Episode 30 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 here you are, all wearing your Gibus hats.

A reference to... Ah, we might get back to that.

The incident in the last game. We'll talk about it in a minute.

Taking on the awesome might of our quiz Goliaths today,

are Bar Stool Ballers from East Sussex.

Now, the majority of this team met through their shared love

of the game stoolball.

And now, regularly quiz at the British Queen in Willingdon.

Let's meet them.

Hello. I'm Jeff, I'm a retired police officer.

Hi, I'm Ian. I'm a teacher.

Hello, I'm Simon and I'm a decorator.

Hello, I'm Tim and I'm a retired tax inspector.

Hi, I'm Steve and I'm an accountant.

So, Jeff, team, welcome.

-Thank you.

-Hello, Jeremy.

Good to see you. This resolves around stoolball,

which is a particular kind of game, is it?

It revolves more around drinking, but we do, some of us,

still play stoolball.

It's a Sussex game that's not played anywhere else on earth.

Anyone know about stoolball?

-No.

-No? So, immediately, their ears are pricking up.

-Tell us more.

-OK, it actually came from the French, from Normandy.

Originally, it was milk maids batting with a stool.

It's two 11 players.

It's based on a game where they throw the ball at a wicket,

which is square. It's played in most of the villages around Sussex.

-So, would you use a wooden stool?

-It's like a wooden frying pan.

-Right.

-A wooden one.

It's based on cricket, to a certain extent.

You get a four, and a six. Everything else is very similar.

It's incredibly popular in Sussex.

And I gather you heard about the incident in the last game

with the Eggheads and the question on the Gibus?

Would you have known the answer to the Gibus?

-Of course we would.

-Yes.

Everybody's now claiming, "Yeah, we all know about the Gibus."

It's just the... Who invented the collapsible opera hat, was it?

-Yeah.

-And you won't forget that, Chris, now.

-Ha!

-Mr Gibus.

Couldn't get the image of Harpo Marx out of my head.

And I never even knew a collapsible opera hat existed.

Anyway, here we are. Another game, another day.

We have £1,000 worth of cash up for grabs for our Challengers each day,

as you know. But if they fail to defeat the Eggheads,

that prize money rolls over to the next show.

So, Bar Stool Ballers, because of this Gibus question,

the Challengers won the last game,

which proves it can be done

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

-Would you like to have a go?

-Yes.

-Definitely.

-Yeah.

-OK.

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

So, who would like this?

-Would that be Ian?

-Yes.

-I think we'll have Ian.

Ian? OK, on Music. Against which Egghead, Ian?

What do you think?

I don't know. I wouldn't want to take CJ on.

-I think probably Chris or Judith.

-Judith?

-Chris?

-Yeah, Judith.

-Judith? Chris. Let's go for Chris.

-I think Chris. OK.

-Chris, please.

Swerving around there between Chris and Judith.

Chris. Chris on Music. What do we not like, Chris?

-We don't like rap.

-Do you like the Sugababes?

We won't rise to the bait, vis-a-vis the Sugababes or the Pussycat Dolls.

No cracks about Carol Vorderman.

No. We long for the round where Carol Vorderman comes up.

Or even enters the studio. That will be a great moment.

But until that happens, we are just going to play

the Music round like we always do. Ian, from the Bar Stool Ballers

versus Chris from the Eggheads. To ensure there is no conferring,

would you please take your positions in the Question Room.

Ian, you're a PE teacher.

-Yeah.

-And I know you describe yourself as

-the oldest PE teacher in the world.

-Probably, Jeremy, yes.

-I probably am.

-You've been doing it for 30 years of something?

-Yeah. I've enjoyed it. It's been a great life.

-That's great. OK.

Well, good luck on Music against Chris

-and would you like to go first or second?

-First, please, Jeremy.

Here we go.

"Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh,

"oh-no-no" are lyrics from which of these Beyonce songs?

Not a great person on this sort of music, but I'm pretty certain...

..it's Crazy In Love.

-Would you have known that, Chris?

-I would not.

I did not think so. Must learn that lyric sometime.

Crazy In Love is right. Well done.

"Uh-oh, uh-oh, uh-oh, oh-no-no."

That is actually lifted from a Shakespeare play, I think.

Trying to place it. Chris, your question.

Which girl group had a UK number one hit single with Black Magic

in July 2015?

-Well, Sugababes and All Saints are a bit passe these days.

-Ooh!

So, the one that was trending in '15 was Little Mix.

-Oh, hello.

-Ooh!

-A number of surprises in that answer.

Firstly, that you said the word "Sugababes"

without losing your temper. Secondly, the use of the word

"trending" which we haven't had heard you use before.

And thirdly, you got it completely right.

Well done, Little Mix.

OK, back to you, Ian.

Isolde, Eva and Siegfried were the children of which composer?

Not good on classical.

I don't think Benjamin Britten was married.

Edward Elgar was English, but he had German connections.

I'm going to go for Richard Wagner.

-Richard Wagner is the right answer.

-Well done, Ian.

-Nice one.

Chris, which of these composers lived during the 20th century?

Yeah, Puccini was still composing in the 1920s, so it's Puccini.

It is Puccini. Well done.

Didn't think that would catch you out.

So, two each, after two questions.

Now, see if you can press the advantage here.

Ian, Communion is a chart-topping 2015 album by which British band?

OK, I'm not wonderful on the modern era of bands.

The only one I really know is Muse.

I'm going to go for Muse.

Well, they are operating.

It's Years & Years though.

Who are new and good.

Yeah, they had a number one album and a number one single in 2015.

-Do you like them, Chris?

-Don't think I've ever heard them, Jeremy.

No, they're good. You'd like... You could dance to them.

They're good. OK, Chris, your question. For the round,

the American Jeanne Baxtresser is best known

for her expertise on which instrument?

And if you get this right, you've got the round.

Never heard of her.

I think if she was a pianist, I would have heard of her.

Likewise, a violinist.

So, there's got to be an opening for a...flautist

to step into the shoes of James Galway, so I'll say flute.

Amazing bit of logic and elimination there, but have you got it right?

If not, we go to Sudden Death.

The correct answer is flute.

-Well done.

-Three out of three on music, Chris. Well done. Sorry, Ian.

That's how they play, I'm afraid.

I don't know quite how you did that last one, Chris,

but it has put you into the final. Ian has been knocked out.

Come back to us and rejoin your teams.

So, Ian is out. The Bar Stool Ballers

have lost a brain from the final round.

The Eggheads are still sitting there.

Although, after the last game,

I think you needed a bit of recovery time.

The next subject is Sport. Who would like this?

-I think we might know.

-It looks like I'll have to take it.

-Good man.

-Unless you...

-No, it is going to be Simon.

OK, Simon on Sport. In the middle there.

-Which Egghead would you like to take on?

-I think Judith.

-Judith, cos it's her favourite subject.

-Judith.

-Judith.

-We don't want to let her down.

-All right, seems like Judith.

-Oh.

-Oh, dear.

-I heard that, "My favourite subject."

Well, you won the last one. No, hang on. Sorry, you lost the last one.

-Did I?

-Well, I don't know.

I really just forget about these things.

We've got a new Eggheads mug here and deal is that if Judith

wins a Sport round, it is filled with champagne and presented to her.

-Wow.

-OK?

That's what... Goodness knows what happens if it actually occurs.

Anyway, Simon from the Bar Stool Ballers

versus Judith from the Eggheads.

Looking to fill the mug with champagne, Judith.

Just focus on that. Which sort would you like it to be?

-Louis Roederer.

-Louis Roederer?

-Cristal.

-Ooh.

-Oh.

-Oh. That is...

The stakes are high here. To ensure there's no conferring,

would you, please, take your positions?

What is your sport, Simon?

Well, I've played stoolball, obviously,

but I used to enjoy swimming a lot.

I was quite competitive there.

It's interesting that stoolball, we haven't heard of that,

-Judith, at all.

-Do you know, I think, ages ago,

we had a question about it.

We, occasionally, have questions on very rare sports and I think we did.

Years and years ago.

The key facts, just for the quizzers among us, Simon,

are... It was milk maids, the bat was a stool and it's Sussex.

That's right. It's very common to Sussex. It is a good family game.

You know, husbands, wives, children,

can all be a part of a team. It's a good summer evening sport.

Well, if it comes up in this round, that really will be extraordinary.

Let's see how we go against Judith,

who is trying to fill my mug with champagne.

Would you like to go first or second, Simon?

I'll go first, please.

Here we go with your first question.

Which of these bowlers play for the Australian cricket team,

during the 2015 Ashes series?

Which of these bowlers played for the Australian cricket team,

during the 2015 Ashes series?

Well, cricket...

Hm. I'm not quite sure.

I'm going to go for Glenn McGrath.

-Oh!

-Oh, dear.

-Oh, the Eggheads have made that rumble that I always

describe as the Jaws soundtrack. Let's hear, Eggheads,

what is the answer?

-Mitchell Johnson.

-Mitchell Johnson.

-When you went, "Ooh..."

Well, Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath played in the past.

-They're retired.

-Both retired.

-Yes. They both retired, Simon.

So, it is Mitchell Johnson. OK, Judith, onto you.

I'm just suddenly wondering where are going to get the champagne from.

Approximately how tall is the boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr?

Approximately how tall is the boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr?

I've never clapped eyes on him beyond photographs in a newspaper,

which doesn't really show.

But he is... I think he's a heavyweight, isn't he?

So, he must be quite big.

-6ft.

-OK.

-He's five foot eight.

-Oh, little thing.

-Yes. A little thing.

-Is he a lightweight or something?

-I don't know. Dave knows.

He has boxed at different weights but, yes, light welterweight.

Oh, is he? I thought he was a heavyweight.

Sorry, Judith. So, no score yet.

Back to you, Simon. In July 2015,

the Colombian striker Radamel Falcao joined which football club in a

one-year loan deal from Monaco?

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

And I'm... No, he's gone to Chelsea on loan.

From Manchester United, that's right.

Chelsea is the right answer.

OK.

Judith, which of these sportsmen has won four Olympic gold medals?

I thought all of them had. Perhaps some of them have won more.

Oh, Lordy.

It could be Ben Ainslie. It could be James Cracknell.

It could be Chris Froome. Oh, deary me.

I think the champagne is receding.

-James Cracknell.

-Crackers?

-Yes, Crackers.

-No, it's Ben Ainslie.

-Ben Ainslie.

-Ben Ainslie.

You started so well, Judith.

I haven't started well, I've got two wrong.

Well, it started well, because Simon got one wrong.

Oh. Well, so did I.

Yes, you did. You've got two wrong now.

Simon, if you get this right, you are in the final round.

And you spare Judith her third question, which will be appreciated.

The Ryder Cup winning golfer Henrik Stenson

was born in which country?

Henrik Stenson... Yes, they're both...

All Scandinavian-type names.

I'm pretty sure it's not Iceland.

There are a few, quite a few good Danish golfers around.

So, it's between those two.

I'm going to say Sweden.

-Eggheads, is he right?

-He is indeed.

You are right. You're in the final, well done, Simon.

Judith knocked out.

No Cristal today, Judith, I'm afraid.

-No.

-So sorry. Knocked you out on Sport.

Please come back to us, both of you

and we'll see what happens in the next round.

So, the Bar Stool Ballers have thrown a little bit of a googly

at Judith, who missed it with her stool and she's been knocked out.

Now, it's level pegging as we go in to the next round and the subject is

Science. Who would like this?

-I think that's got to be me.

-OK, Jeff, retired police officer.

Who would you like to arrest? It can be Dave, CJ or Barry.

It's a fairly level playing field, I think.

-Whichever.

-Not Barry.

Probably not Barry, no. The other two...

-Dave?

-Dave?

-Dave.

-I would go for Dave.

We think there are some big hitters for science, but we will take Dave.

All right, he's a big hitter on his day.

Jeff from Bar Stool Ballers versus Tremendous Knowledge Dave from the

Eggheads on Science. Please, go to our special Question Room.

Jeff, I mentioned you were a retired policeman.

-That's correct.

-Working in the Eastbourne area?

-Well, Sussex, generally.

-Uh-huh. What kind of area?

The last job I did was as a controller working

in a control room, giving out jobs, really.

Oh, so, you weren't running a taxi service or whatever.

You're looking at what is being reported

and you are assigning people?

It was like a taxi service in downtown Sarajevo half the time.

-Even in Eastbourne?

-It had its moments.

OK. I'm sure it did. Well, good luck against Dave.

You're on Science. Jeff, would you like to go first or second?

I've thought about this for a long time and I'm going to go second.

OK. Let's start with Dave then. Here is your question.

The epidermis refers specifically to which part of a human body?

-The skin.

-The skin is the right answer.

Over to you, Jeff. Which of these animals are known as

ships of the desert?

Without any doubt whatever, it is camels.

Camels is the right answer.

Good stuff. OK, Dave, in October 2003,

who became the third country to send a man into space?

Can you repeat the question, please?

In October 2003, who became the third country

to send a man into space?

I'm going to go... No certainty with it, but I'm going to go with China.

-It is China, Dave.

-Hm.

Jeff, your question. Which of these is an old name

for the chemical element sulphur?

Once again, I'm sure that is brimstone.

Yeah, as in fire and brimstone.

-That's the one.

-OK, brimstone is right.

-Well done, Jeff.

Bit of Bible going on there, isn't there?

Is brimstone actually mentioned in the Bible?

It most certainly is mentioned in the Bible.

-It's all that hell stuff, is it?

-Yes.

Fool's gold, actually, is iron pyrites - which has sulphur in it.

Oh, I see. And quicksilver is mercury.

Dave, your question.

The German scientist August Kundt, born in 1839,

is a famous name in which field?

Can you...? Ha!

Can you spell it for me, please?

August is like August and Kundt is K-U-N-D-T?

Not heard of this person.

Sorry, Barry has probably spoken to me about it and I don't know.

I'm going to go biology, with no idea at all about what he's done.

All right, well, we go to our science correspondent,

-Barry Simmons.

-There is an early form of cathode ray tube,

which is called a Kundt's tube, so he's a physicist.

-Physics.

-OK.

Dave, physics. So, this looks good.

Jeff, here's your question.

What does the E stand for in the space shuttle abbreviation ELV?

Could you repeat that question, please?

What does the E stand for in the space shuttle abbreviation ELV?

I don't think it's energetic,

because that doesn't make much sense.

Environmental, in space, I don't know.

Expendable.

I'm guessing it is expendable light vehicle, but I'm not sure.

-Lunar.

-Lunar vehicle. Expendable is the right answer.

Well done, Jeff. There we go.

Knocked out by a former policeman, Dave.

-I'm sorry.

-The long arm of the law's grabbed me.

Exactly, jail in the final round for you and Jeff will be playing.

Please, come back to us and we'll see what happens next.

Well, we had an ELV suddenly land on us then.

The space shuttle's initials and it was expendable, was it lunar...?

I should correct. It is expendable launch vehicle.

-Oh!

-Yeah.

-I was wrong. Thank you for that.

"L" does not always stand for lunar.

That's an important rule.

As it stands, Bar Stool Ballers have

lost a brain from the final round and the Eggheads have lost two.

-Yay!

-Yes!

-All right.

The next object is Art & Books. Who would like this?

-I think it's down to me.

-I think it is.

-Tim? OK.

A retired tax inspector against...

Against, against.

You can have either CJ or Barry, so one of the book ends here.

Do you want to try and take Barry out, or...?

-Yeah.

-OK, Barry.

-Barry.

Now, Barry has been showing off on Science today,

so maybe his literary brain is asleep.

-I'm relying on it.

-That's what we have to hope for.

So, Tim from Bar Stool Ballers versus Barry from the Eggheads.

Please, go to the Question Room.

OK, Arts & Books, Tim. Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please.

Here we go with your round. Good luck against Barry.

Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 begins with the words,

"Shall I compare thee to a..." What?

I'm glad to say the first one has come up and I actually know.

It is summer's day.

Summer's day is right. Well done.

How does it go on, then?

"Shall I compare thee to a summer's day, Barry, are thou...?"

"Thou art more fair and temperate.

"Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May."

-And so on.

-And summer's lease...

"Summer's lease hath all too short a....

"rain," is it? Something like that.

I think the word, "lunar," is in there somewhere.

Here's your question. In George Orwell's book Animal Farm,

which of these characters is a horse?

Snowball and Napoleon are both pigs.

-So, Boxer is the horse.

-Boxer is the horse.

Well done. Tim, back to you.

Which of these artist was famous for his matchstick men paintings?

Well, both Hogarth and Constable were in earlier centuries

and very famously, it is LS Lowry.

-LS Lowry is correct.

-Well done, Tim.

Barry, what is the subtitle of Mary Shelley's 1880 novel Frankenstein?

Well, Prometheus, in Greek mythology,

was the Titan who gave fire to make mankind.

Because of that, Mary Shelley entitled Frankenstein,

"The Modern Prometheus."

It is indeed, The Modern Prometheus. Well done. Much forgotten subtitle.

So, equal after two questions.

Tim, let's see what you can do after three.

Who wrote the memoir Wild: A Journey From Lost To Found -

which was turned into a Hollywood movies starring Reese Witherspoon?

Well, I have to confess, I have no idea on this one.

Not a strong area for me.

It is going to be a guess and I'll see if I can make an informed guess.

I haven't heard of any of those three names.

I'm right-handed, I'm going to go down the right. Julie Powell.

-Is he right, Barry?

-I'm afraid I don't know.

-You don't know either.

-No.

-Any offers from the Challengers?

-No idea either.

-Any offers from the Eggs?

I would've gone for Leigh Anne Tuohy but I don't know it.

Nobody knows, Tim. That's a consolation. You got it wrong.

It's Cheryl Strayed.

OK, Barry, if you get this right, you will have taken the round.

If you get it wrong, we go to Sudden Death.

Who succeeded Cecil Day Lewis as the UK's the Poet Laureate in 1972?

'72, that's too early for Ted Hughes.

I should know this instantly.

I think it was John Betjeman.

Who wanted it friendly bombs to fall on Slough.

"It isn't fit for humans now."

John Betjeman is the right answer, Barry. Well done.

You're playing well. Three out of three. The Eggheads

-have pulled one back. Sorry, Tim.

-Never mind.

-It was a tough question.

-It does happen.

You've been knocked out. You won't be in the final round.

If you come back to us, gentlemen, we will play the final.

So, this is what we have been playing towards.

It is time for our final round which,

as always, is General Knowledge.

I'm afraid those of you lost your head-to-heads

won't be allowed to take part.

So, that's Ian and Tim from Bar Stool Ballers

and also Dave and Judith from the Eggheads.

Would you, please, now leave the studio?

OK, Jeff, Simon, Steve.

You are playing to win Bar Stool Ballers £1,000.

I hope you win, because we loved hearing about your sport,

which I don't think has come up before.

Eggheads, you're playing for something money can't really buy,

which is your reputation.

We mustn't mention the collapsible opera hat.

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

This time, the questions are all General Knowledge. You can confer.

So, Bar Stool Ballers, the question is,

can your three brains defeat these three?

They do look menacing, don't they? Would you like to first or second?

We'll go first.

So, here we go. General Knowledge,

final round. Good luck. Playing for £1,000.

In which year was sliced bread first sold commercially in the UK?

OK, well...

As it happens, I set a quiz a little while ago

and I put this question in.

-Did you?

-Yes.

-We'll let you answer this.

-Maybe it's better if you go for it.

-Hopefully, I've got the right one.

I think it's 1930. I think so. I think we're going to go for 1930.

I'm pleased say you're right. Yeah, you're right.

You set it in a quiz yourself? Yes, brilliant. 1930.

Jeremy, we may not have known the collapsible opera hat's inventor,

but the man who invented the slicing bread machine was a Mr Rohwedder.

-Rohwedder?

-Mm-hm.

-OK. Very good.

Over to you, Eggheads.

Which of these countries has a coastline on the Caribbean Sea?

-Belize.

-We like Belize for that, don't we?

-British Honduras.

-Belize.

We think that might be Belize, Jeremy.

It might well be Belize. You're right. Belize it is. One each.

Back to you, Challengers.

Who became acting leader of the Labour Party

in 2015 after Ed Miliband's resignation?

-Over to you.

-Harriet Harman.

-Harriet Harman.

-Harriet Harman.

-Go with that.

-OK, yeah.

We seem reasonably confident that Harriet Harman.

Harriet Harman is the right answer.

Back to you, Eggheads. On the back foot, maybe.

Simon Pegg appears in which of these 2015 blockbusters?

-He's a stalwart of the Mission: Impossible films.

-Is he?

Yes. Plays Benji, I think his name is.

-Yes.

-He's been in your last few in the series,

but it's Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation.

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation is correct.

Here's your third question.

Get this right, put them under some pressure.

We saw what happened yesterday. They panicked. What is the approximate

height of the Burj Khalifa -

the world's tallest building when it opened in 2010?

Well, I think it's got something to do with the weather system,

-hasn't it?

-I'm trying to think of the question that we had in the...

No, no. It's the one with the Washington Monument.

-That was 650, wasn't it?

-Was that feet or metres?

I'm not... Erm...

-I'm not sure.

-Well, that 628 is only about 1,900 feet, isn't it?

-That's quite tall.

-Is it?

-Half a mile.

-What would you tend to go for?

-Right down the middle.

-Go down the middle?

-I honestly don't know.

-What your instinct?

I don't know.

It could be as high as 828, but I haven't got an indication.

-Go down the middle?

-Go down the middle, man.

We're not confident at all on this.

So, I think we're going to rule out the lowest one.

I think we are going to go down the middle with 628 metres.

628 is your answer.

This is gigantic.

-Eggheads?

-I would have gone for 428 metres.

I thought it was the biggest, I thought nearly a kilometre high.

Yeah. It's even higher than you thought and Barry thought.

It is 828 metres.

-Oh.

-Wow.

-It is still the tallest in the world,

at two thirds of a mile tall.

OK, Eggheads, you can win the contest with this answer.

Or we go to Sudden Death if you get it wrong.

"Ours," is the French word for which of these animals?

Ours, O-U-R-S.

-Bear.

-It's got to be bear.

-Bear.

-It comes from ursus.

-Mais, oui.

-Bear.

I think we are fairly confident, we hope, that it's a bear.

I won't hang about. You've got it right. It's a bit easier, this one,

than the collapsible opera hat.

Bear is the right answer. Well done.

Eggheads, you're back on track.

We say congratulations, you have won.

-That wretched third question.

-Yes.

-Anyway, there we go.

-Spectacular way to go out.

-Yes.

-Thank you for playing.

-Thank you.

-Commiserations to Bar Stool Ballers.

The Eggheads have done what is maybe going to start coming naturally to

them and they reign supreme over quiz land once again.

I'm afraid, it means you won't be going home with the £1,000.

So, the money rolls over to our next show.

Eggheads, congratulations.

Back on track? We'll see next time.

Will a new team of Challenges have the brains to beat them?

£2,000 says they won't.

Till then, goodbye.