Episode 83 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

are Quakers Reunited.

This team of friends

all have a connection with Darlington,

a town famous for the influence of Quakers families

during the Victorian era. Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Chris, I'm 51, and I'm a company director.

Hi, I'm Adam, I'm 42 and I'm a civil servant.

Hi, I'm Keith, I'm 50, and I'm a civil servant.

Hi, I'm Dan, I'm 47 and I'm a company director.

Hi, I'm Kevin, I'm 51 and I'm a PE Teacher.

So, Chris and team, welcome. Good to see you.

-Hi.

-Hi.

Tell us about where you all come from in Darlington and what brought you together.

We've more or less...most of us have known each other since schooldays.

We've moved to different parts of the country, but every year we get back together,

hence the Reunited.

-And the Quakers thing is very big historically in Darlington, is it?

-Yeah.

They basically led the town, certainly in Victorian times.

All the key men in the town were Quakers and the football.

-I was going to say the football club has the nickname...

-It is, it's the Quakers.

Some of these football club nicknames are actually really properly rooted

-in something historical, aren't they?

-Mmm.

Good luck. I hope you make them quake! That's the main thing.

Every day there is £1,000 worth 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, Quakers Reunited, the Eggheads have won the last 33 games!

I've never seen a jackpot this big in my time on the show,

it's £34,000, that says you can't beat them today.

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

You can tell us who wants this.

-Oh, Chris.

-Chris is going to go for it.

-It looks like it's me.

-OK, Chris, the skipper of the Quakers, against which Egghead?

-I don't know...

-Judith, go with Judith.

-No.

-Dave.

-Yeah, go with Dave.

Tremendous Knowledge Dave, please.

OK, Chris from Quakers Reunited against Tremendous Knowledge Dave from the Eggheads on Geography.

And just to ensure there is no conferring, would you please take your positions in the Question Room?

Chris, you've started a personal challenge to scale some peaks.

Yes, we started with all the highest peaks in the British Isles and it's spread to Western Europe now.

-So how many ones in the UK did you do first?

-We did the four in the UK, Great Britain...

England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

You better say...the quizzers will probably know them, but just tell us which ones they are.

Snowdon, Ben Nevis, Carrauntoohil and Scaffell.

-And you've been up them and you're going wider now?

-Yes. We've done Germany, Zugspitze,

and we're working towards some bigger ones perhaps later this year or early next year.

OK, so Tremendous Knowledge Dave against Chris on Geography.

Chris, you can choose the first or second set of questions.

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

Here is your first question.

The Bois de Vincennes is a park just to the east of which European city?

The title suggests it wouldn't be Rome. It sounds French to me.

I think I'll go for Paris.

Paris is correct. Well done.

Here we go with Tremendous Knowledge Dave

on Geography.

What is the name of the body of water, an inlet of the Atlantic,

which lies between the states of Connecticut and New York?

Never heard of it!

I struggle with American geography.

I'm going to go Long Island Flats, but I don't think it's right.

-Eggheads? Do you know?

-Sound.

-Sound is actually the answer. Not very easy to guess.

-No.

Long Island Sound. OK, Chris, you're in the lead. How easy was that?

What word follows Market and West in the names of places along the River Welland in Lincolnshire?

I'm not sure.

I've heard of Deeping...

Market Deeping, so I think I'll go with Market Deeping.

It is indeed Market Deeping, well done.

Dave, your question.

The country of Luxembourg is approximately how many square miles in area?

Small duchy...

Is it 1,000 or 100?

I'll go with 1,000 square miles.

1,000 is the right answer.

So, he's got a point.

But even so, Chris, if you get this one right, you will have knocked Dave out.

The Atalante basin is a briny region of which sea?

Right...

I don't really know.

I've not heard of any salty basins in the Mediterranean

or for that matter any of those...

but I'm just drawn towards the Caribbean for some reason,

so I'm going to go Caribbean.

No, no, no.

Mediterranean is the answer.

So you may have let Dave back in. Dave, your question.

The Wapusk National Park in Canada takes its name from the Cree word for

and is one of the largest protection areas for which creature?

So the national park is spelled W-A-P-U-S-K.

I haven't got a clue.

I'm going to go down the middle, harp seal.

Harp seal is incorrect. It's polar bear. So, Chris, well done.

You've taken that first round.

Edging just a tiny bit closer to this jackpot of £34,000!

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

So, Chris, well done! The Earthquakers, really!

Let's see if you can get that jackpot. It's getting a little bit closer.

The Eggheads of course have got it in them to fight back, we know that!

As it stands Quakers Reunited have not lost a brain, the Eggheads have.

Let's go to the next subject which is Music.

So who would like this? Music.

-What do we think, guys?

-It's got to be Adam.

-It's got to be me, hasn't it?

-I think it's me, Jeremy.

-Adam on Music. Which Egghead? Obviously, can't be Dave.

-Oh...

-Where are we going with this one?

-What about Pat?

-You think Pat? Pat?

-Pat.

-Go on, Pat.

Adam from Quakers Reunited versus Pat from the Eggheads.

To ensure there is no conferring, would you please take your positions in the Question Room?

So did I detect you were just a slightly reluctant volunteer on Music, Adam?

No, absolutely not. I'm well up for this...not!

OK. Well, you can choose the first or second set of questions.

Given it's not my chosen subject, I think I shall go first.

I suppose I should ask what your chosen subject would have been?

Film & Television. Love the settee.

OK. Well, obviously that's going to come up next. It must do.

So here's your question. Good luck.

"Earth stood hard as iron" is a line in the first verse of which Christmas carol?

Sounds a bit dreary for Ding Dong Merrily On High,

so I think I'll rule that out first.

Probably not The Holly And The Ivy,

so I think that would lead me to go down the middle,

In The Bleak Mid-Winter.

And you got it right. In The Bleak Mid-Winter is the right answer.

Your question, Pat.

In which year was Karma Chameleon a UK number one single for Culture Club?

It's quite a long time ago.

Don't think it's the '70s.

I think the '90s are too recent.

I think I'll have to go for 1983.

It's the right year. '83.

Adam, your question.

On the cover of their album The Circus the members of Take That are shown doing what?

Oh, I know nothing about Take That.

I can imagine it's probably not lion taming.

I don't think it's juggling.

Something makes me want to go by instinct tightrope walking.

So I'm going to choose that.

Very good, you're right! Tightrope walking.

Good quizzer here!

Goes unerringly to the right answer. Pat, your question.

What nationality is the girl in Algiers in the title of Rossini's opera?

I think she's an Italian Girl In Algiers,

so she's Italian.

You could have guessed French because of the connection there,

but not so. Italian is the right answer.

2 out of 2 for you both.

We crack on. Adam, your third question.

Put him under pressure if you get this one right.

Which musician whose original surname was Gillis

adopted his wife's surname on their marriage in 1996?

Crikey!

Something tells me to shy away from Michael Bolton, so I'll do that.

That leaves me with Ryan Adams and Jack White.

Ryan Adams is relatively new, I think.

And because it's a guess I'm going to go down the middle

with Jack White.

-Is he right, Eggheads?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, you're right. Again!

Considering it's not your home territory, you're doing brilliantly.

Playing with assurance. Pat, if you get this wrong,

you're out of the contest and you'll be the second Egghead to go.

2LO Calling, a piece celebrating 90 years of BBC radio broadcasting

was written by which musician?

I think I have a memory of Damon Albarn putting together

not exactly a piece of music, but a collection of sounds...

..to do with the history of the BBC.

So I think I'll have to go for Damon Albarn.

You said Damon Albarn.

It is actually the man from Blur. You're quite right, Damon Albarn.

You got it. Well, I'm sorry, Adam,

he couldn't be shaken off very easily, but he is a brilliant player, our Pat.

So we go to Sudden Death and it becomes a bit more difficult,

-because I don't give you alternative answers. Are you ready?

-No!

No choice, I'm afraid.

Which song, a UK hit in 2012, opens with the words,

"This is the end, hold your breath and count to ten"?

"This is the end..." I'm really, really struggling.

Trying to think...

Could be something by... I don't know.

Sorry, I can't come up with an answer, I really can't.

-You want to pass?

-Pass, please.

-Pat, you answer, do you know?

-No, I don't know.

-It's very difficult to go from lyrics.

-I think it's Skyfall.

-Yeah, it is. Skyfall by Adele!

-So you will have heard it many, many times.

-Yes, absolutely.

Of course you hear it, but you don't necessarily clock the lyrics.

So that means, Pat,

if you get this one right, you're in the final round.

The Welsh classical musician Claire Jones, who played at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge,

is most associated with which instrument?

I think she's a harpist. So it's the harp.

If you've got this right, you're in the final, Pat. Do you think he's got it right?

-Yeah, I think he has.

-His certainty was, I must say, disappointing from your point of view.

Pat, you're right. It is the harp. You're in the final.

Adam, sorry, you played brilliantly there, but you've been knocked out.

No worries. Thank you.

Please, both of you, rejoin your team-mates and we'll play on.

So, as it stands, Quakers Reunited have now lost a brain from the final.

The Eggheads have also lost a brain.

And we'll see what happens next with History.

Who would like History?

Tricky!

-Was it your second?

-History...

It's you or Dan. It's you or Dan.

We spoke about this last night. Were you going to take it?

-OK.

-Yeah, let's go.

Sometimes the discussion here is almost as entertaining as the game itself.

Not for us, it's not!

-So is that Dan we ended up with?

-I think we ended up with Dan.

-I think it's probably Dan, yeah.

Dan on History and against which Egghead? Judith, Kevin or Daphne?

-Not Daphne.

-What a choice.

-Try Kevin.

-Go on!

-You really are falling on your sword.

-Here's your sword!

I can't take on Kevin, then, can I? Kevin v Kevin!

-Why don't you go Daphne, then?

-Daphne, then.

-Go for it.

I'll take on Daphne.

OK, so Dan from Quakers Reunited against Daphne on History!

Let's see how you both do. Please go to the Question Room now.

Good luck in this round. Dan, would you like to go first or second?

I think I'll go second, Jeremy.

OK, Daphne, here is your first History question.

The New Forest in Southern England was created as a hunting ground for which monarch?

I can just imagine Victoria charging along!

It's William I.

I was indeed William I. Correct.

OK, Dan, over to you.

The Romanov dynasty of Russia was overthrown during which war?

Well, the War of the Roses was different factions in this country,

so it certainly wasn't that.

And I know a little bit about the First World War

in terms of when the overthrow of the old Tsarist empire was.

I'm going to go First World War, Jeremy.

-Completely right. World War I. Well done.

-Thank you.

OK, Daphne, your question.

In the 19th century, Decimus Burton was a leading name in which field?

Well, actually, I've never heard of him.

Oh, dear!

I can't see that it's music...

Reform...

Prison reform.

Well, your guessing is amazing...

-Until now?

-But not on this occasion!

-Architecture?

-It's a very rare moment... Yes, it is architecture.

..for you to go the wrong way, Daphne.

Architecture in the answer. She's let you in here, Dan.

-Maybe going second was a good idea.

-Perhaps.

-Here's your question.

In the Spanish colonies of the Americas and West Indies, what was a pistareen?

Pistareen is spelled P-I-S-T-A-R-E-E-N.

Well, I don't know the answer, but I'm trying to think about the word,

and the only connection I can make is with the word piste,

obviously, from skiing, which I know means a slope,

so you wouldn't need a pirate or a coin to get you up a slope,

so I'm going to go with draught horse, Jeremy.

Yeah, I could see the argument. It's not the right answer, though.

The correct answer is coin.

So it's 1 each. Daphne, your question.

Which 6th-century monk is credited with inventing the Anno Domini era, used in the modern calendar?

Once again, absolutely no idea!

Why should you call somebody weak or small, even?

All right, John the Silent.

Daphne, your little internal sat nav is taking you all over the place!

-It's not the right answer. It's Dennis the Small.

-Is it?

Dan, if you get this one right,

-you are in the final round.

-OK.

New Earswick, a model village in North Yorkshire, was founded by which philanthropist?

Well, I should know this, Jeremy, because I live in North Yorkshire.

So I'm going to be a bit embarrassed if I get it wrong.

I have heard of the village, New Earswick,

but I'm aware that all of those three Victorian philanthropists

did establish villages.

I think the thing I'm going to go with is that I know

the Rowntree Foundation is based in York,

there's a very strong connection between Rowntree and York,

so I think I'm going to go with Joseph Rowntree, Jeremy.

Good logic, Dan, you got it right. Joseph Rowntree it is. New Earswick.

So, you are in the final round as well.

We've got a great contest going on here. Daphne, it doesn't happen very often

-but you've been knocked out. Bye-bye!

-Bye-bye.

Well, come back to us and we will play on.

As it stands Quakers Reunited have lost one brain.

They have now knocked out two Eggheads, though.

So we have a contest on!

The next subject is Film & Television! Adam, I know this was yours.

So who's going to go for this, then?

Shall I do it? It'll have to be me, yeah.

-It's my third-choice subject.

-It can be Judith or Kevin.

Didn't you have an ambition to face Kevin?

-Well, yes, Kevin v Kevin!

-Your choice, is that what you want?

-Yes, please.

OK, so the two Kevins, do go to the Question Room.

So, Kevin, you wanted to play Kevin.

Yes, I'm regretting it slightly now, but it seemed a good idea at the time.

No, it's a great idea. Is that because you watch the show?

Yes, I do watch the show. It was me that started the whole thing and got them all interested.

-Oh, well, we really appreciate that.

-Thank you.

So you're doing Film & Television versus the other Kevin from the Eggheads.

And, Kevin, do you want to go first or second?

I'll go second, please, thank you.

Here is your question, Kevin from the Eggheads.

Stuart Miles, Tim Vincent and Barney Harwood have all been regular presenters of which TV programme?

Well, before the choices came up,

I thought I associated the name Tim Vincent with Blue Peter.

I don't recollect any of them in relation to Countdown

or The One Show, so we'll go with Blue Peter.

Blue Peter is correct.

Over to you, Kevin

from Quakers Reunited.

India Fisher found fame providing the voiceover on which television programme?

Er...India Fisher? Not heard the name.

Fairly certain it's not Big Brother.

Doesn't sound very Geordie.

I'll have to say Masterchef, though I'm not very confident.

-You're right, you got it. Masterchef is right.

-Thank you.

So Masterchef is the answer. Well done.

Other Kevin now. Which 1988 film features a fortune-telling machine called Zoltar Speaks?

-I assume that's, not that it's going to help, Z-O-L-T-A-R?

-Correct.

It doesn't ring any bells at all.

A fortune-telling machine called Zoltar Speaks?

The only sort of thing that I can latch on to, I've no idea, really,

is that there is the time-travel element in...

or sort of time-travel element, body-swapping, in Big.

And this may be something that triggered it.

I'm going for Big.

Typical! You got it right.

I thought you were in there, Kevin, other Kevin. Here is your question.

Which 1973 science-fiction film set in 2022 stars Charlton Heston as Thorn, a New York detective?

I think It Came From Outer Space is a bit early.

Soylent Green, heard of it, not seen it.

I'm drawn towards The Omega Man. The Omega Man.

I've certainly heard of The Omega Man,

but it's not the right answer, Kevin. It's Soylent Green.

The Omega Man, is that a Charlton Heston film?

-I think Charlton Heston's in that, yeah.

-Right.

It's unlucky, because they were both around the same sort of time as well.

Kevin, your question. Kevin from the Eggheads, you get this right,

you're in the final round.

Who plays the title role in the 1994 film Guarding Tess?

I don't think it's one I've seen.

I hope I'm thinking of the right film.

I think the Tess in question is something like the First Lady...

who gets stuck in some sort of situation...

Now, which of those was it?

Cos they've all played those sort of roles later in their careers...

My inkling is that it's Shirley MacLaine.

So Shirley MacLaine.

Shirley MacLaine...

is correct.

Kevin, you got 3 out of 3 as you are wont to do!

Well, there we are,

Kevin from the challengers. You've been knocked out, I'm afraid.

But if you come back to us we will play the final round.

So 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 Adam and Kevin from Quakers Reunited,

but it's also Dave and Daphne from the Eggheads.

Would you please now leave the studio?

Chris, Keith and Dan, you are playing to win Quakers Reunited £34,000.

Pat, Judith and Kevin, you are playing for something that money can't buy,

the Eggheads' reputation.

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

This time, the questions are all General Knowledge,

and you are allowed to confer.

So, Quakers Reunited, the question is, are your three brains better than the Eggheads' three over here?

So, Chris, Keith and Dan, would you like to go first or second?

We'll go first, Jeremy.

All the best to you, here we go.

The Gambinos and the Genoveses are two of the most famous crime families

operating out of which city?

-Wow!

-Who was the head of the Mafia?

-I would say New York.

There's always the danger of it being too obvious

-if it's the first question.

-I think it's right, though.

-I've never heard of crime families in Seattle.

-No.

-Or Nashville.

-New York.

-It's got to be New York.

-We agreed?

-Yeah.

-New York, Jeremy.

-New York is the right answer.

Well done.

OK, Eggheads, your question.

What type of garment is an Ulster?

-Overcoat.

-It's an overcoat, isn't it?

-Pat?

-Is it an overcoat?

-Yeah, I think so.

We think that that's an overcoat.

The right answer is overcoat. So 1 point each.

Second question to you. £34,000 we're playing for here.

Quakers Reunited, who appeared alongside Desperate Dan in the last printed edition of the Dandy

in 2012?

Wow!

-Any views?

-I've got no view.

We're going to have to work this out.

We're going to have to work through this one.

-Alongside Desperate Dan...?

-In 2012 as well.

-I can't imagine Cliff Richard.

-I can't see Cliff Richard.

It's a gut feeling, but I can't see it.

What would be the connection? Desperate Dan's not Scottish, is he?

-The connection with Rod Stewart.

-He's not Scottish, I don't think so.

No, the Dandy might be Scottish.

Yes, the company that print it is.

I remember there was a big TV thing about it closing down.

Let's eliminate Cliff Richard,

so it's between Paul McCartney and Rod Stewart.

Why would Paul McCartney have a connection with Desperate Dan?

-Well, he's got Mull Of Kintyre...

-It's a bit tenuous.

It is a tenuous connection, but he's got connections.

I'm feeling Rod Stewart...

Cos it's closing down, they'd want to celebrate it locally, no?

They printed it there for 90 years.

The only thing is his father was Scottish,

but he isn't actually Scottish. He was born in London, really.

-That's true.

-But I imagine the character looks more in keeping...

-Desperate Dan...

-Rod Stewart with all his tartan...

You're right, that's a good point. You wouldn't see Paul McCartney...

Larger than life.

You've got to translate it to a comic strip, haven't you?

It's a vague one, but I feel more comfortable with Rod Stewart.

-I'm feeling that way too. What do you think?

-34 grand!

Shall we go with Rod Stewart? Yeah?

-I think so.

-OK. We're going to go for Rod Stewart, Jeremy.

Your answer is Rod Stewart.

I'm a big Dandy fan, but I missed this though.

-Eggheads, do you know?

-Paul McCartney.

Sorry, guys, Paul McCartney is the answer.

Eggheads, your question to take the lead.

What is the name of the architectural style,

particularly associated with Scottish buildings,

which is based on the features of medieval castles?

-Baronial.

-Scottish baronial.

-Scottish baronial.

-Abbotsford and all that.

-Yeah.

It's not princely or ducal.

That's baronial, Scottish baronial.

Baronial is the right answer.

You need to get this one right to stay in the contest, guys.

£34,000 is the jackpot. Here we go.

Which plant is named after the American Minister to Mexico

who introduced it into the United States?

American minister...?

-The Mexican...

-The Minister to Mexico...?

Well, I assume he's like an ambassador.

-So he's not going to have a Mexican name.

-No.

There's a few different angles to this, aren't they?

What kind of plants would have been there

that he would have introduced into America?

And...connections between the names?

I don't know why, but I kind of felt poinsettia straightaway.

-I don't know why.

-I did as well.

Saintpaulia sounds more like something to do with Saint Paul,

doesn't it, rather than...?

-Saintpaulia? Dahlia?

-Dahlia just doesn't work for me,

-I don't know why, though.

-I honestly don't really know.

I honestly don't know either! We're trying to work it out!

I haven't got a clue, I mean!

-What do we do...?

-Saintpaulia or poinsettia?

Quick straw poll. We're going to have to take a vote on it.

I'm going to go poinsettia.

Yeah, our instinct is poinsettia, but we don't know why.

None of us know any different, so we're all going for the same.

Last throw of the dice, eh?

We're going to go with poinsettia, Jeremy.

The Minister's name was Joel Roberts Poinsett.

-Oh!

-You got it right! Well done!

You worked your way around to it very effectively.

Round good answer, well done.

So because of the previous wrong answer,

you've let them in slightly. If they get this one right, the contest is over.

If they don't, we go to Sudden Death and then you can turn the tables on them.

Fingers crossed here for you. Eggheads, which member of the Royal Family was given the title

Baron Killyleagh when he got married?

-How do you spell...?

-One word, K-I-L-L-Y-L-E-A-G-H.

K-I-L-L-Y-L-E-A-G-H. Is it Welsh?

-No, it's Irish.

-Oh, it's Irish?

I think it's Andrew, but if you've got any better offer...

-I've nothing.

-No idea.

-I think it's Andrew, but it's nothing like 100%.

-And you don't know?

-I don't know, I'm happy to go with Kevin.

Kevin's the only one who's got any idea about this,

and so we're going to go for Prince Andrew.

You think Prince Andrew is the answer?

If you've got it wrong, you're level and we go to Sudden Death.

If you've got it right, the contest is over.

-Do you think they're right?

-They usually tend to be!

-Yeah.

Kevin's little inklings can be quite reliable.

The answer is Prince Andrew.

So we say congratulations, Eggheads, you have won.

Baron Killyleagh, Rod Stewart, my goodness, we were into obscure territory there!

Commiserations, Quakers Reunited. It's been great to see you play.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them, though,

and your winning streak continues.

I'm afraid that means that the challengers won't be going home with the £34,000.

Which means the money rolls over to our next show.

So, Eggheads, congratulations!

Who will ever beat you? I don't think they're going to!

-I think you will carry on winning for ever!

-That's done it!

-That's done it!

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

have the brains to defeat the Eggheads. £35,000 says they don't.

Until then, goodbye.

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