Episode 4 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 hoping to beat the might of the Eggheads today are Wyndham United.

This team are usually on opposing teams

when they quiz in their local, The Limes, in Sandbach.

But, for today, they've put aside their differences. Let's meet them.

Hello, I'm Julie, I'm 61 and I'm a retired school secretary.

Hello, I'm Ian.

I'm 63, I'm a retired environmental health officer.

Hello, I'm Ralph, I'm 74 and I'm a retired teacher.

Hi, I'm Kevin, I'm 65 and I'm a retired computer programmer.

Hi, I'm Ian, I'm 52 and I'm a retail manager.

Welcome to you, Wyndham United.

Two teams then and, also, Wyndham United, the team name, interesting.

Explain that to me, Julie.

Both of us play at The Limes, as you said.

One of the teams, which is Kevin and Ian at the end there,

-they call themselves the Triffids.

-OK, right.

And Ralph decided to throw down the gauntlet and challenge them

and we would choose a name that would get at them.

So we chose the Kraken Wakes, which is also a novel by John Wyndham.

-John Wyndham, science fiction.

-That's right, yes.

So that's why we're called Wyndham United.

-You three are Krakens, and you're Triffids.

-That's right. Yes.

I see. And how do you... Do you ever quiz against each other?

-We do, all the time.

-Tonight we'll be doing it again.

-Yes, we do.

And, Julie, who wins out, the Krakens or the Triffids?

-It's, well, pretty even, really.

-LAUGHTER

-That's my story!

-We don't want dissent on that side. You're united to take on the Eggheads.

-We're definitely united tonight.

-Of course. All right. Wyndham United there. Best of luck.

Every day there is £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.

Wyndham United, the Eggheads have won the last four games.

That, of course, means £5,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads today.

So let's get on with it.

Rather appropriate, given what we've just been

discussing about John Wyndham, our first subject is Science.

Who'd like to take this one on?

-Ian?

-ALL AGREE

Yes. Ian C.

OK. Ian, right. The one you know!

-The one I know, yes.

-Ian hubby!

-IAN: Only too well!

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

-You can choose any one of them, at this point.

-Who do you think?

What do you think?

THEY CONFER Judith.

Ian will take on Judith.

All right, first round is going to be Ian from Wyndham United,

Judith from the Eggheads. Can I ask you both, please, to go to the question room.

Right, it is Science. Ian, good luck with the category.

-Do you want to go first or second?

-I'll go first, please.

And best of luck to you, Ian, here's your first question.

The pilchard belongs to which family of fish?

Well, certainly, it is a fish I do know of.

Er, it certainly isn't an eel

and definitely not a shark,

so I would say it's a herring.

A herring. It's the right answer. Yes.

As an environmental health officer,

you found a few rotten pilchards

stuck away somewhere in the restaurants?

Certainly there's been a few smelly fish around during that period, yes.

OK. Right, Judith, your first question.

What type of scientific instrument is a spyglass?

Well, I think it can only be a telescope.

Indeed. It can.

Is the right answer. The only one we'll accept.

OK, it is all square. Ian's second question.

Magnesium and calcium belong to which group of the periodic table?

They are certainly not gases.

I would say, therefore, they're alkaline earth metals.

Go down the middle there for alkaline earth metals,

and the right answer again. Two to you.

Judith, what type of creature is a dunlin?

It's certainly not a snake.

And it's not a horse, it's a bird.

It is a bird. Do you know what kind?

I'm... Is it sort of a marsh bird or something?

Shall I ask the others? Anything more about the dunlin?

-It's a little wader.

-A little wader.

You're right, Judith, a kind of wader. Marshy areas, I would guess.

All square, both going really well. Right. Third question, Ian.

In 2005, the computer scientist Vint Cerf was given the title

Chief Internet Evangelist by which company?

I don't know this, Dermot, so I'm going to have to make a guess.

I'll try and make it an educated guess,

and I think I will go for Google.

OK, Google, the Chief Internet Evangelist.

Didn't need to google him to tell you that is the right answer.

Well done.

Three in a row. Can Judith match that?

Well, the Enrico Fermi Institute,

named after the Nobel Prize winner,

is part of which American University?

I have a feeling, I don't know why,

but something's twanging in my brain saying Chicago.

Twanging Chicago. You two are good. It's the right answer, yes.

All square, 3-3 straight off.

This is great quizzing.

What a great start to this game of Eggheads.

Takes us into Sudden Death, first round,

and, Ian, you know what that means.

I'm not going to show you any more choices.

Can you tell me, in July 2013,

scientists discovered the 14th moon of which planet?

I'm not certain about this question.

I think I would say it was Saturn.

One with a lot of moons.

Saturn, you think. July 2013, scientists discovered the 14th moon of...

Neptune. Neptune. The first incorrect answer we've had so far.

Judith, in a highly competitive round, a chance to win it.

Which country had the highest carbon emissions in 2012?

Well, I should think that is either America or China.

And China is heavily polluted, isn't it,

and has a huge number of power stations

and so on, so I think I'm just going to say China and hope for the best.

OK, China.

The country that had the highest carbon emissions in 2012

is China.

Judith, it is correct. What a great performance from Judith.

Nearly matched by Ian. Unlucky there with the 14th moon of Neptune.

Some difficult questions well negotiated by both of you,

but best performance, of course, by Judith,

which means no place for you in the final round, Ian.

Would you both, please, come back and join your teams?

Bad luck, Ian. As it stands, it means your team have lost one brain.

The Eggheads are all there, but such early days,

let's see how it pans out. In round two, it's Sport.

Who'd like to play this one from Wyndham United?

THEY ALL NOMINATE IAN

OK, Ian, which Egghead would you like to play?

It can't be Judith, so any of the boys.

-Everybody agree, yes?

-Go for Chris, please.

Yes, we'll take on Chris. Our local gentleman from Crewe.

-Have you ever been to The Limes, Chris?

-No.

But, as Mavis, the landlady of The Bridge would say, "You're barred!"

-LAUGHTER

-Let's see who's barred from the final round after this.

Let's have Ian and Chris into the question room, please.

OK, Ian, let's play the game and see if you're on the pace.

Would you like to go first or second, Ian?

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

And the first question is this, Ian. Good luck with it.

In centimetres, how high is the Ashes urn?

Well, I know it's... I've seen it quite a few times

and, obviously, I'm going to discount the 1,100 and the 111cm.

It's 11 centimetres.

It always looks strange, doesn't it, when the winning team,

usually England, is holding it up. Tiny, little urn.

OK, that is the right answer, of course.

Chris, which of these is one of the seven official grades

of racecourse surface in Britain?

That is Good to Soft, Dermot.

I prefer Fair to Middling.

Well, I prefer things to be Fair to Middling look,

but Good to Soft is racecourse going.

Good to Soft, yes, and I know the Eggheads

probably know all seven of them,

but we don't have the time to go through them.

It's all square. Ian.

Which British golfer won the 2013 US Open?

I watched it, I remember staying up late to watch it.

Unfortunately, Ian Poulter and Luke Donald have not yet won a major.

-It was Mr Justin Rose.

-After years of effort, well rewarded. Well done.

Your late-night viewing well rewarded.

OK, Chris, what nationality

is the world champion motorcyclist Jorge Lorenzo?

With a name like that, he's not German.

And unless he comes from south-west France

I don't think he's French either,

but the name is certainly Spanish. So that's the answer.

OK, going on the name, that's good enough, it's the right answer.

Well done, Chris. 2-2.

And, Ian, in which weight category

did Nicola Adams win a boxing gold medal at the 2012 Olympics?

I'm not really sure about this, to be honest, Dermot.

I'm going to discount flyweight straightaway.

It's a toss-up between the other two,

but I'm going to plump for middleweight.

OK. Middleweight. Not in the middle, but going for middleweight.

It's not.

She's not a middleweight. Do you know, Chris?

She's a lightweight, isn't she?

I won't ask the other Eggheads,

because even people who don't know can work out! Flyweight. OK.

It means you have a chance here, Chris.

In 1994, Sixfields Stadium became the home ground

of which British football club?

Which one of those moved in the mid-'90s?

Not Burton, not Northampton.

Yeah, I think Oxford moved around then, so it'd be Oxford United.

Oxford United. Playing at Sixfields.

It is wrong. No, it's not.

-Eggheads, does anyone know?

-Northampton Town.

-Northampton Town.

Very nice to hear that, Ian, I'm sure,

but, yet again, two rounds, two Sudden Deaths so far.

Just reminding you you won't be seeing any more options.

The NHL ice hockey team known as the Maple Leafs

is based in which city?

I'm not sure if it's Vancouver or Montreal.

I'm going to say Montreal.

Well, you worked out the Canadian angle,

but no, it wasn't either of those two, it's, er... Anyone know?

Toronto.

Toronto Maple Leafs.

OK, Chris.

Bishan Bedi was a leading Test cricket player

for which country?

Oh, yes, there was a lot of controversy in the late '60s

with him allegedly ball-tampering.

He played for India.

Bishan Bedi played for India.

It is the right answer, Chris.

Chris has finally won through. Bad luck, Ian.

I'm sorry, you won't be in the final round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

Well, the Eggheads living on their nerves a bit here.

Two mighty tussles there, going into Sudden Death

in the first two rounds, but each of them,

the end result has been Wyndham United have lost out,

which means two brains gone from the final round for them.

The Eggheads are all still there.

Hopefully, your luck will turn on our next category.

Round three is Geography.

Who would like to play this?

None of the Ians, of course.

THEY ALL NOMINATE RALPH

-It's going to be Ralph.

-Oh, dear.

OK, stay with us, because you have to choose an Egghead.

You need someone to compete against. OK, it will be Ralph.

Who would you like to play?

-Dave, I think.

-I'm told I've got to take Dave. Sorry, Dave.

Not a problem at all. My pleasure.

We're telling Dave he's got to go with you!

OK, Dave and Ralph, into the question room, please.

Well, Ralph, I've got a good feeling. I'm not sure if you do.

I've got a good feeling here in this Geography around.

Would you like to go first or second?

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

And best of luck, Ralph. Let's hope you can make it. The first question.

The Giudecca Canal is a feature of which city?

It's G-I-U-D-E-C-C-A.

Oh. I've been to Bruges, never been to Hamburg,

never been to Venice.

I'll go for the one that might be obvious. Venice.

First question as well tends to be a tad easier. It's the right answer.

Yes. Venice canals.

Dave, the area known as Watch Valley

is the centre of which country's watch-making industry?

I don't associate watch-making with either Hungary or Denmark,

so I'll have to go Switzerland.

Switzerland is correct as well.

Nicely paired questions. And you both negotiated those successfully.

Ralph, second question.

Which of these is a name given to a volcano

built up of alternate layers of lava and ash?

Again, I've not really heard of any of those.

-The one that perhaps springs to mind is stratovolcano.

-OK.

Stratovolcano.

It's the right answer. Well done, Ralph.

And, Dave, the Long Forties is an area of which sea?

I don't know this straightaway, but I'm going to rule out

Black Sea and Caribbean Sea and go for the North Sea.

OK. And you've got it. Well done.

Both playing really well, as we've seen throughout the quiz so far.

Are we heading to Sudden Death? We will find out in a moment or two.

Ralph, how many time zones are there in India?

I think...

-I'll go for one.

-One?

-Hm.

OK. Unified, in spite of the size of the country.

It is the right answer, Ralph. Well done.

One time zone.

OK, you need to get this, though, Dave.

The Grasberg Mine in Indonesia

is the world's largest for which commodity?

Well, I'm going down the mine myself here,

because I don't know. I don't associate Indonesia will gold.

Maybe coal.

-I'm going to go coal and bite the bullet.

-OK.

-Bite the bullet on coal, he thinks.

-Yes.

Well, it's going to be a first here either way.

And it means, Ralph, you're through to the final round,

it's the wrong answer.

-It is gold, Dave.

-Oh, right, fair enough.

It is gold. The other Eggheads are surprised as well.

Caught you out on that one.

Great news for Wyndham United.

Ralph, you're playing in the final round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams.

Wyndham United have got one through to the final round.

They've still lost two brains from it. The Eggheads have now lost one.

And our last head-to-head before that final round is Music.

-Who'd like to play this?

-I'll go.

-Julie.

-I'll go, Dermot.

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

Judith, Dave and Chris have played, so you have got Pat or Barry.

I'll go for Barry, please.

OK. Let's have Julie and Barry into the question room,

both of you, please.

-Julie, I hear you're a member of the choir.

-I am, that's right, yes.

And a very good choir. What's it called?

It is a very good choir, yes, despite the name. Yes.

Tell me what it's called.

It's the famous Sandbach Can't Sing Choir.

I see why you qualified for this Music round.

Would you like to go first or second, Julie?

I'll go first, please, Dermot.

Good luck. First question, Julie.

The posters for which Andrew Lloyd Webber musical feature a white mask?

Well, I have to say I am a fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber

and I have seen this particular one, it's the Phantom Of The Opera.

That's what we wanted to hear. A nice easy question.

It's the right answer, yes. Phantom Of The Opera with that white mask.

And, Barry, what is the surname

of the singing brothers Nick, Joe and Kevin?

Well, the Gallagher brothers are Liam and Noel.

And there's too many Osmond brothers to mention!

But they're the Jonas Brothers.

OK, yes, the Jonas Brothers is correct.

Well put, there. And back to you, Julie, second question.

The theme music to which television series contains the lyrics,

"Now this is the story all about how

"my life got flipped, turned upside down?"

Well, my daughter was a big fan of this programme.

I think it's right, anyway. It's definitely not The Brady Bunch

and I don't think it's Doogie Howser,

I think it's The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air.

Oh, good, yes, well done. That's all thanks to your daughter watching it.

That's right. She was a big fan of Will Smith.

What a huge star he turned out to be. OK.

It's two to you, and Barry's second question.

Which band performed with Tom Jones

on the 2000 single Mama Told Me Not To Come?

Oh, this one passed me by. I really don't know this one.

Coldplay and Tom Jones, that's an interesting combination.

I don't think that would quite work.

I'm going to go for the Stereophonics.

I think they're a Welsh band, so I'll go for the Stereophonics.

Oh, you lucky Barry. It is the right answer, yes. Stereophonics.

Mama Told Me Not To Come.

I thought he might have stumbled there, but he didn't, Julie.

But you're going really solidly. Let's get this.

Deep Purple's live album Concerto For Group And Orchestra

was performed with which orchestra?

Well, I don't know this one, so I am going to have to make a guess on it.

I've got a feeling that Deep Purple perhaps hail from Birmingham,

so I'm going to say the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

OK, that would make sense.

-But it's not the right answer, Julie.

-Oh!

It's the Royal Philharmonic.

OK, Barry, after wobbling a bit with his second question,

now finds himself with a decisive one himself.

This could win it for the Eggheads.

Barry, the documentary Miles Electric

featured Miles Davis's legendary 1970 gig at which festival?

The only one of those festivals that I know is a jazz festival

-is Montreux, so, on that basis, I'll go for Montreux.

-OK, Montreux.

Very quick to lock that in, me,

because it is the wrong answer, Barry!

-It is the Isle of Wight.

-Oh, gosh.

That's great news, Julie, and, for three rounds out of four,

we go to Sudden Death. You will be very familiar with it, Julie,

having seen what two of your team-mates went through.

Your question without any options now.

Which chart-topping singer was born Catherine Elizabeth Hudson

in California in 1984?

I don't know the answer, Dermot, so I'm going to have a guess.

I think she might be a little bit older than that, actually,

-but I'm going for Pink.

-OK, Pink.

No, it's not. Barry, do you know?

-Is it Katy Perry?

-It is Katy Perry.

-Oh.

OK, but this is your question, Barry.

L'Homme De Berlin was the last song

recorded by which French singer before she died in 1963?

Well, that sounds very much like Edith Piaf,

-and the dates are right, so I'll go for Edith Piaf.

-Edith Piaf.

It is the right answer, Barry.

Well, done it again, the Eggheads, and you just lost out.

Oh. Never mind.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

It's what we've been playing towards, it's time for the final round,

which, as always, is General Knowledge.

Those of you who lost your head-to-heads

will not be able to take part in this round,

so, Julie, Ian C and Ian T,

from Wyndham United,

and Dave from the Eggheads, would you leave the studio, please?

So, Ralph and Kevin, you're playing to win Wyndham United £5,000.

Barry, Chris, Judith and Pat, you are playing for something that

money cannot buy, it is the Eggheads' reputation.

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

This time, the questions are General Knowledge

and you are allowed to confer.

Wyndham United, the question is

are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

And, Ralph and Kevin, would you like to go first or second?

We'd like to go first, please.

OK, first question to Wyndham United.

They are all General Knowledge, so anything can come up.

Good luck with your first question, Kevin and Ralph.

A traditional tandoor oven is usually made from what material?

We are both mumbling "clay" to each other,

so clay is the answer we're going for.

OK, clay is the right answer.

Yes, well done, Wyndham United, good start.

Right, Eggheads,

Amanda Redman played a character called Alison

in the TV drama At Home With The... what?

At Home With The Braithwaites.

It is the right answer, yes.

They had won a large sum of money,

I think, hadn't they?

And it was about the family's fortunes after this big windfall.

At Home With The Eggheads - Pat and Judith!

OK, second question for Wyndham United.

Who replaced Humphrey Lyttelton as the regular host

of the radio comedy I'm Sorry I Haven't A Clue?

-I don't know.

-Well, I do.

This is one of my favourite radio programmes,

and I think Jack Dee has made an excellent substitute

for Humphrey Lyttelton.

So Jack Dee is the answer.

Jack Dee, he certainly has.

But Humphrey Lyttelton much missed as well.

But Jack Dee is the right answer. Well done.

And, Eggheads, your second question.

In 2013, who was revealed as the true author

of The Cuckoo's Calling, published under the name of Robert Galbraith?

JUDITH: It is JK Rowling.

It is her. A little experiment she did.

Yeah, happy with that?

THEY CONFER

That was JK Rowling.

JK Rowling, under a nom de plume.

Robert Galbraith.

It is the right answer, Eggheads.

It is all square, you're going really well. Ralph and Kevin,

good luck with this one, third question.

Who built the reed boat Tigris,

but burned it on its maiden voyage in 1978

as an anti-war protest?

I am thinking Thor Heyerdahl. He did the Kon-Tiki.

Naomi James, is she some sort of sailor?

Jack Cousteau was more underwater stuff.

-We're going to go for Thor Heyerdahl.

-OK.

The reed boat Tigris burned in 1978

by Thor Heyerdahl.

It's the right answer. You have three.

It's a crucial question, let's concentrate on this.

If you get this wrong, Eggheads, you know what happens,

you lose your reputation and the money goes to Wyndham United.

In 1829, Sir Charles Rowan

became one of the first holders of which post?

-BARRY:

-Police Commissioner.

-They were founded in 1829.

-OK.

We are going to go for the Met Police Commissioner.

First Metropolitan Police Commissioner,

did I hear from you they were founded...?

Yes, by Sir Robert Peel, I think.

It is the right answer, Eggheads. We go to Sudden Death. Again.

-Here we go.

-Well, funnily enough, you two haven't played Sudden Death.

You're the only two on your team who haven't played a Sudden Death round yet.

But you're about to now. So, concentrate.

Here's your first question in Sudden Death.

Rosso is the Italian word for which colour?

We know about rosso in wine and we're going for red.

-You've sampled a bottle or two?

-We have, yes.

Red is the right answer.

Well. You're in the lead again. Eggheads, can you match it?

Which Asian country's flag

consists of a red disc on a green background?

THEY CONFER

-JUDITH:

-I don't know about flags.

That's Bangladesh.

You're good at your flags. And you have got it, Eggheads. On we go.

OK, Ralph and Keith,

in which James Bond film does the tennis player VJ Amritraj appear?

I've only ever seen one James Bond film. Can you think of any titles?

RALPH SIGHS

-Thunderball.

-Thunderball.

We're going to go for a title that we've just plucked out of the air,

we really don't know, so we're going to say Thunderball.

You don't know, but at least you got a James Bond film.

There are plenty to choose from.

It's not Thunderball with VJ Amritraj. Eggheads?

-CHRIS:

-Octopussy.

-Octopussy.

OK, right, well, a stumble,

a hiccup there from Wyndham United.

What will the Eggheads do with their matching question?

Eggheads, the Fishing Heritage Centre on Alexandra Dock

is a feature of which English town?

-PAT:

-It's not Grimsby, is it?

-CHRIS:

-It's Hull. Hull.

-Yeah?

-BARRY:

-That makes sense.

OK. Er, it's Hull.

Hull for the Alexandra Dock.

-It's not Hull!

-Eh?!

It's incorrect.

It's Grimsby. It's Grimsby.

You didn't consider it, though...

Alexandra Dock shed's in Hull.

-Oh, well, it's great news. OK.

-Just.

Ferry Farm in Virginia was the main boyhood home of which US president?

There were a lot of presidents from that area.

-It'll be one of the early ones.

-And one of the early ones...

George Washington is one that comes to mind, obviously.

Jefferson.

I'm drawn to Thomas Jefferson.

For some reason.

-Do you have any thoughts?

-No, I'm... No.

We'll go with that.

-Thomas Jefferson.?

-Thomas Jefferson in Ferry Farm in Virginia.

As a boy.

-It's not Thomas Jefferson. Do you know, Eggheads?

-George Washington.

George Washington, as you said. George Washington is the answer.

Eggheads, another chance. Which Hollywood actor and director

set up a production company called Malpaso in 1968?

We think that's Clint Eastwood.

Clint Eastwood, you think.

It's the right answer, Eggheads, you've won.

Phew!

We did get a result in the end. Bad luck, Wyndham United.

-Well...

-That's a shame.

You can hardly get closer without winning the money.

-Indeed.

-Goodness me.

Four Sudden Death rounds out of five rounds in total

and they could easily have gone your way

and tipped the balance a bit more in your favour.

But a great game of Eggheads

has just ended with victory for the Eggheads.

They've done what comes naturally to them

and they still reign supreme over Quiz Land.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £5,000,

which means the money rolls over to the next show.

So, congratulations, Eggheads. And we ask - who can beat you?

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

have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£6,000 says they don't.

Until then, goodbye.