Episode 91 Eggheads

These people are amongst the greatest quiz players in Britain.

Together they make up the Eggheads,

arguably the most formidable quiz team in the country.

The question is... can they be beaten?

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

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

they are the Eggheads.

And taking on the might of our quiz champions today

are Storm Queen.

Now, this team of friends

regularly quiz together at the Storm Queen pub

in the West End of Glasgow.

Let's meet them.

Hi. My name's Ian.

I'm 58 and I'm a retired travel consultant.

Hi. My name's Rosie.

I'm 67 and I'm a retired travel agent.

Hi. My name's Ady.

I'm 50 and I'm a research technologist.

Hi. My name is Andy.

I'm 62 and I'm a hairdresser.

Hi. My name's Nicole.

I'm 22 and I'm a chemistry student.

Ian and the team, welcome.

-Thank you, Jeremy.

-Good to see you.

You quiz together, then?

We do.

Actually, we've quizzed together individually,

but this is the first time as the Storm Queen team.

-With different teams.

-Tell us about the pub.

OK, the pub is the best in the West End of Glasgow.

We're all customers. We get up to lots of activities -

quizzing, poker, dominoes, karaoke,

at which I'm particularly bad.

But there we go!

And Nicole's behind the bar, is that right?

Nicole is our lovely bar staff,

who serves us very patiently with great charm.

That's lovely. OK, every day there is £1,000 of cash up for grabs

for our challengers, as you know.

However, if they fail to defeat the Eggheads,

the prize money rolls over to the next show.

So, Storm Queen, the challengers won the last game,

proving it can be done.

That means £1,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads today.

-Do you want to go for it?

-ALL: Yes.

-Good.

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

Which of you would like this?

Now, who would like to go for Politics?

I think perhaps Andy.

You'd be good for Politics.

Let's see...

I thought Rosie was good at Politics.

No.

-How about you?

-Politics, I've got no interest whatsoever.

What do you think, Andy?

-Want to give it a go?

-Yes, I'll give it a go.

OK, Andy's going to go for Politics.

OK. Andy on Politics. Against which Egghead?

Almost the classic line-up there, actually.

I think I would like...

Oh, wow! Judith.

-That's good for you, because...

-That's a change.

-It's not Sport!

-It's not Sport!

I was going to say you've had a torrid time on Sport. You've actually been winning on Sport.

-Yes.

-So we'll hear no more of that.

Politics it is.

Andy from Storm Queen versus Judith from the Eggheads.

Please, to ensure there's no conferring,

would you go to the Question Room.

Andy, there seemed to be a bit of reluctance to take Politics

on behalf of nearly everyone in your team!

That's quite true.

So you've ended up with the Politics round yourself.

Well, here's hoping.

And what do you do for a living?

-I'm a hairdresser in the West End of Glasgow.

-OK.

-So quite near the pub?

-Very near the pub. Within walking distance.

Can you sneak into the pub between haircuts?

Oh, no - I never drink and dry!

ALL LAUGH

So, Politics, Andy. Your choice - would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first.

Here we go. Which of these men

served as President of the United States in the 19th century?

In the 19th century, I would say...

It certainly wasn't Roosevelt.

And Wilson...

Possibly.

I think it's Abraham Lincoln.

You're absolutely right. Have you seen the film?

I haven't. I've seen the trailer and it looks very, very good.

Well done. Abraham Lincoln is the right answer.

Stuck in my mind because I think it was all happening in 1865,

so it was 100 years to the year before I was born.

Well done, Andy.

Because that's the only way I'd remember it,

if it had some bearing on my own life.

OK, Judith, your question.

In 1963, which country vetoed Britain's entry

to the European Economic Community?

It was old De Gaulle and he said "Non".

So it was France.

I remember the headlines - they were all "Non!"

You're right. France it was.

We're on Politics.

Back to you, Andy.

Merlyn Rees was Home Secretary under which UK Prime Minister?

Ooh...

I don't think it's Tony Blair.

Possibly John Major...

Yes, I'll go with John Major.

He was actually Labour, in fact, Merlyn Rees,

so it was James Callaghan, '70s.

Merlyn Rees was Home Secretary under James Callaghan, Andy.

Judith, your question.

In 2009,

the UKIP politician Nigel Farage

was re-elected to represent which constituency

of the European Parliament?

Oh, gosh!

I never know about MEPs.

Um...

I think it must...probably South East England.

South East England is the right answer.

Thank goodness for that.

So you're just ahead, Judith.

Andy, it means you need this question to stay in.

The Conservative politician Eric Pickles

was leader of which city council between 1988 and 1990?

Oh!

Bradford...

Salford...Hereford.

I would say Bradford.

You are right. Well done.

Very well done indeed. Bradford it is.

Just a couple of years, but that was his home patch.

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

As at January 1st, 2013,

how many amendments to the United States Constitution

have been ratified and enacted?

Well...

the only one I can think of

is the Prohibition, which was the 18th.

And that was in 19...sometime.

And that had quite...a century and a bit

before they got to 18...

So I would think

they probably haven't got up to 47,

so I would say 27.

Because I don't think there's been time for 47.

Very good logic. You're right.

27 is the answer.

So clarify this, some Eggheads, for me?

Brilliant of Judith to say the 18th was Prohibition - is that right?

Famous one since then?

So you mentioned Lincoln just now.

The Abolition of Slavery was the 13th.

At the end of the Civil War.

And they tend to be fairly few and far between.

So the most recent one was 1992.

-What was that?

-That was one to make sure that

elected representatives couldn't vote themselves pay rises

before an election had intervened.

OK. They're good, aren't they?

Pretty fascinating hearing that, actually. Didn't know any of that.

Judith, you've won the round.

Andy, sorry, you've been knocked out by our Egghead, but as you can see, they are quite good.

We'll see if they sustain that form over the contest today.

Do, both of you, please come back to us and rejoin your team-mates.

So, as it stands, Storm Queen have lost one brain from the final round,

whilst the Eggheads have not lost any.

The next subject is Science.

How do you fancy that?

Definitely Ady.

-Which one of us is going to make a fool of ourselves - you or me?

-You!

Ady, don't be too modest. I think you're the...

He's got the wisdom.

Definitely you.

Choose an Egghead. Anyone but Judith.

Who do you want terminated?

ALL LAUGH

He says, confidently!

Who do you think?

Kevin?

You'll be lucky!

-I would like to take on Kevin.

-Very good, Ady.

Ady from the Storm Queen versus Kevin from the Eggheads.

And just to ensure there's no conferring,

please take your positions in the Question Room.

So, good luck, Ady.

Good luck to the challengers knocking an Egghead out, especially this one.

-Would you like to go first or second?

-I'll let Kevin go first.

Here is your question, Kevin.

Which word used for the phases of the moon

is the opposite of waxing?

Well, the moon waxes and wanes,

so it's waning.

Waning is correct.

OK, Ady.

Which tree with distinctive white bark

has the scientific name

Betula pendula?

I'll spell it. B-E-T-U-L-A

and then P-E-N-D-U-L-A.

The obvious answer would be silver birch,

because it does have white bark, I know.

But the pendula is a bit of a trick for me.

I'm pretty sure it's not Scots pine,

but that's probably the worst thing to say.

Sycamore it could be, but I'm not...

I'm not familiar with sycamores having famously white barks,

so I think I'll go with the obvious answer and silver birch.

I'm so pleased you did. You're right.

Silver birch it is.

Kevin, which chemical compound

has the formula NaCl?

Otherwise known as salt, it's sodium chloride.

Sodium chloride is the right answer.

OK, Ady, your question.

What type of creature is a bananaquit?

I'll spell it. It's basically the word "banana"

with the word "quit" on the end, but it's all one word.

Bananaquit.

Honest...

I have absolutely no idea.

So I'm going to make an educated guess.

But my education is letting me down here.

It's the sort of...

name

that I would give to something small and creepy,

so I'll go with insect.

Do you know, Kevin? Is he right?

I don't know it.

I don't think I've ever heard it before.

I might have gone for snake, possibly.

Maybe the idea of a bunch of bananas

being taken off the tree and something that slithers away.

No, both wrong. Bird is the answer.

Yeah, it's a bird.

Daphne, have you got one at home?

No, but I'd just know it was a bird.

You were looking very expectant there.

You know it's a bird - why? Because you've come across it?

-I've read about it.

-You've read about it.

Are there any bananaquits in these crime thrillers you read?

-No.

-Different kind of book?

Yes. I like encyclopaedias!

You read encyclopaedias?

-That's all we need!

-Sorry!

They read encyclopaedias.

OK, so, third question,

and it's Kevin's.

The Crab Nebula is in which constellation, Kevin?

That's annoying.

Before the choices came up, I was just trying to think,

is it Orion or Taurus?

It's not Gemini.

I think it's Taurus. Taurus.

Taurus is the right answer, so three correct questions for Kevin

means he has the round, Ady, sorry.

It was the wretched, dratted bananaquit

that did it.

And you've been knocked out.

Both of you, please come back here and rejoin your teams.

So, as it stands, Storm Queen are caught in the hurricane a bit here.

Lost two brains from the final round.

The Eggheads have not lost any so far.

The next subject for you is Geography.

Geography!

-I'm thinking this is you, Ian, isn't it?

-It could be myself.

It could also be my friend Rosie,

who was also a travel agent, so...

-No, I'll give it to you.

-Shall I go for it? OK.

OK, Ian. Against which Egghead?

They'll all good at Geography!

I think maybe...Chris?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Could I have Chris, please?

-OK.

Basically, if it's on a train timetable, he's heard of it.

-Yeah!

-That's the bottom line.

So Ian from Storm Queen versus Chris from the Eggheads

on Geography. Please go to the Question Room.

Ian, I know this is right up your street.

Well, it certainly should be.

I've worked in travel for...

20, maybe 30 years.

So if I get anything wrong here,

all of my ex-colleagues will be scolding me, laughing at me, etc, etc!

So when you used to advise people on where to go,

do you have to have gone to those places yourself?

You didn't have to, but it was strongly encouraged,

as the best way to recommend a place is actually

your own personal experience of having been there,

which was great, because I've been to Australia,

the Amazon, America, loads of places. So it's great.

And best trip?

Got to be the Amazon jungle.

Just the trip of a lifetime.

How amazing. Have you been there, Chris?

You wouldn't get me up the Amazon for a gold-plated pension!

LAUGHTER

I will resist the temptation to enquire why, Chris.

And I'll ask Ian simply whether you want the first or second set of questions on Geography.

I would like to go first, Jeremy.

Here is your first question, Ian.

The Iranian capital Tehran

is situated just over 60 miles south

of which of these bodies of water?

OK, I'm definitely going to rule out the Tasman Sea.

Not quite sure...

between the Caspian and Bering.

But I'm going to go with my first instinct

and say the Caspian Sea.

I'm glad you did. Caspian is the right answer, Ian. Well done.

Chris, your question. The town of Yeovil

is in which English county?

Hmm, Yeovil.

Westland Aviation, Petter's oil engines.

It's in Somerset.

It is indeed in Somerset.

There we are - it was on the train map, so he got it right, Ian!

As soon as he goes outside, you watch.

Here is your question. Which of these Indian Ocean islands

is located north of the Equator?

Um...

They're all pretty close, I think.

So it's going to have to be a guess,

and I'm going to go right down the middle and say Mauritius.

Mauritius is not.

Sri Lanka is the answer.

-OK.

-Sri Lanka. OK, Chris.

The town of Mytilene is the capital of which Aegean island?

Chris, Mytilene is spelt M-Y-T-I-L-E-N-E.

Yeah.

Turns up in the alleged Shakespeare play Pericles.

Hmm... Mytilene.

Patmos...

Hmm.

Um...

It's on Naxos, surely.

Ariadne Auf Naxos, by Richard Strauss.

Naxos.

It's not Naxos, Chris, it's Lesbos.

Oh, right, yeah.

Ian, good news for you - equal after two questions.

Here's your third question.

What is the approximate population of Bangladesh?

OK, I don't know for sure,

but I imagine it's going to be pretty high.

Let's go...

for...

Down the middle again. 100 million.

There's even more than that - there's 150 million, actually.

OK, Chris, you have the chance to take the round. Here we go.

The sub-Arctic and sub-Alpine landscape

known as krummholz takes it name from which feature?

Krummholz.

It's not frozen soil - that's permafrost.

Er... Krummholz.

German term.

Germans like shattering things.

Frost-shattered rock, Jeremy.

It is frost-shattered rock,

because - and I quote - Germans like to shatter things.

You're playing fantastically...

I won't say well, but entertainingly here.

You're wrong, Chris. It is twisted trees.

So that's good, Ian, isn't it?

Yes, sounds good!

Extraordinary round for Chris there.

Three questions each, the scores are level, so we go to Sudden Death.

It gets a bit harder, because I don't give you alternative answers.

Here is your first question. Good luck.

The Fylde peninsula has a coastline on which sea?

The Fylde peninsula has a coastline on which sea?

I don't know, Jeremy, but it sounds a little bit

Scandinavian,

so I'm going to have a stab...

Let's see.

North Sea.

It is not the North Sea, Ian, it's the Irish Sea.

-OK.

-The Irish Sea.

OK, Chris, for the round.

Which Cumbrian town is located where the River Cocker

flows into the River Derwent?

Mmm.

That must be Cockermouth.

You've got it.

-Cockermouth in Penrith.

-Yes.

Putting the two bits of the sentence together, you get Cockermouth.

Cockermouth is the right answer, Chris.

Well done. You've taken that round on Geography.

Ian, sorry. On other questions, you would have taken the round yourself.

-They just didn't fall for you.

-OK.

-Please come back to us.

Bad luck, Ian.

The travel often takes you outside the UK, but the UK questions are harder.

It just shows you, you just don't know what's going to come up. But there we go.

Not out of it yet by any manner of means.

-The last team who won won with one player left.

-Really?

And they had a torrid time.

-Didn't they?

-ALL: Yes.

A very tough time and they won with one player.

They won the second all-time highest jackpot as well.

As it stands, the Storm Queen have lost three brains from the final round.

The Eggheads have not lost a brain yet.

The next subject is Film & Television.

So who would like Film & TV?

-Film and TV.

-I'll go for Film & TV.

-Nicole?

-I'm going to go...

-All agreed?

-Yes.

-Well done.

-OK, Nicole. Against which Egghead?

Daphne and Dave still to choose from.

-Daphne!

-I think Daphne.

Definitely. She's my favourite.

Is she your favourite? OK.

That is a very nice reason to choose someone.

Because you want to be in the Question Room with her!

OK, Nicole from Storm Queen versus Daphne from the Eggheads.

Please go to the Question Room now.

-Nicole, you work in the Storm Queen bar as the barmaid?

-Yeah.

-That's right.

-But you're studying as well?

-Yes.

I study chemistry.

So you could have done the Science round too?

No, not really. Ady's got the wisdom - far more years than me!

So you're up against Daphne and you were saying she's your favourite.

Definitely, yeah.

You've got a lot of fans, Daphne, and not just in Weston-super-Mare.

Oh!

Thank you.

-Do you get stopped in the street a lot?

-Yes.

But people are lovely.

They are so sweet

and they always tell me how much

they enjoy the show.

Well, here's another one you're playing against now.

So we wish you well, Nicole.

Film & TV against Daphne. Would you like to go first or second?

I'd like to go second, please.

Daphne, your first question.

Which TV character has a PA called Lynn

and a Ukrainian girlfriend called Sonja?

I haven't watched any of them.

Oh, crumbs!

Alan Partridge.

You haven't watched any of those? Really?

No, honestly.

-You don't enjoy The Office?

-I've never seen it.

You've got such a treat coming when you get into The Office box set.

-Alan Partridge is the right answer.

-Oh!

That was a guess.

I don't believe that was a guess.

Again, your guessing is amazing. Supernatural.

OK, Nicole. The TV drama Ripper Street

is set in which part of Victorian London?

This is a guess as well.

I think I'm going to go for

Chelsea.

-Eggheads, do you know?

-ALL: Whitechapel.

Whitechapel, because that's where Jack the Ripper was operating.

Nicole, I'm sorry. Not Chelsea. Whitechapel.

Daphne, your question.

In 2011, which Blue Peter presenter

walked a 150-metre tightrope

between the chimneys of Battersea Power Station

in order to raise money for Comic Relief?

Well, I think...

..the one who does the most dangerous things there

is Helen Skelton.

And if she did it...phew!

So I'm going for Helen Skelton.

Helen Skelton is the right answer.

Nicole, which British actress

stars as Gretel in the 2013 film Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters?

I'm going to go for Gemma Arterton.

No idea.

You've got it right, Nicole. Well done.

Gemma Arterton it is.

OK, if Daphne gets this one right,

she will be in the final, because she went first.

Here's your question, Daphne.

In the 1935 Oscar-winning film Mutiny On The Bounty,

who played Captain Bligh

opposite Clark Gable as Fletcher Christian?

1935... I'm not quite that old.

But it is Charles Laughton.

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

The answer is Charles Laughton.

Sorry, Nicole.

Because she went first, the wrong answer really cost you there.

So bad luck to you.

Knocked out.

Daphne in the final.

Come back and see how your team does now.

So this is what we have 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 Ian, Ady, Andy and Nicole from Storm Queen,

would you please leave the studio?

So here we are, Rosie.

It wasn't quite the plan.

But you can still win. In fact, the last team won

with just the one player.

So you're playing to win Storm Queen £1,000.

Judith, Kevin, Dave, Daphne, Chris,

you're playing for something

that money can't buy - the Eggheads' reputation.

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

This time, the questions are all General Knowledge.

And you are allowed to confer. I know that doesn't help much.

So, Rosie, the question is,

is your one brain better than the Eggheads' five?

-And would you like to go first or second?

-I'll go first.

Good luck to you, Rosie. Here we go.

For what does the letter B stand

in the abbreviation AONB

that denotes areas of particular scenic or landscape value?

An area of natural beauty.

Beauty is the right answer, Rosie.

Good.

Over to you, Eggheads.

Which song features the lines "When the night has come

"and the land is dark and the moon is the only light we'll see"?

Stand By Me, Ben E King.

Stand By Me. We believe that's Stand By Me, Jeremy.

Stand By Me is your answer.

# When the night has come... # That's the one - Stand By Me.

OK, Rosie.

Which symbol featured on the flag of France in the Middle Ages?

That was the fleur-de-lis.

Not even a moment's hesitation. The fleur-de-lis is correct.

Well done.

Eggheads,

what are the first names of the writer and critic known as

AA Gill?

-Adrian Anthony.

-OK.

His daughter's my god-daughter.

So I really do know that!

Judith knows!

So we're agreed Adrian Anthony, yeah?

Judith knows that it's Adrian Anthony, Jeremy.

Adrian Anthony is the right answer.

So, Rosie, get this one right,

put some pressure on them.

On his wedding day, the heavyweight boxer Joe Louis

defeated which opponent in four rounds?

This is my grandmother's favourite boxer!

And she had a photograph signed by him.

It was her most treasured possession.

1938.

I hope I don't let her down.

I don't think it was Jack Dempsey.

It's between Tommy Farr...

I'm going to go Tommy Farr.

Tommy Farr is your answer.

And it was your grandmother who had the photo.

The person who really knows about boxing is Dave.

I wouldn't know.

I would have guessed

Max Baer myself,

but, you know...

I'm not really sure.

I thought he was perhaps a little bit too obvious, but...

-The answer is Max Baer.

-Oh!

-Bad luck. I was certain...

-I never go for the obvious, but...

It's not over.

Eggheads, which European city has train stations

notable for their Art Nouveau designs

by the architect Otto Wagner?

-It's Vienna, yeah?

-Yes.

We're all agreed.

It's Vienna, Jeremy.

You didn't hesitate.

You've all been there or know about it or what?

Been there, yeah.

The answer, Eggheads, is Vienna,

so we say congratulations. You have won.

Commiserations, Rosie. You played in a way that made me think,

"Oh, my goodness, you're about to completely take them here."

I always do that in multiple choice questions!

I over-think it.

The last one - you had a way in.

You just maybe backed off the obvious answer

-and...bad luck.

-Why?!

Don't worry. It was great to play with you in the team.

-I'm happy it's rolling over for the next lot.

-That's great.

Commiserations, Storm Queen.

But the Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them.

Obviously, they had a bad tangle in the last game,

but they're just about steady on their feet again.

Thanks for giving them a run for their money.

It does mean you won't be going home with the £1,000.

That money rolls over to our next show.

Eggheads, well done.

Back on track? I wonder.

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

have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£2,000 says they don't.

Until then, goodbye.

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