Episode 38 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 our awesome quiz champions today

are The BBs. This team have been friends for over 50 years

and still find time to occasionally quiz together in and around Sussex.

Let's meet them.

Hello. I'm Tim. I'm 63 and I'm a consultant.

Hello, I'm John. I'm 64 and I'm a retired financial analyst.

Hello. I'm Terry, I'm 63 and I'm a retired office manager.

Hello, I'm Mike. I'm 63 and I'm a retired financial planning manager.

Hello, I'm Paul. I'm 63 and I'm a hospital radio production manager.

Welcome to you, BBs.

Now, tell me about the team name and where it originates from.

As you say, we've known each other for 50 years,

and about 40 years ago, when we were of an age to drink,

we used to meet up in the saloon bar of a pub called The Burrell Arms in Haywards Heath.

We became collectively known as the Burrell Boozers

but after a few years this seemed incompatible with our dignity and status in the community,

so it got shortened to BBs, which is the name that stuck.

OK! Is The Burrell Arms still there?

-It is still there but we haven't been there for five years.

-Have a reunion.

I think we might ask them to sponsor us.

If you win the money, you can treat the Eggheads to a half of shandy down there, perhaps.

We'll have a quiz down there.

Every day there is £1,000 cash up for grabs for our challengers.

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

BBs, the Eggheads have won the last four games,

which means £5,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

And shall we play, then, our first head-to-head?

The chance to knock an Egghead out is on the subject of Music.

Who'd like to play this one?

Who'd like to start with Music?

-Paul?

-Want me to do it?

-Yes.

OK, I'll do it, Dermot.

-All right, Paul. Choose an Egghead, please.

-Who do you think?

-Judith?

-Yes.

-Judith, please.

OK. Well, you've obviously got something of a game plan there.

Let's see if you're able to stick to it as the game progresses.

Certainly this is the first part of it.

Paul against Judith on Music. Into the Question Room, please.

Kick us off, Paul. Tell me, do you want to go first or second?

I'll go first, please, Dermot.

First question, Paul.

The title of the 2005 top 10 single for Kaiser Chiefs was I Predict A what?

The title of the 2005 top 10 single for the Kaiser Chiefs was

I Predict A what?

Kaiser Chiefs are named after, I think, a South African football team

and the hit I remember of theirs is I Predict A Riot.

That's your answer. It's correct. Of course, I Predict A Riot.

Judith.

"Isn't it rich? Isn't it queer? Losing my timing this late in my career"

are lines from which Stephen Sondheim song?

"Isn't it rich? Isn't it queer?

"Losing my timing this late in my career"

are lines from which Stephen Sondheim song?

You can sing it out loud if you like.

I don't think you'd enjoy it.

I think it's Send In The Clowns.

-Yes, it is.

-Thank goodness for that.

OK, Paul.

In 1982, Dame Janet Baker retired from her successful career in which role?

I don't think she was a conductor.

It's a question of whether she was a concert pianist or an opera singer.

-I think I'll go for opera singer.

-Opera singer.

It's the right answer.

Good stuff, Paul. And Judith.

In 2012 whose song Reach For The Stars was broadcast on Mars

via NASA's Curiosity rover vehicle?

Oh, gosh, I don't know.

It's not the sort of song that Will.i.am sings, is it?

-I think it might be Robbie Williams.

-Robbie Williams?

Reach For The Stars?

No, it's not Robbie Williams. Other Eggheads, do you know?

-Will.i.am.

-It is Will.i.am.

Oh, it is Will.i.am. Oh.

Yes, blasting out to those Martians. Hiding still, but we'll find them.

It means you've got a good chance here, Paul, to get through to the final round.

Just one correct answer books it for you. Here you go.

Which creator of US animated TV sitcoms starred

in a 2012 Proms concert at the Royal Albert Hall singing material from Broadway musicals?

Which creator of US animated TV sitcoms starred

in a 2012 Proms concert at the Royal Albert Hall

singing material from Broadway musicals?

Well, the only one I really know is Matt Groening

because he's the Simpsons creator. Not sure about the other two.

Um, I think I'll go for Trey Parker.

Trey Parker for a place in the final round.

It's on hold. It's not the right answer.

No, it's Seth MacFarlane. It's the one you really weren't thinking of.

Judith has a chance then to draw level

and take us into Sudden Death.

Which Irish-born recording artist was formerly

a member of the electronic music duo Moloko?

Which Irish-born recording artist was formerly

a member of the electronic music duo Moloko?

I've never heard of any of those so a pure guess.

I've no idea. Dolores. Let's try Dolores in the middle.

Dolores O'Riordan.

No! It's not. Do you know, Eggheads?

Roisin Murphy.

Roisin Murphy.

So, didn't matter, Paul,

with you not getting Seth MacFarlane.

You're in the final round anyway.

Judith only amassed one correct answer and you got two.

Come back and join your teams.

A great start for The BBs. They're all still intact.

One Egghead gone. We move on to our second head-to-head today

and this one is Sport.

I suspect there's a few of you there who like sport.

-Who'd like to play?

-That will be Terry.

-Terry? OK.

-Choose your Egghead. It can't be Judith.

-It'll be Chris.

-OK.

-I abide by my captain's decision.

-This really is a well-oiled plan.

It worked perfectly in the first round. Let's see if it works in this one.

Terry and Chris playing Sport from the Question Room, please.

Terry, would you like to go first or second?

I'd like to go first, please.

OK, first question is this.

Which football club did Michael Owen join in September 2012?

-Which football club did Michael Owen join in September 2012?

-Stoke City.

It is Stoke City.

That's all we require, a correct answer. And Chris.

Thom Evans, famous for modelling and his romantic attachment

to Kelly Brook, played which professional sport for Scotland?

Thom Evans, famous for modelling and his romantic attachment

to Kelly Brook, played which professional sport for Scotland?

Well, I don't think there's much badminton played in Scotland,

let alone professionally.

And the same goes for basketball, unless he's about seven foot tall.

But they do play a lot of rugby union so I'll go with rugby union.

OK, just on professional there. It's the right answer. Well done.

And Terry, second question.

The county ground of Somerset County Cricket Club is in which town?

I've been there. It's Taunton.

There's no arguing with you!

I'm loving the way these correct answers come, straight out.

No point messing around if you know it.

And Chris, which American tennis player

announced his retirement at the 2012 US Open?

Well, the only one I've heard of is Andy Roddick,

so that's what I'm going to have to go with.

Andy Roddick is the right answer.

Knocking these correct answers back and forth very quickly.

Like a tennis match. I'm getting a sore neck here moving between you!

Terry, third question.

Who was the captain of the United States team for the 2012 Ryder Cup?

Who was the captain of the United States team for the 2012 Ryder Cup?

This is the one where everybody's shouting at the screen

because this isn't my sport.

-Davis Love.

-Davis Love?

Is the right answer, yes.

Disappointed Davis Love.

You've got three. Chris needs this, then.

Which Formula 1 official was appointed FIA race director in 1997?

Which Formula 1 official was appointed FIA race director in 1997?

Ooh. I think that was Jean Todt.

That means that is the demise of your challenge

in this edition of Eggheads, Chris. It's not.

Do the other Eggheads know?

-Charlie Whiting.

-Charlie Whiting.

So another member of The BBs cruises into the final round.

Apart from that third question, Terry,

you really did cruise in there.

Could you both come back and join your teams?

Well, The BBs have taken this game by the scruff of the neck.

Well, taken two Eggheads by the scruff of the neck and thrown them out of the game.

We've lost two brains on the Eggheads.

The BBs are all still here and our third head-to-head

is Arts & Books. Who would like to play this one?

-Well, we fingered Mike to play this one.

-Wow.

It really is sticking to the game plan so far. Mike, OK.

Who are you going to take on from the Eggheads,

bearing in mind Chris and Judith have played? So you can play Pat, Barry or Daphne.

The game plan was to play Kevin but he's absented himself from this.

-He's obviously scared.

-Barry?

-Yeah.

-Barry.

-I'll take on Barry.

Mike and Barry playing Arts & Books in the Question Room, please.

Mike, we won't reflect on what's gone before.

We'll just concentrate on this. Do you want to go first or second?

I'll go first, please.

Arts & Books, first question.

Who is the central character of the book that starts with the line

"all children except one grow up"?

Who is the central character of the book that starts with the line

"all children except one grow up"?

Well, the obvious one to me, the boy who never grew up,

was Peter Pan.

-I would say Peter Pan is the answer.

-Peter Pan.

And when they write about Barry, that'll be the same line!

Peter Pan is correct.

Barry, the renowned playwright Edward Albee was born in which country?

The renowned playwright Edward Albee was born in which country?

He wrote that wonderful play Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?

I believe he was American, so that means he was born in the USA.

Born in the USA, yes! To coin a phrase. Right answer.

And Mike, second question.

In which role was Merce Cunningham a significant figure of the 20th century?

Yes, I think I know this one.

I think he was a rather modernist avant-garde type

and I'm pretty certain he was a choreographer.

Choreographer is correct. Well done.

2-1.

Barry, what is the name of the Japanese writer

who committed ritual suicide after a failed coup attempt in 1970?

Oh, yes, this was the man who held extremely right-wing views in Japan,

which were then out of vogue. It was Mishima.

It's the right answer.

Good quizzing. It's two all.

Third questions coming up for both of you. This is Mike's.

Which term was applied to a group of post-war British sculptors

that included Elisabeth Frink, Kenneth Armitage and Eduardo Paolozzi?

Which term was applied to a group of post-war British sculptors that

included Elisabeth Frink, Kenneth Armitage and Eduardo Paolozzi?

Hm. Er...

I don't know this one, I'm afraid.

Ooh...

I don't think it would be algebra.

I'm really going to have to guess on this one, I think.

I would guess Formula Of Peace.

Formula Of Peace for that group of post-war sculptors.

It's not the formula for a correct answer. No. Barry, do you know?

-I would have gone for Algebra Of Desire.

-What?!

Well, it wouldn't have been that either.

I wonder if you can tell me, Daphne. I can tell you.

-Its Geometry Of Fear.

-It's the Geometry Of Fear.

Well, that's removed any fear from Barry facing this question.

Should he get it wrong it won't be terminal

but get it right and he's in the final round.

Which artist's award-winning 1926 painting of 16-year-old Cissie Barnes from Newlyn

was toured to New York and across Britain and was bought for the nation by the Daily Mail?

Which artist's award-winning 1926 painting

of 16-year-old Cissie Barnes from Newlyn was toured to New York

and across Britain and was bought for the nation by the Daily Mail?

Right. The Newlyn school featured a lot of famous artists.

I think Ben Nicholson was one of the famous ones.

I'm trying to remember which of those three was part of the Newlyn school.

I have a suspicion that was Laura Knight, so that's my answer.

-Other Eggheads, what do you think?

-Dod Proctor?

It's Dod Proctor.

So it goes to Sudden Death.

Both slipped up there on your third questions

and just to remind you, Mike, we're taking the choices away.

Here's your question.

Rose of Sharon is the name of a major character in which 1939 novel by John Steinbeck?

Rose of Sharon is the name of a major character

in which 1939 novel by John Steinbeck?

Er, well, the one that springs instantly to mind...

Let's see. He did...

Grapes Of Wrath?

The Grapes Of Wrath is the right answer, yes.

Barry, which children's book character is described as having

knobbly knees and turned-out toes and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose?

Which children's book character is described as having knobbly knees

and turned-out toes and a poisonous wart at the end of his nose?

Goodness me. Knobbly knees and turned-up toes?

-Turned-OUT toes.

-Out toes.

I think I might become an honorary member of The BBs after this. A Beaten Barry!

Oh, I am struggling with this.

I don't know. Tom Tom the piper's son.

Tom Tom the piper's son.

Barry, legions of our younger viewers are saying,

"He's not that bright, that Barry off Eggheads. I can beat him."

They would be quite right as well on this.

You are the BB. It's bye-bye, Barry. Other Eggheads?

-The Gruffalo.

-The Gruffalo.

SHE GROANS

-Julia Donaldson.

-He hasn't got grandchildren.

The Gruffalo.

Which means another BB is through.

I didn't think you were going to make it, Mike, after that third one.

-I bet you didn't think you were going to do it.

-I didn't.

-I was very fortunate with the Sudden Death one.

-Well played.

It means you are in the final round. No place for Barry.

Please come back and join your teams.

Barry, I thought you were going to sit with the BBs.

-You said you were an honorary BB, the Beaten Barry.

-Yes, indeed.

As it stands, the BBs are all intact.

Three Eggheads have bitten the dust.

Our last subject before the final round, the last head-to-head,

is Science. Who'd like to play this?

-That's me.

-We have a resident scientist.

OK, John. Daphne and Pat are trembling.

What's going to happen to them?

Will they be humiliated like the other three?

HE CACKLES

-You're enjoying this, aren't you?

-Of course.

-I don't see it too often.

-HE LAUGHS

All right, who are you going to play, John? Daphne or Pat?

-I'd be delighted to take on Daphne.

-All right, Daphne.

Ooh, she likes a challenge.

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

Can you make it a clean sweep, John? No pressure!

Would you like to go first or second?

I'd like to go first, Dermot.

-Are you calm there, Daphne?

-Yes. I can only do my best.

That's all you can do. John, first question.

Which of these solar system planets is closest in size to Earth?

Which of these solar system planets is closest in size to Earth?

Well, Jupiter is well-known to be the largest planet.

I think Saturn is pretty big as well so I'm going to go for Venus.

Venus is the right answer, yes.

Daphne, in which decade were compact discs first sold?

In which decade were compact discs first sold?

That was the 1980s.

Yes, indeed. Both off to an assured start.

And John, the order of mammals called the lagomorphs contains which of these creatures?

Let me see. "Morph" means form, I believe.

"Lago" means... I've no idea.

Sounds like a lake. So on that basis I'm going to opt for seals.

OK! Right.

Um... Seals.

It's not. Do you know, Daphne?

-Rabbits.

-Rabbits.

What's the linguistic root there that John was struggling with?

-What is the "lago", do you know?

-No!

-OK.

-I just know it's rabbits.

That'll do.

You don't get a point for it obviously,

but you did know it. This is your second question.

What is the atomic number of the metallic element gold?

Gold is 79.

Yes, it is. Right.

You've got your nose in front

but will John come back at you? He needs this.

John, a composite particle called a hadron

is made up of which type of elementary particles?

OK, examples of hadrons would be protons and neutrons, I think,

but what are they made up of?

Um...

I think... Oh, goodness. I think they may be quarks.

Quarks? It's the right answer. You're still there.

Little bit of pressure then, Daphne.

-SHE CHUCKLES

-Oh, you like it.

What is the common name for the small UK bird called Aegithalos caudatus?

It's not a wren.

Could you spell the first word?

Aegithalos. A-E-G-I-T-H-A-L-O-S.

Oh, dear.

Sorry, team, I'm only guessing.

Long-tailed tit.

I remember you getting a question on the great tit wrong before.

-I got that wrong.

-Got knocked out, didn't you?

-Yes.

-Aegithalos caudatus is the long-tailed tit.

-Oh!

Crucial question for Daphne.

You've made it into the final round. Bad luck, John.

Would you both come back and join your teams?

So this is what we've been playing towards.

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

Those of you who lost the head-to-heads won't take part in this round,

so just John from The BBs and Chris, Barry and Judith from the Eggheads.

Would you leave the studio, please?

Tim, Terry, Mike and Paul, you're playing to win The BBs £5,000.

Daphne and Pat, you're playing for something which money cannot buy,

the Eggheads' reputation. They've taken a beating so far.

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

The questions are all General Knowledge.

One of the differences, the big one, you are allowed to confer in the final round.

BBs, the question is - are your four brains better than the Eggheads' two? Tiny two.

And BBs, would you like to go first or second?

Going first has worked so far, so we'll stick with it.

OK, best of luck, BBs. First final-round question.

Which fruit is dried to make a sultana?

Which fruit is dried to make a sultana?

Is it not plum that makes prunes? The plum makes prunes, doesn't it?

-Plum makes prunes, certainly.

-It's a grape, isn't it?

-It's not cherry.

-It's not a cherry, no.

-The plum makes prunes.

-So logic of elimination.

-Grape?

-We'll go for grape, Dermot.

Grape is the right answer, yes.

Eggheads, which actress joined the cast of Coronation Street in 2012,

playing a character called Gloria Price?

Which actress joined the cast of Coronation Street in 2012,

playing a character called Gloria Price?

Well, of those three,

the only one I've heard of in Coronation Street is Sue Johnston.

I mean, Joan Collins? No.

-Anita Dobson?

-No.

-OK.

-I'm sure it's Sue Johnston.

-OK.

Um, Sue Johnston. Dermot.

Is the right answer. Well done, Pat and Daphne.

Actually, well done, Daphne. You didn't know it, did you, Pat? OK.

Well, that goes to show the value of your victory, Daphne, in the head-to-head.

And second question for The BBs.

Rolfing is a form of what?

Rolfing. R-O-L-F-I-N-G. Rolfing is a form of what?

-I don't know that.

-I don't.

-Do you think it could be...

-Don't think it's swimming.

Doesn't seem likely to be swimming.

-I don't know.

-Seems unlikely to be massage. It's a very strange word.

Could be a special word for massage.

I wouldn't think so, just in terms of...

Rolfing. Rolfing along on the crest of a wave.

-Painting?

-Shall we go for painting?

-The least implausible seems to us to be painting, Dermot.

-OK, painting.

Rolfing. There are all kinds of techniques, aren't there?

Is it, Eggheads?

It's a massage.

Yes, it's a massage. What do you do?

I think... I'm not quite sure

but I always got the impression that you sort of rolled something.

Oh, yes, I see, rolling something.

-You were trying to demonstrate on Pat, weren't you?

-Yes!

Rolfing. Lovely. All right.

Let's see how you do with your second question.

After working in Madrid and Paris, where did Oscar De La Renta

establish his own fashion label in 1965?

After working in Madrid and Paris, where did Oscar De La Renta

establish his own fashion label in 1965?

He's from the Dominican Republic, I think. That doesn't help us, really.

-No.

-My immediate reaction would be New York.

-And mine.

-I don't think it's London.

-No.

Milan versus New York.

He's a big stylist in New York.

I have a feeling he's married to an American.

So New York would be logical.

There are lots of designers based in New York.

-Shall we go for that?

-Yes, yes.

-We're going to go for New York.

New York for Oscar De La Renta.

It's the right answer, Eggheads.

You have that lead.

Is it going to be a crucial lead?

Well, this question is crucial for The BBs. You need to get this.

Which Parisian landmark is at the eastern end of the Champs Elysees?

Which Parisian landmark is at the eastern end of the Champs Elysees?

-It's Place de la Concorde.

-Arc de Triomphe is at the other end.

It's Place de la Concorde.

Place de la Concorde is the right answer.

So you've just got that blot

in the middle, which means you've got to cross everything you've got

and hope the Eggheads don't get this.

For whom did Thomas Coram establish a hospital in London in the 18th century?

For whom did Thomas Coram establish a hospital in London

-in the 18th century?

-Foundling children.

Coram's Fields.

-Yes, and I think William Hogarth did a portrait of him.

-OK.

-Yes.

-OK, fine.

We're going to say foundling children.

Foundling children.

It's the correct answer, Eggheads. You've won.

Well, well played, BBs.

I think if we count up the number of questions in the entire quiz,

you probably beat the Eggheads but you didn't beat them where it counts,

where the money is won and lost, in the final round.

Crucial to it was Daphne's victory in that head-to-head

just on that Coronation Street question.

-Pat might have worked it out.

-Might have.

-We never know.

BBs, thank you very much for playing so ably against the Eggheads today,

as three silent Eggheads bears testimony to.

And maybe we'll all meet back in The Burrell Arms,

see if they've got a quiz and get the Eggheads to get the drinks in.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them and they still reign supreme over quiz land.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £5,000,

which 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.

£6,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

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