Episode 68 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 quiz champions today

are the Geckos.

This team all met on an online forum

for fans of the Scottish indie rock band Teenage Fanclub.

Let's meet them.

I'm Iain. I'm 37 and I'm a cartographer.

I'm David. I'm 43 and I'm a quality specialist.

Hello. I'm Mark. I'm 41 and I'm a qualified accountant.

I'm Lorraine. I'm 29. I'm a radiographer.

Hi. I'm Kevin. I'm 35 and I'm a faculty head of social subjects.

Iain and team, welcome. Good to see you.

Tell us about Teenage Fanclub for those who don't know how great they are.

Amazing band. They started life in the late '80s

and had a number of albums through the '90s

and they're still going strong today.

They're actually in the studio now, recording.

So you were all on a fan forum for a band called Fanclub

and then you met and formed a quiz team?

Sounds like the start of a novel or something!

There's an idea!

Tell us why you're called the Geckos.

It's a bit of a long answer.

But I'll shorten it.

The ex-drummer of Teenage Fanclub started his own band

and they had their own forum

and a little logo in the emblem of that forum

was a gecko.

And for some unknown reason...

I only know...the ex-drummer of Teenage Fanclub.

OK, so a band named after the ex-drummer of Teenage Fanclub. Brilliant! That's fantastic.

Good luck in this game.

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

However, if they fail to defeat the Eggheads,

the prize money rolls over to our next show.

So, Geckos, the Eggheads have actually won the last 18 games,

which means £19,000

says you can't beat them today.

And if you do, we'll get Teenage Fanclub to put on a concert especially for you!

The first head-to-head battle is on the subject of Geography.

Who would like this?

I think that's yours. I think that's down to me.

OK. It's Iain against... Choose an Egghead, Iain.

Um...

I've thinking Dave.

Yeah, Tremendous Knowledge Dave.

Tremendous Knowledge Dave.

Iain on Geography from the Geckos versus Dave,

Tremendous Knowledge Dave, from the Eggheads.

To ensure there's no conferring,

would you please take your positions in the Question Room.

OK, Iain, Geography. I know that's the subject you wanted, isn't it? It is, yeah.

Because you map the roads of the UK somehow.

Yeah. I work for a big mapping company,

global mapping company,

and we have lots of people going out in the streets every day,

visiting new roads, looking for new signs that are getting put up all the time.

OK, well, good luck in this round in Geography.

And you can choose the first or second set of questions.

I'll go first.

Here we go with your first question.

Which of these is a port on the Uruguay River?

Um...OK.

Food themes.

I'm struggling here a little bit.

I think I'm going to rule out

Piccalilli.

For no reason at all.

Um...

Tabasco sounds as if... I'm assuming Uruguay River is in Uruguay.

Tabasco sounds a little bit...

Hispanic-sounding.

But Fray Bentos as well.

I know it sounds like a really odd answer,

but I think a lot of meat industry comes from South America as well.

Um...

I'm tempted to say Fray Bentos.

I think I'll go with Fray Bentos.

Fray Bentos is your answer.

You got it right, and that is actually a very tough question,

so well done. Very well done.

It sounds like the silly one, the made-up one.

OK, Dave, your question.

Tasmania lies approximately 150 miles south

of which state of Australia?

Victoria.

Straight in there.

Victoria is the right answer. Well done.

Tremendous Knowledge Dave strikes again.

Second question for you, Iain.

Cromarty is a sea port on which British peninsula?

This is an easy one for me.

My older brother comes from the Black Isle.

A place called Avoch.

And it's very close to Cromarty,

so my answer is the Black Isle.

Black Isle is the right answer.

So you haven't mapped the Black Isle yet?

I have been up to the Black Isle on mapping expeditions

before my brother moved there. Yeah, I have been there for mapping.

Amazing! How much of this country have you done yourself, personally?

All over Scotland and northern England.

As far south as Middlesbrough from the Scottish office.

Brilliant. OK, Dave, your question.

In which country, Dave, is the ski resort of Sestriere?

Right, there's no accents? No, there are no accents.

If there's no accents, I'm going to go Italy.

You've got it in one, Dave. Well done. Italy is right.

Iain, your third question.

What is the approximate population of Somalia?

Somalia. Um...

I'm thinking population-wise and I'm thinking

UK's not far off just over 50 million.

And Somalia's a bigger country.

Whether it's populous or not...

I'm going to go for...

50 million. In the middle.

You're going to be surprised, because it's 10 million.

Many fewer than you might think.

Dave, you've had some good rounds recently.

You've put the jinx on now!

Sorry! I didn't mean to do that.

Here we go.

In terms of volumes of water,

what is the largest tributary of the Mississippi River?

I've got to go, on this one...

I've got to go with the Ohio River.

What's your logic there?

Just that I thought it was a tributary of the Mississippi,

so Ohio's my answer.

Well done, Dave. Ohio River it is.

Iain, I'm sorry, because this is a really good subject for you,

but you've been knocked out by an Egghead.

A Tremendous Knowledge Egghead as well, so you won't be in the final round.

Please, both of you, come back here and rejoin your teams.

As it stands, the Geckos have now lost a brain from the final round.

The Eggheads haven't lost any.

The next subject is Music.

Got to get some Teenage Fanclub in here.

Which of you would like Music?

Will I take the poisoned chalice?

I think it's Mark. That'll be myself. OK, Mark.

Against which Egghead? What do you reckon, guys?

I think Judith. Judith. I'm going to take on Judith.

Very decisive. How are we feeling on Music now, Judith?

Well, we never feel terribly good about Music.

OK, so it is Mark from the Geckos versus Judith from the Eggheads.

And to ensure there's no conferring, would you please take your positions.

So, we're on Music. Mark, you can choose to go first or second.

I'd like to play first, please.

Mark, here's your first question.

What was the title of the 1989 worldwide hit for the group Kaoma?

I do remember this for some particularly dodgy foreign holidays

of my youth,

and I believe it was the Lambada.

It was the Lambada. Well done.

First one to you. OK, Judith.

In the lyrics of a Beatles song,

which bird is singing in the dead of night?

I think it's blackbird.

# Blackbird singing in the dead of night. # You're right.

That's what I did in my head. Blackbird is the right answer.

OK, over to you, Mark.

Who had a 1974 UK hit single

with One Man Band?

One Man Band. Now, it sounds familiar,

but I can't straight off say who was in it,

so let me try and eliminate it.

It doesn't sound like a Leo Sayer type thing to me,

so I'll knock him out straight away.

So between David Essex and Gilbert O'Sullivan,

and I'm veering towards Gilbert O'Sullivan.

I'd like to put that forward as my answer.

It's tricky. They're very similar artists in a way

and obviously the same period as well. It is Leo Sayer.

Oh, well!

You learn something new every day.

OK, Judith, your chance to go ahead.

For which musical role did Martine McCutcheon controversially win

an Olivier Award in 2002,

having missed many performances?

Well, Sally Bowles is Cabaret, isn't it?

I don't know what Julie Jordan... I think it was Eliza Doolittle.

Eliza Doolittle is correct.

OK, so, Judith, you're ahead.

Mark, you need this one.

Pressure's on! We've got trouble.

The oratorio Elijah,

first performed in 1846, was by which composer?

OK. This is not my strong point whatsoever.

And, er...

Quite a tricky one for me.

I don't think it's Mendelssohn,

because...I don't think it's Mendelssohn!

I'm going to go,

looking between Meyerbeer and Massenet,

I think I'm going to go down the left-hand side

and go for Meyerbeer.

My pronunciation could be wrong.

It's actually not Meyerbeer.

I'm sorry to say it's Mendelssohn.

Twice I've done that.

Sorry, Mark. So actually no way back in this round.

Judith has taken the round on Music

and she will be in the final.

Please come back to us here.

So, as it stands, the Geckos have lost two brains from the final

whilst the Eggheads have not lost any.

Any change in strategy now?

I think we'll start answering the questions correctly!

That is quite a good plan.

The next subject is Arts & Books.

Who would like this one? Not, obviously, Mark or Iain.

David, I think that's... OK. I'll take that.

David? Yes.

Against an Egghead. Not Judith or Dave.

I think Barry. Barry?

Barry, please.

David, we wish you well.

David from the Geckos against Barry on Arts & Books.

Please go to the Question Room.

Arts & Books. David, you can choose the first or second set of questions.

I'll go first, please.

And here we go. In 2012, who wrote the book Celebrate,

containing tips on recipes and crafts

suitable for celebrations throughout the year?

Um, I believe...

I remember vaguely something in the back of my mind about seeing this

in newspapers.

I think it was Pippa Middleton.

Spot on. Well done. Pippa Middleton.

Barry, your question.

The ballet A Simple Man was inspired by the life and works

of which artist?

Well, it certainly wouldn't have been Salvador Dali.

He was anything but simple.

And I think Vincent van Gogh was much too intense

to be described as simple. It was LS Lowry.

It was indeed LS Lowry.

That's the answer. One each.

Back to you, David.

Which PG Wodehouse story describes Jeeves's arrival

as Bertie Wooster's valet?

When I was a lot younger, I did read

several of the PG Wodehouse books.

Er...

I can't recall when Jeeves arrived.

For no reason other than it's something in the back of my mind,

I'm going to say Jeeves Takes Charge.

Jeeves Takes Charge is correct.

Playing well, David. Well done.

Over to Barry. Let's see how he goes.

See if the Teenage Fanclub fans

can get a person in the final here.

Barry, which building is mentioned in the title

of the Wordsworth poem which begins,

"Five years have passed;

"Five summers, with the length Of five long winters"?

I think that's the poem

Lines Composed Five Miles Above Tintern Abbey,

so my answer's Tintern Abbey.

Tintern Abbey is correct.

OK, so it's two each.

David, get this, put a bit of pressure on Barry.

He might crack - he is an egg.

29 Great George Street, London

was the first home of which institution?

This one I don't know.

29 Great George Street? 29 Great George Street in London.

I'm really guessing on this. It's not something I know.

And I'm going to have to go with the Tate Gallery.

Let's see if the Eggheads know. Anyone?

National Portrait Gallery?

Yes, Barry, you're right.

National Portrait Gallery it is, David.

So you got it wrong,

and Barry has the chance to take the round.

The Bibemus Quarries in France

were a particular inspiration to which artist?

The Bibemus Quarries.

I don't think it was Manet.

It doesn't sound like his sort of thing at all.

But it could be either Cezanne or Pissarro.

Cezanne was famous for painting Mont Sainte-Victoire.

I'm just wondering if the Bibemus Quarries

were related to part of that mountain.

So on that very specious premise,

I shall go for Cezanne.

If you've got it right, you're in the final round.

The answer is Cezanne. Well done, Barry.

Yes, that kind of blocky painting... He did do quarries

and he liked the Bibemus Quarries, and you're in the final.

David, sorry - you've been knocked out

by our Eggheads.

Both of you, please come back here and we'll play on.

So, as it stands, the Geckos have lost three brains from the final round

whilst the Eggheads haven't lost any.

But don't worry - we've seen even a single player take them apart in the last round.

So you very much are still able to win. Don't give up.

The next subject is Film & Television.

Who have we got on this? I can give it a go. Lorraine, OK.

Which Egghead - Pat or Kevin?

Kevin? What do you think?

Go for Kevin?

ALL TALK AT ONCE

Right, I'll go for Kevin.

It was like a little whispering that became a murmur that became a cry of "Kevin"!

ALL LAUGH

Gradually the certainty built.

So Lorraine from the Geckos versus Kevin from the Eggheads.

To ensure there's no conferring, please take your positions.

It's Film & Television. Lorraine, you can choose the first or second set of questions.

I'd like to go first, please.

Here we go. In 2000, a character called Sarah Sugden

died in a barn fire in which TV soap?

I don't really watch any of these,

but because of the barn...

..theme, I think I might go for Emmerdale.

And the farm.

Good logic. You got it right.

Emmerdale is correct.

So you're in the lead. Over to Kevin.

What is the title of the 2012 film

starring Chris O'Dowd

about an Australian singing group who entertain

US troops during the Vietnam War?

It's not one I've managed to catch up with yet,

though I did mean to see it.

Its release was a bit limited.

It's based on the story of a real group,

and they're called the Sapphires.

Yes, it is. The Sapphires is correct.

Lorraine,

Nixon Versus Kennedy

and Blowing Smoke

are episodes from which US drama?

I'm thinking...

House is a medical-based drama.

Six Feet Under is about undertakers.

I'm just thinking Mad Men,

but I don't know if that's too early.

I'll go with Mad Men. SHE SIGHS

No need to sigh - you've got it right.

Well done.

It's roughly that period, isn't it?

OK, Kevin.

In which year was the panel show Never Mind The Buzzcocks

first seen on British TV?

Never Mind The Buzzcocks. I don't know this.

I don't think it was as early as 1990.

I'm not inclined to think it was as late as 2002 either, so...

I'm having slight second thoughts now about 19...

..90.

I'll go for '96.

Aaargh!

You were so close to going for the wrong answer,

then you went for the right one.

I'm emitting that sound on behalf of the challengers.

1996 is the right answer.

OK, sorry, Lorraine.

You were almost in the lead over Kevin, which means all to play for.

You can still do it.

Who starred as restaurant owner Tom Stall

in the 2005 film A History Of Violence?

I've not even heard of this film.

So...

I'm thinking Viggo Mortensen was out round about that time,

so I'm going to go with him.

And discount the rest.

Viggo Mortensen is the right answer. Well done. Three out of three.

Good play. Very good play

from our Gecko here.

Kevin, if you get this wrong, you'll be knocked out.

Ruby Catherine Stevens was the original name

of which Hollywood actress?

That was Barbara Stanwyck.

With such certainty as well!

Barbara Stanwyck is correct. Well done.

So it means it's three-all after three questions,

and we go to Sudden Death.

Lorraine, it's a touch harder,

because I don't give you alternative answers. Here we go.

Your question. In 2012,

Andrew Simpson played the title character

in the BBC's modern retelling of which Charles Dickens novel?

I'm trying to think.

I don't know if that's the one he never finished.

I'll just go with Little Dorrit, but I know that's not the answer.

It's Nicholas Nickleby.

A chance for Kevin here.

In 2022, Kevin, the novelist Will Self

became a team captain on which TV comedy show?

Yes...yes, I know he's the captain on something,

but it's not something I've seen.

I have a vague recollection of something,

but I can't remember which one it is.

No, I'll... 8 Out Of 10 Cats. It's not that.

No, it's not. It's Shooting Stars.

Back to you, Lorraine. Sudden Death. Here we go.

Who played Pontius Pilate

in the 1979 film Monty Python's Life Of Brian?

I don't know if it was one of them, but I'll say Terry Jones.

No, it was Michael Palin.

Played with a slight problem with pronouncing the letter R,

so he says, "Stwike him, Centuwion, vewy woughly!"

That is the famous line.

If you get this one right, Kevin,

you are in the final round.

Which American businessman born in 1946

is the central figure in a controversial 2011 documentary film

by the director Anthony Baxter?

Born in 1946, so...

..mid-60s.

Hmm.

I'll try Donald Trump.

The film is You've Been Trumped and it is Donald Trump.

Well done. You've got it.

Donald Trump it is.

Sorry, Lorraine, you've been knocked out as well. That's OK.

Really sorry, but you've played well there.

We are now going to play, if you two come back to us, the final round.

This is what we've been playing towards.

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

But I'm afraid those of you who lost your head-to-heads

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

So that is Iain, David, Mark and Lorraine

from the Geckos,

who've taken a bit of a pounding here.

Would you please leave the studio.

OK, Kevin, this is the moment

on behalf of all the Geckos, for whom you are playing to win £19,000.

£19,000.

Barry, Pat, Judith, Kevin, Dave,

of course, you're playing for something money can't really buy,

which is the Eggheads' reputation.

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

This time the questions are all General Knowledge.

You are allowed to confer.

Sorry if that doesn't help you very much, but I need to say it.

So, Kevin, the question here really is

whether your one brain

can take out these five.

We've seen it done. You can do it.

Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first. I'll follow the trend.

Here we go. Good luck, Kevin.

An anvil is an essential tool

for which traditional worker?

OK, um...

I'll cut straight to the chase here.

An anvil, beloved of cartoons

and Warner Brothers, is the tool of a blacksmith.

It is the tool of the blacksmith. You're quite right.

Bet you're thinking of Tom and Jerry. Absolutely.

They always came in handy.

Eggheads, which word is used to describe tea

which has been brewed for too long and become bitter?

ALL: Stewed.

That's stewed tea.

Stewed tea is correct.

Kevin. Madonna and Tiger

are types of which flower?

Horticulture not really a strong point of mine.

Madonna crocus, Madonna dahlia...

Tiger crocus, Tiger dahlia...

Tiger lily.

Tiger Lily is the name of

one of Michael Hutchence and Paula Yates's daughter.

So with that spurious logic, I'll try lily.

Go for lily.

Lily is the correct answer. Well done.

You were using brilliant logic there!

OK, Eggheads, to catch up...

The Spanish word "vaquero"

can be translated as what?

Cowboy. Cowboy. Cowboy.

Cowboy? Yes.

That's cowboy.

Cowboy is the right answer.

OK, Kevin. Here's your third question. Get this right.

There's £19,000 up here and really, it can happen.

Charlotte Rhead,

spelt R-H-E-A-D,

who died in 1947,

was best known as a designer of what, Kevin? Take your time here.

Well, it's not a name I've come across before.

It's not an interest, really,

of mine, any of these things in particular.

Through watching things like the Antiques Roadshow,

the big names in ceramics...

Your Susie Coopers, etc, I'd maybe have a clue about that.

Stained glass...

is not really something I'd associate too much...

..with the early 20th century.

Although I may be wrong in that, because I genuinely don't know.

Which would leave me with

textiles.

And I think that's the only answer I can probably give,

because it's not something I have heard of before,

so I'll have to try textiles for my answer.

OK. To see if textiles is right, let me ask the Eggheads.

Not too sure. You don't really know?

Oooh!

Well, that's the definition of a hard question.

It's wrong. It's ceramics.

Sorry.

Let's hope...

Let's hope they trip up

and we go to Sudden Death. If they get this one right, they've taken the contest.

Which British fighting force has the motto

"Utrinque Paratus",

meaning "ready for anything"?

I don't think it's the Household Cavalry, do you?

Utrinque Paratus.

I don't THINK that's the Special Boat Service.

But I might be...

Ready for anything does seem to...

Utrinque Paratus... They chose it because of parachute and paratus?

That's...

Well, it's not beyond the bounds of possibility.

I thought I'd heard the Special Boat Service one

and that it was something different.

But I may be entirely wrong there.

I don't think it's the Household Cavalry.

I'd go for the Paras.

I'm inclined to think of the Paras, but I don't know either.

Rings a vague bell, but that would be guesswork.

Total guesswork.

So it is a guess?

ALL TALK AT ONCE

We're going to guess at the Parachute Regiment.

Very interesting watching you reason this out,

because obviously, the word "paratus" and parachute are similar

and subconsciously maybe you're connecting them

and then I wondered if you'd wander away

and decide that wasn't the connection to make.

But you didn't. You stuck with it

and you actually stuck with...

..the correct answer.

Parachute Regiment it is.

So we have to say congratulations, Eggheads.

You have won.

I could see you thinking

you could have got the logic there and gone to the same answer. I'd have gone for the same answer.

I'm sorry. You played well, Kevin,

and they could easily have got that wrong. You could easily have got yours right.

Within a whisker of the £19,000. Luck.

Luck plays a big part in the questions you're given.

Maybe we should have that as OUR motto now!

"Luck plays a big part"?

No, "ready for anything"!

Don't go there, Barry!

LAUGHTER

Well, commiserations to Kevin and the team of Geckos.

It's been lovely to see you all.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them and their winning streak continues.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £19,000.

I don't mean to rub it in.

That means the money rolls over to our next show.

£20,000 on the next show.

Eggheads, congratulations.

Who will beat you?

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

have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

Yup, £20,000 says they don't.

Till then, goodbye.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd