Episode 6 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 might of our quiz Goliaths today

are The Pretenders. This friends and family team from Worcestershire

have chosen this name as they believe they are the pretenders

to the Eggheads' throne. Hm. Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Walter, I'm 63 and a retired local government chief executive.

Hi, I'm Margaret, I'm 60 and I'm a head-hunter.

Hi, I'm James, I'm 26

and I'm a student in music production and business management.

Hi, I'm Martin, I'm 41 and I'm a landscape gardener.

Hi, I'm Phil, I'm 58 and I'm an education consultant.

Well, welcome to you, Pretenders.

So pretenders to the Eggheads' throne and not some tribute band.

-Absolutely.

-OK.

Why do you think you're pretenders to the throne? How good are you?

Well, we hope to be better than Bonnie Prince Charlie

who didn't succeed to the throne,

-but we think we're pretty good.

-OK.

-Have you great experience?

-No. We're not professional quizzers,

we've not appeared as a quiz team ever,

but we do have some secret weapons in the team.

I mean, they're secret weapons. Can I ask you to give us a clue?

Yes. Martin's a secret weapon.

All right. Martin, right. We'll wait for you to be launched.

-And Phil.

-Phil also?

-Yeah. Phil has credentials on quizzing,

so we're relying a lot on Phil.

Well, we wait for the secret weapons with great anticipation.

We'll see when they're unleashed during the quiz.

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.

So, Pretenders, the Eggheads have won the last nine games

so we hit the £10,000 mark now. That's what we're playing for today.

And our first head-to-head battle is going to be on the subject of Music.

I know there's one particular person there who's interesting in music.

-That would be me.

-Yes. Indeed. Pick an Egghead to take on.

I'm feeling brave and I'm going to pick Kevin.

You are feeling brave. And why not?

You've got to take out the big guns if you're trying to win the money.

James and Kevin in the question room to ensure there's no conferring.

So, James, as the challenger, can you do us the honour of deciding

-whether you want to go first or second?

-I'll go first, please.

Good luck, James. First question on Music.

In a 1976 hit single, Gladys Knight sang about

leaving on a midnight train to which US state?

I think I know this one just from the way it sounds.

Erm, I wouldn't have said it's Alabama.

I wouldn't have said it's Louisiana.

I would've thought it's a midnight train to Georgia.

Yeah, I think so would we all. Yes, it's the right answer.

-We don't have Chris here to croon it. Anyone else fancy a go?

-No.

OK. It is Georgia and you're off the mark.

Kevin, the West End musical Viva Forever,

announced in 2012, features songs by which group?

I think that's the musical based on the Spice Girls.

Yeah, after the song. Spice Girls is correct.

OK, you've got it. Second question for you, James.

"Those fingers in my hair, that sly come-hither stare"

are the opening lines of which song, made famous by Frank Sinatra?

Well, I'm going to count out My Way straight away,

erm, cos I don't think that's the opening lines.

But I would've thought with a sly finger,

it's something to do with witches.

But it could be at night time.

I'm going to go with Witchcraft, I think.

Well worked out, James. It's the right answer.

Yes, indeed. "Those fingers in my hair, that sly come-hither stare."

Kevin, the Winchester singer-songwriter Frank Turner

is most associated with what type of music?

Well, you wouldn't call him pop-opera,

and I wouldn't call him jazz funk, I'd call him folk.

He's indie, really. But folk, I'd say.

Folk is the right answer. James,

which composer collaborated with the poet WH Auden

on the celebrated 1936 documentary film Night Mail?

I wouldn't even know where to begin working it out, to be honest,

so I think I'll go with a big old guess

of William Walton.

OK, William Walton, a good old guess!

It's certainly a guess, but it's not a good one. It's not right, James.

-Kevin, do you know?

-It's Britten.

-It is Benjamin Britten.

Kevin, your next question. Antonio Vivaldi died outside Italy

and was buried in a pauper's grave in which city in 1741?

Most of his... Well, the great majority of his life was in Venice

but he actually wound up in Vienna.

-When was he born?

-1678.

-He didn't even hesitate, did he?

-No.

Oh, dear, Kevin. And Vienna is the right answer, Kevin.

You've got through to the final round. Valiant effort, James.

-Thank you.

-Really well played. Please come and join your teams.

As it stands, the contenders have lost one brain, but very early days.

And let me bring you our next head-to-head. This one is Science.

Who'd like to play this? Science.

-Phil for this one.

-Yep.

-You're our scientist.

-Yep.

-Ah. A secret weapon is unleashed.

-Yes.

-OK.

OK, who do you want to knock out, Phil? Which Egghead?

-I think we'll go for Daphne, shall we?

-I think Daphne.

-Yeah. We'll go for Daphne.

-Daphne. Oh, right.

Daphne loves a challenge.

-I think I've got one.

-Yes, well, let's find out.

Daphne and Phil, into the question room, please.

OK, well, let's put that science knowledge to the test.

-Do you want to go first or second?

-I'll take the first set, please.

Good luck, Phil. Here's your question.

What colour is the distinctive breast

of a male Eurasian bullfinch?

Well, bird watching's one of my favourite things

and bullfinches, too, are one of my favourite birds,

but they are so declined these days.

As are the greenfinches, so it's not green.

Blue tits are doing rather well, and it's not blue.

It's red.

Fantastic! That question really fell very nicely for you.

OK, yes, I don't even need to tell you it's the right answer.

Daphne, your first question. What type of creatures

are in the biological family felidae?

They are cats.

Cats is correct. OK, Phil.

Where are the Clouds of Magellan?

Well, sometimes when I wake up in the morning,

I get a cloudy feeling, but they're not in my brain.

I think they'd find an awful job to fit inside an atom.

So they're the ones that we find orbiting our galaxy in outer space.

That is correct. Well done, Phil.

Daphne, which famous scientist discovered Jupiter's moons

Ganymede and Callisto in 1610?

Well, seeing as they're sometimes called the Galilean Moons,

I assume it's Galileo.

Galileo Galilei is correct. Well done, Daphne.

This is great. Shaping up really well.

These two are not even close to guessing at the answers.

They're knowing them, they're ladling on the extra information

and matching each other blow for blow.

Phil, third question. Where on the human body

is the small protuberance called the inion?

Inion. That's one of the things I haven't ever heard of,

so it's going to have to be a guess.

It wouldn't be the elbow.

I seem to think that's something else.

The ankle I would've said, well, that's an ankle.

I will go for the little protuberance

at the back of the head.

Back of the head for the inion.

Is correct. Where?

Where is it? What? Where?

Well, Daphne, you knew you were going to have a fight on your hands.

This to keep your head above water.

Sorbic acid was first isolated from the unripe berries of which tree?

I think that's a mountain ash.

Mountain ash is correct, Daphne!

You're loving this, aren't you?

-SHE LAUGHS

-She thrives on the pressure.

Phil, it's all square after three questions

and look at that parade of white ticks on a green background

for both of you. To sort out a winner, we go to sudden death,

so we take away the choices, you know that. So here we go.

For what does the letter C stand

in the computer component known as the CPU.

Well, it's the bit right at the heart of the computer,

right in the centre, it's the central processing unit.

Very good. Maybe you've had a chip implanted there,

a CPU in the brain. It's the right answer.

Central processing unit. We wanted central and heard it. OK.

Daphne, which word taken from the Greek "to go down"

refers to cool winds that typically blow down mountain slopes?

I don't think I'm going to pronounce this properly.

Erm, anabatic.

-Is that your answer?

-Yes.

-Anabatic?

-Yes.

Close, but it's not correct. We cannot accept it.

Other Eggheads? Not anabatic.

-Catabatic?

-Catabatic.

-Oh! The other one!

-Catabatic. What's anabatic, then?

-The other way.

-Oh, that's up!

Oh, we wanted down!

That's what's happening to you. You're going down, Daphne!

-SHE LAUGHS

-You have gone down. It's over!

Phil! What a secret weapon! Wow!

Exploded Daphne's hopes there.

You're through to the final round.

No place for you, Daphne. Please come back and join your teams.

The Pretenders dubbed Phil their secret weapon there

and like a quiz version of the Stealth Bomber,

-he really took you out, didn't he, Daphne?

-Yes.

And that means, as it stands, both teams have lost one brain

from the final round. Our next subject, third head-to-head,

is History. Three of you left.

-Who wants to play it?

-That's you, isn't it?

-That would be me.

All right. OK, Walter. Choose an Egghead.

Kevin and Daphne have played, so you've got Dave, Judith or Pat.

I'm taking on Judith because she's my favourite Egghead.

-Thank you.

-Your favourite but you want to knock her out.

-Absolutely.

Let's have Walter and Judith into the question room, please.

Well, Walter attempting to knock his favourite Egghead out of the game.

-Do you want to go first or second?

-I'd like to go first, Dermot.

It's History, as you know. First question, Walter.

The term for Britain or England that translates as Perfidious Albion

was coined and mainly used by commentators from which country?

Erm, Perfidious Albion.

I don't think it was Germany. Doesn't sound Germanic to me.

France, possibility.

But I think I'm erring on the side of Russia.

OK, Russia for Perfidious Albion.

I'm afraid it's not. It is the French.

The French, not the Russians.

OK, Judith. From the 16th to the 19th centuries,

the area that is now California was part of which territory?

Well, I imagine it's from the New Spain

because of it being near Mexico

and the Spanish in South America,

so I will guess it's New Spain.

Yes indeed. That's the right answer.

Walter, which British general became famous for wearing the black beret

of the Royal Tank Regiment during the Second World War?

Right. I don't think it was Alan Brooke.

I don't know Harold Alexander.

I think it was Bernard Montgomery.

Monty. Yes. All those famous shots of him with that beret on.

-It's the right answer, Bernard.

-THEY CLAP

Judith, which activity was banned by sumptuary laws

in medieval and Tudor England?

Well, I don't think it could possibly be building houses,

but I imagine it's all to do with sumptuousness and everything,

so I imagine it's wearing fine clothes.

OK, going for the linguistic link and getting it right. Well done.

Wearing fine clothes. There we are. Wearing fine clothes.

Judith got it. Means you need to get this, Walter.

John Colet, born in London in 1467, was a pioneer in which field?

Erm, I'm going to eliminate farming straight away

cos I don't think there was many pioneers in farming

way back in that age.

Could've been medicine.

But I think I'm going to go for education.

Education is the right answer. Yes.

Well! That slip-up on the first question could cost you dear.

Been going steadily since. Judith, for a place in the final round,

where in London was Wat Tyler killed

whilst leading the Peasants' Revolt in 1381?

I think that was Smithfield.

-Smithfield?

-Mm-hm.

-Is the right answer, Judith.

Which books you a place in the final round.

And Walter, cut off in your prime there.

Just really getting into your stride,

but that first question has cost you a place. Come and join your teams.

So, Walter, what do you think of Judith now she's knocked you out?

-Well, no hard feelings. She's still my favourite Egghead.

-Thank you.

As it stands, The Pretenders have lost two brains from the final,

the Eggheads have lost one. It could be all square, then,

after we play this final head-to-head, which is Sport.

Who'd like to play this? Martin or Margaret?

-That'll be Martin, is it?

-I'm going to have to, aren't I?

-Yeah.

-We're putting forward Martin on this one.

-All right, Martin.

Who would you like to play from the Eggheads?

-It can be Dave or Pat.

-Not Dave.

-No, Dave's pretty good, I think.

-He's good on sport.

-I'll take on Pat.

-Pat, OK.

-OK, we're missing out tremendous Dave and taking on Pat.

So you'll take on Pat, who knows nothing about sport.

No. If it's not croquet...

OK, let's have Martin and Pat into the question room, please.

Right, Martin, to try to even up the teams in the final round,

-do you want to go first or second on Sport?

-I'll go first, please.

First question then, Martin. The time trail cycling events

at the 2012 Olympics started and finished at which historic venue?

This was probably one of the very few events that I didn't see.

I'm really not sure.

But, er, out of the three, I'd go for Hampton Court Palace.

Hampton Court Palace is the right answer. Well done.

Pat, in basketball, what term is used to refer to

the tactic of using two players to stop an opposing player scoring?

A defending team will double-team a star attacker,

which, of course, leaves an extra attacking player on the outside.

-So it's double-teaming.

-You sound like a basketball coach. It's right.

Double-team. Martin, in 2006,

which countries were named co-hosts of the 2015 Cricket World Cup?

Well, this is my sport and this is the nightmare I didn't want.

-Erm...

-HE LAUGHS

I can't see it being New Zealand and Australia.

There are too many problems with Zimbabwe still.

So I will guess again and go for India and Bangladesh.

India and Bangladesh, well, it's not landed.

It's New Zealand and Australia.

So, Pat, a chance for the lead.

To which boxer was Harry Carpenter referring

when he said, "Oh, my God, he's won the title back at 32"?

Erm, I think I can dismiss Marciano,

who famously was undefeated.

Joe Louis was at his best in the mid-30s to mid-40s,

and that perhaps is a bit too early for Harry Carpenter.

It must be Muhammad Ali, having come back from his enforced absence.

OK, Muhammad Ali at 32, correct!

You've taken the lead on the second question.

You need this, Martin.

Who did Steffi Graf beat 6-0 6-0 in 32 minutes

in the final of the 1988 French Open?

Now, once again, I've not got a clue on this one.

Out of the three, the one I've not heard of is Natasha Zvereva,

-so I'll go for that one.

-Oh! I thought you were going to avoid it.

It's the right answer. Well done. Well, still in it.

But as Walter needed, you need a slip-up from the Egghead here.

Pat, the Belarusian Ivan Tsikhan

is particularly associated with which athletics event?

Well, without meaning to stereotype nationalities,

you tend to look to Central Africans for dominance

in the 3,000m steeplechase.

Portuguese, Central Americans, triple jump.

Whereas the Eastern Bloc countries,

although powerful in large areas of athletics,

were very, very strong in field events.

So I haven't heard of this chap, but I'll have to say hammer.

Playing the percentages and going for the hammer.

And being the fine Egghead you are, you've got it.

Hammer is correct. And that's it, then.

Just one question wrong from a secret weapon, Martin,

no place in the final round. Please come back and join your teams.

So, this is what we've been playing towards.

It's time for the final round, which is general knowledge.

But those of you who lost your head-to-heads

won't be allowed to take part in this round.

So Walter, James and Martin from The Pretenders

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

Margaret and Phil, you're playing to win The Pretenders £10,000.

Pat, Judith, Kevin and Dave, you're playing for something

which no amount of money could buy. It is your very reputation.

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

that stays the same, but this time the questions are general knowledge

and you are allowed to confer.

The question is, are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

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

We'll go first, please, Dermot.

OK, then, off we go. And first final round question.

Hayling Island is part of which English county?

-It's Hampshire.

-Yeah, definitely.

-Is it Hampshire?

-It's definitely Hampshire.

It's not Lancashire or Norfolk. We're saying Hampshire.

-Just checking there.

-Yes.

-Checking your islands.

OK. Right answer. Well done. Eggheads.

Oliver Proudlock and Jamie Lang and Francis Boulle

became widely known due to their appearances on which TV show?

-Oliver, Jamie...

-I think it's Made In Chelsea.

I think it is, but I'm not... I've never watched it.

-Oliver Proudlock sounds as though it should be...

-Oliver, Jamie

-and what's the other one?

-Francis.

-I think it's Chelsea.

-I think it's Made In Chelsea,

-but I wouldn't have a clue.

-I'd guess Chelsea.

-We're not sure.

-I can see that.

-But we've agreed on Made In Chelsea.

OK, on the basis of the names, Oliver and Jamie

-you think sound like King's Road type names.

-Yeah.

Well, it is the right answer, Made In Chelsea.

Well, it's all square, and second question for The Pretenders.

Established in 1834, the oldest surviving Caribbean newspaper,

the Gleaner, is based on which island?

I'm pretty sure I know this one because I did think

before the alternatives came up it would be Jamaica.

It's the oldest island, I think, isn't it?

Well, yeah, they've all been established for a long time

-but I'm pretty sure Jamaica is the one.

-I'm happy to go with that.

-OK.

-We're going to go with Jamaica.

-It's the right answer. Well done.

Eggheads, which creature is depicted

on the back of the South African gold coin known as a krugerrand?

-Springbok, if it's South African.

-I think it's a springbok.

-OK.

-I'm not sure.

-I'm not sure at all.

-It's either that or a lion.

-I don't think it's a secretary bird.

-Right, we'll rule that out.

-I have a faint feeling it's a springbok.

It's come from somewhere, hasn't it, so we've got to go with that.

Again, we're not totally sure, but we're going to go with springbok.

Springbok. South African link.

Springbok is the right answer. Well done. OK.

And it's all square again. Margaret and Phil going very well here.

Third question. Who was the US treasury secretary

at the time of the financial crisis of 2008?

-No, he was the, erm, the chairman of the Federal Bank.

-Oh, yes.

I've not heard of Dick Fuld.

I have heard of Hank Paulson. So I think we go for Hank Paulson.

Yeah. Sounds OK. We're going to go for Hank Paulson.

Hank Paulson in charge of the treasury

at the time of the financial crisis in 2008 is the right answer again!

Ooh, well, you might need a slightly smaller treasury

for the £10,000 if that wins it for you.

Eggheads, to save yourselves,

Becky Bloomwood is a character in a series of novels by which author?

-Chick lit. Don't know.

-Not a clue.

-Sophie Kinsella is Sex And Shopping.

-There's Shopaholic.

And she's done more than one book with this shopaholic.

-Who might be called Becky...

-There's Shopaholic And Daughter

-and something else.

-Becky Bloomwood.

-Shall we go for Sophie Kinsella?

-Yeah, go for that.

-We don't know.

Good £10,000 question, this.

Erm, we're going to go for Sophie Kinsella.

Sophie Kinsella. OK, and I heard Kevin saying

Confessions Of A Shopaholic, and Judith.

Well, Daphne definitely knew and was in agony there.

And she's now calm, because it is the right answer.

Well done, Kevin and Judith.

Ooh. That was close.

-Luck!

-Could hinge on one question and in particular one answer.

So, Margaret and Phil,

sudden death, just to remind you.

How many horses pull the chariot of the gods

in the sculpture on top of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate?

Hm. Well, I've been and looked at it. I've taken photographs of it.

-Great!

-I can't think. It's more than two.

-It's more than two.

-One at the front...

-I suspect it's four.

Not three, then? It's four, is it?

I can see the Brandenburg Gate, I can see the statue on top,

-but I can't count the horses.

-So the format is not one, two, three,

it's two, four, is it? Or is it one and three?

Think of the format.

I can't...

Maybe four would be too many, to be honest.

-I think four might be...

-Don't go off it if it's your gut reaction.

I'm just thinking getting four in that space is quite tricky.

Shall we go for three?

What do you think?

-It's a guess.

-It's a guess.

-Go for three.

OK. We're not certain, but we're going to go for three.

OK, three horses pulling the chariot of the gods

in the sculpture on top of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.

It is one, two, three... four!

Oh, no! Sorry, Phil!

-Should've gone with my gut, shouldn't I?

-Ooh!

Been there, seen it, photographed it and went on first instinct.

If I'd made you answer in a nanosecond, you'd have said four.

Well, that was a crucial question.

They all are at this stage. And this crucial for the Eggheads.

Which major London railway terminus

was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and opened in 1854?

-Paddington?

-You say it's Paddington.

Because West Country... Mm.

Well, we'll go with it because it's not...

-It's not that.

-No, that's George Gilbert Scott.

No, it's not Euston or any of those.

-Waterloo?

-1854? Sounds late for Paddington to me.

-Does it?

-But Paddington is the station that Brunel...

Oh, no, absolutely. I think, without being able to pin the date down,

that's probably got to be the percentage.

Yes.

-I'm worried about it.

-With no degree of certainty, again,

-we're going to go for Paddington.

-OK, Paddington.

It's interesting, these last two questions

have come down to transport, for the gods and for the masses.

Erm, the major London railway terminus

designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel opened in 1854 is...

..Paddington. Eggheads, you've won.

Breathtaking.

I'm drained. I don't know how you must feel after all that.

-So close.

-So close.

-Particularly as Phil knew the answer

-and I persuaded him against it!

-No, listen, no, you didn't!

He was trying to visualise... I love the way you were trying to

hypnotise him to see the Brandenburg Gate.

But fantastic performance.

Those head-to-heads, very enjoyable. Everyone got every close.

But the Eggheads just managed to beat you.

They've done what comes naturally. Their winning streak continues.

You won't be going home with the £10,000.

That means the money rolls over to our next show.

Eggheads, congratulations. What a great game. Who will beat you?

Join us next time to see if a new team of challengers have the brains

to defeat the Eggheads. £11,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

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