Episode 94 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.

Taking on our quiz champions today are...

This team of colleagues made up of Territorial Army soldiers,

regular soldiers and permanent staff

all work at the Castle Army Territorial Army Centre in Bury. Let's meet them.

Hi. I'm Alan. I'm 54 and I'm an army officer.

Hello. I'm Noelle. I'm 55 and I'm an MOD civil servant.

Hello. I'm Windy. I'm 35 and I'm a co-sergeant in the Regular army.

Hi. I'm Daz. I'm 47.

I'm an HGV driver and a warrant officer in the Territorial Army.

Hi. I'm Charles. I'm 48 and I'm an MOD civil servant.

Alan and team, welcome to you.

I said "CAY-TAC" and I'm thinking do you call it CATAC, or what?

-CATAC.

-CATAC, OK.

So tell us about that armoury - army - centre.

It's the TA Centre in the centre of Bury.

There's a number of units there.

There's 207 Field Hospital as well as Machine Gun Platoon from the Duke of Lancs regiment.

We also have two cadet units, the army cadets and the air cadets

as well as a fusilier band.

-You've been a soldier for a long time.

-32 years.

32 years. OK.

So how are we going to take these on, these Eggheads.

Fixed bayonets?

No, I'm a medic now. I can't do that!

You can tend to the injured on this side, then!

OK. 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, CATAC, the Eggheads have won the last three games

which means £4,000 says you can't beat them today.

-Would you like to go for it?

-Definitely.

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

Which soldier would like History?

-Oh, that's you, Daz.

-That's me.

That's me.

Daz. Daz against an Egghead. You can choose any one.

-Barry?

-Barry.

-Barry.

-Barry?

-Barry.

Barry.

Barry, please.

Everybody said Barry, suddenly. Is that exciting to hear your name like that?

Yes, it is.

Daz from CATAC versus Barry from the Eggheads.

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

-Daz, you're in the TA, I gather.

-Yeah, that's right, Jeremy.

-Is that quite a time commitment these days?

-It is for me, yeah.

OK. And you're an HGV driver, as well, so you're a busy man.

I am busy, I certainly am, Jeremy.

Have you found time to get into a bit of history or did the team just volunteer you up?

I think I got volunteered.

Press ganged! The origins of press gang are a bit military, Barry?

Yes. Naval. Recruiting sailors for the Royal Navy

in the 17th, 18th, and even the beginning of the 19th century.

And they would go and just grab you out of the pub?

Basically, yes.

-Didn't happen to you, Daz, did it?

-No, it didn't, Jeremy.

History is the subject, and you can choose, Daz, whether you go first or second.

I think I'll go first, Jeremy, please.

Here we go. Good luck.

A widely-reported alleged belief from which ancient civilisation

stated that the world would end in 2012?

Well, I'm going to go straight down the middle and say Mayan.

Mayan is the right answer. Yes.

First point to CATAC.

Barry, in which decade did the Government launch an SOS public service campaign

asking people to switch off something in order to conserve energy?

Goodness. Switch off, conserve energy.

The three-day week was in the '70s.

Early 1973.

I guess that's the first time we became truly energy conscious.

So I shall go for the '70s.

The 1970s is the correct answer.

We go back to you, Daz.

Which of these became prime minister of Britain at the youngest age?

Well, Jeremy, Robert Peel was from Bury.

And I think he was a bit older than that.

So I'm going to guess at Pitt the Younger.

Do you know how old Pitt the Younger was, Barry?

-24.

-24. And he's the right answer as well, Daz.

If it hadn't been Pitt the Younger, you could have complained!

Barry, the Battle of Vertieres of 1803

was a decisive event between Haitian soldiers and forces from which country?

I think this was a battle in which the Haitians were led

by a chap named Toussaint Louverture,

who was trying to obtain independence from France.

So I will go for France.

France is correct.

-So that was on Haitian soil, was it?

-It was, indeed, yes.

-A colonial type of thing.

-Yes.

-OK. Interesting.

OK, Daz. In which year of World War II

was Rome liberated by the Allies?

1942 is a bit early. I think it was 1944.

Absolutely right.

Military history right up your street.

OK, Barry, to stay in.

Which Scottish islands are famous for the mysterious disappearance

of three lighthouse keepers in 1900?

I remember reading about this.

I think the latest consensus is they all went out to look at a giant wave

on the shoreline by their lighthouse

and they were swept out to sea.

But which islands were they?

I think they were the Barra Islands, but I'm not 100% certain.

I'm not 100% certain, either. Well, I am that you're wrong!

Flannan Isles, it is.

They disappeared on the same night, did they?

Yes, all at the same time. When the people came back to the island,

they even found their dinner still warm on their plates in the lighthouse.

Sorry, Barry. You've just been swept out to sea by a large wave as well!

Daz, you're in the final. You've knocked out an Egghead.

A very good start for your team. Please come and rejoin your team-mates.

So, as it stands, CATAC have not lost any brains from the final round.

The Eggheads have lost Barry.

The next subject is Film & TV.

See if you can keep the momentum going. Who'd like this?

ALL TALK AT ONCE

-That's you, Windy, isn't it?

-No.

-No.

-Who is it then?

-If you want me to do it, I'll do it.

-Charles.

-Against which Egghead?

-I reckon Pat.

-Pat.

-Yeah?

-We were all ready to go and...

I'll take it, yeah. Pat.

OK. Charles from CATAC versus Pat from the Eggheads,

please go to the question room now.

Charles, you're on Film & TV here, OK?

-Yep. Thanks, Jeremy.

-All right.

I see that you've holidayed around the world

in places that all have one thing in common. You must tell us.

Yes. They all begin with the letter C.

-Do I have to ask why, or shall we not even...

-It's just coincidence.

-Oh, I see. Coincidence. So you've done Canada.

-Yeah.

-Cuba, Cyprus.

-Cyprus.

-Where's your next stop?

-Cleethorpes!

OK!

There we are. All begin with C. I hope you have a good holiday there!

Do you want to go first or second?

Can I go first, please, Jeremy.

Your first question.

Ballando con le Stelle

and Danca Dos Famosos,

are the Italian and Brazilian versions of which UK TV programme?

Ooh. Right. They don't really sound like dancing to me.

The Apprentice doesn't strike me as being very South American.

I'm guessing here, but I'm going to go with Total Wipeout.

Total Wipeout is your answer.

It's actually Strictly Come Dancing.

Strictly Come Dancing is the answer, Charles.

Over to Pat. Film and TV your subject. Here we go.

Elton John won an Oscar for his work on which animated 1994 film?

My first thought is that it's The Lion King.

But I'd better think it through.

Might be the song Can You Feel The Love Tonight?

All three are Disney productions.

It wouldn't be a shock if he popped up on any of them, really.

I think it's Can You Feel the Love Tonight, so it's The Lion King.

The Lion King is the right answer.

That was the song, Daphne, was it?

-With your musical knowledge?

-I think so.

-It is, yes.

-Yes.

It is. OK. Thank you.

Charles, who is the regular onscreen collaborator with Sue Perkins

in the Supersizers TV series?

Crikey! I'm not familiar with that one, either.

So I'm going to have to take a wild guess at this

and go straight down the middle, Jeremy, for Gethin Jones.

It's not Gethin Jones. Any of your team-mates know?

I'd have gone Gethin Jones, myself.

They would have agreed with you, but it's wrong. It's Giles Coren.

Pat, your question.

Which actress won a Golden Globe in 2013

for her performance as Sarah Palin

in the TV movie Game Change?

I don't know the answer to this.

Of the three, I can most readily imagine Julianne Moore playing her,

so I'll go for Julianne Moore.

Julianne Moore is the right answer.

You've just got it. He just swept past you there, Charles,

I'm afraid to say. No way back for you in this round. You won't be in the final and Pat will.

If you both come back and rejoin your teams, we'll play on.

So, as it stands, CATAC have lost a brain now from the final round

while the Eggheads have also lost a brain.

Interestingly poised. The next subject for you is Science.

Which of CATAC would like this?

-I'll do it. Yep.

-Windy on Science. OK. Who are you going to blow away?

Can't be Barry or Pat.

-Judith.

-Judith, please.

So Windy from CATAC on Science against Judith from the Eggheads.

Please go to the question room.

Windy, good luck in this round.

You're playing Judith. As you know, she has her moments.

Some of them will even result in her winning the round.

-Would you like to go first or second?

-I'd like to go first, please.

OK, Windy, here we go.

What name is normally given to a very localised atmospheric zone

in which the climate may differ considerably from the surrounding area?

The answers are very similar.

I've got a feeling, something's coming to me saying miniclimate.

But microclimate is very similar.

I'm going to go the more technical name of microclimate.

Your team-mates agree. It is microclimate. Well done.

OK. We are on Science, Judith.

In birds, what name is usually given to the muscular hind part of the stomach

that contains small stones and grit to break up food?

Well, a proboscis is a nose.

And a stifle is something to do with a horse.

So I think it must be a gizzard.

Gizzard, strange word though it is, is the right answer.

Gizzard it is. Back to you, Windy.

From which creature is the substance known as muktuk obtained?

Muktuk. M-U-K-T-U-K.

I've heard it, but there's none of them ringing a bell.

There's two land animals and then a water creature there.

So I'm going to go with the water creature. A whale.

Whale is correct.

Well done, Windy!

Here is your next question.

The community of Sitka in Alaska gave its name to a type of what?

-There's a thing... Did you say S-I-T-K-A?

-Yes, Sitka.

There is a thing called a Sitka spruce. So I think it's a tree.

Very good. Tree is the right answer.

Windy, your third question.

You've got two right. So get this right and put Judith under a bit of pressure.

In medicine, the Babinski sign is a reflex action that occurs in which part of the body?

I have totally no idea.

So this is going to be hopefully a lucky guess.

I'm just going to try and break them down.

They're all reflex, the foot, hand and the eye.

The foot and hand are very similar, so again, I'll go with the eye.

The eye has a lot of reflexes, but Daphne, I think you know?

It's when you have a baby

and you tickle under its foot.

That's a Babinski reflex.

It's the foot, Windy, I'm afraid.

Daphne has confirmed it.

That is the Babinski reflex.

That was an easy way to get your name down in history,

discover babies' feet move when you tickle them!

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

The Rashomon Effect which takes its name from the Japanese film of the 1950s

is used by psychologists to describe which human characteristic?

I was just trying to think of the film.

I don't think I've ever seen it.

Rashomon Effect. What it was about.

Cos it's probably the clue.

It's probably some sort of Samurai film.

I think it might be perception.

Perception is the right answer. Well done, Judith.

You're through to the final. Sorry, Windy.

Two out of three wasn't good enough. They're playing very well today.

Please come back and rejoin your teams.

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

It's not a crisis, though. Keep plugging on.

Eggheads have lost one brain.

The next subject is Sport.

Who would like this?

-It's either me or Noelle.

-I think it's Alan's.

I think Alan.

Yeah, I'll take that one, Jeremy.

OK. Alan on Sport against either Daphne or Chris.

-Down on the right.

-Chris?

-I wouldn't go Daphne,

cos Daphne's really lucky on sport.

She is good on sport, Daphne.

-So Chris.

-She's too good.

-Chris.

-She's a laughing assassin.

-Hear what they were saying, Daphne?

-The laughing assassin.

Yes, I agree with you on that. The laughing assassin, they call you.

So it's going to be Chris against Alan on Sport.

If you go to the question room, we'll start.

So, Sport it is, then, Alan.

-Yep.

-OK? Chris?

-Yep. Here we are again.

In an ideal world, Chris, what sporting questions would you have in this round?

None!

OK. Well, Alan, that should augur well.

-Hopefully, yes.

-Let's see how we go.

You can choose the first or second set of questions.

First, please, Jeremy.

Since 2008, Alan, which of the tennis grand slam tournaments

has been played on a Plexicushion surface?

Well, I'm pretty sure it's not Wimbledon.

I think it's the French Open.

-Anyone know here?

-Australian.

Australian Open it is.

Chris, at the London 2012 Olympics,

remote controlled models of which type of vehicle

were used on the field of play to transport equipment such as javelins and hammers?

Ah. Now, then.

We're talking about a London icon here, aren't we?

Don't think it would be an ice cream van. Don't think it's a Mini.

That's just a British icon.

Ice cream vans aren't iconic of much at all,

so it'll be a double-decker bus.

Presumably a Route Master!

I would absolutely agree with you,

and the word miniature suggests that as well.

-It's not, though.

-Oh.

-It's not that, it's Mini car.

Yeah, a British icon, but...

How you get a javelin in a Mini, I'm not sure! Or mini Mini.

Anyway, ours not to reason why.

You're level.

Alan, your question. Schneeman the Snowman was the mascot of which Winter Olympics?

The one I wanted didn't come up there.

I did have a plan that I've already broken.

That was if I was in doubt, go straight down the middle.

But this time I'm going to go for Innsbruck instead.

Innsbruck is the right answer. Well done.

OK, Chris. Your question.

In February 2013, Billy Twelvetrees made his international rugby union debut for which side?

Twelvetrees. I think he's a New Zealander.

Yeah. New Zealand.

The Eggs are laughing.

-What's wrong, Eggs?

-It's England!

England is the answer.

So you're in the lead, Alan.

If you get this one right, you'll have knocked Chris out.

The American Vince McMahon is best known as a promoter of which type of event?

I know absolutely nothing about horse racing.

He doesn't spring to mind as a boxing promoter.

So I'm going to go down the other side this time and go with wrestling.

Is he right, team-mates? They like the answer.

Wrestling is the right answer, Alan. Well done to you.

Oh, dear, Chris. That was a really bad sporting moment for you.

Hmm.

-Any reflections on that?

-No, but what sort of a brain

puts miniature Mini cars out on the field of play to transport equipment around?

Why not just have people employed to do it?

Oh, it's not high-tech enough(!)

Bleugh!

That, I'm afraid, is the story.

That's what they did, and because you didn't know, Alan is in the final.

Well done. If you come back 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.

Those of you who lost your head-to-head won't be allowed to take part in this round.

So that is Windy and Charles from CATAC

but it's also Chris and Barry "the brain" from the Eggheads.

Please leave the studio.

Alan, Noelle and Daz, you're playing to win CATAC £4,000.

Daphne, Pat and Judith, you're playing for something that money can't buy,

the Eggheads' reputation.

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

The questions are all general knowledge and you are allowed to confer.

So, CATAC, the question is, are your three brains able to defeat the Eggheads' three?

Alan, Noelle and Daz, do you want to go first or second?

Can we go first, please?

Good luck, Noelle. Good luck, team.

In J.R.R. Tolkien's novel The Hobbit,

the character Beorn is able to take the form of which creature?

-I think it's bear.

-You think it's bear.

He's getting chased through the... Or is he getting towed back?

I haven't got a clue. I've got no input on this one.

-Horse, bear or eagle.

-If anything, I'd go for bear.

-I'd go for bear. Bear?

-Yeah. Bear.

-Bear.

We'll go for bear, please, Jeremy.

I heard what Daz was saying. You've got a memory of it?

-Kind of.

-Your memory is accurate. Bear it is.

Well done!

-Was it the film or the book?

-Both.

-I've read it.

-You've got something there.

That's enough. What they call an "inkle" on this side!

Here you go. The song Let It Snow begins with the line

Oh, the weather outside is - what?

# Oh the weather outside is ghastly

# The weather outside is horrible

-It doesn't work.

-It's frightful.

-# The weather outside is frightful #

Something with "delightful".

Yes, frightful. Yes.

-Frightful?

-I think it's frightful.

We think that's frightful.

Frightful is the right answer.

Your question, challengers.

Kopf is the German word for which part of the body?

I think dummkopf is dumb-head.

-Yeah. Agreed on that one.

-Yeah, absolutely.

Head. We think it's head.

Head is correct. Playing well.

Two out of two. Eggheads,

the actor Brian Rix is particularly well-known for his roles in which type of theatrical work?

-Farce.

-Farce, yes.

-Yes.

-Whitehall farces.

-Yes.

That is farce.

It was The Whitehall Farces.

Farce is the right answer.

Speeding along here, both of you.

The crucial third question. Let's see if you can take them apart.

Here's your question. Take your time.

In Japan, a tatami is a type of what?

Ah. Tatami.

I don't think you'd say a floor covering.

-Tatami. Tatami.

-Tatami.

Is it not a short sword?

I would go for sword.

-You think?

-That's a guess.

-My feeling is a sword.

-A sword.

-What do you think?

-Yeah, go on.

We're not sure, but we're going to go for a sword.

Sword is your answer on this crucial third question. Eggheads, do you know?

It's a floor covering, like a little mat.

-It's a mat, yeah.

-It's a mat.

So floor covering is the right answer. That's what tatami is.

Which gives the Eggheads a chance to end the contest.

If you get this one right. Three of you - a bit depleted today!

-Yes.

-Two knocked out.

-They're a good team.

A very good team. Here's your question, Eggheads.

Hurd Deep, which is H-U-R-D and then D-E-E-P,

is an underwater valley in which body of water?

-No idea.

-No, I don't know.

-Hurd.

-Why am I thinking Irish Sea?

I've just got a vague feeling.

In the Irish Sea, they dump a lot of stuff.

What, nuclear stuff?

I'm not sure.

But if I was on my own, I would say Irish Sea.

From Sellafield, or something?

-Military stuff, perhaps?

-I can't remember.

So you think it's the Irish Sea?

-Yes.

-Well, give it a go.

The North Sea is rather shallow. It doesn't have deeps, does it?

And nor does The Channel, come to think of it.

Right. Irish Sea.

Irish Sea, on kind of a fragment of information, there.

I've just got a vague recollection

that there was some hoo-ha about stuff that had been dumped in it.

Pat was very quiet. You're very quiet, Pat.

I had no strong views on this.

You don't want any part of this one!

-Not responsible.

-I'm probably wrong.

-It is wrong. It's completely wrong. It's the English Channel.

-Oh!

A very rare example of Daphne's guess work letting her down.

So you're still in the game.

Fingers crossed here.

We go to sudden death.

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

Which Oscar-winning actor made his directorial debut

with the film Quartet,

starring Maggie Smith and Billy Connolly?

Maggie Smith and Billy Connolly?

-She's done quite a lot.

-Do you think it's a British movie?

-Not necessarily.

-No.

-No, not necessarily.

-What about Tom Hanks?

-I don't... Has he directed?

-Yeah, I'm sure he has.

-Has he?

-Yeah.

I don't know.

-Is it as good as anything?

-Yeah.

-Go on, then. Go on.

-Right.

Plucking something out of the air!

Tom Hanks.

Tom Hanks. Are they right, Eggheads?

-No. Dustin Hoffman.

-Dustin Hoffman is the right answer.

-Oh, no.

So you have a chance to take the contest, Eggheads.

Here is your question.

Which American actor born in 1966

has appeared in the comedy films The Wedding Singer, 50 First Dates

and Happy Gilmore.

-Happy Gilmore sounds like Adam Sandler.

-Yes.

-I immediately thought Adam Sandler.

-He'd be 50-something.

Uh, 47, now. He'd be in his late forties.

-'66.

-He's be late forties.

-He was born in '66, did he say?

-There's a good chance it's correct.

-He was born in '66.

-I'll read it again.

Which American actor, born in 1966,

has appeared in the comedy films The Wedding Singer,

50 First Dates and Happy Gilmore?

We're not sure, but we'll go for Adam Sandler.

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

Well done to Pat, particularly on this one.

Adam Sandler is the correct answer. Congratulations, Eggheads, you have won!

Commiserations, CATAC.

That was a tough contest for you in many ways

but you came out with three-three in the final round

and you were close, very close there.

-Yeah.

-But not close enough!

No, but you did well.

Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them.

They still reign supreme over quiz land.

It does mean you won't be going home with the £4,000,

so the money rolls over to our next show.

Eggheads, congratulations. Who will beat you?

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

have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£5,000 says they don't. Till then, goodbye!

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