bit harder.

I don't give you alternatives. Here is your first sudden death question.

Which footballer won his fourth successive Fifa Ballon d'Or in 2013?

Lionel Messi, Jeremy.

Lionel Messi is correct. Well done.

Chris, your question. An emotional Murray Walker said,

"I've got to stop because I've got a lump in my throat,"

when commentating on the Formula One World Championship win

of which driver?

Um...

Jackie Stewart?

Do you know this one, David?

-I think it's Damon Hill.

-Yes, it is Damon Hill.

Sorry, Chris, you've been knocked out.

Well done, David.

Oh, I thought you were on the edge there.

And then you came back, well done. So you're in the final round

and you've ousted Chris from the final round.

Please, both of you rejoin your team-mates.

So, very good work by David there

and that was the rope-a-dope technique, wasn't it?

I think I was the dope.

So, Composite have not lost a brain and the Eggheads have lost Chris.

How about that for a start? The next subject is Politics.

-Who would like this?

-Edward or Paul?

-Edward.

-Would you do this, Edward?

-OK. All right.

-Who've we got?

-It's me, Jeremy.

-Edward, OK.

-Who would you like, Edward?

-Ah, right.

I'll try Dave, please.

Edward from Composite versus Dave from the Eggheads.

Please take your positions now.

Edward, Politics is the subject. Do you want to go first or second?

I'll go first, please.

Here is your question. What are the names of Barack Obama's children?

I must say I'm not very sure about this.

I don't think it's Martha and Anna.

And I don't think it's Barbara and Jenna.

So it's Malia and Sasha, I'll go for.

Me-lia or Ma-lia and Sasha...

is the right answer, well done.

Dave, your question. Which patriotic song,

with words by Robert Burns, is used to close SNP conferences?

I'm looking for something else.

By Robert Burns? I don't know.

It's disgraceful here. I've got to go. Not The Skye Boat Song, surely.

I'll go for The Thistle Of Scotland.

OK, we've got a bit of Eggheads information coming, I'm feeling it,

-Dave, from the desk here. Eggs?

-Scots Wha Hae.

-Scots Wha Hae.

"Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled."

-Dave, you'll have to leave through the back exit.

-Yes.

Scots Wha Hae is the right answer. OK, Edward that's handy, isn't it?

-It is.

-You're ahead and you've only answered one question.

Here's your second.

In March 2013, Theresa May announced that which executive

agency of the Home Office, formed five years previously,

was to be scrapped because it was not good enough?

I'm pretty sure it's the UK Border Agency

because they've never done a very good job.

The UK Border Agency is the right answer. Yeah.

Dave, your question.

Which role did the American politician John Kerry assume in February 2013?

He's not the Attorney General. He's not the Secretary of Defense.

It was the Secretary of State.

Secretary of State, yes.

OK, Edward your question. Get this one right, you've taken the round.

When did Augustus Henry FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton, become British Prime Minister?

I think it was too early to be a Prime Minister in 1668.

1868 would have been one of Victoria's prime ministers,

so I'm going for 1768.

1768 is completely right. Well done to you.

-Dave, you've been knocked out.

-Yeah.

And if you both come back to us, we will play on.

Oh, Composite are playing very well here.

They have not lost a brain from the final round

and the first two Eggheads to go into the Question Room

have been...what's the correct dental term - extracted?

-ALL:

-Extracted.

The next subject is Science. Who wants to take Science?

-This has got to be good, surely.

-Come on, boys.

-Should we?

-You go.

-Go on, Mal.

-I'll do Science.

-Mal against which Egghead?

I'll have Pat, I think.

So, Mal from Composite versus Pat from the Eggheads.

Please, both of you, go to the Question Room.

Is Science your thing, Mal?

-It is, yes.

-That's good. Why so?

Well, I suppose it's the background from which most of us are from,

so we were all down to have a go at it, and I was one of the few left.

-By default, I think.

-All right, great. Good luck on Science.

-Would you like to go first or second?

-I'll go first, Jeremy.

Here we go. In which part of the world do giant pandas live naturally in the wild?

I think I'd immediately rule out Africa.

And I don't think they would be right for South America either.

I think... They often have Chinese-sounding names,

so I'm going to go for Asia.

Asia is the correct answer. Nicely done.

Pat, your first question.

In what state does nitrogen exist at room temperature?

At room temperature it makes up about three quarters

of the Earth's atmosphere and it's a gas.

Gas is right. Back to you, Mal.

Which of these planets has the largest diameter?

I don't think it's Uranus. I think that is a fairly small planet.

I think I'm going to go for Saturn.

Saturn is the right answer.

Pat, your question. The botanist Joseph Hooker was the best friend

of which famous scientific figure?

I don't know this for certain at all. I'm going to go with Charles Darwin.

Charles Darwin is actually correct. So, two each. Tight round.

Mal. Marie Curie won her first Nobel Prize in which category?

Mm. Erm...

I think it's either chemistry or physics.

She had a lot to do with X-ray technology,

so I'm going to go for physics.

Physics is correct.

You're playing well, Mal. So, Pat's up against it here.

Let's see if he stays in. The Difference Engine and the

Analytical Engine were designed by which 19th-century inventor?

I think they were mechanical calculating devices.

I'm not sure they were both actually built

but they were designed by the remarkable Charles Babbage.

Charles Babbage is correct. Well done.

OK, we go to sudden death. Three each so it gets a bit harder.

I don't give you alternatives, Mal.

Turdus merula is the scientific name for which

common European garden bird?

Turdus is T-U-R-D-U-S. Merula is M-E-R-U-L-A. Turdus merula.

Just...I hope an inspired guess here. The long-tailed tit.

No, the blackbird.

Pat, your question for the round.

Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez, who flew on Soyuz 38 in 1980,

was the first person from which country to go into space?

Well, it's, at first glance, quite a Hispanic name.

Cuba's probably the most famous Spanish-speaking communist country.

I think I'll have to go with Cuba.

Pat, you're right. It is Cuba. Sorry, Mal.

He's knocked you out there on sudden death but you played very,

very well, I must say. Pat will be in the final round.

Both of you, please come back and rejoin your teams.

So, as it stands, Composite have lost one brain from the final round

whilst the Eggheads have lost two brains.

Our last subject before that final is Music.

-Who's the music person, Paul or Don?

-It's going to be me, Jeremy.

-OK, Don, against which Egghead?

-Daphne. She's smiling nicely.

She always smiles nicely. Do not be lured by that smile.

Don from Composite versus Daphne from the Eggheads on Music.

Well, she loves her musicals. That's the way to her heart.

-She does.

-Please go to the Question Room now.

So, Music, Don. Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

The American pop singer Taylor Swift went through a much-publicised

break-up at the start of 2013 with which member of the group One Direction?

I haven't a clue, to be honest.

Um...I'll go for Harry Styles.

-Harry Styles is correct.

-Oh!

He's very, very famous, and so's she. OK, Daphne.

Which of these famous composers was born first?

Oh!

Erm, Handel.

Handel is the right answer. Over to you, Don.

"I, I will be king and you,

"you will be queen," are lines in which David Bowie song?

I don't think it's Space Oddity.

Um...I'll go for Heroes.

Heroes is correct.

Daphne, the jazz musician Theodore "Fats" Navarro

was best known for his expertise on which instrument?

Vibraphone.

No, it's trumpet, Daphne.

She's given you a little way in there, Don.

Get the drill out.

In Mozart's opera The Marriage Of Figaro, Figaro is

the valet of which character?

I'll go for Bartolo.

Is he right, Daphne?

Almaviva.

Almaviva it is, Don. Let's see if you've missed your chance.

Daphne, with your third question. To stay in.

Try This, I'm Not Dead

and The Truth About Love are albums by which singer?

Pink?

Pink is the right answer. So you're level after three questions.

We go to sudden death. Gets a bit harder.

I don't give you alternatives, Don.

What is the usual English title of the waltz known as

An Der Schonen Blauen Donau, Op.314?

The Blue Danube.

The Blue Danube is correct.

Daphne, your question. Which 1972 UK top 10 hit single

for the Shangri-Las features the lines,

"I met him at the candy store.

"He turned around and smiled at me. You get the picture?"

Is it Leader Of The Pack?

It is Leader Of The Pack, yes.

# I met him at the candy store... # That one.

OK, Don.

The Coney Island Waltz and Till I Hear You Sing

are songs from which Andrew Lloyd Webber musical?

-Sorry, Jeremy. I don't know.

-Nothing?

-No.

-A guess?

Andrew Lloyd Webber musical.

Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals have gone out of my mind completely.

Don't Cry For Me Argentina.

-Do you know, Daphne?

-Is it Love Never Dies?

Love Never Dies is the answer. Sequel to Phantom Of The Opera.

OK, Daphne, with this question you can get in the final.

Which group had a 1977 UK top five album called News Of The World?

Queen?

-How do you do that?

-Was it? Is that right?

-Yes, it's right.

-How do you do that?

-I don't know. It just popped into my head.

It's not even that well-known, even if you are a Queen fan.

-Oh.

-Queen is the right answer. Daphne, Daphne.

You are an absolute wonder and I'm sorry, Don.

-OK.

-You know, suddenly the drill's buzzing and she's got the gown on.

It just happens all of a sudden. She is a mighty player.

Don, you've been knocked out. Daphne, you're in the final.

If you both come back to us, 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.

But I'm afraid those of you who lost your head-to-heads won't be

allowed to take part in this round, so Don and Mal from Composite

and Dave and Chris from the Eggheads,

would you please now leave the studio?

David, Paul and Edward, you are playing to win Composite £1,000.

Daphne, Barry and Pat, you are 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, Composite, the question is, can you with your three brains

defeat the Eggheads' three over here?

And they've come off the back of a bad defeat, so let's see.

Would you like to go first or second?

We'll go first, please, Jeremy.

OK, Paul and team, good luck to you.

What term is used to refer to a drain or pipe that allows water

to flow under a road?

-Culvert.

-Yes. Happy with that?

Yeah. Culvert.

Culvert is the right answer.

Eggheads. Which of these historical figures lived most recently?

-Genghis Khan.

-Genghis Khan.

-Genghis Khan, yes.

-12th to 13th century.

It was Genghis Khan, who lived in the 12th century.

You're absolutely right. It was Genghis Khan. Well done.

OK. Composite.

The International Baccalaureate, an educational foundation

commonly known as the IB, was founded in 1968 in which city?

-That was Geneva.

-I would've thought Geneva.

One came up and I didn't see it, so I would go with you two.

Should we go for that then?

Yeah, we are agreed on Geneva, Jeremy.

Geneva is the right answer, well done. Two out of two.

Here we go, the Eggheads.

Are they going to get the willies?

Valencia is a city in which part of Spain?

-It's down in the South, isn't it?

-It's on the Med.

-It's definitely not the North.

-It must be the East.

It's about halfway down, below Barcelona. It's above Malaga.

It's got a province, the community of Valencia surrounding it.

Let's make sure we get this right. The Med is the East coast.

-Not North, not West.

-Yeah.

Valencia is on the East coast.

East is correct. Well done.

Back to you. Third question can be crucial.

In 2007, which comedian became the regular presenter of

the Radio Four panel show, The Unbelievable Truth?

-You said that straightaway.

-David Mitchell.

We are sure of this one. David Mitchell.

You've done very well with your three questions.

You've got them all right. David Mitchell is correct.

OK, Eggs. Here we are again.

The Kamehameha Dynasty ruled over which island group

during the 19th century?

It's spelt K-A-M-E-H-A-M-E-H-A.

The Liliuokalani was the last ruler in that dynasty.

It's a pretty Hawaiian-sounding name. I think it's Hawaii.

When it was still a kingdom, for want of a better word,

before it became part of the States.

-We're all agreed then?

-Yeah.

Yes, we're all agreed. We think that is Hawaii.

Phew. Hawaii is right. So, you've taken them to sudden death.

I don't give you alternative answers now. Take your time, guys.

Playing for £1,000.

What is the only American state to be named after a US president?

-ALL:

-Washington State.

Washington State, Jeremy.

Washington State is correct.

Eggheads.

Which country derives its name from the first

syllables of the names of Tanganyika and Zanzibar?

-Tanzania. Where else?

-Exactly.

From Tanganyika and Zanzibar, you can only go to Tanzania,

so that's our answer.

Tanzania is the right answer. Well done.

Over to you.

In the 1950s what alliterative name was given to

the period between 6pm and 7pm when no television was broadcast

so that young children could be put to bed?

-BOTH:

-Happy hour?

-Quiet hour?

-Not alliterative.

-Oh, alliterative.

-Night-time? Bedtime?

-That's not alliterative.

I think it might be happy hour.

I think it might be where happy hour came from.

-It's a good answer to put in.

-Yes. Should we go for that? Yes.

-It's as good as any.

-OK. Go for that.

-We're not sure, but we're going to go with happy hour.

-Happy hour.

I don't know whether that's alliterative, strictly speaking.

Although they're both "Hs".

It's not that. Do you know?

-Toddlers' Truce?

-Toddlers' Truce.

-Oh, no.

-In the '50s.

-6pm to 7pm. Isn't that amazing? No TV.

-No TV.

So you could put the kids to bed.

So it gives the Eggheads a chance now. Get this right

and you're back on track. You've won the contest.

Weary Willie and who else were the lead characters

in a cartoon strip in the magazine Illustrated Chips from 1896 to 1953?

It's something like Weary Willie and Tired Tim, Tom.

Weary Willie and...Tim? I can't...

-I've never heard of this, I'm afraid.

-I'm afraid I don't know...

It's one that we're probably... I would go for Tim.

Tired Tim, because at least that has some sort of resonance.

Daphne is the only one of us who has got any sort of inkling here

and we're going to go for Tired Tim. Weary Willie and Tired Tim.

Tired Tim. That's not just a name made up in your head, Daphne?

-I don't know.

-Where did you get it from?

-I don't know.

I always ask you this and you never know. I don't know why I ask.

The artist was called Tom Brown,

which may have been your Tom, but full credit to you.

You've got it completely right. The answer is Tired Tim.

Well done, Eggheads. We say congratulations. You have won.

You really never cease to amaze, Daphne.

It's almost as if you didn't know what you're looking for and you

-just found it.

-Yes.

-It's electronic.

We have said before, haven't we

that your brain should be donated to science?

-But after you die, not before.

-Yes.

-Commiserations, Composite.

-That's what they do. That's what they're good at.

-Inspired.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them

and they reigned supreme over quiz land again.

Sticky game last time but let's say no more about that.

I'm afraid it means you won't be going home with

the £1,000 so the money now 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. Until then, goodbye.