Episode 54 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 the Blue Elephants from London.

Now, this team all quiz at the Blue Post pub,

and have the word "elephant" in their team name

in the hope that they won't forget the answers. Let's meet them.

Hi. I'm Sam. I'm 35, and a support manager.

Hi. I'm Liz. I'm 31, and I'm an office manager.

Hello. I'm Tim. I'm 63 years old, and I'm a Trading Standards officer.

Hi. I'm Tony. I'm 58, and I'm a client-service director.

I'm Andy. I'm 36, and I'm a systems accountant.

Welcome to you, Blue Elephants. I thought it was a reference

to what Dave sees when he wakes up

after celebrating a Manchester United win.

Those blue elephants all over the ceiling, Dave!

OK. Well, tell me about the quizzing at the Blue Post.

-Is it hard? Have you won it?

-We've won it quite a few times

over successive years, actually,

and when we win enough money, we like to take ourselves on holiday.

Wow! So you win quite a bit of money?

-We try to.

-Well, how much?

On the last year it was just over £700.

Crikey! That's good going for pub quizzing.

And how do you all know each other?

There's family links there in the middle,

and do you work together as well?

It's a combination of family and colleagues and friends.

Myself, Andy and Tony all used to work together,

and actually Tony and I still work together,

and we've got family in the middle,

-so Liz, Tim and Tony are all family.

-OK! Well, best of luck.

I like that experience of winning quite a bit of money already.

There's a bit more on offer today.

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 our next show.

Blue Elephants, the Eggheads have won the last four games,

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

And our first head-to-head battle is on Music,

so who'd like to play this one? Music.

-You can do Music, Tom.

-Is that going to be you, Tony?

-Or Andy?

-I'll take it.

OK. And which Egghead will you challenge, Tony?

-I'd suggest Pat.

-Yeah?

-Um, Pat, please.

-Pat.

All right. It's going to be Tony and Pat in this first round.

Would you both please go to the Question Room?

OK, then, Tony - your choice as the challenger.

-Do you want to go first or second?

-I'll go first, please, Dermot.

Best of luck. Which country-music song opens with the words

"Sometimes it's hard to be a woman"?

Which country-music song opens with the words

"Sometimes it's hard to be a woman"?

Hmm! Um...

Crazy, I think, is a Patsy Cline song.

I don't think that starts with those words.

Er, Islands In The Stream, Dolly Parton and that other bloke...

Er, no. That wasn't it.

I suspect it's Stand By Your Man, Dermot.

Yes, that classic. Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, wasn't it,

Islands In The Stream? Stand By Your Man is correct.

And, Pat, first question for you.

Which classic album features the songs Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad

and You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth?

Which classic album features the songs Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad

and You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth?

The songs are written by Jim Steinman.

It's the multi-million-selling Bat Out Of Hell.

Very good, and you're both off like a bat out of hell.

Two correct - one each, of course.

And, um, Tony, second question.

Which female singer is one of the main characters

of the stage musical Soul Sister?

Which female singer is one of the main characters

of the stage musical Soul Sister?

Er, possibly the word "soul" gives me a clue there, Dermot.

I wouldn't have called Suzi Quatro or Cher soul singers,

but I guess Tina Turner could be said to fit that category,

so I'm going to go for the one in the middle, Tina Turner.

OK. That's for sure. Right answer. Well done.

And, Pat,

Tahiti Trot, by Dmitri Shostakovich,

is an orchestration of which popular song?

Tahiti Trot, by Dmitri Shostakovich,

is an orchestration of which popular song?

I think that's Tea For Two.

Tea For Two. OK, yeah. It's the right answer.

Well done, Pat. All square. Both going really well. Tony,

the Teatro di San Carlo, the world's largest opera house

when it opened in 1737, is in which city?

The Teatro di San Carlo, the world's largest opera house

when it opened in 1737, is in which city?

All in Italy, obviously. It's an Italian opera house.

I don't... Naples and opera don't really go together for me.

Turin has more of an opera ring about it.

Is there any other way I can work this out logically?

No, not really. I think I'll plump for Turin, Dermot.

OK. Turin for the Teatro di San Carlo.

It's not the right answer. No, it's not Turin.

-Pat, do you know?

-Back then Naples was a huge city,

-so I'd fancy Naples.

-OK. Napoli, yes. Right answer.

We were looking for Naples, so a chance for Pat to take the round.

Pat, which band released the 1973 album Goats Head Soup?

Which band released the 1973 album Goats Head Soup?

It's not Led Zeppelin. They had only about seven albums.

It's not one of them.

I think it's a slightly experimental album.

-I think it's by The Rolling Stones.

-Goats Head Soup...

by The Rolling Stones. It is correct, Pat,

which means you've just gone into the final round.

Bad luck, Tony, with that "opera house in Naples" question.

You won't be in the final round. Come back and join your teams.

After that, the Eggheads are all there.

Blue Elephants have lost one brain, but plenty more quizzing to come.

Our next category, then, is Science,

and who from the Blue Elephants would like to play this?

-It's going to be me, isn't it?

-Andy?

-Yep.

-That's what we decided.

-Good stuff. Andy, choose your Egghead.

-It just can't be Pat.

-Um, I think I'll take on Kevin.

OK, Kevin. You fancy your chances, then?

-HE WHISPERS

-Oh, well!

Going to be a good round. Andy and Kevin, into the Question Room.

Well, Andy taking on Kevin - strong player, as you know,

in all categories. Very strong in this one.

He's played 28 times during the existence of Eggheads,

and lost only once.

Let's make it twice, Andy! Do you want to go first or second?

I'll go first, please, Dermot.

Best of luck, and here's your first question.

Which scientific term refers to the maximum load

that a substance can withstand while being stretched?

Which scientific term refers to the maximum load

that a substance can withstand while being stretched?

OK. I don't think it's B,

cos I think that's more to do with volcanoes and things.

I'm going to go with A, tensile strength.

Tensile strength is the right answer.

Good start.

OK, Kevin.

The last captive example of which animal died in a zoo in Hobart

in 1936?

The last captive example of which animal died in a zoo in Hobart

in 1936?

There's a classic bit of film of it not that long before it died.

-It's the Tasmanian tiger.

-OK. Tasmanian tiger.

Hobart a clue to the identity there, as well.

-Yeah.

-Right answer, yes. Well done.

-What was it - hunted to extinction?

-Yes, effectively. Yes. Yeah.

That was it. There was, um...

I often bring things back to films.

There was a film released called The Hunter

about somebody searching for rumoured ones

-still there in the wilds of Tasmania.

-You never know.

OK. It's all square after one question each,

and, Andy, second question. The drug salbutamol

is commonly used to relieve which of these conditions?

The drug salbutamol is commonly used

to relieve which of these conditions?

OK. Well, I've got asthma, so, um, it's asthma.

THEY LAUGH

No laughing matter, of course, but just a very simple one there.

Yes, asthma. Well done. And, er, Kevin,

second question. What name is given to a vein in a leaf?

What name is given to a vein in a leaf?

That's an interesting one.

Er, it's not...not nervure.

Sorry. My instant thought was capillary,

but I'm just thinking about... OK, capillary.

-Capillary. It's not.

-It's labrum.

-Now, so...

-No, it's not.

It's nervure? I've not come across that as a term.

Wow! Well, as I said, that strong record...

Well, it's a tiny bit worse if you get this, Andy. Best of luck.

Bordeaux mixture, used as a fungicide,

is a mixture of water, lime and which chemical compound?

Bordeaux mixture, used as a fungicide,

is a mixture of water, lime and which chemical compound?

Um, I'll be honest - I haven't got a clue.

Um... I'm going to go straight down the middle. Copper sulphate.

-HE LAUGHS

-Copper sulphate.

He's laughing cos he knows it's bad for the Eggheads.

It's the right answer. It's very good for you, Blue Elephants.

Taken him out. Maybe I jinxed you, Kevin.

-Yes. Yeah, that can happen.

-Mentioning the record.

That's quite an achievement, no matter what happens in the final.

Andy, you're in it. Would you both come back and join your teams?

So, Kevin, a gap in the knowledge there!

-Played 29, now lost two on Science. Nervure.

-Yeah. Never heard of it.

-Nor has anybody else, so...

-We all said capillary.

Yeah. Great. Great news for Andy. Well played, Andy.

As it stands, then, both teams have lost one brain from the final round.

Let's move on to our third clash today, our third head-to-head,

and this one is Politics. Who'd like to try to emulate Andy

-and get into the final round?

-You want me to do that?

-Yes.

I'll do the Politics. I'll do Politics.

OK, Tim. Choose your Egghead. Pat and Kevin have played,

-so it's Dave, Judith or Barry.

-Barry?

Barry. Barry. I'll play Barry.

Right. Let's have Tim and Barry into the Question Room, please.

-OK, Tim. First or second for you?

-I think I'll go first, Dermot.

OK. Politics, and the opening question goes to Tim.

In 2012, which politician made a public apology

which was set to music by an internet site

and released as a charity single?

In 2012, which politician made a public apology

which was set to music by an internet site

-and released as a charity single?

-Oh, dear, Dermot!

I don't think David Cameron is into apologising all that much.

Er, but I do have just a faint recollection...

-I think it's Nick Clegg.

-It's the right answer. Well done.

Well worked out there by Tim.

So, Barry, first question. The 2012 Labour Party Conference

was held in which city?

The 2012 Labour Party Conference was held in which city?

Oh, fortunately I missed this one,

but I don't think it was in Exeter or Gloucester. I'll go for Manchester.

That's correct, Barry. You did remember it. OK. And, Tim,

which Conservative MP is the cousin of Mick Jones,

the guitarist with The Clash?

Which Conservative MP is the cousin of Mick Jones,

the guitarist with The Clash?

Oh, dear. Now I feel in a bit of a pickle, Dermot. I don't...

I can't imagine it being Eric Pickles,

and I'm not sure that Grant Shapps would associate very much with...

..The Clash, so it really is a stab in the dark,

but I'm going to go for Chris Grayling.

OK. Chris Grayling you think more likely to associate with The Clash.

Interesting! It's not Chris Grayling.

-What would you have said, Barry?

-I'd have to go for Grant Shapps.

Grant Shapps is the answer we were looking for.

So a chance, then, for Barry.

In 2011, Micheal Martin became leader

of which Irish political party?

In 2011, Micheal Martin became leader

of which Irish political party?

Oh, I'm sure Pat will be tearing his hair out as I answer this,

because I really don't know. 2011.

I think Fianna Fail have kind of fallen off a cliff

in Irish politics, so I shall go for Fine Gael.

OK. Fine Gael. Ah, all right. What do you think, Pat?

-I'd probably have gone for Fianna Fail.

-It is Fianna Fail.

-Oh!

-So, a failure for both of you on your second question.

And, Tim, the US government agency with the initials NARA,

N-A-R-A, is concerned with what?

The US government agency with the initials NARA

is concerned with what?

I...

don't think it's agriculture,

because the main department for agriculture is DEFRA.

I think if it had been armaments,

I might...

have heard of that,

so again, as a stab, I'm afraid, Dermot,

-I'm going to go for archives.

-OK.

Archives is the correct answer,

and maybe a tad lucky there

in that I did ask for a US government agency.

DEFRA, of course, in the UK, but you got it in the end, anyway.

Well done.

And, Barry, in 1999,

Saparmurat Niyazov was declared president for life of which country?

In 1999, Saparmurat Niyazov was declared president for life

of which country?

The surname is N-I-Y-A-Z-O-V.

Oh, that name rings a bell. It's not Uzbekistan,

and I think it was somebody else in Turkmenistan,

so I'm going for Kazakhstan.

OK. Kazakhstan for Saparmurat Niyazov.

Declared president for life of Turkmenistan!

-Ah!

-Goodbye, Barry. You're not playing in the final round.

Well done, Tim. You are there. Come back and join your teams.

Well, after a fairly slow start, the Blue Elephants have gone up

a couple of notches. They're bulldozing the Eggheads!

The Eggheads have lost two brains. The Blue Elephants have lost one.

Let's see what the configuration will be in the final round.

This last head-to-head will decide that. It's Arts and Books,

and we've got Sam or Liz to play.

I think that's going to be me. Arts and Books.

And your Egghead is either Dave or Judith.

Who do you think? Do you think...

-I think I'd go for Dave.

-You'd go for Dave?

-Dave, I think.

-All right. Sam and Dave,

-into the Question Room, please.

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

Goes fantastically. Just fits together there.

Off to the Question Room, both of you, please.

Sam, do you want to go first or second in this round?

I think I'll stick with the others. I think I'll go first.

OK, Sam. What name is given to a publisher's description of a book,

usually printed on its cover or used in publicity?

What name is given to a publisher's description of a book,

usually printed on its cover or used in publicity?

Um...

Well, I don't think it's blubber.

Well, I hope it's not blubber, cos that makes me think of whales.

So, um, not that one.

Blush...

I don't think so. That's making me think of wine.

Um, so...blurb. I'm going to go for blurb.

OK. The blurb, yes. That's the right answer.

Dave, the iconic photograph Lunch Atop A Skyscraper,

taken in 1932,

depicts construction workers seated on a girder

high above the streets of which city?

The iconic photograph Lunch Atop A Skyscraper, taken in 1932,

depicts construction workers seated on a girder

high above the streets of which city?

I think it's New York.

It is New York. That's the right answer, Dave.

And, Sam, second question. Which creature is featured

in Rousseau's painting The Sleeping Gypsy?

Which creature is featured in Rousseau's painting,

The Sleeping Gypsy?

Um, OK.

I actually have no idea at all,

so, um...

I'd like to say elephant, just because of our team name,

but I'm not sure that's the right answer, obviously.

Um, sleeping... Can't even picture a giraffe sleeping.

Do they sleep standing up? I'm not sure.

But then you always have sleeping lions, don't you, so...

Um... I'm going to go with lion.

Well done. It's the gypsy that's sleeping.

-What is the lion doing?

-Standing by the sleeping gypsy.

-Standing by the sleeping gypsy.

-Oh, really? OK.

Doesn't matter. Yes. Well, there we are. You have two.

And, Dave, the character Danny Torrance

first appears in which of Stephen King's novels?

The character Danny Torrance first appears

-in which of Stephen King's novels?

-I don't think it's The Shining.

Is it It or Christine?

Hmm... I'll go for It.

It. It's not.

-Christine.

-It's The Shining.

-It's The Shining?!

-Right. Fair enough.

-Which character is it?

Danny must be the son. The one played by Jack Nicholson in the film,

-the writer, is Jack Torrance.

-So he's Danny, the little kid

that rides his bike or his go-kart around the corridors of the hotel.

OK. Well, that's great news, Sam. A correct answer here -

guess it, whatever - gets you through to the final round.

Let's hope you know it. Here you are.

The Day Of The Locust was the last novel of which American author?

The Day Of The Locust was the last novel of which American author?

Um, again I have really no idea,

which is not very helpful.

But for some reason I would like to say either Joseph Heller

or John Steinbeck.

Um...

So...I'm going to go with Joseph Heller.

OK. Joseph Heller, Day Of The Locust.

It's not, and it's not John Steinbeck. It is Nathanael West.

OK, well, important point for Dave here.

He gets back in the game with a correct answer.

Dave, the birth of which fictional character was attended

by the incompetent Dr Slop, S-L-O-P?

The birth of which fictional character

was attended by the incompetent Dr Slop?

I don't know.

Looks like I'm going out.

Um... Just trying to think.

I'm going to go for David Copperfield,

but no kind of conviction at all.

OK, David Copperfield, birth attended by Dr Slop.

No. It's not the right answer. You are going out.

-It is Tristram Shandy.

-Well done!

So, well done, Sam. You're in the final round,

playing for £5,000. Would you both come back and join your teams?

And 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 be allowed to take part in this round,

so, Tony from the Blue Elephants and Barry, Kevin and Dave

from the Eggheads, would you leave the studio, please?

Just before we start, interested in the plan here.

It seemed to be a well-planned strategy

that's worked more or less for you.

Were you always going to be held back for the final round?

I was always going to be held back. That was key in our plan,

so I hope it pays off for everybody!

Good performance in the head-to-heads,

but the final round is where the money is won or lost.

So, Sam, Liz, Tim and Andy,

you're playing to win the Blue Elephants £5,000.

Pat and Judith, you're playing for something which money can't buy -

the Eggheads' reputation. I'll ask each team three questions in turn,

but this time the questions are all general knowledge,

and you are allowed to have a good old conference about it.

Are your four brains better than the Eggheads' two?

And, Blue Elephants, would you like to go first or second?

Going first has done us quite well so far, so we'll stick with that.

OK! And your first question is this.

Banba, Boann and Brigid feature in which mythology?

Banba, B-A-N-B-A, Boann, B-O-A-N-N

and Brigid, B-R-I-G-I-D,

feature in which mythology?

-I haven't got a clue.

-Does anyone have an idea?

-No.

Yeah. My mythology is Greek and Roman, really,

not any of those, but, um...

-I don't think Brigid sounds particularly Arabic.

-OK.

-Banba?

-Banba...

Shall we go with Celtic?

-What was the other one?

-Celtic or Slavonic.

Banba... Do you recognise any of those names?

No, none. Not one of those.

I think I'm more likely to know names that are Celtic than Slavonic,

-and as we don't know any of them, shall we try Slavonic?

-OK.

We don't really know, Dermot, but we're going to try Slavonic.

OK, Slavonic. What would you have said, Eggheads?

-Celtic.

-It's Celtic.

-Sorry.

-Celtic.

Not the best of starts. See how the Eggheads do.

Eggheads, what is the largest ethnic group in Singapore?

-I don't think it's British.

-No, definitely not British.

So it's Malay versus Chinese.

-I've a feeling it's Chinese.

-Is it?

Singapore's at the end of the Malay Peninsula.

Well, then, shouldn't it be Malay?

I think there's a great many Chinese in Singapore.

If Malay... Malays would be the natives of Singapore.

Yes, yes, but it's a huge trading city.

It's historically always been a huge trading post.

-I think there are a lot of Chinese there.

-The Chinese outnumber...

-the Malays.

-I think they do, but I'm not certain by any means.

I just think all different...

No. I don't have any ideas.

-I've a slight preference for Chinese.

-You do?

OK. We're not at all sure,

but we think it's probably Chinese.

Not at all sure?

You were saying it's on the Malaysian Peninsula.

Yes.

-You wanted to go for Malay.

-Well...

-You tended toward China.

-Yeah.

-It's Chinese. It is the right answer, Eggheads.

-Well done.

-Just toying with you.

-Well done.

OK. You have a lead. Blue Elephants, you need this.

Tom Kerridge and Nathan Outlaw found fame as what?

Tom Kerridge and Nathan Outlaw found fame as what?

I've never heard of them.

-Any...

-I've not heard of them either.

I don't think they're fashion designers.

-I don't think they're chefs.

-THEY LAUGH

-You don't think they're chefs?

-That makes it difficult,

because I've got a sneaking feeling that the name Kerridge

is a chef.

-I would have leant towards chefs...

-Would you?

-..out of all of those.

Yeah. I don't really know why, though.

-Shall we go with chefs, then?

-Well...

I... Honestly, I don't know.

THEY CHUCKLE Oh, this is really hard.

It is. Um...

Go with chefs.

We're really struggling, I'm afraid.

We're going to go with chefs.

OK. Really struggling. Need to get this, and you have.

It's the right answer. Chefs.

OK, Eggheads. Second question for you.

Who directed the 2012 film Savages?

-Who directed the 2012 film Savages?

-It's Oliver Stone.

-Is it?

I think so, yes. I saw him being interviewed about it.

-That sounds good.

-Well, you're the film expert.

If you can recall seeing him being interviewed about it...

I.. I... I mean, I just hope I'm not mistaken,

but that's what I think.

-Um, I think it's Oliver Stone.

-Oliver Stone?

It's the right answer. You have two. Means you need to get this.

What is the title of the Lost Book Of Gormenghast,

completed by Mervyn Peake's widow and published in 2011?

What is the title of the Lost Book Of Gormenghast,

completed by Mervyn Peake's widow and published in 2011?

Any clue?

What were the original books? Do we know that?

Titus Groan, Titus Alone...

I don't know how many there were.

Titus Abounds is ringing a bell,

-but I don't know if that was one of the first set.

-OK.

-Let's go with Titus Abounds.

-I'm kind of wondering...

Ascends. Ascends sounds like a good way to finish something off.

-Yes.

-Like a good kind of...positive note.

THEY LAUGH

Oh, Sam, you choose.

SHE LAUGHS

-I see what you say about Ascends.

-Shall we go with that?

-Shall we?

-Yeah.

-Is that your gut feeling?

-No.

-There isn't one?

There isn't one, unfortunately.

Um... Shall we try that?

OK. Again, you're giving us a lot of questions that we just...

have no inkling on, but we're going to try Titus Ascends.

OK. Titus Ascends. You say a tricky set of questions.

You'll be comforted to know, I suppose,

that it is Titus Awakes, which you didn't consider.

Which means, Eggheads, you've won.

Very generous applause to the Eggheads

after what you did to them in the head-to-head,

and Tony applauding in the Question Room.

A tricky set of questions, but well handled

to get as far as you did, and well played in the head-to-heads.

A fantastic performance, to see four of you against two of them.

But 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,

and the money rolls over to the next show.

So, congratulations, Eggheads. Who will beat you?

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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