Episode 31 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.

Here they are - the Eggheads.

So, taking on our awesome quiz champions today are Cardiac Attackers.

Now, this team of friends are all supporters

of a cardiac rehabilitation charity based in Aberdeenshire. Let's meet them.

Hello, my name's Craig, and I'm a maintenance engineer in the oil and gas industry.

Hello, I'm John, and I'm a retired academic accountant.

Hello, I'm Derek, and I'm a retired Baptist minister.

Hello, I'm Angus, and I'm writer.

Hello, I'm Bill, I'm an electrical team leader.

So, Craig and team, welcome.

Great to see you. It's a cardiac charity. Tell us about it, Craig.

Yes, basically, anybody in Aberdeenshire that's had any

particular heart-related issues,

the charity provides supported and supervised exercise classes to

continue the rehabilitation process.

We run 33 classes in the Aberdeenshire region and we have about 600 members.

And this is, interestingly,

all about trying to prevent heart attacks as well, isn't it?

Yes. It can be people that's not necessarily had a heart attack,

but had some bypass, angina, any related heart issues,

not necessarily a serious heart attack,

something like that, and once they've finished their first, erm,

supported treatment within the NHS,

then they come to the charity and the charity provides

-the exercise classes.

-Is quizzing good for the heart?

Yes, I think so, absolutely.

Cos I know you've quizzed a bit.

-Yep.

-You certainly know you're alive when you're quizzing.

It's funny, one of the quizzes we do, you'd think it would be nice and healthy,

but we actually hold it in the restaurant of a

famous fish and chip shop in Aberdeen, believe it or not.

Now, that may be a problem.

Fish and chips, I always think they're not so bad for you, are they?

Who's a fish and chipper here?

Well, yeah, it's a classic, isn't it?

Kevin and Chris and Barry, yeah?

-Definitely.

-OK.

Judith and CJ, not so much.

No, they give me indigestion.

All right, we can draw our own conclusions from that.

Every day, there is...

Every day there's £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.

Now, Cardiac Attackers, the Eggheads have won just the last game,

which means £2,000 is up for you to win today.

So, you want to give it a go?

We're all ready.

The first head-to-head battle is on Sport.

Who would like Sport?

-OK.

-That's good, isn't it?

-That's a good start.

-Good start.

Everybody happy? I'll give it a go, yeah?

-Yep.

-Myself.

OK, it's going to be the team captain from Cardiac Attackers.

-Lead from the front.

-Against which Egghead?

Who would you like to take on?

Whatever one it'll be, it'll be a pleasure. We'll go with ladies first.

-We'll go with Judith.

-Ah...

It may not be a pleasure.

LAUGHTER

No, I feel I've been targeted.

Well, not so, but we've got a little thing with Judith.

We've got a new mug, it's got nothing in it

and if Judith wins a Sport round,

it's going to be filled with her favourite champagne.

It's a little bit dry at the moment, but we'll see.

Craig from Cardiac Attackers versus Judith from the Eggheads on Sport,

and just to ensure there's no conferring...

Don't worry, it's going to be fine, Judith!

Please go to the Question Room.

So, Craig, Sport against Judith, her favourite subject.

Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

Good luck. Paula Radcliffe has broken the world record

in which of these athletics events?

Well, Paula Radcliffe was more a distance runner than anything else.

I think I can rule out the 400-metre hurdles

and I don't remember the mile being her distance

so I'll go with the marathon.

Marathon is quite right.

OK, Judith,

which of these sports was contested at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games?

Oh, I see what you mean.

That's tennis.

Because who won?

Er, Roger.

Roger? Roger the Dodger?

Roger Federer.

-Wasn't it Andy Murray?

-Oh, was it?

I just had a memory it was London...

That's right, then he...

Yes, no, it was Andy Murray.

-Yes.

-Yep.

-Not Roger Murray.

Sorry, Scotland.

I hardly dare go back in the studio now.

No, you mustn't. You must leave Scotland through the back door.

OK, Craig, in which country was the 1970 football World Cup held?

So, it's 1970.

I don't remember it, I was only four at the time,

but I can still remember those fantastic colour pictures

of Brazil playing Italy in the final.

That was down the right again on Mexico.

Yes, it is Mexico.

That was the first colour final, was it?

-I think it was, yeah.

-Yeah, maybe it was, how interesting! Good fact.

Judith, your question to catch up.

Which golfer won the 2015 Open

after a play-off with Marc Leishman and Louis Oosthuizen?

I think I do know this.

It was Zach Johnson.

Yes, it was Zach Johnson.

Is that from watching the game or just a headline?

Well, yes, I did watch a bit of the Open, yeah.

Good. So we've got another bit of sporting strength there.

Craig, your question, for three in a row.

The Welsh Rugby Union international Sam Warburton usually plays

in which position?

I feel a bit of a lucky boy here.

I played rugby for 10 or 12 years.

He's not a full-back.

He could be a hooker because he's bigger than a lot of players

I've played with but, er, my position - flanker.

And you were a captain of Granite City Rugby Club, weren't you, at 22?

That's right, yes, a few years ago now, I must admit.

I didn't have grey hair then. In fact, I had a lot of hair then, but,

yep, good days.

Good days. Well, good answer as well - flanker is correct.

Three out of three. So, Judith,

you need to get this one right to stay in Sport.

Which team defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2015 NBA finals?

This I haven't read, so this is a pure guess.

I'm going to say Los Angeles Lakers.

Let's check with the Eggheads, see if you're right here and staying in.

Is Judith staying in, Eggs?

-No.

-No.

-Golden State.

-What's the answer?

-Golden State Warriors.

-"Golden State Warriors," says Kevin.

-Oh...

I'm sorry, Judith, Sport has done it again.

-Oh, no champagne!

-No champagne.

The mug remains bone dry, really.

Come back to us. We'll fill it one day.

Come back to us, Judith and Craig, and we'll play the next round.

So, as it stands, Cardiac Attackers have not lost any brains from the

final round. The Eggheads have suffered an early dent

and lost a strong player. The next subject is Film & TV.

Now, who would like this? Who watches a lot?

I think we've got a few TV addicts here.

I'll do it if nobody else wants to, but I'd prefer to wait for Music,

but I'll do Film & TV if you want, unless anyone else particularly wants to do Music.

You do it.

We might need an arty/booky/history type person.

-If you don't mind, Bill?

-Yeah, I'll do it, I'll take it.

-Bill's going for it.

-OK, Bill is going for Film & TV.

Which Egghead? It can't be Judith.

I'd like to take on Chris, please.

OK, very decisive.

Bill from Cardiac Attackers versus Chris from the Eggheads.

The heart versus the egg. To ensure there's no conferring,

would you please take your positions in the Question Room.

So, you keep very fit, don't you, Bill, with your squash?

I try to. I still manage to rumble around a squash court three

-times a week at least.

-Three times a week!

At the age of, may I ask?

I couldn't possibly say. 56.

OK, cos I was told don't play squash...

I know you guys are all interested in cardiac.

I was told don't play squash after 40

unless you're playing at least once a week. Do you think that's good advice?

I think you've got to keep playing.

It's definitely harder if you get injured to come back now,

but we do have one member at the club who's 72 and he still plays.

It is explosive exercise, squash, isn't it?

When you've been on the court for an hour, the next day,

-you really feel it.

-You do feel the benefit, definitely.

-Benefit, did you say?

-Yeah.

-Yes, you're right. I'm sure you're right.

-I hope!

Keep going with your three games a week, you'll live to be 100.

OK, you're against Chris.

It's not about squash, this one, it's about Film & TV.

Would you like to go first or second, Bill?

I'd like to go first, please.

Here we go. Which film won the Best Picture Oscar in February 2015?

I don't think it was The Grand Budapest Hotel, that was earlier.

The other two, I really don't know.

Erm, I'll go with Birdman, please, Jeremy.

-Birdman is correct.

-Well done!

Chris, your question. The TV comedy Dad's Army

is set during which conflict?

I'd like to see Lance Corporal Jones in the Vietnam War, yeah,

but it was World War II.

It was World War II.

OK, Bill, which character is played by Alan Fletcher in the long-running

TV soap Neighbours?

Again, I have no real idea with this one at all.

I'll go with Lou Carpenter, please.

-You're wrong, I'm afraid, Bill, it's Karl Kennedy.

-OK.

Chris, your question.

A sequel to which of these Mark Wahlberg films was released in 2015?

-Released in 2015?

-Yeah.

Oh, that was Ted 2, so it's Ted.

Yeah, it was Ted 2. Is it a bear at the centre?

Yeah, it's a foul-mouthed teddy bear, yeah.

OK, Ted is the answer.

So, Chris has pulled into the lead, Bill.

-OK.

-Which means, no easy way to put this,

if you do not get this question right, you are a goner.

In which decade did Clint Eastwood make his feature film acting debut?

I think the '40s is too early.

I'll go with the 1950s, please, Jeremy.

Yeah, it would be easy to go wrong there, but you're absolutely right.

Well done, 1950s it is.

Thank you.

Chris, your question.

You can take the round with this. If you get it wrong, we go to Sudden Death.

Which comedian plays Godfrey Watson in the third series

of the BBC Lottery drama, The Syndicate?

The Syndicate is...

Lenny Henry.

I watched all of this and really enjoyed it.

I thought it was a great drama, and the first series as well.

Lenny Henry's quite right. He's brilliant in that role.

-Chris, well done, three out of three. Sorry, Bill.

-OK, thank you.

There we go, knocked out.

Our squash player is not in the final round, Chris is.

Return to us, please, and we'll play on.

So, as it stands, Cardiac Attackers have lost one brain

from the final round. The Eggheads have just lost the one.

The next subject for you, third subject, now, is Politics.

So, who would like this,

Politics?

We kind of worked that out.

We were either going to throw Derek at Politics or History.

So are you happy to have a go at Politics?

I'll have a go! Right.

-It's going to be Derek.

-Before you go, Derek,

choose an Egghead to go against.

Our retired Baptist minister.

-Barry?

-Yep. Go Barry.

We'll go with Barry.

All right, how do you fancy that, Barry?

-You're taking on a retired minister.

-I like politics, I enjoy it.

OK, Derek from Cardiac Attackers versus Barry from the Eggheads.

To ensure there's no conferring, please take your positions in the Question Room.

Let's see how we do here.

Derek, would you like to go first, or second on Politics?

I think I'd like to go first.

OK, Derek. To the nearest year,

how long was Gerald Ford President of the USA?

Well, certainly more than two years and he didn't serve two full terms

so I'll go for five years.

Actually, that's wrong because it was an odd one.

He came in after Nixon went, and so that was '74 and then re-election

'76 went to Carter, so am I right on my numbers here?

So, it was only two years, Derek, actually.

It was very, very short for Gerald Ford.

He famously couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time, they said.

Barry, which of these politicians was held

as a prisoner of war in Vietnam?

Yes, Donald Trump famously slated one of these people

for being captured in Vietnam, didn't he?

And it was John McCain who, remarkably,

because his father was quite high up in

the American forces,

was offered an early release and I think he refused to take it

because he wanted to serve the same as the men with him.

And John McCain... The Hanoi Hilton, they called it.

John McCain is right.

OK, back to you, Derek, Politics we're on.

Which of these countries is a member of the Group of Seven,

the intergovernmental organisation known commonly as the G7?

I don't think it's China.

-I think it's Canada.

-Yes, it is Canada.

That's more tricky than it looks, that question, well done.

Barry, the MP Jeremy Corbyn is a member of which political party?

Jeremy Corbyn is the MP for Islington North

and I believe he's a member of the Labour Party.

He is a member of the Labour Party.

Derek, your question.

Which British Prime Minister died in the 1980s?

I think it was not Alec Douglas-Home

or Anthony Eden. I think it was Harold Macmillan.

It was Harold Macmillan, yes, because I've got a memory of him

being photographed with Mrs Thatcher while she was Prime Minister,

but he was very, very frail at the time. Harold Macmillan, well done.

So, you're equal, but, Barry, you have a question in hand.

If you get this right, you're in the final.

If not, we go to Sudden Death.

Fraser Nelson took over from Matthew d'Ancona

as editor of which political magazine in 2009?

It certainly wasn't Private Eye so we can discount that.

Left or right?

It's quite a choice, actually.

Spectator.

-Is he right, Derek?

-Yes.

Yes, you are right, Barry, well done, three out of three.

Strong play! Sorry, Derek, the first, the Jimmy Carter,

that beastly Jimmy Carter question cost you there.

Never mind. You've been knocked out, Barry will be in the final.

Come back to us. We'll play another round.

So, Cardiac Attackers have lost another brain from the final round,

lost two now. The Eggheads have just lost the one.

Let's see if you can level it up before we play the final, Cardiacs,

and the subject is Geography. Who would like this?

I'll have a go at Geography.

-OK, it's going to be John.

-Our pre-plan was John on Geography.

We'll keep Mr Watson for the final blast.

THEY CHUCKLE

-So, John?

-John it is, yeah.

And I know you like to travel, you've been in Dallas.

-Who would you like to play against?

-Oh, CJ.

He's our own JR.

John from Cardiac Attackers versus CJ from the Eggheads,

please go to the Question Room now.

CJ, Geography - where is your next big trip?

I haven't got any big ones planned,

but maybe at the end of 2016 on Barry's recommendation,

I would love to go to Japan.

Oh, right, we're all getting hooked on Japan through Barry.

What's he promised you if you go?

-Erm...

-Mountains?

No, a bribe if I don't come back.

Well, I feel the same way.

Barry got there first and he's gradually spread the word.

-Have you been to Japan, John?

-No.

But you've been, I mentioned Dallas.

Yes, lived there for six months.

-How was that?

-Funny.

I mean, funny strange rather than funny amusing.

We lived in an area where they had built a church and a supermarket,

but hadn't got the houses yet, and the houses were slowly coming along,

but they knew what mattered most - a church and a supermarket.

That's good! Good luck against CJ, John.

-Thank you.

-Would you like to go first or second on Geography?

I'll go first, please.

So, here is your first question.

Brisbane is a city situated on which coast of Australia?

Well, I do actually know this one - east.

It is, indeed, east.

CJ, which of these countries

is the largest by area?

Hmm, not Argentina.

Well, that's interesting.

Cos you only ever see these maps on the Mercator projections

which massively skews how big these places are.

I mean, Brazil is enormous.

And India, despite its population, is smaller than you'd think.

I've got a feeling Brazil's actually the world's fifth-largest country

and I don't think India competes against it.

I'm not absolutely sure, but I'm going for Brazil.

Well done, you've got it right. Brazil is the biggest by area.

Any stats for us, guys?

-Any Eggs tell us?

-No.

How much bigger than... Is it bigger than the USA? No.

No, no, no, no, but it's a fair bit bigger than India, I think.

-Bigger than India?

-Yeah.

-And population?

-Well, what would it be these days?

-200?

-Yeah, more than 200 million, yeah.

OK. Been there, John?

No.

Here's your question. Which three colours feature on the national flag

of Ivory Coast?

I don't know this one.

I should have seen it on sporting occasions.

I'm going to guess that it's black, green and red.

It's not, I'm afraid. It's orange, white and green.

I'm trying to remember if it has got a crest in the middle.

Has it, or just three lines?

-Stripes.

-Three stripes - orange, white and green.

-Oh, well.

-Don't worry, John, still equal.

We go back to CJ.

The Clifton Suspension Bridge spans which British river?

I'm going to enjoy this feeling for a moment.

I think I'm about to get a British geography question right.

No, I'm sure you're not.

As I live about 15 miles from the Clifton Suspension Bridge,

I hope I actually know this!

Well, I live in southeast Wales and the only one of those rivers

that's anywhere near southeast Wales is the Avon.

You would normally say the Mersey to a question like that.

If I didn't live that close to it, I might have done so.

-Avon is right. John, you need to get this...

-I know.

..correct to stay in.

-Yep.

-What is the official currency of the Maldives?

I know the Avon, but this, I'm afraid, is another guess.

Dobra, ariary...

I can't think of any reason for it being any of those

so let's say it's the rufiyaa.

Well, you've done very well there. It is the rufiyaa, well done.

Currencies are the bane of our lives here in Quizland.

It's so hard to get a handle on.

Is there any of you Eggs who know all the world's currencies?

-Barry was trying, weren't you?

-Kevin has.

I've had attempts at it in the past, but I wouldn't...

It's really hard. Would anyone do the dobra for us?

-Where's that?

-It's Sao Tome and Principe.

Sao Tome and Principe.

-Yeah.

-Shall we just pause and reflect on the fact

-that Kevin knows that?

-I think that's what it is.

-OK.

And ariary, CJ, do you know ariary?

-Not a clue.

-Kevin?

-Madagascar.

-Madagascar. There we go.

If you get this right, CJ, you're in the final round,

John will be knocked out. If not, we have Sudden Death.

The capital city of which of these African countries

was named after the US President James Monroe?

Yeah, it became

a sort of safe haven for freed slaves, hence the name of Liberia.

Liberia. And what is the capital called?

-Monrovia.

-Monrovia is quite right, Liberia is the right answer.

CJ, well done, you got three out of three on Geography,

-which doesn't always happen. John, sorry.

-All right.

There we are, and if you come back to us, gentlemen,

we will play the final round.

So, this is what we have been playing towards,

it is time for the final round.

As always, it's 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 that is John and Derek and Bill from the Cardiac Attackers,

but also Judith... Sorry, Judith, from the Eggheads.

Would you please leave the studio?

Craig, Angus, you're playing to win Cardiac Attackers £2,000.

Eggheads, you're playing for something that money can't buy, which is your restored reputation.

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

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

So, Cardiac Attackers, the question is are your two brains able to take down these four famous

ones over here? Would you like to go first or second?

We'll go first.

Good luck, both of you.

The Twits is a children's book by which author?

I think it's Roald Dahl, isn't it?

I would have thought more, maybe...

I know David Walliams has written books,

but it doesn't sound like the kind of...

Just the nuance of Roald Dahl,

-I think...

-What? Roald Dahl.

-I think so, yeah.

We're going to choose Roald Dahl.

Roald Dahl is the right answer.

Eggheads, over to you for your first question.

Which Bank of England banknote features images of HMS Beagle

and a hummingbird?

-Charles Darwin's on the ten, isn't he?

-Yeah.

So the £10. Are you OK? Yeah?

That's because of the Charles Darwin connection, and he's on the £10.

Right. What's the Charles Darwin connection with HMS Beagle?

That was the vessel that he travelled on in his famous voyage.

-And the hummingbird?

-Well, he'd obviously studied various

creatures during the course of his journeys

and hummingbirds were one of the things that he looked at.

£10 is correct. Second question, Challengers.

What was the full first name of the gangster Al Capone?

I don't know that one.

A stab in the dark, I think.

I think we can rule out Albert

and, with the Italian connection,

Alfredo or Alphonse...

Well, what fond mother would call her son Alphonse?

I don't know.

Alfredo's a bit more gangstery, I guess.

-You would like...

-Go with Alfredo?

-Are you happy with that?

-Right, yeah.

We'll have a stab in the dark - Alfredo.

Alfredo, yes, it does more Italian.

Alphonse sounds more French.

American gangster, of course.

-Eggheads, do you know? ALL:

-Alphonse.

It's one of those quizzy things - Alphonse.

I always think of hairdressers when I think of Alphonse.

-Why is that?

-You wouldn't want to have said that to Al Capone.

I wouldn't have said that to Al Capone, unless he was safely behind bars.

It depends what mood he was in. He could take a joke, Al Capone,

but you didn't want to get on his wrong side.

I'm sure! OK, your question, Eggheads, to take the lead.

Which 1949 Ealing film comedy was released in the US

under the title Tight Little Island?

-Whisky Galore.

-It was Whisky Galore, wasn't it?

Compton Mackenzie, '49.

That is Whisky Galore.

Whisky Galore is correct, so they have,

unfortunately, taken the lead

and they're close now to ending the contest.

You must get this one right.

Which of these England players retired from international cricket

in May 2015?

Ian Bell's still playing.

I think Graeme Swann, who's a spinner,

was a bit before that

and Jonathan Trott, am I thinking he...

Opening bat, came back from a couple of tours with a few problems...

I think it's Jonathan Trott, I really do.

Right, we think it's Jonathan Trott.

Jonathan Trott is the right answer, well done.

So, two out of three you've got.

We move to the Eggheads now

for your third question and, because they got one wrong,

you can win it with this.

What is the age difference between Stephen Fry

and his husband Elliott Spencer?

-It's quite a lot, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's 30.

Elliott's only about 21, 22.

No, sorry, Elliott's only in his 20s

and Stephen's in his 50s.

He's not going to be exactly ten years younger than him.

Yeah, it's 30 cos I remember them tweeting about it.

Elliott's an actor, but he's only in his mid-20s.

He's not 30 years old.

Anyway, it's 30 - 30 years.

Stephen Fry and his husband Elliott Spencer,

I asked about the age difference.

If you've got this wrong, we go to Sudden Death.

If you've got it right, the contest is over. Do you happen to know?

We think it's 30 years.

The age gap is as big as that.

Thank you, Eggheads, you've got it right.

Well done, CJ, especially.

The answer is 30 years and we say congratulations,

Eggheads, you have won!

There we go. I'm sorry about that.

Blinking Al Capone!

Al Capone, of all the people!

As if he hadn't done enough wrong in the world.

Commiserations, Cardiac Attackers,

the Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them,

and their winning streak is maybe just beginning again.

It does mean you won't be going home with the £2,000 so the money rolls

over to our next show. Eggheads, well done.

Who will beat you? Join us next time to see if a new team of Challengers

have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£3,000 says they don't.

Till then, goodbye.