Episode 36 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 awesome might of our quiz champions today

are Lucky No. 7.

Now, this friends and family team

have been quizzing together at the Clockwork Pub

in Glasgow for five years.

Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Eric and I'm an engineer.

Hello, I'm Shirley and I'm an occupational therapist.

Hi, I'm Gill and I'm an occupational therapy manager.

Hi, I'm Tony. I'm a taxi driver.

Hi, I'm Ronnie and I'm a support worker.

So Eric and team, welcome. Good to see you.

And we are at the Clockwork Pub, is that right?

Yes, that's our local pub in the South Side of Glasgow

just at Mount Florida and we try to meet there, it's generally

once a week if we can, but with different shifts

and people doing different things, it's not always possible.

Good stuff. But why Lucky No. 7? Why the team name?

When we first started going to the quiz,

the first time we won it the quizmaster called us lucky

and our table number was seven,

so we've just stuck with that name since then.

Since it was the Clockwork Pub, I was thinking Clockwork Orange

would be the obvious name, but we've probably had that, haven't we?

Have we had Clockwork Orange before? We've had a lot...

How many shows have we done, actually? Is it 1,500?

We're running out of team names.

So you've done well to get that one.

And you're friends and family?

Yes, Shirley is my wife and Shirley and Gill were at college together

many, many years ago and that's basically when we all kind of met.

-Ronnie, I, believe it or not, was at primary school with.

-OK.

That's going on 40 years.

Good stuff. Well, there are some very close connections.

Good luck to you.

Every day there is £1,000 worth of cash

up for grabs for our Challengers.

If they fail to defeat the Eggheads, the prize money

rolls over to the next show.

So, Lucky No. 7, the Eggheads have won just the last game.

We've had a bit of a difficult time, which I'm trying not to mention.

It means that £2,000 says you

can't beat them today.

-OK, do you want to give it a go? ALL:

-Yeah.

Great stuff. The first head-to-head battle

is on the subject of Arts & Books.

OK, guys.

-Arts & Books.

-Arts & Books, is that you, Shirley?

-Do you want me to...?

-Aye, you do it, Shirley.

Do you want me to go on that one?

-Shirley?

-It saves you for...

-OK, if you fancy.

-Yes, Shirley, yeah.

-OK.

It's going to be Shirley, this one.

Shirley? And the Eggheads are all lined up, all five of them.

-Have any one of the five.

-Have you got any particular choice?

-Lisa, maybe.

-Yeah, maybe Lisa?

-Yeah, try Lisa? What do you think, Ronnie?

-Try Lisa. Lisa.

OK, so it's going to be Shirley from Lucky No. 7 on Arts & Books

versus Lisa from the Eggheads.

And just to ensure there's no conferring,

would you please take your positions in the Question Room?

-So, Shirley, you once won a painting competition?

-Yes, I did.

It was the Buchanan Street Art Competition

when I was 16.

Great stuff. And is that one where they have a display in the street?

No, I was doing Higher Art at school, at secondary school,

and it was throughout the secondary schools in Glasgow,

so I applied and went to Buchanan Street and painted.

Wonderful and watercolour or oil?

No, it was pastel, actually, it was pastel.

Yeah, and do you still paint?

No, I don't, but I suppose

the job I do is quite a creative job as well.

-Which is occupational therapy?

-Occupational therapy, yes.

Yeah, so often people recover through art?

Yeah, absolutely, all the different arts - music, art, drama.

-All the different arts we use.

-Must be very satisfying, that.

-It is very satisfying.

-Well, good luck here against Lisa.

-Thank you.

Arts & Books, Shirley, and would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

So here we go with your first question, good luck.

AA Milne's Winnie The Pooh famously described

himself as "a bear of very little..." what? Is it...

Well, I think I know this one

cos I like Winnie The Pooh,

so I think it's brain.

It is indeed brain. "A bear of very little brain."

Lisa,

Elsinore Castle features prominently in which Shakespeare play?

Elsinore, it's one of that there Scottish lot, isn't it?

Um, Macbeth.

-No, no.

-You've done it...

-SHOUTS:

-No, it's not, is it? No!

-No, Lisa.

-I can see how you did that.

-No, it's Hamlet.

Oh, Lisa, Lisa, Lisa, Lisa.

You've got a little bit of lively

laughter from your team-mates here.

-For goodness' sake, woman.

-The danger of the speedy answer. OK.

-That is terrible.

-Hamlet is the answer.

-I know, Jeremy. Don't rub it in.

-Shall we just end the contest now?

-OK, that's it. You've won.

-Oh, Lisa.

OK, so, Shirley,

in which language was the epic poem, The Iliad,

originally written? Was it...

Right, OK. I know, I think, well, I think it wasn't Egyptian.

My first... I immediately thought Greek,

but I'm now wondering about Greek or Latin. The Iliad.

I'm going to stick with my first choice, which is Greek.

-Is she right, Lisa?

-Yes.

-Yes, Greek is right.

-Good.

-Good, good.

Two out of two. OK, Lisa, if you get this wrong, you're out.

Well, I'm not making any promises after that howler.

Which of these fictional characters was created by Patrick O'Brian?

SHE SIGHS

Right, let's just have a little think this time, shall we?

Before we go wading in

with stupid answers.

Patrick O'Brian, did you say, Jeremy?

Which of these fictional characters was created by Patrick O'Brian?

I have a funny feeling Arthur Hastings

is the captain out of Poirot.

And Dean Moriarty is...

Isn't Dean Moriarty like On The Road or something?

But the Maturin bit was ringing bells, so I think it must be

Stephen Maturin.

Stephen Maturin is right. Yay!

Where is that bottle of champagne?

-I'm still wincing from the last howler, Jeremy.

-Don't worry.

It's easily done.

OK, back to you, Shirley.

If you get this right, you are in the final round

because Lisa slipped up earlier.

In which century did the Venetian painter Titian die?

The Venetian painter Titian?

-Titian is T-I-T-I-A-N.

-OK.

I'm thinking...I'm thinking the earliest,

but I need to think about this.

-WHISPERS:

-15 something, 13 something, Titian.

No, I think I'll go for...I think I'll change my mind

and go for the 16th. I think it was 15 something.

Yes, the Renaissance was the 15 somethings

-and you're absolutely right.

-OK.

16th is the correct answer, three out of three. Oh, well played!

-Hey! You're through to the final round.

-Thank you.

So your team can now go crazy or was that you going crazy?

That was us going crazy, yes.

Sorry, Lisa you've been knocked out.

Entirely self-inflicted, I think that's only fair.

Knocked out by a castle. Come back to us and we'll play on.

Well, very good start.

Lucky No. 7, you are... I won't say you're lucky.

You've done a brilliant job there taking down Lisa with

-a little bit of help from...

-Lisa.

-..was it Macbeth? Was it Hamlet?

Anyway, the Eggheads have lost a brain and you haven't.

That's the key thing and the next subject for you is Geography.

-So who would like this?

-I think that

-needs to be...

-Eric.

-I think Eric.

-I'd say Eric.

-Are you OK with that, Ronnie?

-Eric?

-It's got to be myself.

-Certainly, yes.

-OK, good stuff.

Against which Egghead, Eric? Anyone but Lisa...

-Anyone but Lisa.

-..who is nursing her wounds.

I think, Judith.

THEY MUMBLE

-What do you think, Ronnie? Judith?

-Yeah.

OK, I'd like to play against Judith, please.

Yeah, how's that Judith?

Right back into the fray.

Yeah, I'll probably do exactly the same as Lisa.

-I always do.

-It would make me look better, if you wouldn't mind.

Well, I'll do my best.

All right, so Eric from Lucky No. 7 versus Judith from the Eggheads.

Geography, the subject, can't wait to see what happens now.

Please go to our Question Room.

So, Eric, your work as an engineer took you

to the whisky industry, I understand.

Yes, I spent a couple of years, or Shirley and I spent

a couple of years over on the Isle of Islay working

at the Bunnahabhain Distillery.

It's a very beautiful location,

but it just proved to be a wee bit too remote for us.

Really, so it's called the Bunnahabhain Distillery.

-Bunnahabhain, yes.

-That's a good quizzy fact for us, isn't it?

-Eggheads? Have we heard about the distillery in Islay?

-Yes.

-Funnily enough, as we speak, I had a trip to Islay last year.

-Right?

Went all round Islay as well as Jura and Colonsay nearby.

You saw the distillery there?

Yes, there are eight, I think, on Islay.

-Eric, there's a lot of distilleries on Islay.

-Yes.

Yeah, there's quite a number. Seven or eight now, I believe.

All right, good luck on, I hope

Islay comes up on your Geography round.

That would be wonderful.

And you're up against Judith who's quite a mean player on Geography.

-That's kind of you.

-Start with confidence, Judith,

that's the key thing.

Eric, do you want go first or second?

I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

All right, here is your first question.

Eric, Lisbon is a city located in which part of Portugal?

It would be one of those countries that I've never visited.

I've never actually been to Portugal. Lisbon.

It's the capital.

I'll take a stab at the north of Portugal.

It's the west. I'm sorry.

Judith, over to you.

What is the official currency of Austria? Is it...

Well, I think forint was Hungarian and I don't know what koruna is,

but it's part of the Eurozone, isn't it?

-Euro...

-OK, I thought you were giving us a little...

-..and anyway it was a schilling, I think, before it was a euro.

-Oh, OK.

I thought you were having a little Hamlet/Macbeth there.

No, I hope not.

-Euro is the right answer.

-Good.

Euro is the answer, well done.

Anyone tell us about koruna?

-ALL:

-Czech Republic.

That's Czech, Judith.

And forint is Hungarian, is it?

Forint is indeed Hungarian, yeah.

So you were right about that.

And right about the euro,

so you're ahead. Eric, you need get this one right to catch up.

Which of these is the state nickname of West Virginia?

The Lone Star State,

I'm pretty sure is Texas.

The Ocean State, I don't think that would be correct

cos I don't think it's near the ocean.

So I'm going to go for the Mountain State.

Yeah, I guess the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

Yeah, the Mountain State is right, well done.

Point to you. Back to Judith.

Your second question.

Which of these rivers rises in the Swiss Alps?

Judith, is it...

Well, the Volga is to do with Russia,

so that's not in the Swiss Alps.

The Danube. Where does the Danube rise?

I don't think it does rise in the Swiss Alps.

I think it's the Rhine.

Rhine is the right answer.

So, you have two points and Eric, you need to get your

second correct answer now or

you will be out of the contest.

What is the approximate area of Canada in square kilometres?

Is it...

I know Canada's big.

It would be a rough guesstimate.

I'm going to plump for five million.

-It's ten million.

-Ten million, yeah.

-Which is enormous, isn't it?

-Yeah.

And I'm sorry, on that answer you've gone

and Judith will be in the final.

Well done, Judith. Eric, I'm sorry you were beaten by our Egghead

and so you will not be in the final round.

Both of you, please come back to us and join your teams.

So, level pegging, rather interesting, isn't it?

As it stands, Lucky No. 7 have lost a brain from the final.

The Eggheads have also lost a brain.

What's going to happen now while we play Music?

So who would like to take Music?

-Tony?

-Yeah, I'll do music.

-I think it's got to be you, Tony.

I was going to say it rather has to be Tony with his background,

which we are about to discover. Against who, Tony?

-What do we think?

-I don't...I'm not sure.

Let's just think about it.

Every other genre on music, I think he's good, Kevin.

But if it's pop music, he could struggle. I don't know. Pat?

-No, I think he's quite good.

-You think he is good?

-Dave's good on music too.

-What do you think, Ronnie?

-Yeah, Kevin, I would go for.

-Kevin. Shall we go for Kevin?

-Thanks very much.

-THEY LAUGH

We don't make it easy!

That was quite a meeting. So did we end up with Kevin then?

-Yes, please.

-OK.

So, Tony from Lucky No. 7 versus

Kevin from the Eggheads and just to ensure there's no conferring,

would you please take your positions in our famous Question Room?

So we're on Music, Tony, and it's perfect for you

because you were in a brilliant band.

Yeah, I think they were brilliant, Jeremy.

Back in the 1980s, I was in a band called Altered Images.

It was me and some friends from school and we had some success for

four or five years and had a really good time and it was very enjoyable.

Yeah, and I was 15 in 1980 and I can remember every song.

-Dead Pop Stars was the first one.

-That's right.

That was a bit more niche, and then you were on Top Of The Pops

with Happy Birthday and I Could Be Happy

-and all of that.

-Yeah, it was great fun, yeah.

We just kind of done a musical progression.

We were all young boys and Clare was a young girl, obviously,

woman, so for four or five years he had a great time, great fun.

Yeah, and Clare Grogan, who you mentioned, was in the famous

film, Gregory's Girl.

That's right, that happened just as the band was starting.

We weren't signed up, so it was all happening at the same time.

It was just a very exciting time when you're young.

-It was very good.

-Must have been amazing.

-And you were writing the songs, so...

-I was involved.

It was mainly a guy, Johnny, wrote the songs.

He's now in the band Texas. He's still going strong. He's doing well.

It's almost the perfect way to spend your younger years,

I should think.

It was great. I wish it was a little bit wilder, to be honest.

Well, I remember you being interviewed

and being quite studious when you were being asked about songwriting

-and you were obviously working very hard at the songs.

-Yeah, yeah.

We did, we wrote all our own songs, you know, so it was good.

-It was good fun.

-I hope we're not going to now hit you

with seven questions on opera, Tony

cos I'll be very embarrassed if we do.

Anyway, good luck against Kevin.

Music is the subject and would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

So here we go. What type of instrument is a contrabassoon?

Is it...

I don't think it's woodwind or percussion,

so I'm going to have to go for brass.

Actually, no, it's woodwind.

I guess the bassoon connection is

just the obvious thing although it looks a little bit too obvious.

It looks like something that fell off the back of a lorry,

a contrabassoon. It's a proper weird bit of engineering.

Does it look at all like a bassoon?

Yeah, but it looks like a bassoon with a large part of a lorry

-attached to it.

-Right, OK.

I don't think there have been many sightings of them recently

if that's any consolation, Tony. Kevin, over to you.

Which of these bands announced in August 2015

that they would be separating for at least a year

after the release of their fifth album to focus on solo projects?

Is it...

I think by that stage JLS had already broken up.

Little Mix, as we speak, are still a functioning outfit.

It's One Direction.

One Direction is quite right. Causing some hysteria.

OK, Tony, back to you.

Which Jason Derulo song was number one on the UK singles chart

for four weeks in June 2015?

I'm not great with the modern music,

Jeremy, I'm kind of stuck in my time warp.

Talk Dirty, I don't think.

Trumpets, I don't recognise, so I'm going to say Want To Want Me.

Want To Want Me is the right answer, Well done, Tony. Spot on.

Kevin, over to you.

Which of these musicals was written by Jonathan Larson?

Blood Brothers is a Willy Russell thing. I can't...

Wicked is Stephen somebody, I believe and anyway,

I'm pretty sure that Jonathan Larson wrote Rent.

Rent is correct. Two out of two.

So, Tony, you need to get this one right.

In Mozart's opera the Magic Flute

which character does Tamino fall in love with? Is it...

Tamino is T-A-M-I-N-O.

I probably have seen this opera, to be honest, but I tend to just

close my eyes and listen to the music a lot of times when I go.

So I'm just going to have a total guess and say Papagena.

See if Kevin knows. Is he right?

I think it's Pamina.

It is actually Pamina.

Tony, sorry, so Kevin has taken the round, as he does tend to do.

And you've been beaten by our Egghead,

so you won't be in the final round. Please come back to us,

both of you and we will play the last round before the final.

All right, so Lucky No. 7 have lost the lead guitar.

And the Eggs have lost a brain as well and let's see how we go.

The next subject is Sport.

So, who would like this?

Oh, well, we're up against it now.

-I definitely haven't a clue with Sport.

-Nor, Ronnie.

-You've probably got more a clue than Ronnie.

-No, Ronnie!

It's Ronnie or Gill and neither of you like sport.

Absolutely.

-On you go.

-It's got to be you, Gill, to leave Ron just for...

-All right. OK.

-Right, it's got to be Gill.

By process of elimination, it's Gill.

-OK, so you're not particularly into sport, Gill?

-No.

Against...? Well, who doesn't look like they're into sport over here?

You've got Dave or Pat. Two lads.

-Dave.

-Don't you think, go for Dave?

-Whatever.

-Tremendous Knowledge Dave.

-OK, yeah.

-Go for Dave, yes.

I'm sensing your trepidation.

So Gill from Lucky No. 7 versus Tremendous Knowledge Dave

from the Eggheads and please take up your positions.

So sport is not particularly your thing here, Gill.

-No, it couldn't almost be a worse category.

-Oh, dear.

So we had some strategy,

-but it just got knocked out of shape a bit, did it?

-Yes.

But you like ballroom dancing, I understand.

I like Latin American ballroom dancing, yes, uh-huh.

So I'm just thinking, from my little knowledge, I should know what,

is that the American Smooth and all that kind of thing?

Well, we do things like cha-cha-cha, the rumba,

salsa but also some ballroom, quickstep, waltz, a mixture.

You have to give me some tips, I think.

OK, Gill, would you like to go first or second?

Oh, I'll just go first, yes.

Don't worry, we've already seen Lisa fall over.

Who stepped down as captain of the Australian cricket team

in August, 2015? Is it...

Well, it's going to have to be a guess.

I'm not even sure if any of those names, well,

I'm being drawn to possibly Steve Waugh

for no particular reason, so I'm just going to go for Steve Waugh.

Dave, is she right?

I think it's Michael Clarke.

Michael Clarke is the answer. Sorry.

OK, over to you Tremendous Knowledge Dave.

By what score did England defeat West Germany in the

final of the 1966 football World Cup? Is it...

England - four. West Germany - two.

4-2 is correct.

Back to you, Gill.

In which rowing event did Steve Redgrave

win three Olympic gold medals? Was this...

Well, I have heard of Steve Redgrave.

I think...I'm thinking he maybe was, it was just him and

another rower, so I'm going to go for the coxless pair.

Coxless pair is your answer. Let's try Eric.

-You're the sporting person on this team.

-No, I'm not...

-Who's the sporting person?

-Tony.

-I think that's correct, yes.

Tony says it's correct. Your husband says it's correct.

It better be.

-It's right. Well done.

-Finally.

Anyone guess on this side who the other one was?

-Matthew...

-Pinsent.

-That's right.

OK, Dave, your question.

Which of these women is a left-handed tennis player?

Left-hander.

The one that I'm instantly drawn to who's left-handed in this case

is Monica Seles and that's my answer, Monica Seles.

Monica Seles is the right answer.

OK, Gill, back to you.

You've got to get this one right to stay in.

Which golfer won his first Major in 2015 at the US PGA championship?

Again, it's going to have to be a guess.

I'm not even thinking of a name that's standing out

although I'm sure everyone else knows.

I'm going to say Jason Day.

-Is she right, Dave?

-Yes!

-Yay!

You got it right. So you got two out of three.

If Dave gets this one wrong, we go to Sudden Death.

Here we are. The American Deontay Wilder

is a famous name in which sport, Dave? Is it...

I've got a name in my head. I've got...

I'm just going to have to go for it.

It's ringing a bell with boxing so that's my answer, boxing.

Boxing is the right answer, well done, Dave.

Sorry, Gill, you did fine there,

you got two out of three. What about that?

-Better than I thought.

-On another day that would be enough, so

bad luck, you're not in the final round

and if you both come back to us, we will play that final now.

So this is what we have been playing towards.

It is time for our 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, Eric, Gill and Tony from Lucky No. 7 and also Lisa

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

Shirley and Ronnie, you are playing to win Lucky No. 7 £2,000.

Judith, Kevin, Dave and Pat, you are playing for something that

money can't buy, which is to just

steady and restore the Eggheads' reputation.

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

This time the questions are all General Knowledge

-and you can confer, OK?

-OK.

So Lucky No. 7,

the question is, are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

And Shirley and Ronnie, would you like to go first or second?

First, please, Jeremy.

Shirley, Ronnie,

good luck to you both. Here we go.

Your first General Knowledge question.

What mode of high-speed transport is France's TGV? Is it...

-TVG is a train, isn't it?

-Train, please, Jeremy.

Train is correct. TGV.

OK, Eggheads. In the UK,

Alsatian is another name for which breed of dog?

-ALL:

-German Shepherd.

-Are we happy with that, German Shepherd?

-Yes.

That's German Shepherd.

German Shepherd is the right answer.

So, fairly brisk so far.

Take your time.

Keep getting them right, that's all you have to do.

In Greek mythology, which of these creatures was killed by Heracles?

Is it...

Can you name the person again, Jeremy?

In Greek mythology, which of these creatures was killed by Heracles?

-Heracles.

-Heracles.

THEY MUMBLE

-It's either Minotaur or a Chimera.

-That's what I'm thinking.

I'm just trying to think of the legend.

Yeah, I would be happy to go with, what are you thinking, Minotaur?

Minotaur, yes, we'll go with Minotaur, please.

Let's see if you're right. Eggs?

-No, the Nemean Lion.

-The lion.

One of the labours, one of the

12 labours of Heracles.

Oh, it was one of the labours.

Nemean Lion is the right answer.

So, chance for the Eggheads to pull ahead here.

What shape is the pasta, conchiglie? Is it...

And I'll spell... Let me just spell conchiglie.

C-O-N-C-H-I-G-L-I-E.

-Yeah.

-Shell, as in conch.

-OK?

That's shell, Jeremy.

Shell is the right answer, well done.

2-1, which means you need to

get this one right.

Good luck, Challengers.

Which of these films has been

described as one of the biggest box office flops of 2015? Is it...

I'm pretty confident it's Fifty Shades Of Grey.

Pretty confident on that one?

-Why are you thinking that? Have you heard of Tomorrowland?

-Yes.

-Have you heard of that one?

-Yeah.

-And Minions.

-Uh-huh, I know Minions, yeah. It's popular.

-Are you pretty confident?

-Will we go with that?

Fifty Shades Of Grey, please, Jeremy.

Fifty Shades Of Grey.

Now, I have the feeling that that was actually quite successful.

I mean, I don't know how we judge these things, I don't know.

What would you say, Eggheads?

Well, I went to my local

cinema to see another film

and they were literally queueing

-around the block.

-To see Fifty Shades?

-Yeah, yeah.

Are you sure that wasn't you in the queue, Kevin?

Well, maybe they thought

I was in it, I don't know.

It was like, "A friend of mine went to the cinema and..."

So what do you think the answer is,

-guys?

-Tomorrowland.

Minions came from nowhere

and is now the second-highest

-grossing animated film ever.

-Ah.

-In no time at all.

-I fear they are right.

The answer is not Fifty Shades Of Grey, I'm sorry,

the answer is Tomorrowland, so there

is no way back for our Challengers

and we have to say, congratulations,

Eggheads, you have won!

I see why you went for Fifty Shades Of Grey

-because it got quite a knocking.

-A mixed review.

Mixed reviews is kind, yeah.

But, anyway, it was not that, it was Tomorrowland, so there we are.

-You've played well and not quite sneaked past them.

-Well done.

-What's it like playing this lot?

-It's tough.

-Daunting.

It's easier watching it at home.

And with the exception of the incident earlier to which

we will not refer, Lisa.

Do you think we could put this down to Shirley being really good,

because, let's be fair, she was.

They've played well today, I must say, so well done.

Commiserations, Lucky No. 7, Sorry it wasn't lucky tonight.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them

and here you are reigning supreme over quizland

and getting a bit of a spring in your step.

It does mean our Challengers don't go home with the £2,000 jackpot,

so it 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 do it, defeat them.

£3,000 says they won't.

Till then, goodbye.