Episode 51 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 Goliaths today are the Segheads.

This friends and family team from Portadown in Northern Ireland

features amongst their ranks a man who can name every single

James Bond film.

If that isn't an Egghead in training,

I don't know what is. Let's meet them.

Hi, my name's Wesley, I'm 33 and I'm a managing director.

Hi, my name's Tim, I'm 35 and I'm a quantity surveyor.

Hi, my name's Glen, I'm 35, I'm the owner of a menswear shop.

Hi, my name's Steve, I'm 28 years old, and I'm a contracts coordinator.

Hi, my name's Les, I am...

40, and I manage a mail processing plant.

-Wesley and team, welcome.

-Thank you.

And tell us about the name first of all, Wesley, Segheads. Why?

Er, the name came about...

I run a company called Segway NI, and we all just thought,

Eggheads versus the Segheads.

And a Segway is that thing where you've got a handlebar

and you stand on it and it whizzes around.

It's an upright scooter which is controlled by gyroscopes,

and it's all done by your body weight to make it go forwards and backwards.

-Do we see them on the roads at all or not?

-Not, er, not in the UK.

-At the moment they're illegal on the roads and footpaths.

-OK.

Now, the James Bond expert, where are you? Declare yourself. OK.

-That's me, sir.

-Let's see if Kevin knows the first five Bond films.

Er, Dr No,

From Russia With Love,

Goldfinger, Thunderball,

You Only Live Twice.

-Perfect, sir, perfect.

-Is he right?

-Perfect.

Can you do the last five? That's really hard.

Oh, goodness me, now, normally I work my way through them all,

so the last five...

Er, The World Is Not Enough,

Die Another Day,

Casino Royale,

Quantum of Solace and Skyfall.

That's impressive.

I gave you no notice of that either. Well done.

Good luck, team.

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, Segheads, the Eggheads have won the last six games,

which means that £7,000 says you can't beat them today.

-Would you like to start?

-Yes, please.

-Please.

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

Which one of you would like this?

-Shall I go for it, will I?

-Yeah.

-Aye.

-Glen?

-Glen?

-Sure, I'll go for it.

Glen, OK, and which Egghead would you like to take on?

They're all looking... Well, they're trying to look intelligent.

What do you reckon? Anybody?

I would say they're all good!

They are all good.

Sophie's Choice here. Er, go for Dave?

OK, so Glen on History against Tremendous Knowledge Dave.

-Feeling good about that? Up for it?

-Yeah, I mean, it just depends on...

It's such a broad subject,

just depends on what kind of history's asked really.

All right, please, both of you go to the question room now.

So, Glen, tell us about what you do most of the time.

Most of the time I'm working,

working all the time practically cos I just started my new business.

-OK, and what is it?

-Er, I started a groom hire shop

and then diversified into more retail now and shoes and stuff,

all things that a gentleman should obtain as far as attire.

Oh, I see, so good trousers, good shirts and all of that stuff.

That's it, you got it, Jeremy, like yourself.

-Could you sort Dave out over there?

-Ah, Dave's all right.

Barry, he can get a few tips from Barry.

LAUGHTER

OK, so, you're on history now,

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

Er, can I go first please?

You can indeed and here is your first question. Good luck.

Which monarch's art collection including notable paintings by

Raphael, Van Dyck and Titian were sold off by Oliver Cromwell?

Erm, I think it was too early for Elizabeth and George.

I think Cromwell was around maybe Charles's time,

so I'll go for Charles I.

-Very good, Charles I is the right answer, well done.

-Happy days.

Happy days. Dave, your question.

In the 1950s, an American public information film advised children

to do what in the event of a nuclear explosion?

Yeah, erm, bit naive, I think. Duck and cover.

Yeah, duck and cover is right.

If it had been stand and stare that would have been a very, very

bad bit of advice, but you're quite right. So, one each.

OK, Glen, which of these women was

a noted paleobotanist

and asked Robert Scott to allow her to join his ill-fated

Antarctic expedition in order that she could collect plant fossils?

Er, it's a bit of a curve-ball, that one, er,

although I have heard of all three ladies.

Erm, geez Louise, let's see.

I'm going to just take a shot in the dark and go with Marie Stopes.

You're saying Marie Stopes, I need an Egghead on this.

-Help us out here. Is he right?

-No.

Judith, who do you think it is?

Beatrix Potter. She's the only botanist among that lot.

Your answer's completely wrong,

er, because it's Marie Stopes.

-So, well done, Glen.

-Thank you.

You're officially cleverer than an Egghead. In fact, all of them.

OK, Dave, your question.

Local restrictions on the use of timber in the construction of

buildings were introduced after a major fire in 1452 destroyed

three quarters of which city?

Don't know. Erm...

I'm going to have to go for Amsterdam

but I've got no basis for this at all. Amsterdam.

But you're bang on, Dave, well done. Amsterdam it was. Two points each.

Glen, OK, your third question.

Most of the historical region of Moravia is in which

modern-day country?

Where is it? Moravia.

Moravia...

I would hazard a guess, doesn't really sound like "ovs"

and things that would be more sort of Ukraine.

Maybe Bulgaria?

I think I might go for...

I'm going to go for the Czech Republic.

-Hopefully it's bohemian enough for it.

-Anyone know this one?

-He's right.

-Yeah, you're right,

Czech Republic it is. Three out of three.

-Great guessing.

-OK, Dave, you're on the edge here.

If you get this wrong you're out.

In the 1920s the Stevenson Restriction Scheme was an attempt by

the British government to regulate the world price of which commodity?

I don't think it's coal.

Either tea or rubber, I'll go for rubber and, er, take my beating.

No, you've got it right. Rubber is correct.

Sorry, Glen, three points each.

-So we go to Sudden Death in this round.

-Here we go.

Toe to toe, the two of you.

It's a bit harder now cos I don't give you alternative answers.

Here's your question.

Frederick IX was the king of which European country from 1947

until his death in 1972?

Erm, I'm going to go with Denmark.

Denmark is the right answer.

Playing very well on history here.

Dave, in December, 1967, following a military coup earlier that year,

King Constantine II left Greece,

and he went into exile in which European capital city?

Er, I've got one in my head, and, ooh, I don't know.

I'll have to go London.

Any Eggheads know?

Hampstead Garden Suburb.

Hampstead Garden Suburb. No.

Anyone? No?

-Rome is the answer, Dave.

-Fair play.

Sudden Death and you have been knocked out. Well done, Glen.

Yes, excellent. Well done, Glen.

-Sorry, Dave.

-No problem, Glen.

First blood to our challengers. You played really well there as well.

Do both of you please come back and rejoin your teams.

So an Egghead has been knocked out.

Although, Dave, your answer wasn't that far off cos, Judith,

-you've met the king or you've seen him in the neighbourhood?

-No, no.

You gave almost a postcode of where he's living now.

-Well, he's lived in London for about 50 years.

-Right.

-In exile.

-And Dave said London.

Yeah, but the question was where he went straight after.

-That's ridiculous.

-Well, no, he was in Rome for several years.

He may have been in transit in Rome.

He wasn't just passing through the airport!

He has lived in London for a very, very long time.

OK, so, listen, you're doing well cos you went up against an Egghead,

you knocked him out. Dave is fearsome and he's out of the game,

and the next subject for you is Music.

So, who would like this? Can be old, can be new.

I reckon you. I think you'd be probably the strongest for that one.

-Yeah, go for it.

-Unless any of you guys want to interject? No?

-Steve.

-Steve.

-Steve on Music. Which Egghead would you like to take on?

-Kevin, I reckon.

-Go for Kevin?

Yeah, if there's more popular things, then Kevin.

-OK, Kevin please.

-OK, so Steve from the Segheads against Kevin on Music.

And if you will go to the question room to ensure there's

no conferring that'd be great.

OK, Steve, you can tell us whether you want to go first or second.

I'll go second please, Jeremy.

First question to Kevin.

"Wasn't it good, wasn't he fine?

"Isn't it madness he can't be mine?"

are lines from which show tune?

Well, I can't apply those to either My Favourite Things or

Over The Rainbow, and it seems to fit with I Know Him So Well,

so I'll go for that.

I Know Him So Well is the right answer, from the musical...?

Chess.

Dave says Chess.

Chess. It was, yeah, one of those.

Yeah, apparently. Was it Elaine Paige famously sung it?

-Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson.

-Barbara Dickson of course, yeah.

OK, so, he's got one, Steve,

and here's your first question.

The Sugababes hit Freak Like Me

sampled which chart topping single from 1979?

Well, I don't think it's Message In A Bottle.

Erm, I'm being pulled towards Are 'Friends' Electric?

So I think I'll go for that one please.

How does it go, Are 'Friends' Electric?

STEVE LAUGHS

JEREMY AND STEVE SING

JEREMY SINGS "CARS" BY GARY NUMAN

Well, that's Cars I just did.

That's Cars. Are 'Friends' is like "Do-do, do-do."

You're right, Are 'Friends' Electric?

-Mustn't ever attempt that again.

-No.

Kevin, in the video for which 1980s UK hit single are

most members of the band dressed in dungarees?

It was one of their, uh, one of their trademarks at the time,

or at least for that particular song, it's Come On Eileen.

Come On Eileen is correct. Dexys.

OK, over to you, Steve,

trying to catch up with Kevin here.

On the cover of their 2012 number one album Take Me Home,

the members of One Direction are pictured inside,

around and climbing on which object?

Oh, erm, not a big One Direction fan, Jeremy, unfortunately,

so, erm, it's going to be a shot in the dark.

I'll try for...

..er, telephone box, please.

Anyone seen this? Anyone want to admit to knowing this?

Not too sure but I think maybe he's right.

Yes, you are right. Well done, Steve. Telephone box it is.

So, this is fun, two points each.

Who's going to win through?

Your third question, Kevin. In 1998, Unfinished Monkey Business

was the debut solo album of which singer?

Not a clue. Not a clue.

Unfinished Monkey Business.

I'll try Jarvis Cocker but I really have no idea.

Dave knows. Dave?

It's Ian Brown, former, well, the lead singer of the Stone Roses.

Manchester band, right?

Yes, he is, and season ticket holder at United as well.

JEREMY LAUGHS

First football reference of the day.

Ian Brown is the right answer.

So, you have a chance now

to knock out the main man, Steve.

Here's your question.

The musicologist Anthony van Hoboken is best known for cataloguing

the works of which composer?

Er, for the simple fact it's the only one I've heard of to be honest,

I'll go with Tchaikovsky, please.

Tchaikovsky is the wrong answer.

It's Haydn.

2-2, Sudden Death again.

Here we go. Kevin, your question.

A number of granite benches embedded with sound systems

which can be activated to play a tune by Frederic Chopin

feature on a walking route around which capital city?

Right, now it could be, well, of course, he's Polish,

he was from, erm...

..Poland originally but spent most of his life in Paris for a good...

But I...

I don't know this fact as such

but I think the percentage guess there is Warsaw.

Warsaw is the right answer.

Steve, OK, you're on the back foot slightly here. Don't get this wrong.

In a 1966 song, of which day did the Mamas and the Papas sing,

"Every other day of the week is fine?"

Hazard a guess, I'm not really too sure, so, erm,

unfortunately I'll try and shoot in the dark again, I'll go for Sunday.

Ah, it's not Sunday. I can see that Les knows.

-Monday.

-It's Monday. The song is, well...

# Monday, Monday. #

-That's how it goes. Do you recognise that?

-I do indeed, yeah.

Yeah, sorry. I hate to rub it in, but you've lost on Sudden Death.

So your team has now...

The Eggheads have pulled back a bit against your team.

After the Eggheads started badly Kevin has won his round.

Steve, you're not going to be in the final, Kevin is.

Please both of you rejoin your teams.

So we say bad luck, Steve, and as it stands,

the Eggheads have lost one brain from the final round now,

and the Segheads have lost one as well, so level pegging.

See what happens next, it's Science.

You have this worked out?

Wes, you said that you'd try and tackle it yourself.

Wesley? The captain?

-OK, against whom? And it can't be Dave or Kevin, obviously.

-Judith?

-Aye?

-I'll go for Judith.

-All right, Judith.

I remember, this brings back the great moment where you beat

the rocket scientist on science.

Ah, yes!

It was three questions about flowers.

LAUGHTER

-That was such a triumph.

-It was, it was one of the great moments.

So, Wesley from the Segheads on science

against our own Judith from the Eggheads.

Please go to the question room now.

Right, just asking another question about Segways, Wesley.

When you do your business in Northern Ireland,

are you giving tours, are you selling the Segways or what?

Er, we do tours around the Titanic Quarter in Belfast.

And then we have off-road tours around Craigavon lakes,

and down at the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle.

And the Titanic Quarter is where

-they've got a big Titanic museum, haven't they?

-That's correct, yes.

Our tour is approximately five miles long and it takes in all of

Queen's Island, around the Titanic Quarter and where the ship was built.

Sounds great. I saw a thing on Twitter the other day

saying the Titanic Museum was closed due to flooding,

but I don't know if that was real or not.

No, I think that was fake.

OK, so we're science. I guess cos you're doing Segway tours,

you've been volunteered as the scientist, Wesley.

-Yeah, unfortunately.

-D'you want to go first or second?

I'll go second please.

Judith, here's your first question.

In describing animal characteristics,

what is the meaning of the word "ectothermic?"

Well, the thermic aspect of that makes me think

it must be cold-blooded.

Cold-blooded is right, yeah, well done.

One to you, OK. Wesley, over to you.

What name is given to a type of nuclear reactor that produces

more fuel than it consumes?

I think out of those three, I don't think it's...

..cultivator? Er...

-I would go for a harvester.

-Harvester.

-Do you know this one, Judith?

-Well, I think...

I mean, I know there are breeder reactors so I'd go for breeder.

It's quite a tough question. Breeder is the right answer.

Wesley, you got it wrong, I'm sorry.

So, Judith, you're ahead.

See if you can get this one right.

Which pharmaceuticals pioneer who died in 1936 made a provision

in his will for a trust to establish a UK-based

medical research charity which still bears his name?

Well, Thomas Beecham was a conductor,

so I don't think he would have.

Erm, I think it was the Wellcome Foundation, Henry Wellcome.

Henry Wellcome is the right answer.

-You've got two, so you need to get this one right now, Wesley.

-OK.

It's the disadvantage of starting second.

What is the name of the network of radio telescopes situated at

various locations in Central England and operated from Jodrell Bank?

OK.

I don't think it's Falcon, and I don't think it's Merlin,

so I'll go for Kestrel.

Your answer's e-Kestrel. Is he right, Judith?

-D'you know?

-I don't know.

-Anyone here?

-Merlin.

Merlin is the right answer, Wesley, sorry.

So two wrong answers means Judith is in the final

and you've been knocked out.

There's still plenty of chance here for your team.

Please both of you return and rejoin your team-mates.

So, as it stands, the Segheads have lost two brains now

from the final round, the Eggheads have lost one.

And the next subject is Sport.

-This good for you?

-Tim?

-Yeah.

-Timmy.

-Tim?

-Yeah.

OK. Against... You've been very quiet there, Tim,

waiting for your sport moment, were you? Who d'you want to play?

It can either be Barry or Chris - they're the two remaining.

THEY CONFER QUIETLY

-Chris?

-Chris.

-Yeah, Chris.

OK, how do you feel about that, Chris?

That's all you need to say. Don't say any more.

OK, maybe things are on the turn for you guys now!

So, Tim from the Segheads, Chris from the Eggheads,

please go to the question room.

So, you've not been watching sports much lately, Chris, I'm sensing.

You sense correctly, Jeremy, yeah.

And even when we... Winter Olympics excitement in Russia,

-you didn't, er, stay for that?

-No.

Tim, you picked the right Egghead.

Let's go for it. D'you want to go first or second?

I'll go first please.

So, sport, Tim, and your question.

In gymnastics, how many "Pommels" or handles are there on a Pommel horse?

On a Pommel horse...

I think it's two.

Yes, it's one of those ones, you have to think,

"Wait a minute, is there a third handle there that no-one's

"told me about?" But two is the right answer, well done.

The tide is turning, Segheads,

I can feel it. I can feel it. Chris, your question.

Who became the manager of Manchester United football team

upon the retirement of Alex Ferguson in 2013?

Er, it's not Ron Atkinson, not Harry... Er...

I think that's David Moyes.

-Oh, well done.

-That's the right answer.

Tim, your question. In the 2013 Ashes tests

held in the UK,

which England batsman scored three centuries

and was the leading run scorer over the five-match series?

I don't think it was Joe Root.

Erm...

Pretty sure it was Kevin Pietersen.

-Team, this side, what?

-We were thinking Bell.

Yeah, your team have got it, it's Ian Bell, Tim.

So, a chance for Chris

to take the lead on sport.

Neal Foulds is a former world number three

and professional player turned commentator in which game, Chris?

Er, former world number three, you say? Erm...

Yeah. Neal Foulds.

I think if he was a former golf world number three I'd have heard of him.

The name doesn't ring any bells with snooker so, erm, darts.

Darts is wrong.

Snooker's the right answer.

Dave, we would have heard of him with darts, would we, or...?

You knew it was snooker.

Knew it was snooker, yeah, cos I think his dad played as well.

-Really?

-But, yeah, he was around at the time, I think,

when Steve Davis was winning a lot of things,

so he would've probably got a World Championship at that time

if Steve Davis hadn't been around.

But more the Steve Davis into Stephen Hendry eras of dominance.

Chris has got one wrong here so that's good, Tim.

That lets you back in. Your question.

Which Formula 1 circuit is overlooked by a large Ferris wheel

which is part of a car-themed amusement park within

the same complex?

I think it's either Suzuka or Sepang. Erm...

I'll go for Sepang.

It's Suzuka.

Not having too much luck here on your side when you do the 50-50s.

Suzuka is the right answer, so if Chris gets this one right,

he is in the final round.

Chris, the rugby league player Kevin Sinfield has made over

450 appearances for which club since he joined them in 1996?

Hmm.

Rugby league.

Erm...

Well, Leeds Rhinos and Bradford Bulls tend to be rather higher profile

than Castleford Tigers,

and presumably have more of a sort of through-put of players.

But Castleford Tigers being more a local sort of club that would have

increased player loyalty shall we say,

I'll have to go for Castleford Tigers.

Right, Barry needs to tell you what the answer is here,

cos he's actually physically in pain.

It's Leeds Rhinos!

Leeds Rhinos, the right answer. So you're both stuck on one.

We go to Sudden Death.

Heavy weather here on sport.

Tim, gets a bit harder, I don't give you alternatives.

Which British tennis player received his OBE at Buckingham Palace

in October 2013?

Andy Murray.

Andy Murray is right, well done. Chris.

If you get this wrong you're out.

Which athlete broke Steve Cram's 28-year-old 1500m British record

in July 2013?

Usain Bolt.

Usain Bolt.

No, it's Mo Farah.

I've not... Well, maybe he does run at those distances, I don't know,

but Usain Bolt is not the right answer.

Mo Farah is the right answer.

Tim, you are in the final, well done.

The tide is turning. This is great, guys. Well done, Segways.

-The Segways, how fast do they go, Segway at high speed?

-13mph.

You're up at 13 miles an hour, guys!

Please both of you rejoin your teams.

So, lively game, and this is what we have been playing towards, it is

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, Wesley and Steve from the Segheads and also Chris

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

Tim, Glen and Les, you are playing to win the Segheads £7,000.

Judith, Kevin and Barry, you're playing for something that

money can't buy, the Eggheads' very precious reputation.

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

This time the questions are all general knowledge

and you are allowed to confer.

So, Segheads, the question is,

are your three brains better than the Eggheads' three?

-And would you like to go first or second?

-We'll go first, please.

Here's your first question, good luck.

A castrated bull is known by what name?

Well, being good old Northern Ireland farming folk,

it's, er, bullock.

Bullock is the right answer, well done. One to you.

Eggheads, which golfer took part in

the 2013 series of Strictly Come Dancing?

Tony Jacklin, wasn't it, yeah?

Yes, er, I watch this, and, er, what can we say about Tony?

He gave it all he had, shall we say, and it was Tony Jacklin.

That's right, one point each.

OK, Segheads. In October, 2013,

which cousin of the Duke of Cambridge

was named as one of the seven godparents of Prince George?

-Oh, I think it was Tindall.

-I think you're right.

-Yeah.

We don't think Princess Beatrice.

We think Zara Tindall.

-Married to...?

-The rugby player Mike?

Mike, yeah, and you're right.

Zara it was.

You weren't tempted by Kitty Spencer there?

-A smidge, but the guys were confident.

-OK.

Eggheads, the Danish architect Jorn Utzon is best known for

designing which building?

Yeah, Sydney...

I think it was famously described as "nuns in a rugby scrum,"

and it's the Sydney Opera House.

Sydney Opera House is the right answer. Segheads,

which animal charity was founded in 1897 under the name

Our Dumb Friends League?

-Dumb Friends League?

-Yes. Our, as in O-U-R?

-Yeah.

Dumb Friends League. Our Dumb Friends League.

Er, what d'you think?

Well, I think you couldn't class a cat as being dumb.

Blue Cross I've never heard of, so I'm leaning towards the, er,

Donkey Sanctuary.

Donkey Sanctuary is wrong.

Was it the Blue Cross?

What is the Blue Cross, Eggheads?

It's a kind of, erm, almost free veterinary thing.

Blue Cross is the right answer.

It's much, much cheaper than going to a vet.

OK, so if your animal's in pain and you've got no money, you can go...

-Yeah, exactly.

-Right.

So, Eggheads, you can take the contest with this one.

Pudd'nhead Wilson is an 1894 book

by which American novelist?

-All agreed Mark Twain?

-Mark Twain, yeah.

Yes, it's one of the amazing list of, er,

interestingly named characters by Mark Twain.

The correct answer is Mark Twain,

so we say congratulations, Eggheads, you have won.

Commiserations, Segheads. The Bond question didn't come up!

-We needed it.

-We were banking on the Bond.

Very great to meet a team from Northern Ireland.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Thanks for coming over. Hope you enjoyed seeing this lot,

-and Barry's beard as well.

-Yeah.

So intimidating he was never called into the question room.

Anyway, the Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them

and their winning streak continues.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £7,000,

so the money now rolls over to our next show.

Eggheads, congratulations. Who, I wonder, will beat you?

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

have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£8,000 says they don't. Till then, goodbye.