Episode 26 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 We Cannot Be Serious.

This team of friends all play tennis together

at the same club in Warwick.

Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Ian. I'm 51, and I'm an accountant.

Hi, I'm Karen. I'm 46, and I work in a primary school office.

Hi, I'm Carlo. I'm 55, and I'm a maths teacher.

Hi, I'm Pat. I'm 65 and I'm a retired personal assistant.

Hi, I'm Robin. I'm 49, and I train care staff.

Well, welcome to you, We Cannot Be Serious.

So, you're all John McEnroe fans then, are you?

Yeah, and Andy Murray fans, of course.

Oh, of course. Of course.

So, do you like to play singles, doubles or how does it go?

We mostly play doubles, really, at our club.

One or two singles enthusiasts, me and Robin, perhaps.

OK, well, it'll be tennis after we play the quiz.

You against the Eggheads.

Wonder who'll win that one. Well, let's see who'll win this one.

Every day there's £1,000 of cash up for grabs for our Challengers.

However, if they fail to defeat the Eggheads,

the prize money rolls over to the next show.

So, We Cannot Be Serious,

the Eggheads have won the last three games.

That means £4,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads today.

OK, let's play then.

I suspect you're hoping for Sport at some stage

but the first round is Politics.

Who'd like to take this one on?

Politics. What do you think, team?

-I think Karen.

-Karen?

-Yeah?

Karen's our budding politician.

It's gone to the vote, and we've voted Karen.

OK, did you have any say in that, Karen?

Not really, no.

All right, choose any Egghead you like, it's the opening round.

-Take on Pat.

-Pat? OK.

OK, we'll take Pat.

OK, very relaxed about it all, Karen.

Anyone will do. Have Pat then.

OK, Karen and Pat playing the first round. It's Politics.

To ensure there's no conferring

would you please go to the Question Room?

Karen, this is Politics. Would you like to go first or second?

I'd like to go first, please.

OK, first question to you then, Karen, and good luck.

The Family Allowance, introduced in 1946,

was replaced in the late 1970s by what?

OK, as a mother of four children, I think

the answer is probably going to be Child Benefit.

Yeah, I just think you might know that one.

It is the right answer, well done.

Pat, what name is used to refer to the group of European

countries that have adopted the euro as their national currency?

I think that's the Eurozone.

-You think?

-Well, I'm confident, Dermot. What can I say?

It is the right answer. The Eurozone.

OK, Karen. In the mid-19th century,

the Clear Grits was a political movement in which country?

I don't think it's Australia.

Really don't know, but I'm going to go for Canada.

Really don't know, but some kind of, I don't know, feeling for it

because you've got the right answer.

Pat, Hassan Rouhani became president of which country in 2013?

I think this man is viewed as a moderate, but in the context of Iran,

moderate, hmm... I don't think he's actually a liberal, but it's Iran.

Iran is the right answer, Pat.

It's all square at two-all. Karen,

which of these is a name given to a set of proposed conditions

under which a monarch may refuse

a request from the Prime Minister to dissolve Parliament?

Wow. Erm, I haven't heard of any of these.

I'm going to go for Franklin Principles.

OK, Franklin Principles.

Hadn't heard of the Clear Grits and got that,

but you haven't got the principles.

It's the Lascelles Principles.

Pat, you've got a chance here.

Which former Prime Minister famously intervened in the historic

Norway debate in the House of Commons in May, 1940,

contributing to the resignation of Neville Chamberlain?

Well... I haven't heard of this, so I think they could all have

taken exception to Chamberlain's Munich agreement and all that.

I'll go for Stanley Baldwin in the hope that

he was still active and vocal.

No, it was the man with leadership during wartime himself experience,

David Lloyd George.

Right, it's good news for you, Karen, it's all square.

The tiny little bit of bad news is that

if you do need to guess, it's going to be an awful lot harder because

as you know, by question four we remove the options

and it's called Sudden Death,

you've just got to conjure up an answer yourself. Here you go.

Which British Prime Minister was sometimes known

by the nickname The Clunking Fist?

Don't know this one. Go for a guess, Harold Macmillan.

Harold Macmillan.

But no, it's not. Anyone in the studio?

Tony Blair?

-You're close.

-Or Gordon Brown.

-It was Tony Blair coined the phrase about Gordon Brown.

-About Gordon Brown. Yes.

Clunking Fist though for Gordon Brown.

Pat, who was president of the USA at the start of the 19th century?

Well, 19th century, that's the 1800s.

So it should be...Adams.

John Adams.

John Adams...

is correct, Pat.

You get the point which takes you

into the final round. Bad luck, Karen,

got into Sudden Death but not into the final round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

As it stands, We Cannot Be Serious have lost

one brain from the final round. The Eggheads haven't lost any

but we've a long way to go,

lots of rounds to play, and our second one

is coming up as Film & Television.

So who'd like to play this one?

Er, what do you think?

Is that Robin?

I think Robin.

We're going to put Robin forward.

All right, Robin, and who will you play from the Eggheads?

Just remember, it can't be Pat but any of the other four are available.

I will put myself up against Judith.

Right.

OK, let's have Robin and Judith into the Question Room, please.

All right. Do you want to go first or second, Robin?

I think I'll go first, please.

Robin, here's your first question.

Which 2013 reality television show was won by Dr Leah Totton?

Reality television is not a strong point for me, so...

It's not a name I'm familiar with so I'm going to presume that's

not a celebrity, so I'm going to have a guess at MasterChef.

OK, MasterChef for Dr Leah Totton.

-It is The Apprentice.

-Oh.

Judith, your first question then.

See if you take the lead.

What was the subtitle of the second Percy Jackson film,

released in 2013?

I've absolutely no idea.

So, it is erm...Sea Of Monsters.

It is Sea Of Monsters, though, you've guessed it.

-Oh, it's the magic right again.

-Yeah.

Right, Robin, let's get you on the board here.

From 2006 to 2009, which role did Keith Allen play

in the BBC television series Robin Hood?

I haven't watched that either.

I know Keith Allen, and he's...

he's got quite a villainous face and plays those characters quite well

so definitely...

Well, I don't think it's Robin Hood.

I don't think it'll be Little John either

so I'd guess it's Sheriff of Nottingham.

OK. You've got it by thinking yourself into the

casting director's mindset there.

Yes, Keith Allen, hamming it up

occasionally as the Sheriff of Nottingham.

So well done, you got that.

Judith, your second question.

Which actress played the role of a barrister named

Jo Mills in the legal drama Judge John Deed?

I love that series. It was Jenny Seagrove.

Jenny Seagrove is the right answer.

OK, Judith, you've got the lead back

so you need this, Robin.

Who won Best Supporting Actress Oscars for her performances in

the Woody Allen films Hannah And Her Sisters, and Bullets Over Broadway?

I do quite like Woody Allen. Erm...

I'm just desperately trying to think who was in these.

I think Mia Farrow was definitely in Hannah And Her Sisters.

Erm...

But I think I'm going to go for Dianne Wiest.

OK, That is the right answer, well done.

OK, Judith.

Which actor made his Doctor Who debut

in a story called Spearhead From Space?

It could be any of them.

Spearhead From Space.

I don't know. Peter Davison.

Peter Davison. You're going down that right again, but no, it's not.

-It is... Any Egghead know?

-I would've guessed Pertwee.

Pertwee it is, from Dave there. Jon Pertwee in Spearhead From Space.

So, that's good news, Robin.

You survived that, and you're into Sudden Death just like Karen.

Let's see if you can go one better and clinch the deal.

Robin, which English actress and singer was born Julia Wells in 1935?

I really can't think. I'll say...

..Julie Andrews.

You got it!

Where did that come from?

So, Julie Andrews

for a very, very good guess there.

Judith, which Coronation Street character

was played by Margot Bryant from 1960 to 1976?

I've no idea because I've never watched it.

I mean, the only character I can ever remember is Ena Sharples.

The one with the hairnet.

But it's not her.

I just... I'm sorry, I can't do Coronation Street.

-So are you passing?

-I'm afraid I'll have to pass.

-One of Ena Sharples' best friends, isn't it?

-Yeah. Minnie Caldwell.

-Minnie Caldwell.

-Oh, I never would've got that.

Minnie Caldwell, played by Margot Bryant from 1960 to 1976.

Which means you've served your way

into the final round, Robin.

OK. That means you won't be there, Judith.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

Well, that's looking better for We Cannot Be Serious.

Both teams have now lost one brain from the final round.

Round Three is Geography.

So who'd like to play that?

A wince from Ian.

-Going to have to be me, is it?

-Yeah.

Captain's role, I'm afraid.

That's why you were wincing, you knew your time had come.

The moment had arrived.

OK, who would you like to play from the Eggheads?

Pat and Judith have played

so you can choose from Chris, Dave or Kevin.

-Tremendous Knowledge?

-Yeah, could do.

Tremendous Knowledge, do you fancy it?

-Do YOU fancy it? It's your...

-I fancy it.

Well, we'll have it then.

Smashing the ball back and forth across the studio.

Let's have Ian and Dave into the Question Room, please.

Ian. Now, would you like to go first or second?

Er... Well, I've told everybody else to go first, so

I shall go first as well, please, Dermot.

-All right, Ian. Good luck.

-Thank you.

-First question is this.

Until 1967, which landmark

was the tallest structure in Sydney in Australia?

Gosh. Erm...

Well, I've never heard of the Bay Wellington Tower or

the John Hancock Center.

But I have BEEN to Sydney.

And I've seen the Sydney Harbour Bridge

so I will plump for the Sydney Harbour Bridge, please.

OK, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which you've witnessed with your own eyes.

It's the right answer and a good start, Ian.

Dave, your first question.

Germany has borders on two seas - the North Sea and which other?

Don't think it's the White Sea, or the Caspian Sea.

I think they've got a border on the Baltic Sea.

Yes, they do. OK, it's the Baltic, and one each. Back to you, Ian.

The highest point of the Hindu Kush mountain range

is located near the border of Afghanistan and which other country?

Phew. Well...

Could be any of those, of course,

they've all got borders with Afghanistan.

Well, my tennis coach says always go right down the middle,

so I shall have to go for China.

OK, China, serving right down the middle.

Just missed the line, I'm afraid. It's not China.

Of the other two, Dave...?

Logic says I should go to India

but I've got a yearning for Pakistan, if I was doing it.

Yeah, it's Pakistan. So, your question now then, Dave.

Which Welsh city had the nickname Copperopolis

because of its close connections to the copper industry?

I thought Swansea was more to do with...

steelworks and that area.

I would go Newport, but it's not with a degree of certainty

cos it is a city now, so Newport would be my answer.

It's not Dave, no. That's incorrect.

-Swansea.

-Yeah, OK. Second guess.

It's like a double bounce, though, we're not giving you the point.

No. Not Newport, it is Swansea, as you got the second time of asking.

Doesn't count, so it stays all square.

Ian, third question.

The town of Bergama in Turkey

is particularly associated with which industry?

Turkey. Well, obviously they make a lot of carpets in Turkey.

Erm...

But I'm not going to go for carpet making

cos going down the middle let me down last time.

I'm going to go for, perhaps...

..glass blowing this time, please.

-OK, glass blowing.

-With fingers crossed.

-For Bergama in Turkey.

It's down the middle, it's carpet making. Sorry, Ian.

Yeah, carpet making, as you were considering but ultimately rejected.

So, a chance for Dave to win the round.

Dave, Dedham Vale, a designated area of natural beauty,

is on the border of which two English counties?

I've not heard of this at all.

I'll have to go for Somerset and Wiltshire.

-Eggheads, is he right?

-No.

-Essex and Suffolk.

-It's Constable country.

Ah. OK, from the Eggheads it's Constable country,

so therefore is...

-Essex and Suffolk.

-Yes. Second time round you're really good!

OK. Well, it stays all square then.

And we go into Sudden Death again. Three in a row.

Ian, which African country became landlocked

as a consequence of Eritrea gaining independence in 1993?

I think it could be Ethiopia.

That's my answer, Ethiopia.

-It's the correct answer.

-Oh!

-Some real problems for Dave.

-Yes.

Dave, Carrasco International Airport serves which South American capital?

I'm going to have to go Caracas.

It's not. Do you know, Eggheads?

Not sure. Is it Lima?

-No.

-No? OK.

-Just give me a South American capital.

-Asuncion.

-No.

-Lima?

-No.

-Montevideo.

-Montevideo! Seven guesses. Well, about five.

Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay of course,

is served by Carrasco International Airport, and

enough of South American airports,

let's concentrate on what just happened there.

Well, it means, Ian, you will be in the final round. Dave, you won't.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

So, We Cannot Be Serious. 30-15 up at the moment.

You've knocked two Eggheads out of the final round

and you've only lost one.

So, we reach our next subject, last one before the final round,

and this one is Sport.

Who'd like to play this? Only got two players left

for this round, Carlo or Pat.

Pat, do you fancy Sport?

No!

-But I know it's mine.

-It's going to be Pat.

Don't fancy it but you're going to play it anyway.

Pat, who would you like to play? There is Kevin or Chris left.

Think I'll take on Chris, there's a Drummond connection here.

-Chris, please.

-Chris, do you like tennis?

New balls, please.

Can't say any better than that.

Let's have Pat and Chris into the Question Room, please.

OK, Pat. Now, do you want to go first or second on Sport?

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

OK, good luck and first question.

In July 2012, Fabio Capello was appointed as the manager

of which country's football team?

I would certainly rule Russia out.

(Fabio Capello...)

I think I would like to go...

down the middle. Spain.

Spain, for Fabio Capello.

It's not. No, Pat.

-Do you know, Chris?

-Not France, is it?

No. Why did I ask you?

It is Russia.

Oh, no!

-OK.

-It is Russia.

OK, well...

See how Chris does with HIS first one.

Who did Marion Bartoli defeat in the final

to win the ladies' singles title at Wimbledon in 2013?

Can you believe it?

Well, I don't think the Williams sisters have been quite

at the top of their game lately, so I don't think it was Serena Williams.

The name Sabine Lisicki doesn't ring any bells,

but I've an idea it was Victoria Azarenka.

OK. Pat, is he right?

-Yes, I think he is.

-Oh, OK.

-No?

-No.

-It's Sabine Lisicki.

-Oh...

How quickly the memory fades. OK.

Well, listen. No damage done,

it's still all square.

Your second question, Pat.

Which US country club was the venue for golf's Ryder Cup in 2012?

I have to say, golf I don't particularly enjoy.

I think I'll go down the left and have Augusta.

OK.

Suffering from Ian-itis, going down the middle and missing it

and then missing the middle which is the answer.

Oh, no!

It's Medinah.

OK. Nothing on the board for anyone yet.

Will Chris be the first one to score?

In 2013, the New Zealand athlete Valerie Adams won her fourth

consecutive world championship gold medal in which event?

Well, it's unlikely to be shot put

since the Eastern Europeans have still

got a bit of a monopoly on that where female athletes are concerned.

Don't connect her with the long jump, so I'll have a go at javelin.

OK. Javelin.

You two have been doing well at ruling out the right answer

first off in your analysis. It's shot put.

Which Dave clearly knew very well indeed.

Right. OK.

I think, well,

one point just might win it and this might be the question, Pat.

Oh, I hope so.

Ekiden, originally a Japanese term,

is used to refer to what type of sporting activity?

Well...

I've not heard of that word at all. Ekiden...

Long distance running is not something I'd associate with erm...

This is going to go horribly wrong,

but I think I am going to go down the middle with archery.

OK. Archery.

I'll just refer you to what I already said about the first option

you rule out - it's long distance running.

Oh, no.

All right. Well, a chance to win it, Chris,

if you get this.

For which team was Ayrton Senna racing

when he was killed at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix?

Didn't they go into a period of mourning

and actually withdraw from Formula 1 for a couple of years?

I think it was Benetton.

No. It wasn't.

-Williams.

-Yeah. From the other Eggheads, Williams, Chris.

Well, we are into, I suppose,

effectively a tie-break, and we're into Sudden Death again.

OK, Pat.

In which year did the women's pole vault

become a full medal event at the Olympics?

I have absolutely no idea.

I can't even... I'll have to pass, I'm sorry.

I'm sure the Eggheads will forgive me. I'm not going to allow you

to pass because you can clearly have a guess.

-OK...

-All I need is an Olympic year.

2008.

-Is that your guess?

-It'll have to be. But I'm sure it's earlier.

It is earlier. I don't know, Pat, I think you could've worked on that

a bit harder. It's not the right answer, it's not 2008.

Do you know, Chris?

About 1976, isn't it?

No, that's too early. Other Eggheads?

I thought it was 2000 when I first heard the question.

Pat's got it. Yeah, Sydney - 2000.

Which is VERY late, isn't it?

All right.

Chris, well, another chance to win it.

The American Wilt Chamberlain was a leading player in which sport?

Basketball.

It's through the hoop. It is the right answer.

Basketball.

Chris has stormed into the final round.

-Bad luck, Pat. Means you won't be there.

-Thank you.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

And so this is what we've been playing towards.

It's 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.

So Karen and Pat from We Cannot Be Serious,

and Judith and Dave from the Eggheads,

would you leave the studio now, please?

So, Ian, Carlo and Robin,

you're playing to win We Cannot Be Serious £4,000.

And Chris, Pat and Kevin, you are playing for something which

money cannot buy, the Eggheads' reputation.

And as usual I ask each team three questions in turn.

This time, the questions are all General Knowledge

and you are allowed to confer.

So, We Cannot Be Serious, the question is

are your three brains better than the Eggheads' three?

Ian, Carlo and Robin, how do you want to play the final round?

Do you want to go first or second?

We'll go first, please, Dermot.

Here's your first question.

Which country won the Eurovision Song Contest

in 1992, 1993 and 1994?

When did ABBA win it...? And Ireland won...

-I think it's going to be Ireland.

-..quite a few times, didn't they?

We'll go for Ireland.

We'll say Ireland, please, Dermot.

Ireland, three consecutive years winning the

Eurovision Song Contest. It is of course the right answer, well done.

All right, Eggheads.

Your first question.

Which of these is an American performance theatre group

founded in 1987 by Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton?

The only one I'm aware of is

the Blue Man Group. Sounds logical.

Erm...

We'll go for the Blue Man Group.

I think the others are made up.

And the Blue Man Group are

a well-known

outfit on the performance circuit.

Blue Man Group is correct. OK. It's all square at one-all.

And your second question,

We Cannot Be Serious.

Albert Einstein died in 1955 in which country?

For some reason I'm going to discount the United States.

I've got some idea it was somewhere like Norway, with the Nobel things.

Yeah...

Are we happy with Norway?

-Yeah. If we're guessing, that's what I would go for.

-Norway?

-Yeah.

We'll go for Norway, please, Dermot.

OK, Norway. Albert Einstein died in 1955 in...

It's incorrect.

And you know what? Because the Eggheads know I won't ask them,

it's down the middle again, it IS the USA.

Right - well, will the Eggheads

get the lead here?

Which type of building was converted into Gateshead's

BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art?

-It used to be a flour mill.

-Flour mill?

-Yeah.

That was previously a flour mill.

Flour mill.

It's the right answer, Eggheads. You have that lead.

Right, We Cannot Be Serious have to be serious,

you must get this.

Which writer is credited with the line,

"There are no second acts in American lives"?

-Any ideas, guys?

-Not really.

Any inkling?

F Scott Fitzgerald came into my head but

-no reasoning behind it at all.

-Mm.

Nothing at all.

Well, he was the most prolific, wasn't he? So...

-I can't help on this one.

-If we're guessing, I'd go F Scott Fitzgerald.

Again, it's another guess. We'll say F Scott Fitzgerald, please, Dermot.

OK, you've got to get this, as you know. F Scott Fitzgerald.

It's the right answer.

Ooh... Well done, guys.

Well done.

But...

The Eggheads have an advantage, and can win the game with this question.

Eggheads, paintings by which American singer

were displayed in an exhibition called Face Value

at the National Portrait Gallery in London in 2013?

It's Bob Dylan, I saw it. Yeah. So, it's Bob Dylan.

Er...

Luckily saw this one. It's Bob Dylan.

No appealing that one, is there? It is the right answer.

Eggheads, you've won.

Kevin actually saw it. OK. Right, well, bad luck.

And that actually is pretty much the tale of the game for you -

I mean, in tennis parlance it was as if we had Hawk-Eye on some of those.

Should've gone down the middle more often.

Yes - and when you did go down the middle it WASN'T there.

It was just a bit of bad luck there.

An even stevens performance in the head-to-heads, all square,

then in the final round just that last one. Belt and braces for Kevin.

He's been there to see for himself

that it was Bob Dylan that staged that Face Value exhibition.

So, bad luck, We Cannot Be Serious. Best of luck with the tennis.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much indeed for playing the Eggheads.

They've done what comes naturally to them

and they still reign supreme over quizland.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £4,000.

That means the money rolls over to the next show.

So 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. Until then, goodbye.