Episode 41 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 challengers

pit their wits against possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain.

They are the Eggheads.

And taking on the might of our quiz Goliaths are...

This team of friends are associated with the University of East Anglia's pool team.

Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Daniel, I'm 29 and I'm a chemistry student.

Hi, I'm Ross, I'm 22 and I study meteorology and oceanography.

Hi, I'm Sam, I'm 20 and I study chemistry.

Hello, I'm Thomas, I'm 22 and I'm a lettings administrator.

Hi, I'm Torr, I'm 21 and I study climate science.

Welcome to you, Pool Sharks.

Is this a...

Does the pool team just play within the university or do you play other universities?

We go a couple of times a year to pool championships outside of the university.

-In general, though, it's an internal club.

-Yes.

We've also, this year, just started in a local league,

so playing other teams around Norwich,

largely unsuccessfully so far! DERMOT LAUGHS

And quite social, as well, is it?

A chance to, erm, hydrate yourself, a bit, let's say?

Very much so. Very much so.

At times almost, the pool comes as a secondary, erm,

secondary to the social aspect.

As long as you don't spill it on the table.

-Oh, very, very protective of the table.

-Absolutely.

And you do a bit of quizzing while you pool or after you pool?

Generally, once a week, we go up to the graduate bar

and do their quiz, with varying results.

But, certainly, we have done well. Yet to win it, I'm afraid.

Well, there's only one outcome we're looking for here -

if you want to get the money, you've got to win.

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

However, if they fail to defeat the Eggheads,

the prize money rolls over to the next show.

The Eggheads have won the last seven games,

which means £8,000 says you can't beat them.

Let's see how you do. We will open the game with a round on Sport.

Who wants to knock an Egghead out?

-I'd be happy to put you in, Ross.

-I think Ross.

Is this in the hope that one of the...

-..one of your categories won't come up later?

-Well, yes.

-I don't mind.

-Or we could stick Torr in.

-I think Ross.

-Yes.

I'd like to do Sport, Dermot, please.

All right, you can, Ross. Choose an Egghead.

They're all as good as each other. Let me think.

Let's go with Judith, please.

You didn't have it think about that!

OK, it's Ross and Judith on Sport.

Into the Question Room, please.

OK, Ross, you've been put in there to blaze a trail for The Pool Sharks.

You're cueing off. Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, Dermot, please.

OK, Ross, first question.

What was the name of the dog

that found the football World Cup after it was stolen in 1966?

I'm pretty sure of the answer.

I'm pretty sure he found it in a bush, in a park,

from what I can remember.

I'm pretty sure the answer is Pickles.

Pickles. Right answer. Well done.

Judith, your first question.

In which year did Graham Gooch first play Test match cricket for England?

Well, he goes back a bit, doesn't he?

I think probably about 1975.

OK, 1975, you think, for Graham Gooch.

It is the right answer.

1975, Judith.

All square.

Which American golfer won seven majors between 1922 and 1935?

Right, well, I play a lot of golf.

I know Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus are quite high on the majors list.

And I have a feeling Gene Sarazen was up there, as well,

so I'll go for Gene Sarazen.

Gene Sarazen is the right answer.

Impressive, Ross! Impressive, I must say!

OK, Judith,

which rugby union team won the Heineken Cup

for the third time in four years in 2012?

Erm...

I'm afraid this passed me by.

I don't think it's Stade Francais.

I think it might be Leinster.

It's the right answer, yes, Judith.

-Impressive, too.

-It was rather!

-Yes, it was!

OK, Ross,

Yamile Aldama,

who won a triple-jump gold medal for Great Britain

at the 2012 World Indoor Championships,

was born in which country?

Whether she was born in Cuba, I don't know,

but I'm pretty sure she represented them at some stage,

-so I'll go for Cuba.

-Cuba.

-Ross, what are you studying?

-I'm a meteorology student.

-OK.

Are you paying any attention to your studies or do you just watch sport?

I watch a lot of sport, Dermot, yes!

It's the right answer! Well done!

-TEAMMATES: Yes!

-Cuba.

Three out of three. A tricky couple, those last two.

Judith, you need this.

George Foreman retired from boxing for a decade

after losing to which fighter in 1977?

I think that might be Shannon Briggs.

OK. Shannon Briggs.

What do you think, Dave?

I think, at the time,

of those boxers, I think Jimmy Young was around at that time

-so I'd go with Jimmy Young myself.

-OK.

It is not the right answer, Judith.

It's Jimmy Young.

Jimmy Young.

I'm sure Ross would've known that. Such a good quizzer on Sport.

It'll be general knowledge in the Final Round.

I think you'll be quite useful to The Pool Sharks.

You will be playing in that round.

Would you both come back and join your teams?

Watch out, Eggheads. Ross is going to be in the Final Round.

They haven't lost any brains. The Eggheads have lost one.

Our next subject is History.

Who wants to play this? It can't be Ross.

-I'll take it.

-Are you sure?

-Go for it.

-Yes.

I'll take it on, Dermot.

Who would you like to play? It can't be Judith.

-I don't know.

-What about Dave?

-I would say Dave.

I'll take on Dave, please.

All right. Thomas and Dave on the History Round,

in the Question Room, please.

So, Thomas, you get to choose, do you want to go first or second?

I'd like to go first, please, Dermot.

First question to you, Thomas.

Which of these English historical figures was born first?

Er... I'm just having a look at it and trying to think through.

To be honest, I'm not really sure who William Wilberforce was.

Erm...

So... I can't really rule him out because obviously it's just via time.

I'm just going to go for William Caxton, please.

It is the right answer. You've got it anyway.

OK, Dave, your question.

Josephine Baker, who was born in the USA in 1906 but later became a French citizen,

achieved fame in which field?

Oh!

Entertainment.

I didn't expect to see that in a History Round.

What kind of entertainment, Dave?

I think she was a singer-dancer, wasn't she?

It's the right answer. Well done.

Thomas,

when he was fatally injured in 1908, Thomas Selfridge -

thought to be the first person to die as the result of a crash involving a powered plane -

was being flown by which aviator?

I know obviously the Wright brothers were the first people to fly.

I don't know if that's Orville Wright or not.

Erm...

I actually read a book about aviation when I was a lot younger,

so it's not quite...

..quite stuck. Erm...

I'm going to go for Charles Lindbergh.

OK. Charles Lindbergh.

You were on the right track with Orville Wright.

It's the date there - 1908. It's Orville Wright.

OK, Dave. When he was arrested in 1910,

which criminal was accompanied by his lover, Ethel Le Neve, who was disguised as a boy?

That's Dr Crippen.

Hawley Harvey. Dr Crippen.

Dr Crippen is the right answer. You need this, Thomas.

The Praetorian Commander Macro

is said to have been responsible for smothering to death which Roman Emperor in 37 AD?

I'm just trying to think through

the time periods of different Roman emperors.

HE SIGHS

To be honest, it's going to have to be another punt.

I'm going to go for Augustus.

OK. Augustus, smothered to death by Macro...

Do you know, Dave? Is it Augustus?

-I would've gone Tiberius.

-It's Tiberius.

Tiberius. That's smothered, snuffed out your challenge, Thomas.

Dave's in the Final Round.

Would you both come back and join your teams?

That makes it all square. Both teams have lost one brain from the Final Round.

Our third head-to-head today is Film & Television.

Who'd like to play this one?

-Daniel, Sam or Torr.

-I think Sam should do it.

-Give it a go.

-Are you happy to do it?

-HE SIGHS

Bane of my life!

-Think how many films you've seen.

-You've watched loads of films!

All right!

-I'll take it, please, Dermot.

-All right.

-Choose from Daphne, Kevin or Pat.

-Er...

I will take Pat.

All right. On Film & TV,

quite a strong suit for him, but they're all strong, as you know,

Sam and Pat, then, into the Question Room.

Sam, do you want to go first or second?

I'll go second, please, Dermot.

All right, it's Pat starting, then.

Here's your question.

Which actor starred in the films

Bird, Platoon and The Last King of Scotland?

They're all formidable actors.

This chap has also done TV work.

He appeared in The Shield in an astonishing turn.

It's Forest Whitaker.

Forest Whitaker is the correct answer.

OK, Sam, your first question.

Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep played a divorcing couple in which film?

OK, erm...

I haven't actually seen this film,

but I'm going to go with Intolerable Cruelty.

Maybe not intolerable

but I'm going to be cruel and tell you it's not the right answer.

-Pat?

-I think that's Kramer vs Kramer.

Kramer vs Kramer.

Pat, a chance for a bigger lead here.

The first episode of which series in 1965 featured an investigation

into the possibility of a recently launched space probe discovering life on Mars?

Well, erm, they're all long-running programmes.

Panorama tends to be more general politics, perhaps.

Horizon and Tomorrow's World are both good candidates,

but on the basis that I've seen old-looking episodes of Tomorrow's World, I'll go with that.

OK! Old-looking episodes. Do they go back as far as '65?

They do. It's the right answer.

It means you need to get this, Sam.

The sentence "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy",

typed repeatedly onto dozens of sheets of paper,

appears in a defining scene in which film?

Er, right, I have seen this film

so hopefully I'll get this right.

It's The Shining.

It is The Shining, yes. Well done, Sam, you have a point,

but Pat can knock you out here.

The doll that replaced Hamble

as one of the regular dolls on Play School in the 1980s was given what name?

I've not been a loyal viewer of Play School,

I must admit.

I can certainly remember Hamble.

Who would've replaced Hamble?

They can call a doll what they like, really,

within the limits of decency.

I've no recollection of seeing this doll in action.

Of the three, Poppy sounds perhaps the jolliest.

I'll go for Poppy.

Poppy, because it sounds jolly.

-It's Play School. It's perking up little children.

-Absolutely.

Poppy is the right answer. Replaced Hamble in the 1980s.

We need to replace you, Sam, in the Question Room.

You're not in the Final Round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

The Eggheads have pushed on.

Two members of The Pool Sharks have gone from the Final Round and the Eggheads have lost one.

What will happen with our last head-to-head?

This one's Music. You've got two players left,

Daniel or Torr.

You know how bad I am at music!

-It's going to be you.

-Put it this way, it's not going to be Dan.

-No.

It'll be me, then.

You can play Kevin or Daphne from the Eggheads.

-Who do you think?

-VARIOUS: Daphne.

I'll go for Daphne.

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

Torr, do you want to go first or second?

I think I'll go first.

Best of luck, Torr. Here's your first question.

Which 1962 novelty hit for Bernard Cribbins

about two removal men causing increasing damage

as they try to manoeuvre a large item

is called "Right Said..." who?

Fred, I'm pretty sure.

Yes, it is. That's the song. Right Said Fred.

Of course, later on, we then had Right Said Fred the band.

Daphne, your first question.

In the early 1980s,

which singer was known for a trademark white stripe painted across his face?

I think that's Adam Ant.

Adam Ant is the correct answer.

Torr, the lead singer of The Killers, Brandon Flowers,

had a solo number one album in the UK in 2010 with what title?

OK, well, I love The Killers,

but I didn't really like his solo stuff.

I'm not 100 percent sure on this,

but I'm pretty sure it's not Condor.

Between Pelican and Flamingo, I'm heading towards Flamingo.

Flamingo.

It's the right answer, yes.

Two out of two.

Daphne, in 2005,

a life-size bronze statue of which musician was unveiled in central Dublin,

the city in which he grew up?

I think Phil Lynott was Irish,

so that's my answer.

It's the right answer, yes. Well done, Daphne.

Two each. Good quizzing.

Torr,

in the musical Pal Joey, what is Joey's surname?

I think Joey Jones sounds a little bit silly

so I'm going to rule that one out.

I'm going to go down the middle,

because I think the previous two have been the middle,

so Williams, please.

Third time, you hope, third time lucky.

Joey Williams...

I'll just defer to Daphne. She knows a lot about musicals.

I would've gone for Evans.

Yes, Joey Evans.

So nothing there and a gap in your defence.

Here's Daphne.

Which soul group was formed in Philadelphia in the 1960s

from members of The Percussions and The Monarchs?

I haven't heard this.

Soul group...

Erm...

Well, I guess, erm...

..The O'Jays.

The O'Jays.

From The Percussions and The Monarchs came forth...

-..The Stylistics.

-Oh, that was the other one!

That's the one you were thinking of.

We go to Sudden Death. A let-off there, Torr.

In Sudden Death we remove the choices.

We've just got to hear an answer from you.

"Ooh, I bet you're wonderin' how I knew

"'Bout your plans to make me blue"

is the opening line to which song, a UK hit for Marvin Gaye in 1969?

I don't know, I'm sorry.

Marvin Gaye, 1969...

-No, not a clue.

-Nothing coming!

OK! It's not jumping out at you!

Daphne, any idea?

-Nope.

-No?

-No.

It's a classic!

The other Eggheads will know.

-ALL: I Heard It Through The Grapevine.

-They chorused it!

I Heard It Through The Grapevine.

I didn't hear it from either of you.

That gives a cross to Torr's account.

If a tick goes in Daphne's, she's through.

Daphne, the first three studio albums by which group,

fronted by Beth Gibbons,

all reached number two in the UK chart?

Portishead?

Portishead.

It's the right answer, Daphne!

-I'm sorry!

-Dredged it up from somewhere.

-Yes!

-It's just round the corner from you in Weston, isn't it?

-Yes.

OK, Portishead means Daphne has won the round in Sudden Death.

No place for you, Torr.

Would you both come back and join your teams?

This is what we've been playing towards.

It's time for the Final Round which, as always, is general knowledge.

Those who lost your head-to-heads won't be allowed to take part.

Sam, Thomas and Torr from The Pool Sharks,

and Judith from the Eggheads,

would you leave the studio, please?

Daniel and Ross, you're playing to win The Pool Sharks £8,000.

Pat, Kevin, Dave and Daphne,

you're playing for something which money can't buy - the Eggheads' reputation.

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

The questions are general knowledge and you are allowed to confer.

So, Pool Sharks, are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

Daniel and Ross, would you like to go first or second?

First? We'll go first, please, Dermot.

OK, first question coming your way, Pool Sharks.

In a traditional British nursery rhyme,

which insect is urged to fly away home because of a serious house fire?

"Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home,

"your house is on fire and your children are gone."

-Something along the lines of that.

-Not a clue. You for it.

We think it's ladybird.

Ladybird is the right answer. Lucky you knew it, Daniel.

OK, Eggheads,

which of these terms means "fine" or "satisfactory"?

ALL: Hunky dory.

We think it's all hunky dory.

Which is what your answer is. Yes, it's hunky dory,

it's the right one.

Back to The Pool Sharks.

Introduced in 2011 in England and Wales,

which alternative phone number to 999

connects callers to their local police station for reporting non-emergencies?

Is it...

Let me think. I think 123 is the Speaking Clock.

-Yes.

-I think...

-It's come to me.

-118, you get the annoying guys on the advert.

-You do.

So I don't think it's that.

-So that would leave 101.

-That would leave 101.

And I... Yes, I think it's 101.

-OK. Well, we've gone through it. Yes.

-Yes.

-OK.

We think it's 101.

101 for non-emergencies or less urgent things.

It is 101. It's the right answer.

OK. Eggheads, your second question.

The international leader of the Salvation Army

is known by which military rank?

-I'd say it was General.

-It's General, isn't it?

It's General.

We think that's General.

General. It's the right answer, Eggheads, yes.

OK. Well, Pool Sharks,

getting down to the black ball, I suppose, in pool terms.

Who's going to pot it? Third question.

Hristo Stoichkov played football for which national team?

-Do you want me to spell it?

-Yes, please.

First name H-R-I-S-T-O,

surname S-T-O-I-C-H-K-O-V.

-Hristo Stoichkov.

-Bulgaria.

-Yes.

-Yes?

-Yes.

-OK.

My football expert over here tells me it's Bulgaria.

Bulgaria for Stoichkov. It's the right answer,

as you would expect from a sports expert like Ross.

You've got, well, maybe a fingertip on the £8,000.

If the Eggheads don't get this, you've won it.

Eggheads, in which of Henrik Ibsen's plays

is the title character a disgraced banker?

-Borkman?

-That's what I was thinking. It's not Peer Gynt.

Brand is all about religion, isn't it?

He's a pastor or something, I think.

-I'm thinking it's Borkman.

-I think it's Borkman. I'm not sure.

-DAVE: I've not got a clue.

-I think it's Borkman.

-Are we happy with Borkman?

-Yes.

We're not 100 percent, but we think it's John Gabriel Borkman.

You need to get it.

It's the right answer, Eggheads.

Into Sudden Death.

Ross hoping for another sport question, I bet!

OK, let's see what you get.

St George's Hall, a traditional venue for state banquets hosted by the monarch,

is located in which English royal castle?

Isn't St George's Chapel in Windsor?

That was the first one that came to mind. Erm...

-And that is...

-I'm trying to think of England

because most of the castles that came into my head are Scottish.

-It's also one of the oldest castles in England.

-Yes.

And St George being the saint of England...

That is the one that springs to mind for me.

Yes. OK.

I should really be able to confirm it because I lived there,

or not that far away, for many years!

Erm...

We believe it might have something to do with the fact that there's a St George's Chapel

and we're going to go with Windsor Castle.

-It's the right answer.

-Yes!

St George's Hall in Windsor Castle.

Eggheads, again, you need to get this.

In Canada, the Thanksgiving Day public holiday

is observed annually on the second Monday of which month?

-I think it's October.

-Because in the States it's November.

-Yes.

-In Canada it's October.

-OK.

I've got a feeling it is October.

-It's not the same month as the States.

-Right, that's fine.

-OK.

-I think it's October.

-On my head be it.

-No, I agree with you on that.

-Yes.

-Because it's different from the States.

-Yes.

Again, it's fair to say we're not 100 percent,

but we think, as compared with the USA where it's held in November,

we think in Canada it's actually October.

-Is that your answer?

-Yes. October.

-It's the right answer, Eggheads.

-Well done.

-October.

Well, on we go.

More Sudden Death questions.

Phew! Just keep it up. You're doing really well, guys.

Another question for you.

In 1976,

the businessman Peter Parker was appointed the chairman

of which then state-owned organisation?

So you're thinking British Rail...

Well, National Rail.

-It was BR then.

-Oh, yes.

-Then we've got Royal Mail.

-The one that came to mind was National Trust,

but I think that's a charity, isn't it?

THEY SIGH

I don't know much about National Trust. It's not my thing.

What about some of these other ones that are more well known as companies,

like Royal Mail, British Airways?

I don't think Royal Mail's a bad shout.

I think Royal Mail sounds more plausible. Go for it.

We don't know, Dermot. We've been going through the candidates

and we're going to go with Royal Mail.

Royal Mail. I've been listening to the discussion,

and a very interesting one it is, too,

and you're really feeling your way towards...

But it's not the right answer.

-You did mention it.

-Oh, no!

It was the first one you thought of. It's British Rail.

-THEY GROAN

-BR. You said it, British Railways.

That's the point about it being then state-owned.

At the time of recording, Royal Mail still is.

Bad luck.

The Eggheads haven't won. They need to get theirs correct.

The Schickel Shamble, from the film Monte Carlo or Bust!,

is used as the theme tune for which radio comedy show?

-Is it "I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue"?

-I think it's one of the well-known ones.

I think it's I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue.

That crossed my mind because it's when things started.

Monte Carlo or Bust was...

..the mid-'60s,

so it needs to be, well, it probably needs to be something that started back in that era.

-It's not Just A Minute because that's Chopin's Waltz.

-Yes.

It's implying that it's still going, which that is.

-It's the percentage, then.

-Yes. I think we'll go with it.

We're not certain, but we'll try I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue.

I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue.

Well, you have got a clue. It's the right answer, Eggheads. You've won.

I think the Eggheads are going to agree with me,

-that was high-quality quizzing, wasn't it?

-Superb. Very unlucky.

Just missed out on British Rail there.

We would still be looking at more Sudden Death questions, I suspect.

-You knew British Rail, Peter Parker, didn't you?

-Oh, yes.

A generational thing, I think! You may've remembered it at the time.

The guys did really well working on the information in the question

and came so close to getting it.

Bad luck. Best of luck to you with your studies, Pool Sharks, and of course those cues.

-Keep them well chalked.

-Thank you!

-Thanks for playing the Eggheads.

Those Eggheads have done what comes naturally. Their winning streak continues.

You won't be going home with the £8,000,

which means the money rolls over to the next show.

Eggheads, congratulations. Who will beat you?

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

£9,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd