Episode 85 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 challenging our resident quiz champions today are...

This team are all members of the Leeds Writers' Circle,

which at over 85 years old,

is Britain's longest-running writing group.

Let's meet them.

I'm Dennis, I'm 67, and I'm a creative writing student.

I'm Iby. I'm 89. I'm an author and public speaker.

Hi, I'm Pat. I'm 78, and I'm a freelance author.

I'm Ted, I'm 67, I'm a retired schoolteacher, and would-be author.

Hi. I'm Suzanne. I'm 53, and I'm a Masters student in Creative Writing.

-So, Dennis and team, welcome.

-ALL: Hello.

Dennis, tell us about the Writers' Circle.

We were formed in 1928.

We've a couple... As you can see, we've a couple of the founding members with us.

-I'll get into trouble.

-You're including yourself in that.

You write stuff, and read it to each other, or you read other people's stuff you just like, or what?

No, we have a meeting once a fortnight in which we read each other's material.

It's any type of writing you can think of.

And we get feedback from that. In addition to that,

we have various workshops on different types of writing.

And... And competitions throughout the year.

The arts and books section here, if it comes up, will be heavily contested.

-Am I right?

-No!

-I think so.

-Not from me.

-These are literary people here.

OK, Eggheads, and good luck to you, Pen Power, as well.

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

However, if they fail to defeat the Eggheads, that prize money rolls over to the next show.

Now, Pen Power, I can tell you the Eggheads have won the last 35 games.

I can barely remember the time when they last lost a game.

So the jackpot is £36,000.

Wow!

That's the money that says you can't beat the Eggheads. Would you like to try?

-We'll do our best.

-As you're here. Your first head-to-head battle is on the subject of food and drink.

Pen Power, who would like this?

-It's you.

-Was it me?

-Or Suzanne.

-I don't know.

-I feel like it was Iby.

-I thought either Iby or you.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Whichever.

-You'll do that?

So, I would suggest...

I would suggest Kevin.

Kevin knows as much about food and drink as perhaps anything else.

-May I challenge Kevin, please?

-You may, Pat.

Pat from Pen Power versus Kevin from the Eggheads. It's been a while, food and drink.

It has, actually. A while.

And the last game, I have to tell you, was a bit torrid for Kevin.

He was knocked out on a different subject, so maybe you've caught him at a weak moment.

To ensure there's no conferring, would you please take your positions in the Question Room.

Pat, before we get on to food and drink we should talk about your writing.

-You're quite prolific.

-Yes, I mostly write for children.

And I've written a number of children's books, and also...

about nine or ten children's plays which are used in schools.

And you wrote a book called The Magic Lion, and that was on TV.

Yes. I was asked to write something for about 500 Leeds school children

which had a Leeds theme.

And we have a legend that when the Town Hall clock strikes midnight

the stone lions get up and change places.

So I wrote a Victorian fantasy about that, and I have a friend who's a composer,

and she wrote the songs to go with it, and it was performed by all the children in the Town Hall.

And about a week later we were asked if it could be transferred to Independent Television.

Very special indeed. OK, food and drink is the subject.

A little way from the lions and the writing, but let's see how you do here.

You're up against Kevin. It is a little bit of a chink in his armour, as we know.

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

Can I go first, please?

Here we go, Pat. Your first question.

A Bellini cocktail is traditionally made with champagne, and flavoured with which type of fruit?

I've not heard of a cocktail made with gooseberry.

Or with apple.

I would think it would be made with peach.

Peach is the right answer. Well done, Pat.

Kevin, your first question -

what French name is given to the shallow, wide-brimmed design of champagne glass

traditionally thought to have been modelled on part of Marie Antoinette's physique?

Shallow, wide-brimmed...

I can't remember what Daube is in French, unfortunately,

so it may well turn out to be that.

I can't see that it's going to be jambe - leg - so um...

I'll say Coupe.

You're correct. Pat, your question.

Fuggles and goldings are traditional English types of which beer ingredient?

I'm not quite sure about that.

I don't think it would be yeast.

It could be either hops or barley.

And barley could be golden.

I think I'll say barley.

It's actually hop, so you've got it wrong, I'm afraid.

Hop is the answer. Kevin, your second question to take the lead.

What ingredient is added to a Hollandaise

to make a sauce mousseline?

I don't think it's parsley, I don't think it's fish stock.

I mean, the obvious connection here is with mousse,

as in used in desserts,

so I will go for whipped cream.

I can see Daphne nodding. Is that the right answer, Daphne?

-Yeah.

-Yes, it is. Whipped cream. Well done.

You're in the lead, Kevin.

Pat, you need to get this one right to stay in.

In Thai cooking, what type of dish is khao pad?

I don't think that would be fried rice.

Possibly not chicken dumplings.

I think I'll guess at fish cakes.

-Do you know, it's actually fried rice.

-Oh.

Khao pad is fried rice, so I'm sorry, Pat.

You've been knocked out by Kevin.

Who had two correct ones to your one. Bad luck.

But it's not over for the team by any means!

There's the big jackpot, and lots to play for.

Both of you come back to your teams, and we'll play on.

As it stands, Pen Power have lost one brain from the final round,

whilst the Eggheads have not lost any.

More to play, though. The next subject is arts and books.

Here we go.

People of letters...

Was that Iby, or...?

Definitely wasn't me.

Do you want to go for that, Suzanne?

I'll have a go. I probably won't know as much as...

I should, but...!

Suzanne. Against which Egghead? Obviously can't be Kevin.

Now... Dennis...

Any advice?

-What do we think?

-Chris.

You think Chris? Yeah.

Can I go against Chris, please?

So, Suzanne from Pen Power versus Chris from the Eggheads.

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

OK, Arts and Books, and you can choose the first or second set of questions.

I'd like to go first, please.

Here we go, Suzanne. Good luck.

Which of these fictional characters appeared in print first?

OK...

Well...

Robert Langdon sounds recent to me.

It's not a character that I know.

I have read quite a bit of Ian Fleming,

so I know that's from the sort of '50s...

early '60s.

Tarzan, I'm pretty sure there were films made quite early on.

So I'm not sure of the answer, but I'm going to go for Tarzan.

And Tarzan is the right answer. Well done.

-Was it Edgar Rice Burroughs?

-Yeah.

Chris, what term, also the name of a piece of art equipment,

is given to the range of colours used in a particular painting?

That is the artist's palette, Jeremy.

It is indeed the artist's palette. Well done.

OK, Suzanne -

the graphic work entitled Dotter of Her Father's Eyes

won a 2012 Costa Book Award in which category?

OK. I should know the categories of Costa.

I think they're fiction, so I'm going to rule out biography.

And...

I know there is an award for first novel.

I think that possibly IS the Costa Award,

so I'm going to go for First Novel.

It's not right, actually, and I don't know what the background here is.

The answer is Biography. Dotter of her Father... What is this all about?

-Anyone?

-It's basically about the daughter of James Joyce.

The person who's written it was the daughter of James Joyce's professor.

So they're contrasting the upbringing of the two daughters.

I see. And when it says the graphic work,

does that mean it's drawn?

The first graphic novel to win an award like that.

How interesting. Chris, your question.

The 1994 book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

is a non-fiction work based on a killing in which US city?

That is Savannah, Georgia.

Savannah is the right answer.

OK, so third question to you, and you need to get this one right.

He hasn't tripped up yet, Suzanne.

Which Shakespearian character states, "I have more flesh than another man,

and therefore more frailty."

All right. I did Shakespeare for my English Literature degree,

but it was a long time ago.

I'm thinking of flesh.

I'm going to have to guess, I'm afraid, because it's not a quote

that I am familiar with.

I'm going to go for Sir Toby Belch.

-Chris, do you know?

-I played Toby Belch once, so it's not him.

It's Falstaff, I think.

Yeah, Falstaff it is, Suzanne, so sorry, you've been knocked out

by Chris our Egghead, who will be in the final round in your place.

If you come back to us, we will play on.

As it stands, Pen Power have lost two brains from the final round.

The Eggheads are still intact, but they could wobble in their little egg cups.

The next subject is sport.

Which Pen Power person would like sports?

-It's you.

-OK. I'll be the sacrificial lamb.

OK. So, Ted against which Egghead?

-What about Daphne?

-I'll have to go for Daphne.

Daphne, of course.

OK, so, Ted from Pen Power versus Daphne from the Eggheads on sports.

I was going to say it might be your weakest, but I don't think you have a weakest, Daphne.

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

So, Ted, would you like to go first or second?

I think I'll go second, please.

OK. Here we go, Daphne. Good luck to you.

What colour is the racehorse Frankel who retired to stud in 2012?

Oh!

I would imagine he must be a bay.

Because the other two are quite rare.

Brilliant. You're right. Bay it is.

See how she does that, with...

It's instinct. It's extraordinary.

-What do you think of that, Ted?

-Yes, brilliant, but let's hope my instinct will hold out as well.

OK. Good luck to you. In which year was football's UEFA Cup Winners' Cup abolished?

I don't think it was as early as '79.

'99 seems a bit recent. I'm going to go down the middle, and say 1989.

Now, I have a feeling my team Chelsea won it

after the date you've just given us.

1999 is the answer.

It's '99.

Got it wrong. Daphne, over to you.

What did Victoria Azarenka blame for her withdrawal from a tennis tournament in Brisbane in 2013?

Oh, yes, I think...

she had a...pedicure.

You're right. It was a bad pedicure.

Meaning what? The nails were cut too far or something?

I think perhaps sort of people messing round with your feet...

I mean, you're on your feet in tennis,

so must have done something wrong.

Uh-huh. Bad pedicure is the answer.

Ted, over to you. She's got two out of two.

You must get this one now, or you're going to be out.

For which county did England cricketer Ian Bell

make his first-class debut in 1999?

Again, it's an answer that I don't know.

I think again I'm just going to go down the middle, and say Kent.

Let's see if Daphne knows this one. Is he right?

I don't know. I'm so glad I went first.

I think I might have gone for Durham.

-That would've just been a guess.

-Barry knows. Barry?

-Warwickshire.

-Warwickshire is the answer.

You've got the comfort of knowing Daphne wouldn't have got that right,

but I'm afraid she struck twice there, and knocked you out.

Slightly briskly, so you won't be in the Final Round, Ted.

Both of you come back to your teams, and we'll play on.

So it's looking a bit difficult for Pen Power now.

They've lost three brains from the Final Round.

The Eggheads still haven't lost a brain, so you really want, with this last round before the Final,

just charge them down.

The next subject is Music.

-Who wants this one?

-Oh, God!

Iby said she would do it.

-It'll have to be you, Dennis.

-I know nothing about music.

Iby knows about classical music.

Iby knows about classical music, so...

I know nothing about modern music. Nothing.

Just have to guess!

-It has to be you.

-I think you'd better go.

-Yes.

-Iby, looks like it's you, is it?

OK. It's all right, that's OK.

Everyone has gaps. They have gaps as well.

It can be Dave, known as Tremendous Knowledge, or Barry on the end?

I think Barry, as he's also from Leeds.

OK, good one. So, Iby versus Barry.

The two Leeds players there on music.

Please go to the Question Room.

Good luck in this round, Iby.

I need it.

In a team of writers, you are a published author.

-Yes.

-Tell us about your book.

Well, the book is Called The Woman Without A Number,

and it is a memoir about my experiences in the Second World War

when I was in the concentration camp and slave labour camp.

-Which camp was that?

-Auschwitz-Birkenau.

And I know that you're now 89.

Yes.

That's a long time ago, but the memories are, I guess, with you every day.

Well, I try not to. I try to live today as today,

and only revive the memories when I speak to young people,

because I think it's very important that young people should learn from the past,

because if they don't learn from the past, they will make the same mistakes

as were made then.

Barry, you're up against a special lady here.

A very special lady indeed. It's a privilege to meet her.

Shall we have a go, and see if we can sling this Egghead out?

-Yes, let's try.

-OK.

So, Iby, you want to go first or second?

They say ladies should go first.

Here we go, and your music tastes are more opera and classical, is that right?

-That's right.

-OK, so we hope there's not too much pop in here.

Here we go. The first question in front of me is this...

You'll enjoy this.

Which song by Queen features the lyrics, "Dynamite with a laser beam, guaranteed to blow your mind"?

My thing, to dance...

Oh, I have no way of knowing, so...

I'll try to do a Daphne.

Killer Queen.

You're right! Of course you're right.

Killer Queen it is. Yeah.

OK, Barry, your question.

Which of these had a UK number one single in 2012 with Troublemaker?

Oh, goodness me. This one passed me by.

Uh, Troublemaker...

Don't think it was Will Young.

I know Olly Murs had a hit single. I'll go for Olly Murs.

Yeah, you'd recognise it.

The instant you heard it you would know this song.

It's very, very catchy. It sold a lot of copies.

Olly Murs is right, Barry. Well done.

You two are obviously good guessers here, Iby.

See where we go now.

The Peanut Vendor Song

which became popular in the 1930s

is most associated with which island?

Well...

Where do peanuts come from?

They found them in Africa, but none of those is in Africa, so that doesn't help.

Oh... Cuba.

-Stab in the dark?

-Complete.

It's right.

Does anyone here know the Peanut Vendor Song? Help us here.

-Cuban song...?

-Basically some guy just yelling "Peanuts!" over a sort of...

Mexican-slash-Caribbean trumpet accompaniment.

That's a brilliant description.

OK, Barry, your question.

The Swiss electronic musicians Dieter Meier and Boris Blank

formed which successful duo?

Don't think Milli Vanilli were Swiss.

Blancmange doesn't sound like a name for a Swiss group.

-I'm going to go for Yello.

-Yello is the right answer.

We've got two all. Playing well here, both of you.

OK, the music round, and back to Iby for your third question.

Ludwig van Beethoven wrote how many piano concertos?

I should know that.

It's definitely not 20.

5.

-Barry will know. Barry?

-Absolutely.

You've got it right. 5 is correct. Three out of three.

Playing brilliantly, Iby.

-I'm a pianist. I ought to know.

-Music is your subject.

Even the songs of Queen are clearly covered by your repertoire.

Barry, this to stay in - which of his own operas did Verdi largely rewrite

as a new work entitled Aroldo?

And that's A-R-O-L-D-O.

Aroldo...

I can't believe it would be Don Carlos.

I mean, that's much too well-known.

The other two are certainly not as well-known.

So I think this is going to have to be a guess.

Because I'd have troubles pronouncing the first one,

I will go for Attila.

OK, Attila is your answer. Iby, what do you think? Is he right?

I think he probably would have kept Attila because that's a pronounceable name.

It would have been probably Stiffelio.

Yeah, you're right again actually. Barry, you got it wrong.

You've been knocked out by Iby. Well done!

What about that!

It's completely and utterly cut a swathe through the Eggheads there.

Well done to you. You've won on music.

And now we're all set to play the Final Round for £36,000.

Do come back to us.

So, this is what we have been playing towards.

It is time for the Final Round, which as always is General Knowledge.

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

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

Pat, Ted, and Suzanne from Pen Power,

and also Barry from the Eggheads, would you please now leave the studio?

So, Dennis and Iby, you're playing to win Pen Power £36,000.

Kevin, Dave, Daphne and Chris, you're 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 Pen Power,

the question is, are your two brains able to overcome the Eggheads' four?

Yes.

Good, I'm glad. Positive thinking is excellent.

-Now...

-Full of confidence.

-Excellent.

Would you like to go first or second?

First, please.

Here we go with your first question.

Novocastrians come from which city?

Castrian is a castle.

It can't be Nottingham.

Novo's new, isn't it?

-Novo is new.

-New.

And castrian is castle.

-So Newcastle?

-Yes.

-Yes, the answer's Newcastle.

-The answer is indeed Newcastle.

Well done. First one to you. Good. £36,000 they're playing for.

Eggheads, back you to. In 2013, more than 100,000 US citizens

signed a petition seeking the deportation of which UK subject

from the United States?

Piers Morgan.

-Piers Morgan.

-Piers Morgan.

-About the gun.

Yeah, the gun issue.

So Piers Morgan, we're all agreed?

Yes, Jeremy, we believe that's Piers Morgan.

It is Piers Morgan. Piers Morgan is the right answer. Well done.

Your question -

in the Technicolor sections of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz,

which two colours made up the gingham pinafore dress worn by Judy Garland?

Well, yellow's not going to show up on the Yellow Brick Road, is it?

No. My feeling is that traditionally, gingham was blue and white.

And in the '30s it would be a traditional colour.

Red and white I don't think. Definitely not yellow and white.

It wouldn't have shown up on the Technicolor, that one.

Rightly or wrongly, I feel it's blue and white.

-That's my feeling.

-We're not absolutely sure.

But we think it's blue and white.

Blue and white is your answer, and you are 100 per cent right.

-Well done.

-It's blue and white.

That was really good.

Your questions, Eggheads, to catch up.

£36,000 jackpot. The biggest jackpot I've ever seen on this show.

Which invasive species had a devastating effect on the British water vole population

when it was released into the wild?

-Got to be definitely...

-Mink.

-Mink.

I don't see...

It's... It's competition for habitat.

-Yeah.

-And that doesn't fit either of the others.

They were activists, weren't they?

A lot of mink were released, and animal rights activists...

We're going to go for mink, Jeremy, please.

Mink is the correct answer.

So, your third question now, Pen Power.

Iby and Dennis, I should say.

Which Prime Minister played cricket for Middlesex?

God!

I can't see it being Alec Douglas-Home.

For the simple reason he was...

He didn't even look anything like sporting, did he?

It was a question of where you were born in those days.

You only could play cricket for the county in which you were born.

Which puts Douglas-Home out.

I can't see... Macmillan, I should say.

Harold Macmillan?

That's what I think, just on the basis that

I don't think Baldwin was a cricketer,

and Douglas-Home was born in the wrong place.

You've been right so far, Iby.

-Hm?

-You've been right so far.

And I haven't a clue, so...

..we're going to try for Harold Macmillan.

Harold Macmillan. Do you know where he was born?

Scotland.

Born in Scotland. What's the correct answer?

-Alec Douglas-Home.

-It was Alec Douglas-Home.

Alec Douglas-Home played cricket for Middlesex, challengers.

So you've got that wrong,

which gives the Eggheads a chance to take the contest now.

Here's your third question, Eggheads. £36,000 jackpot, remember.

Which British mathematician developed a system he described as the method of fluxions?

That's F-L-U-X-I-O-N-S.

-I think Isaac Newton.

-It is calculus.

His version of calculus.

-Sir Isaac Newton.

-Isaac Newton, yeah.

Jeremy, our answer is Isaac Newton.

Distressing amount of certainty on this side.

I know the answer as well.

Isaac Newton is correct. We say congratulations, Eggheads.

You have won.

Oh, the Harold Macmillan!

Because my husband was very keen on cricket, and he said

you can only play for the county in which you were born.

And Douglas-Home I knew had been born in Scotland.

Actually, that was the case in Yorkshire for a long time.

-Yorkshire.

-I thought it applied to all cricket.

-No.

-So that's what threw me.

-Yeah.

Listen, well played. What a team. Really enjoyed seeing you.

Don't feel too bad. As you can see, more than 30 teams have been this way.

That's no consolation.

The Eggheads are on fine form. We say, commiserations, Pen Power.

They've unfortunately done what comes naturally to them.

All too naturally at the moment, and their winning streak continues.

It does mean you won't be going home with the £36,000,

so the money rolls over to our next show.

Eggheads, very well done.

Who, I wonder, will beat you?

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

have the brains to defeat the Eggheads

after all these games unbeaten.

£37,000 says they don't.

It's getting exciting. Until then, goodbye.

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