Episode 23 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 awesome might

of our quiz Goliaths today are Suffolk Paunch.

This team all know one another through their association

with Camille's Appeal, that's a children's brain tumour charity

set up by Martin. Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Martin, I'm 33 years old and I'm an IT professional.

Hi, I'm Simon, 46 years old, I'm a software salesman.

Hi, I'm John, I'm 38 and I work in public relations.

Hi, I'm James, I'm 36 and I'm a design engineer.

I'm Stewart, 38, I'm a sustainable transport development officer.

Welcome to you, Suffolk Paunch. Let's talk about the team name.

How long did it take you to come up with that? Or was it obvious?

It's not very often I sit at the table and be the thinnest guy,

-so, yeah.

-Martin, tell us about the serious stuff, Camille's Appeal.

It was a charity that my wife and I set up in 2009

after our little girl, Camille, was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

It was inoperable at the time, a very serious situation.

My wife was spending a lot of time in hospital

so she tried to put some good work to use,

rather than wasting all that time, and decided to do some fundraising.

So that's where Camille's Appeal was born.

And the first thing we did, quite a few of us here,

was the tackle the three peaks challenge to raise money,

-and it snowballed from there.

-OK. And how is Camille?

She's doing quite well. She's 18 months past treatment now,

so we're on the good side of quite an awful three years.

But she still has a few issues. And that's what the charity's about,

to help with rehabilitation after the standardised treatment,

which can be seriously damaging to a five-year-old.

-OK. Shall we do some quizzing in her honour?

-Let's.

-Why not?

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

If they fail to defeat the Eggheads, that rolls over to the next show.

Suffolk Paunch, the challengers won the last game,

proves it can be done, so £1,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

And our first head-to-head battle is on the subject of Arts & Books.

-Who wants to play?

-Take one for the team, John.

-Yep.

THEY LAUGH It's going to be John.

All right, John. And you choose your Egghead, any one of those five.

-I think I'll take on Dave.

-Go for it.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

OK, let's have John and Dave into the question room

to make sure there's no conferring with your teammates. Off you go.

So, John, are you a fairly well-read man

as we approach this Arts & Books round?

I'd rather have done Sport or Film & TV,

so I'm not particularly well-read. I'll do my best.

-Taking one for the team.

-All right.

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

-I'll go first, please.

OK, John, here is your first question.

Coot Club, Pigeon Post and The Big Six

are three of the titles in which series of children's books?

Coot Club, Pigeon Post and The Big Six

are three of the titles in which series of children's books?

Erm... I don't know this one.

But I don't think it's The Chronicles Of Narnia.

I'd be tempted to go for Swallows And Amazons.

OK, Swallows And Amazons. It's the right answer.

-Well done.

-Go on, John!

All right, Dave, your first question.

The Constant Gardener is a novel by which writer?

The Constant Gardener is a novel by which writer?

-It's John le Carre.

-Yep, John le Carre is the right answer.

And John, second question.

What colour is the traditional Japanese porcelain Hakuji?

H-A-K-U-J-I.

I really don't know this one, so I'm going to have to completely guess.

So I'll go down the middle, blue.

Blue for Hakuji. What do you think, Dave?

-I would've guessed white.

-Yep. It's white, not blue.

So nothing there, John. Chance for Dave to take the lead.

In the late 18th century, which poet collaborated

with Samuel Taylor Coleridge on the idea of establishing

an egalitarian community initially planned to be in North America?

I'm not really sure on this at all.

Erm, I'm torn between two of the poets.

Southey and Shelley. I don't think it's Chatterton.

Erm... I'm going to go with Robert Southey.

OK, Robert Southey. And that is correct. OK.

Well, John, you can read the scores. Means you need this one.

Eddie Carbone is a central character in which Arthur Miller play?

Eddie Carbone is a central character in which Arthur Miller play?

Erm, I don't know, but I think I'll go with Death Of A Salesman.

OK, Death Of A Salesman,

which I'm afraid is the death of your challenge.

-THEY LAUGH

-It's not the right answer.

It's, Dave, of the other two?

All it is with Death Of A Salesman,

Willy Loman is the central character in that,

and I remember that for purely monetary reasons

-on my Millionaire appearance.

-Ha-ha!

-It was the £32,000 question.

I would go for A View From The Bridge, but that's just me.

-But I'm probably wrong.

-No, you're not.

-Oh, that's OK.

But Death Of A Salesman I could've eliminated with that,

-because I do remember that one.

-OK. Let's just confirm that.

Dave is through to the final round and bad luck to John.

Please come back and join your teams.

Well, the early exchanges have seen one casualty from Suffolk Paunch

in the form of John. The Eggheads all there, of course.

Second head-to-head comes up as Geography.

-Who'd like to play this one? Geography?

-That's me.

-Yeah, we'll let Simon lose on this one.

-All right, Simon.

-Take another one for the team.

-Let Simon lose. And any Egghead

-apart from Dave there.

-I'll go up against Barry.

-All right.

Let's have Simon and Barry into the question room, please.

Simon, it's the Geography round, and I know you've travelled quite a bit,

but have you got the geography basics like the Eggheads?

The flags and capitals and things like that?

We're soon going to find out. I've travelled around a lot,

-mainly UK but a few overseas, but we'll see.

-We will!

-Let's see right now. Do you want to go first or second?

-I'll go first.

One I forgot to mention, currencies. That's your first question.

What is the official monetary unit of Monaco?

What's the official monetary unit of Monaco?

Well, I know it's not the Lira, that was Italy.

Euro is obviously France.

But Monaco is independent,

so it's whether they've adopted the Euro or stayed on the French Franc.

It's going to be a guess. I'm going to go for Franc.

It's Euro, I'm afraid. All Euro.

So nothing there.

Barry, Tromso is a city in which European country?

Tromso is a city in which European country?

Well, funnily enough, I was actually in Tromso a few weeks ago.

I went on a cruise up the Fjords of Norway.

So I'm pretty certain that Tromso is in Norway.

-Pity you came back.

-THEY LAUGH

-Was it good?

-It was brilliant! The Fjords were stunningly beautiful.

It's the right answer. Can't talk you out of that one.

OK, you have a lead. Simon, what term is often used to describe

the most densely populated area of Scotland?

OK, this is probably going to be a guess,

as Scotland's not high up in my list of knowledge.

Central Tie doesn't sound right.

Er, Central Sleeve,

again, not convinced on that. So I'm going to go Central Belt.

And you'd be right to do so. You have a correct answer there.

So, it's one-all, but Barry has to face his second question.

If they meet certain criteria, which geographical features

might be described as Nuttalls,

named after the walkers and writers John and Anne Nuttall?

Well, there are lots of names for this particular geographical feature.

There are Corbetts and Marilyns,

and perhaps the most famous ones are Munros,

which are hills over 3,000 feet,

-but I believe Nuttalls are hills and mountains.

-OK.

Right. We've got a lot of terms there. That's correct.

I want to hear a bit more about Nuttalls.

You mentioned Munros, which I've heard of.

What precisely is a Nuttall?

I don't know the height of a Nuttall.

I would guess it's something perhaps 2,000 feet.

OK, yeah, that's right. And do they have to be somewhere,

-like Munros are in Scotland?

-No, they can be anywhere.

There must be hundreds of thousands of them.

-I suspect it's just in the UK.

-OK. Hills and mountains,

you've kept that lead up for two questions, so Simon needs this.

In square miles, what is the approximate size of Germany?

In square miles, the approximate size of Germany, please.

I should know this, as my mother's German,

but it doesn't really help me on the mileage.

Well, yeah. Has she been round it with a measuring tape?

-Probably, knowing her.

-THEY LAUGH

Well, 138 looks a little bit too small.

I know Germany's got pretty big

over the last few years.

I'm going to go for, straight down the middle, 238,000.

OK, 238,000, the approximate size of Germany in square miles.

Of course, they do it in square kilometres.

It's 138,000. 1-3-8.

Unfortunately, it was the smaller one of those options.

Which means, Barry, you've won the round with your Nuttalls.

-HE LAUGHS

-Which means no place for you, Simon.

Would you both please come back and join your teams.

Well, being called Suffolk Paunch, you needed to lose a bit of ballast.

THEY LAUGH

You've done that in the form of John and Simon.

But I suggest you probably stop the rot here

with our third head-to-head.

And this one is Film & Television.

Who'd like to play this one?

That was one we'd earmarked for John,

so we're going to have to choose somebody else,

and I think we've decided that James is going to tackle this one.

All right, James. You're ready to go.

Dave and Barry have played, so you have Pat, Chris or Daphne

-to delight you.

-Erm, I'd like to take on Pat, please.

Right. James and Pat playing this one. Into the question room, please.

Right, James, let's see if we can get you into the final round

against Pat on Film & Television. Do you want to go first or second?

I'd like to go first, please.

James, first question coming right up.

Which Coronation Street character has had husbands called

Brian, Martin, Richard and Joe?

Which Coronation Street character has had husbands called

Brian, Martin, Richard and Joe?

Well, I can't say I'm a big Coronation Street fan.

It's not high up on my viewing.

Erm, I don't think it's Hayley.

I don't know who Emily is.

So I'm going to go for Gail.

The much-married Gail is the right answer. Well done.

-Gail Platt.

-Yeah. What did she start out as? Tilsley.

Well, Potter. Gail Potter.

-Oh, OK.

-Brian Tilsley was the first.

-Oh, right.

All right. You've got one on the board. And Pat,

the TV sitcom Waiting For God

was set in what type of establishment?

The TV sitcom Waiting For God

was set in what type of establishment?

I wasn't a keen watcher, but I think I've seen a bit of an episode.

I think they're all in a retirement home.

Waiting For God, retirement home, yeah, it's the right answer.

One each and straight back to James.

A cover of the Bob Dylan song This Wheel's On Fire

was used as the theme to which TV comedy series?

Well, this is actually one of my wife's favourite programmes,

so I know the answer to this one. Absolutely Fabulous.

Yes, it is, Absolutely Fabulous. This Wheel's On Fire.

And Pat, who voiced the title character

in the 2011 animated film Rango?

It's one of the best-looking animation films I've ever seen,

simply magnificent-looking film.

And Rango was a chameleon in a bad part of the Wild West

and he was voiced by Johnny Depp.

OK. One of your specialities, animated films.

I do like good animated films.

And it's the right answer, Johnny Depp was Rango.

So all square. Going well here, James. Don't want to spoil this run.

Concentrate on this. What is the first name of the character

played by Julia Roberts in the 2001 film Ocean's Eleven?

I actually saw this film the other day,

but I don't know if I can remember.

I don't think it's Dee.

It's between Nell and Tess.

-Erm, I think it's Tess.

-OK.

All right, Ocean's Eleven, and you think it's Tess.

You're right. You have it.

Three-two. Pat needs this, then.

What was the name of the BBC music programme

of the late 1970s and early 1980s

in which music acts were filmed performing

in educational establishments?

Well, I'm sure I've heard of this programme.

Sadly, all three options look plausible to me.

Nothing is clicking in any sort of authoritative way.

Rock Goes To College. Rock Goes To School. Rock Goes To University.

Hm.

I'll be annoyed if I get this wrong,

but I'm not convinced I know the answer.

I'm going to go with Rock Goes To College.

-It seems slightly more familiar than the others.

-OK.

That's the Egghead you are. It's the right answer.

There's something in there he can't identify, he gets it out.

Rock Goes To College. Tricky question negotiated well by Pat.

So we go to sudden death and that, James, means

we remove those options,

make it harder so we can sort out a winner.

And I've got to hear the answer from you. Here's your question.

The late 1960s British TV drama Market In Honey Lane

was set in which city?

The late 1960s British TV drama Market In Honey Lane

was set in which city?

I really don't have any idea on this.

I've never heard of the programme.

Erm... If I had to guess,

I'd say London.

OK, London. It's the right answer.

Well done. All right, Pat, means you need this.

The 1980s US sitcom What A Country

was based on which British sitcom

that first aired in the late 1970s?

The 1980s US sitcom What A Country

was based on which British sitcom

that first aired in the late 1970s?

Never heard of this sitcom.

I know there are American sitcoms

based on old Alf Garnett, Till Death Us Do Part.

And I think that's Archie Bunker, All In The Family.

What A Country sounds almost like an exasperated...

..a phrase of exasperation, What A Country.

What English sitcom could fit the bill?

1970s.

It Ain't Half Hot Mum, Dad's Army and that sort of thing.

Till Death Us Do Part. Rising Damp.

I really can't find any way of homing in.

I suppose it's possible they made two inspired by Alf Garnett.

I'll go for Till Death Us Do Part,

but I think I'm a dead man walking here.

Yeah. Till Death Us Do Part.

It doesn't really fit the date, the late 1970s.

Till Death Us Do Part is earlier than that.

It's incorrect, Pat. Do you know, other Eggheads?

-Something like Citizen Smith?

-Yes, Minister?

-No.

We'll have a long list of sitcoms. I don't think anyone will get it.

-Just out of interest?

-It Ain't Half Hot Mum?

-No.

It's Mind Your Language. Which you've got to do, Pat. You're out.

-THEY LAUGH

-Expletive deleted.

-Yes.

Mind Your Language. Well done, James!

You're through to the final round. You stopped the rot.

Through to the final round at the expense of Pat.

Please come and join your teams.

Well, that's much better for Suffolk Paunch. You did stop the rot.

That means the Eggheads have lost one brain from the final round,

two Suffolk Paunches. That's a good phrase.

They are the two largest.

OK, right, a chance to make it all square in the final round

with our last head-to-head. This one is Politics.

And Martin or Stewart, the bookends there.

Who wants to play Politics?

-That's you.

-I was earmarked for it,

but I'm feeling that I should sacrifice Stewart.

-THEY LAUGH

-Well, there's a kindly captain!

-Thank you.

-THEY LAUGH

-All right, Stewart is it going to be?

-Yeah.

-You have sacrificed him.

Well, no, you've thrown him in there, not sacrificed him.

He's going to win. And you've got to play Daphne or Chris.

-Erm, why not? Let's take on Daphne.

-Why not? OK.

Stewart and Daphne playing Politics. Into the question room.

So Stewart, you got your hands on an Olympic torch.

I did, yep. I was nominated by Martin and Hayley

for my work with Camille's Appeal,

-so really proud.

-Good man. Must've been a great moment.

How far did you carry it? And you get to keep one.

Yeah, I purchased by torch

since I ran 300 metres with it.

Knowing how big I am, luckily it was downhill.

-THEY LAUGH

-And since then,

I've raised over 5,000 with the torch,

-so it's been fantastic for the charity.

-Amazing.

Congratulations on that. Would you like to go first or second?

I'm going to go second.

It's your choice. The questions are evenly balanced.

So let's see how it pans out with Daphne going first.

The politician George Galloway was born in which country of the UK?

The politician George Galloway was born in which country of the UK?

Hm. SHE LAUGHS

Funny, I think it's Scotland.

Yeah, if you've ever listened to him, you'd work that out.

-It's the right answer.

-I don't listen to politicians!

OK. And Stewart, first question for you.

How many groups of individuals rule

in a mode of government known as a diarchy?

How many groups of individuals rule

in a mode of government known as a diarchy?

D-I-A-R-C-H-Y.

Erm, as a sacrificial lamb for politics,

I'm going to go straight down the middle and guess that it's ten.

OK, ten individuals ruling

in a mode of government known as a diarchy. It's two.

Shared responsibilities. Two.

OK, Daphne, chance for a bigger lead here.

Which Labour politician, who first became MP for Birkenhead in 1979,

was given the role of so-called poverty tsar

in David Cameron's government after the 2010 general election?

Hm. I think...

Erm... Yes. Frank Field.

Frank Field, you think, poverty tsar. It's correct.

Two-nil up. And Stewart, you have to get this, then.

Of those that voted, approximately how many people voted yes

in the 2011 alternative vote referendum in the UK?

52 sounds quite high.

Erm, and I'm drawn towards 32.

So I'm going to go with 32,

cos I think a referendum's quite a hard thing,

-so we'll go for 32.

-OK.

You could rule 52 out straight away because it was defeated, wasn't it?

And so, of the other two, you've gone for 32

and it's correct! Well done! Yes.

But Daphne still has a chance to clinch the round with this.

Which former chairman of HSBC Bank

was made a lord in 2010 and trade minister in 2011?

Hm. Erm...

Don't know this, but it's not Bob Diamond,

cos I know he's Barclays.

Erm, Stephen Green?

-Is that a guess?

-Yes.

-Well, a 50/50 guess. You eliminated Bob Diamond.

It's the right answer, Daphne! You're through to the final round.

Bad luck, Stewart. Please come back and join your teams.

And so this is what we've been playing towards,

time for the final round which, as always, is general knowledge.

But those of you who lost your head-to-heads won't take part,

so Simon, John and Stewart from Suffolk Paunch

and Pat from the Eggheads, would you leave the studio, please.

So, Martin and James, you're playing to win Suffolk Paunch £1,000.

Dave, Daphne, Chris and Barry, you're playing for something

which money can't buy - your reputation.

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

The questions are general knowledge. You are allowed to confer.

So, Suffolk Paunch, the question is, are your two brains

better than the Eggheads' four? Martin and James,

-up to you again, do you want to go first or second?

-First, please.

Good luck, guys. And here's your first question, general knowledge.

What term is used to describe tangible mail

delivered by a postal system as opposed to electronic mail?

What term is used to describe tangible mail

delivered by a postal system as opposed to electronic mail?

So, I know the answer quite easily.

-It's definitely snail mail.

-Snail mail.

-Snail mail, please.

-Not very hard, especially given your job.

Yeah, snail mail is the right answer. Well done, Suffolk Paunch.

Eggheads, hypnophobia is the fear of what?

Hypnophobia is the fear of what?

-Can you spell it?

-H-Y-P-N-O-phobia.

-Hypnophobia.

-Falling asleep.

-Yeah, hippophobia would be horses.

So it's hypnophobia, must be falling asleep.

Hypnophobia, definitely, yeah, falling asleep.

I don't know what the fear of breathing is. Death.

Yeah, it's falling asleep, Dermot.

It's the right answer. Falling asleep.

Back to Martin and James. Second question.

Which actor appeared as Winston Churchill

in the closing ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Games?

-I was a bit obsessed with the Olympics.

-Yes.

So I think I know this. He did a rather good rendition

coming out of some structure quite high up in the Olympic stadium

-and it was Timothy Spall. Happy with that?

-Yep.

-Timothy Spall.

-Timothy Spall. OK.

Bit obsessed with the Olympics, you say. You weren't the only one.

It was the right answer, yes. Well done.

Timothy Spall as Winston Churchill in the closing ceremony.

Eggheads, in World War II, Huff-duff was used as a slang term for what?

-High-frequency direction finding.

-OK.

-It's a radio detection system.

-OK.

It's high-frequency direction finding, Dermot,

-it's a radio detection system.

-High-frequency direction finding.

It's the right answer, yes. He knows it.

It's all square. Anything can happen.

OK, well done so far, Martin and James. Third question.

Who recorded the UK chart-topping 1964 single Have I The Right?

So, it's difficult to rule any out

-because I don't think I know the song at all.

-I don't know the song.

-The most well-know group out of them is The Searchers.

-Agreed.

-Shall we go for The Searchers?

-It's as good as any.

-OK.

We're going to go for The Searchers, please.

The Searchers for Have I The Right? Eggheads, is it The Searchers?

-The Honeycombs.

-It's The Honeycombs, so you're incorrect there.

Two out of the three. Will that be enough to take us into sudden death

or can the Eggheads win here?

Which British model married the American actor

Giovanni Ribisi in 2012?

Which British model married the American actor

Giovanni Ribisi in 2012?

Well, I don't know the answer totally,

but Agyness Deyn, she's acting as well, now, isn't she?

-Yeah.

-But so is Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.

-But I don't think it's Lily Cole.

-No, it's not Lily Cole.

-As you say...

-Well, if we go with Agyness Deyn, it's sudden death

-if it's wrong.

-Agyness Deyn's definitely...

-I don't make a study of these things.

-No.

-Agyness Deyn.

Well, most of us don't study these things,

but the consensus of opinion is it's Agyness Deyn.

Agyness Deyn. OK.

You're fairly relaxed because you weren't put under pressure

by the answer from Suffolk Paunch.

But you've got it. Eggheads, you've won.

Well played, Suffolk Paunch. Not to be on the day,

but thanks for being so much fun. We've had a bit of a laugh.

That's the main thing, to enjoy yourselves.

Thanks to Simon, John and Stewart sitting in the question room.

The main thing, of course, is Camille's Appeal.

Best of luck with that for the future.

Thank you for playing the Eggheads. They've done what comes naturally

and they reign supreme over quiz land once again.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with £1,000.

That means the money rolls over to the next show.

Eggheads, congratulations. Who will beat you?

And 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.

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