Episode 76 Eggheads

These people are amongst the greatest quiz players in Britain.

Together, they make up the Eggheads,

arguably the most formidable quiz team in the country.

The question is, can they be beaten?

Welcome to Eggheads, the show where a team of five quiz challengers

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

They are the Eggheads.

And taking on our awesome quiz champions today...

This team are all friends from Sheffield

and four of them are active members of the student-run charity Bummit. Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Iain. I'm 24 and I work in application management support.

Hi. I'm Waleed, I'm 21 and I'm a post-graduate science communication student.

Hi. I'm Heather, I'm 21 and I study chemistry.

Hi. I'm Adam, I'm 22 and I'm a bio-medical science student.

Hi. I'm Rich, I'm 24 and I'm an earth sciences student.

-So, Iain and team, welcome to you.

-Hi, there.

-Hi.

Tell us about Bummit. Brilliant name, by the way.

-Am I pronouncing it right?

-Yeah.

-It's not "Boomit", or anything?

-No.

-It's properly Bummit?

-It's a pun on "It's a bummer."

-To bum it.

-Yeah.

We're the world's largest,

supposedly, the world's largest student-run hitchhiking organisation.

So as well as doing other things, you're raising money via Bummit.

-Last year, we raised £87,000.

-Tremendous!

Tremendous. And you met at the same university?

-Yeah.

-OK. Do you quiz together at all?

-Few and far between!

-Few and far between. OK.

Good luck, guys. All the best against these extraordinary quizzers here.

But you never know what moods you'll find them in.

If they're feeling weak, you can take them.

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 the next show.

So, Techno Prisoners, the Eggheads have won the last 26 games,

which means the jackpot is...

-Would you like to have a go at winning it?

-Hopefully.

-Yes, please.

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

Which Techno Prisoner would like this?

It's either you or Iain, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-I'll take it.

-Yes?

-We think Rich would be our best candidate for that.

-Rich on Sport.

Against? Who looks poor compared to Rich?

I'm torn between taking someone decent in now...

They're all incredible!

On Sport, I'm going to take Kevin in.

OK. That's an interesting strategy.

So Rich from Techno Prisoners against Kevin from the Eggheads on Sport.

To make sure there's no conferring, would you go to the question room?

Rich, are you looking forward to this, Sport?

A little bit. It could go either way, so we'll see.

You're obviously doing a bit of tactics here. Do you watch the programme?

A little bit too much, I think, yes.

Is it addictive when you watch it from the outside?

It definitely can be. When you're rushing home to watch it, I think you probably need to slow down!

Don't slow down. Keep rushing. We like that.

So, Sport. Rich, would you like to go first or second?

I would like to go second, please.

Kevin, your question, then.

In motor racing, which phrase is used to describe air

which has not been affected by turbulence from other cars?

I'm not a great Formula One fan in terms of watching it very much.

I'm sure this is probably the sort of phrase that's used on the broadcasts.

But it's not one I've come across.

Well, the logical one there, I suppose, is clean air,

so I'll try that.

Clean air is right.

Ooh, that was exciting, Rich.

I thought you were going to tip him up at the first moment.

Yeah. Wish I'd gone first, now!

Well, let's see. You almost got Kevin with that question.

How many times did Martina Hingis win the Wimbledon Ladies' Singles title?

Martina Hingis was a big name in women's tennis.

I'd say it's more than one. Seven times champion,

I think numbers like that have only been drawn towards the Williams sisters.

So I'm more inclined to go with four.

-Kevin, do you know?

-I think it's just once.

It is just the once, Rich.

So you got it wrong. Just the once.

Kevin, your question.

In 2006, Charlotte Edwards became the official England women's team captain in which sport?

Yes, I think she finally called it a day around the beginning of 2013

after the last World Cup.

And it's cricket.

Cricket is correct.

Rich, your question.

The Cibi is a war dance

performed by which country's rugby team before the start of a match?

By the way, that's spelt C-I-B-I.

Cibi.

Right.

Um, I know people will be fine with the...

The only countries I associate dances before a sporting event with

tend to be the Pacific islands.

But for some reason I'm torn between Fiji and Argentina,

but I'm going to go with Fiji because of the Pacific island connection.

Excellent answer. Fiji is correct. Well done.

Woo!

So you have a point. You need Kevin to slip up here or he's got three in a row and he's in the final.

Kevin, your question. At the first Winter Olympics in 1924,

in which sport did Great Britain win their only gold medal?

I don't think - I may be wrong -

but I don't think either of the others were in the Winter Olympics at that stage,

so I'm going to go for curling.

You think luge and speed skating were not...

Came later. I'm not so certain about luge.

I'm pretty sure speed skating was a later addition.

You said curling. The answer is curling.

Kevin, you've taken the round. Rich, I'm sorry. You're knocked out.

But it's still early days for your team.

Come back to us. We'll play on.

Techno Prisoners have lost a brain from the final round.

But don't worry. There's much that can be done, and it's a gigantic jackpot.

The next subject is Arts & Books. Who would like this?

Fresh from university - perfect subject!

I'll take it.

-OK. Heather.

-Yep.

-And which Egghead do you fancy taking on here?

I think the stronger one is probably Judith. Dave, Judith.

-I'd probably go with Dave.

-I'll take Dave on, please.

Heather, from Techno Prisoners, versus Dave from the Eggheads.

See the disappointment in Daphne's face? She loves to play!

She loves to play. She smiles, like the Lorelei,

-we were saying.

-Yes.

-The sirens who lured sailors to their death!

So you've done well to avoid her.

To ensure no conferring, please take your positions in the question room.

Heather, tell us more about Bummit,

the charity that brought you together. It's hitchhiking, right?

Yep. Last year, we hitchhiked from Sheffield to Sofia in Bulgaria.

We had just about eight days to do that.

It was 400 students.

You get sponsorship for that and where does the money go at the end?

It goes to a variety of charities.

Some internationally, and some Sheffield-based.

But it covers children and women's shelters and homeless shelters.

So it covers a wide range of different charities.

Tremendous. Good luck in this round. Arts & Books, Heather.

-You can choose whether you want to go first or second.

-Can I go first, please?

Here is your question. Filius Flitwick is the head of which house at Hogwarts

in the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling?

Well, I'm a big Harry Potter fan, so this is quite apt.

I know that Slytherin's head of house is Professor Snape

and Gryffindor is Professor McGonagall,

-so the answer is Ravenclaw.

-Ravenclaw is the right answer. Well done, Heather.

Your question, Dave. In which decade was the novel Nicholas Nickleby first published?

Well, it's written by Charles Dickens, so it's 1812 to 1870.

That's the timescale he had to do that. So I presume it's the 1830s.

1830s is the right answer, Dave. Well done.

Back to you, Heather. Second question.

The 2012 novel Standing in Another Man's Grave

saw the reappearance of which fictional detective

after five years?

OK. I'm completely stumped on this one.

I'm going to have a stab in the dark and go for Charlie Resnick.

Let's see. Eggheads, do you know? Daphne, you'll know this.

I'm afraid it's John Rebus.

Your favourite detective, isn't it?

-Daphne's favourite tec, John Rebus, Heather, is the answer.

-OK.

OK, Dave,

what nationality were the artists Pieter de Hooch and Aelbert Cuyp?

They're Dutch artists.

Brilliant, Dave. Well done.

Heather, your question now.

You need to get this one right to stay in. Get it wrong, you're out.

Miss Lala at the Cirque Fernando,

depicting a Parisian acrobat

is an 1879 painting by which artist?

OK. I'm going to go for Renoir.

It's actually Degas.

-OK.

-It is Degas. Sorry, you've got two wrong and there's no way back.

So "Tremendous Knowledge Dave" is in the final.

You've having a good run, Dave.

Well, all good runs will come to an end, but I'm enjoying it at the moment!

Not today. You've done well. Heather, sorry, you've been knocked out.

Please both come back and rejoin your team-mates.

-So, Techno Prisoners, you've lost a couple.

-Unfortunately, yes.

Rich is your main tactician. Rich, what's going wrong?

I haven't a clue!

That might be the problem!

Not answering questions.

There's loads of time to turn it round. We've seen teams win with only one.

So have a crack at the next subject,

which I think should be up your street. Science.

Who is the scientist?

-You've got one at least.

-We've got three!

-Three scientists!

But that will be me, I think,

if everyone agrees.

OK, Adam on Science against Judith, Pat or Daphne?

Which one?

-Rich is saying Judith.

-Rich is saying Judith.

-You don't have to take my answer or word of it.

-But I think I agree.

-OK.

-Can I go head-to-head with Judith, please?

-Yes, by all means.

So Adam from Techno Prisoners versus Judith from the Eggheads on Science.

Let's see what happens. To ensure no conferring, can you go to the question room?

Science is the subject. Adam, you can choose to go first or second.

I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

Your first question. Ferrum is the Latin name for which metal?

I know for certain that this is iron.

So I won't use any logic. It's iron.

Spot on. Iron is correct. Well done.

Judith,

what do the human body's lachrymal glands principally produce?

If I don't win this round, I will produce tears.

Your lachrymal glands will be working, you think?

They will stop functioning.

OK. That's better than saliva, I suppose!

I'll spit!

Yes, it's the right answer.

Sort of a relief, really!

Adam, your question. See if you can pull clear of the Egghead.

What type of sub-atomic particle

is named after a 20th-century Indian physicist?

I think that Bosons and Mesons are more wild particles

that have been discovered more recently than the 20th century.

I think Fermion is...

I think... I think I'll go for Fermion.

Sorry, you're wrong with Fermion.

Boson it was.

Judith, your question to pull ahead.

In certain creatures, the Jacobson's organ is used for what?

I think that's the thing that cats have.

Their sort of sixth sense in the roof of their mouths.

And it's for smelling.

And when they do it, they open their mouths a little bit,

just like that, and they're smelling.

They are smelling. You are right.

Smelling it is. The Jacobson's organ. OK.

I hope you can't smell defeat here, Adam!

You need to get this one right. Here's your question.

What type of creature, Adam, is a smooth hound?

The first thing I thought was a dog, and obviously that is not there!

Animals are definitely not my strong point.

Smooth hound.

It sounds a sort of violent name rather than anything associated with a stoat.

So that leaves me with shark and spider.

Though logic might be lacking.

I think I'll punt for shark.

-But I'm not sure.

-Shark is the right answer. Well done.

It's feeling better now. Judith, if you get this wrong, we go to sudden death.

Carl Keenan Seyfert, the American astronomer,

was best known for his work on what?

S-E-I-F-E-R-T. Seifert. Is that...

S-E-Y-F-E-R-T. Seyfert.

S-E-Y... Seyfert.

I don't know. I don't know.

I don't know.

Let's say there's a lot of interest in meteorites and meteors at the moment,

so I'm going to say meteorites.

-Meteorites is your answer.

-It's a guess.

-OK. The answer is galaxies.

-Oh, how annoying!

Magic right, again.

-I should have gone...

-Your thing of going down the right would have served you well.

So it's tied. See, Adam?

-That's it. You're back in.

-All I needed, a bit of luck.

Exactly. Gets a tiny bit harder now, for Judith as well,

cos we go to sudden death and I do not give you alterative answers. Ready?

-I'm ready.

-Which word, from the Greek meaning "many bases"

refers to a three-dimensional geometric solid?

I haven't got a clue.

Many bases. I assume it has something which can...

..sit on the floor with many surfaces.

So it must be a multi-surfaced sort of shape.

I'm trying to think of any Greek word that I could possibly say, really.

Many bases.

I'll just plump for a high-numbered shape

and go for something like hexagonous, or... Hexagonous.

-Hexagonous?

-Yeah, complete guess, but sounds a bit Greek!

I know it's going to be wrong.

Hexagonous. Do you know, Judith?

-Polygon?

-Not quite. Polyhedron.

Judith, your question. Get this right, you're in the final round.

The enzyme renin is secreted by which organs of the body?

Kidneys.

Kidneys is the right answer. You've beaten Adam on sudden death.

Sorry, Adam, you've been knocked out. You knew that?

I knew it straight away! That is my speciality!

-Biologist.

-I've studied it so recently. That'll annoy me.

That is painful. That comes with going first, I guess.

Judith, you're in the final. Adam, you're not.

Please both return to your teams.

So, tricky times for the Techno Prisoners here.

Sorry, Adam. It's science, the broadness of it.

Yeah, it got the better of me.

We've had scientists beaten. Judith, you once beat...

-A rocket scientist!

-A rocket scientist in science!

-You did well.

As it stands, the Techno Prisoners have lost three brains from the final round.

The Eggheads have not lost a brain so far.

The next subject is Music.

Which Techno Prisoner would like to break out with Music?

I think I'll be taking that on, Jeremy.

OK, Waleed, against whom?

I think I'll go with Pat.

Yeah, cos Daphne loves her arts. So, yeah.

I think I know a bit about musical theatre, but she'd blow me out of the water!

I think we're going to go with Pat.

I love that you watch the show! It's great.

So Waleed from Techno Prisoners versus Pat from the Eggheads on Music.

Just to ensure no conferring, please go to the question room.

Waleed, what is your degree in?

I've just graduated from chemistry.

And, I gather, science communications?

Yeah, I'd just love to be on TV, to be honest!

Doing documentaries, working with kids, just generally science!

And that's all about trying to tell people that science is more interesting

than sometimes the people in lab coats make it sound!

Definitely. Science is incredible,

and I feel everyone should be able to experience it the same way I have.

So we're on music here, and I know you have a fascination with musical theatre

-which is Daphne's thing.

-Yeah.

I've always enjoyed performing in life and it's really fun being on stage

and I was recently in Guys and Dolls, and that was absolutely incredible.

So I hope musicals come up for you here.

Let's see. Again, like science, music is so broad.

But we can ask you whether you want to go first or second.

Can I go second, please?

Pat, here we go. Which song has the opening lyrics

"All the old paintings on the tombs

"They do the sand dance, don't you know?"

I think I can hear Susanna Hoffs singing it.

I think it's the intro to Walk Like an Egyptian, by the Bangles.

Clue in the words, I guess.

Walk Like an Egyptian is the right answer. Well done.

Waleed, over to you.

The brothers Mike and Noel Hogan

were founder members of which Irish band?

I don't think it's Westlife

because I know a few of the names and those names don't come up.

And neither with Boyzone.

Going right back to my youth, but that's quite hazy.

And so I'm going to have to go with The Cranberries.

The Cranberries is correct. Nice one.

Off the blocks.

See if Waleed can get into the final here.

Pat, the classical pianist Glenn Gould

could often be heard doing what on his recordings?

He was very unusual

in that he gave up concert performance very early in his career.

He was very keen on recording.

He recorded huge amounts of piano repertoire.

And he would hum along

while he was playing things like Bach.

So he tended to hum. It annoys some people when they listen to his recordings.

I can see why that would be annoying.

Humming is the right answer.

Waleed, your question.

Cecil Bustamente Campbell

better known as Prince Buster,

is most associated with which style of music?

Well, I have absolutely no idea what ska is.

Prince Buster?

Prince Buster.

Prince seems quite confident.

Calypso is quite a confident dance, so I'll go with calypso.

See if your team-mates know.

We were taking a point on calypso, just from the name.

Yeah, this kind of music came into the charts early '80s with bands like Madness.

It is Ska. And I think they had a song called Prince Buster,

-did they, Madness? Yes, they did.

-Yeah.

Paying tribute to him.

So ska is the right answer, Waleed. OK. Your question, Pat.

If you get this one right, you've got three and you'll be in the final round.

Which composer spent the last two years of his life in an asylum,

following an unsuccessful suicide attempt in 1854?

Quite a few composers have ended their days in "custody".

Well, of those three,

it's the unfortunate Robert Schumann

who threw himself into the Rhine.

Robert Schumann.

Robert Schumann is correct.

So Pat, you are in the final round.

Sorry, Waleed, you've been knocked out. No way back, cos you took the second question.

So, if you return to us, we will play that final round.

This is what we've been playing towards, the final round,

which, as always, is general knowledge.

I'm afraid those of you who lost your head-to-head won't take part in this round.

So Waleed, Heather, Adam and Richard from Techno Prisoners

would you please leave the studio?

OK, Iain, you are playing to win the Techno Prisoners £27,000.

Pat, Judith, Kevin, Dave, Daphne,

you're playing for something that money can't 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.

I know that doesn't help you much, Iain!

The question for you is, can you overwhelm these five with your one brain there?

Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first.

Best of luck to you. Take your time.

And focus.

Which comedian married the presenter Victoria Coren in 2012?

I do really recognise that name.

I think Bob Mortimer's been married a couple of times.

I do believe David Mitchell might have got married recently.

I do recognise that name.

So I'll go with David Mitchell.

Really glad you did. It's David Mitchell. Well done.

Iain, good stuff!

OK, Eggheads.

What name is given to the Sunday before Advent

when, traditionally,

Christmas puddings are made?

ALL: Stir Up Sunday.

It's the first Sunday of Advent.

Stir Up Sunday.

Yes.

Yep.

That is Stir Up Sunday.

Stir Up Sunday is the right answer.

Iain, your question.

Don't be put off by them. They look confident, but they're not at heart.

It's why they became quizzers. They're all insecure!

Which computer typeface is named after the Native American name

for Mount Rainier?

I should know this, being a computer scientist!

I think Verdana is very Italian.

Tahoma does sound very Native American.

So I'm going to go with Tahoma.

I love the way you play! Just sort of amble up to the answer there!

In the most relaxed manner, you've got it right again.

Tahoma it is.

With £27,000 to play for, this is getting interesting!

Eggheads, let's see if we can trip you up with this one.

The aerospace company Embraer

has its headquarters in which country?

I'll spell it for you.

E-M-B-R-A-E-R. Embraer.

-It's Brazil.

-Brazil.

-Brazil.

It's Brazil.

You said Brazil. You used to work for the government, Kevin.

-I was a civil servant for...

-Which department?

A couple of different... I was in Ministry of Defence.

And then later on in what became Culture, Media and Sport.

He was a spy!

You've told them now!

Brazil is the right answer.

OK. You're playing really well.

It's unfortunate they got two right.

But take your time. You're playing well.

The Battle of Sluis was part of which larger conflict?

Sluis is spelt S-L-U-I-S.

I'd like to say the spelling helped me, but I don't think it did!

The Boer War would be Africa.

Hundred Years War was French.

War of the Spanish Succession, that's Spanish.

I haven't heard of it.

I'm going to go with the Second Boer War,

but I don't really know why.

-OK. That's your answer. Second Boer War.

-Yeah.

Eggheads, any answers?

-ALL: Hundred Years War.

-You all know that one.

Yeah, it is the Hundred Years War.

We've got two out of three, which is not bad.

Eggheads, your question.

If you get this right, the contest is over.

Which English actress was Oscar-nominated

for her performances in the films Sweet and Lowdown,

and In America?

Samantha Morton.

It's Samantha Morton.

-Sure about that?

-Mm!

Samantha Morton is your answer. If it's right, the contest is over.

After three questions, you have three out of three

and we say, "Congratulations, Eggheads, you have won."

-You played with great confidence on your own, Iain.

-Thank you very much.

I know your team-mates will not be remonstrating with Iain, because he was left here!

-All by myself!

-Alone! Against the Eggheads.

-I hope you enjoyed it.

-It's been great fun.

-Great to see you.

-Good luck with the charity activities with Bummit.

-Thanks very much.

Commiserations to Techno Prisoners,

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 £27,000,

so the money rolls over to our next show.

I know it would have come in very useful.

Eggheads, congratulations. I don't think you're ever going to lose!

DAPHNE: That's it!

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

£28,000 says they don't!

Until then, goodbye!

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