Episode 20 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 a team of five quiz challengers pit their wits

against possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain - the Eggheads.

Challenging our champions today

are Mobiles at the Ready.

They quiz together at the Bluebell pub in Washington, Tyne and Wear.

-Let's meet them.

-Hi, I'm Matt, 24, an environmental science student.

Hi, I'm Lewis, I'm 25 and I'm a PhD student studying Biology.

Hi, my name is Daniel, I'm 24 and a medical student.

I'm Dave, 21, and an environmental economics student.

Hi, I'm Shaun, 24, and I work for a software company.

Welcome to you. Now is your team name what I think it is - a reference to cheating at quizzes?

Indeed. We do enjoy using our mobile phones, but obviously this studio is not allowed for that.

You couldn't anyway. I don't think we can get a signal in here.

-Do they really use mobiles a lot?

-No, we've used them a couple of times on a few questions we're stuck on.

-How do you do it without other teams seeing you?

-Everybody's doing it. It's bad, it's really bad.

-You just have to come clean.

-Exactly.

-And quiz clean.

You'll get that experience today against the Eggheads.

Every day there's £1,000 of cash up for grabs,

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

The Eggheads have won the last 23 games,

so £24,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

Right. Four Head to Heads, four chances to knock them out.

Let's play our first one. This is on Film and Television.

Who wants to take this one on?

I'd save me for a bit later.

- Are we going to go with me or you...? - If you can get someone for Sport.

-It's you.

-Go on!

I'm being sacrificed. I'll take it.

-All right. Choose any Egghead you like.

-I think Daphne, please.

OK, that's Matt and Daphne. Could I ask you both to go to the Question Room?

Matt attempting to strike the first blow.

-Do you want to go first or second?

-I'll go first, please, Dermot.

And good luck, Matt.

Here you go. In Little Britain, what is the name of the Prime Ministerial aide,

played by David Walliams, who is infatuated with his boss?

Em, I think I've seen this.

I'm not 100% sure.

I will go for Sebastian. I'm not 100% sure, but I will go for Sebastian, Dermot.

Trying to remember those sketches. It is Sebastian. Well done.

-That's steadied the nerves a bit, has it?

-Yeah.

OK, good. Daphne,

in the 1999 film Notting Hill, the bookseller played by Hugh Grant spills which drink on Julia Roberts?

-I'm sorry to say I've never seen it.

-Oh.

Oh...

-Coffee.

-Yeah, well, it's a bookshop, it's Notting Hill.

-Obvious choice. But it's orange juice.

-Oh!

Haha!

Well, good news for you, Matt.

A chance for a two-nil lead. Which film starred Gregory Peck as the American Ambassador to the UK?

Oh, dear.

None of these films are ringing any bells, so it is going to have to be a bit of a guess for me, Dermot.

And I'll go with... Cape Fear, please.

OK, Cape Fear for Gregory Peck.

-It's The Omen.

-Oh!

-Right.

A chance for Daphne to draw level.

Who played the character Yosser Hughes in the 1980s TV drama series Boys From The Blackstuff?

Yeah, that's more my era. And I have seen The Omen.

It's Bernard Hill.

Yeah, Bernard Hill. Right. They never stay behind for long.

OK, Matt, but it's all square.

Anything can happen. Third question. Which playwright is credited for his screenwriting work

on the films Brazil and Empire of the Sun?

Again I'm not sure on this at all.

Playwrights are not my speciality at all. Em...

I'm just seeing if any of the names ring a bell with me. Tom Stoppard I have heard of.

But I think I'll go down the middle and go for Peter Shaffer, please.

-It's Tom Stoppard.

-Oh, no.

-The one you had heard of.

Oh, dear. Right.

This would be a turn around. This one would win the round.

For which film did Robert Redford win a Best Director Oscar?

That was Ordinary People.

It's the right answer, Daphne.

Matt had a real chance there, but it all just drifted away

after the first question. Bad luck. You were beaten by Daphne. There's no place for you in the final round.

Both please come back and join your teams.

After that, Mobiles at the Ready have lost one brain from the final.

All the Eggheads are there. Head to Head number two coming up. This one is Politics.

Who'd like to play this?

I think I'll take this one. I did do a degree in it.

Better get that out there first! Shaun, who would you like to play from the Eggheads? Not Daphne.

-I'd like to play against Judith, please.

-Right. Shaun and Judith heading for the Question Room.

-OK, Shaun, Politics. Do you want to go first or second?

-First, please, Dermot.

Here you go, then.

A controversial measure to add VAT to certain food items,

proposed in the 2012 Budget, but later modified, was given what nickname by the British media?

I remember seeing this in the papers and I'm pretty sure it's the Pasty Tax.

The Pasty Tax is the right answer. One to you.

And Judith,

the activist who was married to Nelson Mandela from 1958 until 1996 was known by what name?

That was Winnie.

Winnie Mandela is the right answer.

Shaun, the phrase,

"They misunderestimated me," was widely reported in 2000 as a verbal gaffe by which politician?

Again I'm quite sure on this. I think it'll be one of George W Bush's many verbal gaffes,

so I'll go for George W Bush.

OK, George Bush. "They misunderestimated me." Correct.

Judith,

in March, 2012, Leanne Wood was elected as the first female leader of which party?

Oh, dear. Well, I'm sure it's not the Scottish National Party.

I'm not sure,

but I have a sort of instinct about "Played"..."Plied"... I can never pronounce it. Plaid Cymru.

-I'll say Plaid Cymru.

-OK.

Right answer, yes. Well done, Judith.

Both doing really well.

Shaun, the 2008 book The Pain and The Privilege by Ffion Hague

is about the women in the life of which Prime Minister?

Ugh. I really don't know this one.

I'm just trying to rule someone out.

It's going to be a bit of a guess. I'll go for David Lloyd George.

OK, bit of a guess... and landing it.

Well done. David Lloyd George.

And your question, Judith,

to try to stay in it. Between 1945 and 1951,

which Cabinet post was held by Hugh Dalton, Sir Stafford Cripps and Hugh Gaitskell?

I think that was Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Chancellor, correct, yes.

All square. Right.

We go to sudden death, Shaun. It's more or less the same without the options.

I just need to hear an answer from you.

Between 1973 and 2003, Len Murray, Norman Willis and John Monks

were the successive General Secretaries of which organisation?

I've got no idea on this, Dermot.

As a guess, I'll say the Labour Party, but it's a total guess.

OK. Labour Party. No.

-Not so very far away. Judith?

-The TUC.

Trades Union Congress.

Nothing there for Shaun.

Judith, in 2004, Manmohan Singh became the first non-Hindu Prime Minister of which country?

I think that's India.

It is India, which puts you through

to the final round.

I thought Shaun might have done it, but not to be. No place for Shaun.

Both please come back and join your teams.

Well, Mobiles at the Ready might phone a few more people now!

Two brains missing from the final round, no Eggheads gone.

Now it's Food and Drink.

Three of you left.

-We were going to play Shaun at Food and Drink.

-Yeah.

-Do you want to have a go?

-Yeah, go on, then.

-I'll go for it.

-Who would you like to play from the Eggheads?

Can I play Dave, please?

-Yeah, you can.

-Thank you.

Let's have Lewis and Dave into the Question Room.

A little bit of history in the making. Dave's first Food and Drink Head to Head.

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

-First, please, Dermot.

All right, Lewis.

What is sandwiched with chocolate between two Graham crackers

to make the traditional American campfire treat known as s'mores?

Em, I am fairly certain that it's roasted marshmallow.

You see it on a lot of American TV shows. They talk about s'mores.

I'm pretty sure it's marshmallow.

It is the right answer. Well done. Off to a good start. Dave,

Morecambe Bay is particularly well-known as a source of which food?

-Shrimps.

-Yes, that's correct.

And Lewis,

the Green Fairy is a nickname for which alcoholic drink?

Em...

Creme de Menthe and Absinthe can both be green.

I'm tempted to go for Absinthe because it's very strong and it might make you see fairies.

-So I think I'm going to go for Absinthe.

-OK.

-Do you get a few pints of it down?

-Sometimes, yeah. It's good stuff.

It's the right answer. Well done.

OK, Dave,

the department store Fortnum and Mason claimed to have invented which of these foodstuffs in 1738?

Hmm. Never heard of it.

Let's have a think. Go through it.

I'd have thought Scotch eggs are Scotch.

I'll go down the middle. Gentleman's Relish.

OK, Gentleman's Relish is not correct.

-Other Eggheads?

-My first instinct was Scotch eggs.

-Yeah.

-Scotch eggs.

-The one I ruled out.

-Yeah.

-Fair enough.

Well, you'll be ruled out and it'll be a big victory

if Lewis gets it. Brazo de Gitano, which translates as Gypsy's Arm,

is the Spanish equivalent of which food?

Not too sure.

For some reason, black pudding is screaming out at me.

I can't imagine the Spanish really having a Swiss roll,

and I can't think you'd give such an interesting name to garlic bread.

So I'll go for black pudding.

Black pudding.

No.

-Oh, dear. It is Swiss roll.

-Aww.

-They're very fond of their cakes.

Still got to get this, Dave.

The potato varieties Maris Piper and Maris Peer

are named after the location of the site where they were developed on Maris Lane in Trumpington

in which county?

The village of Trumpington...

I'm just trying to think where would be best to grow potatoes.

Em...

I'm going to rule out Lancashire, probably foolishly.

Em, I'm going to...

-I'm going to try Cambridgeshire.

-OK, Cambridgeshire.

-Why so, Dave?

-Just a guess.

-No real idea at all.

-A big, flat county

full of agricultural produce. And it's right!

Well, I got away with that one!

It's all-square, then.

And it means, Lewis, we go again to sudden death. You know what that means. No more choices for you.

In 1998, How To Eat became the first published book by which television cook?

I'm usually quite good with my television chefs, but that doesn't ring a bell. '98.

Jamie Oliver was around in '98,

but it doesn't ring a bell for Jamie Oliver.

But...it was about that time. I might have to go for Jamie Oliver.

OK. There are a lot to choose from.

Jamie Oliver - no.

-Do you know, Dave?

-I thought it was Nigella Lawson.

It is. On How To Eat. OK.

Dave now

a chance to win it. Keeping It Simple and Time To Eat are the titles of books

by which celebrity chef, who is noted for favouring British cuisine

and was awarded an OBE in 2006?

I'll go Jamie Oliver on that as he's got an OBE.

I'm not entirely sure, but I'll go Jamie Oliver on that.

OK, both answered the TV chef questions with Jamie Oliver and both got it wrong.

-There's a certain symmetry to that.

-Yes, good.

-Gary Rhodes.

-I would not have gone for that in a million years.

And another pair of questions.

Doluca is a major independent producer of wine in which country? Doluca - D-O-L-U-C-A.

I should be able to guess this because it sounds fairly Italian, so I have to go for Italian.

OK, Italy. No, it's not. Dave?

-Doluca?

-D-O-L-U-C-A. Just out of interest.

-Spain.

-No, Turkey.

OK.

Well, Dave, see if you get this.

What liquid is used to cook the rice in the Malaysian dish known as nasi lemak?

Two words - N-A-S-I L-E-M-A-K.

Malaysian cooking...

Can you repeat the name of...? Can you repeat the question, please?

-What liquid is used to cook the rice in the Malaysian dish known as nasi lemak?

-OK.

I'll go coconut milk.

-It's the right answer, Dave!

-Oh! Dearie me! That's blown me away.

I just... I think I've beaten the better person.

Dave, you're through to the final.

Bad luck, Lewis. Fulsome tribute from Dave. Would you both please come back and join your teams?

You've been pretty unlucky in these Head to Heads,

but as it stands, Mobiles at the Ready are three brains down in the final round.

The Eggheads are all there.

Let's see if anyone can win this one. Geography.

Daniel or Dave.

-Do you want me to do it?

-Keep Dan to the end. Yeah?

-All right, I'll go for this one.

-Who would you like - Kevin or Pat?

-I'll go for Kevin, please.

-OK, let's have Dave and Kevin into the Question Room, please.

-Well, Dave, last go. Do you want to go first or second?

-I'll go first, please.

OK, first question.

Good luck with it. Which island is located about 90 miles south of Cuba?

Em...

I definitely know it's not Majorca.

I'm going to go Jamaica, please.

It's the right answer.

Good start.

At over 2,000 miles long, the Madeira is a major tributary of which river?

I assume, just to absolutely double check,

-this is M-A-D-E-I-R-A, like the island?

-Yeah.

-It's a major feed of the Amazon.

-Yes, it is. Amazon is correct.

OK, Dave.

Most of the land on Dartmoor is composed of which rock?

Shock - I haven't got a clue.

I'm going to have a guess at chalk.

No, not chalk. Kevin?

-Granite.

-Granite. Much harder stuff.

Kevin,

which Essex town was granted city status in 2012 as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee?

I hope I'm not mixing years up, but I think it was Chelmsford.

That's right.

You need this, Dave.

Which was the last of these New York landmarks to be completed?

Em...

I don't really have a clue. I'll rule out Statue of Liberty.

-I'll go Empire State Building.

-You think the Empire State Building.

-Have you been to New York?

-Never.

-If you win, you can go up the Empire State Building. Right answer.

But you might not be playing in that final round to win it

because Kevin can knock you out.

At an elevation of over 4,000 metres, which peak is the highest mountain entirely within Italy?

Mm. It's not Vesuvius.

And the Gran Paradiso is in the...Apennines.

Marmolada...

Further up towards the...

Entirely within Italy.

I'm really not sure.

I'm going to go for Marmolada.

OK, Marmolada.

The highest peak entirely within Italy. It's not the right answer.

-Gran Paradiso.

-It is Gran Paradiso.

-Yeah, OK.

Fortunate and unfortunate.

It's not often you get one wrong, but it just happens that Dave got his second one wrong.

If you'd got the rock on Dartmoor, you'd be through. That's what ifs.

The what IS is that it's all-square and it's sudden death.

Dave, the Australian territory of Christmas Island is in which ocean?

Nice one. Once again, I don't have a clue.

Is there an Australian Ocean?

I don't know.

-I'll go Australian Ocean.

-Australian Ocean?

-If it exists.

Well, no, not really.

-No, it's not. Kevin?

-It's in the Indian.

-The Indian Ocean.

OK.

Another chance, then,

to take the round, Kevin. According to 2012 figures from the US Census Bureau,

the four American cities with a population estimated to be over 2 million people are New York,

Los Angeles, Chicago and which other?

-Of course, you've given me the three...

-That you would get! There's a lot of others to consider.

Yes, there are a few. Lots of cities.

Well, if it's still in that position,

I think the fourth-largest city in the States was Houston.

So I'll have to go with Houston.

-Houston, Texas?

-Yeah.

-It's the right answer! Yes, Kevin.

-What's the fifth?

-San Diego would be well up there.

-That's not it.

-Philadelphia?

-Yeah, Philadelphia. With 1.5 million.

But Houston was the right answer.

You're through. Bad luck, Dave.

Nearly did it, but not to be again. Please come back and join your teams.

So this is what we've been playing towards? It's the final round, as always on general knowledge.

But those of you who lost

won't be allowed to take part. So Matt, Lewis, Dave and Shaun, would you all leave the studio?

So, Daniel, you're playing to win Mobiles at the Ready £24,000.

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

As usual, I ask each team three questions. They're all general knowledge and you can confer.

Daniel, is your one brain better than the Eggheads' five?

-Would you like to go first or second?

-It hasn't brought us much luck going first,

but I'm going to go first.

OK, Daniel.

Get nice and relaxed. The odds are stacked against you,

but you're a hero, obviously, if you win and if you don't, well, it was one against five.

Just enjoy it. First question.

What name is given to the substance obtained from a type of beetle,

once considered an aphrodisiac, but later found to be toxic?

Hm, well, I don't know the answer.

And I really can't see very much logic in dissecting

Dutch, French, Spanish.

Spanish Fly rings a bell.

I'm not sure why it does, but it does.

I'll have to go for Spanish fly.

It's the right answer. Well done.

There you have it. Eggheads,

the phrase "No holds barred", meaning without restrictions, is believed to derive from which sport?

Wrestling.

It sounds like wrestling holds.

You have different holds in table tennis, but wrestling.

-We think that's wrestling.

-Yeah, it is. Correct, Eggheads.

OK, Daniel.

Nice start. Keep it going. The word "vitellus" is a Latin name for what?

Vit...vital. Meaning life, I think.

I'm not sure about egg yolk. It sort of sounds, "tellus", almost like a story.

I'm probably going to be wrong, but I'll go for life story.

Tellus - tell us a story. I see.

It's not the right answer, but I like the reasoning.

Eggheads?

-Egg yolk.

-It is egg yolk.

A chance for the lead.

Stars, bullets and arrows are symbols known in typography as what?

The only one I've heard of in typography is dingbats.

I don't know if that's it.

-That could have led on to the game.

-Yeah.

Dingbats is a font, I know that. It's a popular font.

-But stars, bullets and...?

-Arrows.

-Was it arrows?

-The game Dingbats uses rebuses and...

-Yeah.

-..symbols.

-Yes, it does.

-There is a font called Dingbats.

-Dingbats, yeah.

-I don't know.

-OK, I can see that working.

We don't know this, but there is a font called Dingbats,

so we're going to go with dingbats.

-OK, dingbats, you think. It is correct.

-Well done, Pat.

Daniel, you need to get this.

The words to the carol While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks are attributed to which Poet Laureate?

Hmm.

I'm going to come clean and say not only do I not know the answer,

I'm not sure I've heard of any of those guys.

So I guess I'm going to have to take a stab at it.

Thomas Shadwell sounds like a nice name that a writer might have.

I'll go for Thomas Shadwell.

As you're admitting there, a pure guess. No idea whatsoever.

Thomas Shadwell. Is it, Eggheads?

Nahum Tate.

It's Nahum Tate, which means... Eggheads, you've won.

As I said before we started, no honour lost in one of you against five of them.

-They just weren't to your liking.

-No.

-You had to have a few guesses and didn't land them.

Bad luck and thanks for taking on the Eggheads, Mobiles at the Ready.

And without using your mobiles!

But the Eggheads have done what comes naturally. You won't go home with £24,000.

That 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. £25,000 says they don't.

Until then, goodbye.

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