Episode 40 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, yes, I would say you're looking fearsome.

-Perky.

-Perky? All right. Full of knowledge?

-Of course, yeah, that's the point, isn't it?

-It is the point.

Hoping to get one over on our quiz champions, today,

are The Bowler Hats.

Now, this team of friends from Greater Manchester all

socialise in the Bowling Green pub in Chorlton. Let's meet them.

I'm Norman. I'm a retired tax investigator.

Hi, I'm Bansa and I'm a barrister.

Hi, I'm John and I'm a retired social worker.

Hi, my name is Pat and I'm a retired headteacher.

Hi, I'm Kevin and I'm a solicitor.

-So, Norman, team, welcome. Good to see you.

-Hi, Jeremy.

Tell us about the Bowling Green pub.

It's the local pub where we all socialise.

But we kind of know each other from... All our kids went to the

-same school at different times.

-You don't quiz at the pub?

No, we don't quiz at all.

Because maybe I would have thought most pubs have a quiz these days.

-Oh, it does.

-Oh, you just don't take part?

-No.

-Right, OK, so, so...

We like a challenge which is why we're here.

All the quizzes in the pub are watching the TV and they think,

"There's the guys who never take part in the quiz."

That's the one. Yep. Indeed.

And do you know the show? Do you watch these reprobates here?

Oh, we've been studying hard.

So, you've got a little...

We've had a few spreadsheets recently, haven't we?

We think we have a plan. Whether it will work is another matter.

No battle plan survives first engagement with the enemy, they say.

-Do you know who said that?

-Wellington?

-Who was it?

-Napoleon?

No, Helmuth von Moltke.

-Oh, really, that's First World War.

-I just like to pull rank on them

-at the start.

-That's impressive.

-Yeah.

-I'll remember that.

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, Bowler Hats, the Eggheads have won the last two games

which means £3,000 as you can't beat them today. Would you like to try?

-We would indeed.

-All right. The first head-to-head is on Music.

So who's the music man?

The music man is Kevin.

Yeah, OK.

Kevin at the end. Solicitor. Against which Egghead?

-Erm, we said Barry, I think, didn't we?

-We said Barry.

-Yeah. Barry, please, Jeremy.

-Good stuff. So it is Kevin

from Bowler Hats against Barry from the Eggheads

on Music, which, I think, you like certain periods.

I like to listen to it, yes.

After the invention of instruments, you are right there.

I was right in there.

To ensure there's no conferring,

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

-OK, Kevin, I know you manage a band.

-Yes, Jeremy.

-A great rock and roll band.

-Yeah, go on, tell us who they are.

They're called The Roasts. They're the next big thing from Manchester.

-Brilliant.

-I'll send a CD.

You can play it on your radio show some time.

All right. I would love that. I love to hear new music.

And so, we are on Music now, Kevin. Would like to go first or second?

I'll go second, Jeremy.

So, Barry, which Scottish band, whose hits included Shang-a-Lang,

announced a 2015 comeback tour roughly 40 years after

the height of their fame?

Well, it's certainly not The Proclaimers.

40 years after.

I think that's got to be Bay City Rollers.

It is and, obviously, their most famous one was Bye Bye Baby.

It was indeed.

But Shang-a-Lang was mentioned.

Bay City Rollers is the answer.

Kevin, your question.

Jethro Tull was one of the leading bands in which genre

of music in the 1970s?

It's definitely not northern soul.

Erm, I'll go with prog rock.

Yeah, absolutely.

A kind of folky thing, wasn't it? Almost electric flute.

-I wasn't a big fan, Jeremy.

-Nor me. We probably like the same music.

Yeah, long time ago.

Yeah, prog rock is the right answer.

OK, Barry, Jumpers For Goalposts is the title of which artist's

debut concert film released in 2015?

Jumpers For Goalposts.

I really don't know this. This passed me by.

But 2015 was the year of Ed Sheeran so I shall go for Ed Sheeran.

Yeah, you've done well there. It is Ed Sheeran.

OK, back to you, Kevin. Which heavy-metal group went straight

to number one in the UK album charts in 2015 with The Book Of Souls?

I don't think it's AC/DC.

I'm going to have to have a guess at this one. Metallica.

Iron Maiden is the answer, Kevin.

Which gives Barry a little bit of an edge here.

Barry, you get this one right, you're in the final.

What is the title of the third studio album

released by Kanye West?

Goodness.

That's interesting that we have a graduation and a college dropout.

Two ends of the spectrum.

I'm going to go for Graduation.

You've got three out of three. You've taken the round. Well done,

Barry. Graduation it is. Sorry, Kevin. They do do that, I'm afraid.

-They have a little inkling.

-I should have taken the first question

rather than the second question.

Yeah, the trouble with going second is you then slightly

have to give the initiative to the other.

So, Barry, you're in the final and, Kevin, you're not.

But it's early days for the Challengers.

Please come back and we will play the next round.

OK, the Bowler Hats have lost a brain from the final round,

but it's very early days, guys.

Don't worry about that.

The Eggheads have not lost any, the next subject is Science.

-Who would like this?

-Do you want me to go for that?

-It's one of you two, isn't it?

-I don't mind.

Yep, I'll go for that, Jeremy.

OK, it's going to be John and anyone but Barry.

THEY CONFER

CJ?

-CJ on Science?

-Quite like it.

So, John from the Bowler Hats against CJ from the Eggheads.

Please go to the special room.

John, you used to work as a waiter in the '60s

-and you once served Paul McCartney?

-I did.

-I'm sorry, I've told your story for you.

-Yeah, you did.

What did you serve him?

-Er, well, I should've served him peas and carrots.

-Yeah?

But I was that nervous I didn't bother with the peas because

-they'd have landed on him.

-What, so you were kind of...

I said, "Would you like peas and carrots?"

And he said, "Yes, please",

so I just gave him carrots and walked away.

And, did he ever say, well,

what would be the Beatles song that he would say?

I think he could see my hands shaking as well, so I think he

was glad that he didn't get any peas because he'd have been wearing them.

I wonder if Paul McCartney just assumes that everyone's hands

shake when he gets his carrots, you know. Maybe it's very...

-It's completely normal for him.

-Yep, it certainly is.

-And you're a social worker.

-I am, yeah, or I was, yeah.

Have you got science now because that's your thing or is that

just the way the spreadsheet has crumbled?

Erm, it's even more dubious than that.

It's because I know absolutely nothing about science,

and I'm just scared about being the last man standing,

so they just put me in as a sacrificial lamb.

Oh, I see, so you were just booked for Round Two, no matter what.

-I was, Jeremy, yep.

-OK, well, that's a good way of doing it.

Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please.

Here is your question.

What term is used to describe a layer below the Earth's surface

that has been continuously at or below zero degrees centigrade

for at least two consecutive years?

I don't think it's durafrost, but I'm not sure why I don't think that.

I think I'll go for permafrost, Jeremy.

Permafrost is the right answer.

OK, CJ, on to you. Science is the round.

Which of these words is a name given to the oblong blocks of iron

that are the initial product of a blast furnace producing cast iron?

They are...

pigs.

Oink, oink. You're right, pigs it is.

John.

Typically, on what part of a bee's anatomy are the so-called

baskets used for collecting pollen?

I don't think they're in the wings.

I'm tempted to say the head but that looks too easy,

so I'll say the legs.

What does your team think. Is he right?

Yeah, they like the answer, legs is right, well done.

CJ.

What type of tree is commonly known in Australia as the wattle?

Ah...

This, I don't know.

Obviously, I've heard of a wattle tree, but what is it?

Nope, don't know this.

Don't think it's a eucalyptus,

I think that's...

just a eucalyptus tree.

Um...

Nope, sorry, I don't know this one, this is going to be an absolute

blind guess. I'll try willow.

No, acacia, CJ!

All right.

John, this is looking good now.

Get this right, you're in the final.

The global population of which of these creatures is estimated

to be at least 50,000 individuals?

I think I'll have a stab at...

the blue whale.

Blue whale, you say. If you've got this right, you're in the final.

But it's wrong.

It's killer whale.

So, CJ, chance for you here to come back into it,

but, if you get this wrong, you are knocked out.

Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space,

revealed in 2015 that which piece of equipment was forgotten

on her pioneering mission?

Oh, when you started that question, that's not where I thought it

was going, because she volunteered to be one of the first people

to go to Mars and not come back, I thought that was where it was going.

Don't know, I'll try toothbrush.

Toothbrush is correct.

You got four out of six, you guys. We go to Sudden Death.

Sudden Death, John. Bit harder, I don't give you alternatives.

Here's your first question.

What is the general scientific term for the basic particle

separation process in which a fluid is passed through a porous barrier

for the purpose of removing solid particles or impurities?

I'll take a shot at... Is it filter?

-Yes, I can accept that, filtration. Yes, that's fine.

-Thank you.

OK, CJ, Sudden Death. If you get this wrong, you're out.

The name of which type of energy source is

derived from the Greek for "earth" and "heat"?

That'd be geothermal.

Geothermal is right.

Sudden Death, we're on. Back to you, John.

Which silvery-grey metal, often used in the construction of aircraft,

is thought to be the ninth most abundant element

in the Earth's crust by mass?

Is it aluminium, Jeremy?

-Do you know this one, CJ?

-It's what I would have gone for.

Titanium is the answer.

So, CJ has a chance to get his place in the final.

According to the Met Office, what type of weather front forms

when the cold front of a depression catches up with a warm front,

lifting the warm air between the fronts,

into a narrow wedge above the surface?

Is that an occluded front?

Occluded front is correct. Well done.

You've done well there, CJ, that's not an easy question,

and John, I'm sorry, you've been knocked out by our Egghead,

but you took him to Sudden Death. Not bad at all.

Still, the Challengers have lost two now.

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

So, the Bowler Hats have lost a couple of brains

from the final round.

The Eggheads are still sitting pretty.

Just stabilising the whole process, aren't we,

-after some difficult days?

-Yes.

-Hoping to win today I can tell.

The next subject is Film And TV.

Who would like this? THEY CONFER

OK, Pat. Which Egghead?

-Judith.

-Judith.

I'm told, by my colleagues, Judith.

-Yup.

-OK.

-I think she'll be handy, anything but sport.

It's Pat from Bowler Hats, Judith from the Eggheads, and

to ensure there's no conferring, please go to our question room.

-So, Pat, you're a retired head teacher.

-I am, yup, that's me.

-Good stuff. Film and TV your thing?

-No, I'm number three.

-Oh, I see, it's all numbered.

-Yeah.

Gosh, I won't say it's working well,

-but it's certainly making an impact anyway.

-Yeah, yeah.

-I agree with you, it's not working well.

-Well, we never know.

Do we, Judith? It's all a bit random, this, to be honest.

Yes, it is. It's how the questions fall, is what Kevin always says.

-Yup, that's right. So, anyway, good luck, Pat.

-Thank you.

-Would you like to go first or second?

-I'll go first, please.

Here is your first question, Pat.

Which of these TV detectives is often seen driving a red Ferrari?

A red Ferrari...

Well, Bergerac drove...

I don't think it was a red Ferrari, was it?

Hercule Poirot...

I don't think he'd dirty his hands by driving.

It's a complete guess, I'm going to go with Thomas Magnum.

Thomas Magnum is right.

Judith, Frank Thornton played the role of Captain Peacock

in which TV sitcom?

Well, the one about the department store,

so it's Are You Being Served?.

Are You Being Served? is quite right.

OK, Pat, over to you.

Who plays the title character in the 2015 film, Gemma Bovery?

Gemma Bovery...

Gemma Bovery...

Emily Blunt...

Carey Mulligan...

I haven't a clue.

But, Gemma, sitting in the middle, I'll go for Gemma Arterton.

-Eggheads, is he right?

-Yeah.

-Sounds good to me.

They like that.

Gemma Arterton it is, well played.

Judith, your second.

For what does the N stand in the title of the US TV crime drama NCIS?

I think it's... I... National Crime...

I think it's National, isn't it?

I think it's National.

-You would think so.

-It isn't?

-But, Barry...?

-Naval.

-Standing for Naval...?

Is it Criminal Investigation Service? I'm not quite sure.

Naval Criminal Something Something is... They're wearing a lot of...

-It's Naval?

-Yeah, there are a lot of sailors in it.

-Oh.

-A lot of people wearing maritime suits.

-Oh, dear.

-Well, I've never watched it, so...

-It's not National.

But National's usually a good guess

if you don't know what the N stands for.

Well, law of averages or whatever.

-This is good, Pat, because you're ahead.

-Mm-hm.

-And if you get this right, the round is over.

-OK.

In the autumn of 1982, when Sean Connery began filming

the James Bond movie Never Say Never Again,

how old was he?

'82, '82...

'82...

22...

32...

I'd say he was 52.

You've got it right, well done.

52, so maybe the tide is turning here.

Pat, you're in the final round.

Sorry, Judith. Knocked out on Film & TV.

Knocked out by Sean Connery, no less.

Not the first.

So, well done, Pat, come back to us,

and we'll play the last round before the final.

So, the Bowler Hats are just starting to, I think we could say,

-turn things around?

-Hopefully.

-Yeah.

-Exactly.

We've gone beyond the halfway mark now.

They've lost two brains but they have now taken out an Egghead brain,

and one more round before the final, it's Geography.

Who would like this?

-It's yours.

-Is it me or you?

-It's you.

-It's one of you two.

Er, that's going to be me, Jeremy, unfortunately.

Norman, the skipper. Retired tax investigator.

-Against whom?

-Chris.

-Chris.

-Chris?

-Chris it is, then.

-Or d'you want to take Pat on?

-We'll take Chris on.

OK, so, Norman from the Bowler Hats versus Chris from Crewe,

-our train driver.

-Yep.

To ensure there's no conferring, please take your positions.

So, let's press the advantage here, Norman.

You're on Geography against Chris. D'you want to go first or second?

I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

And here is your first question, Norman.

Approximately 75% of the terrain of the country of Nepal is

covered by what type of terrain?

Well, because of where it is, I can't imagine it's deserts or lakes.

So I'll try mountains and hills.

And it is mountains and hills. You've got a point.

Chris, what name is given to a natural deep body of water

formed by erosion under a waterfall?

-Ah...

-HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

It's not a whirlpool cos that's an eddy.

It's not a rock pool cos they're on the seashore

between the two tide marks, so it's got to be a plunge pool.

-Plunge pool is right.

-Mm.

Could easily go wrong there.

Norman, the Millau Viaduct in France spans the valley of which river?

I don't think it's the Seine...

..so it's between the other two.

I don't know this, so...

..I'll guess the Gironde.

Gironde is your guess.

Let's see, Judith, one of your houses is in France.

-I think it's the Tarn.

-You think it's the Tarn?

-Hmm.

Judith says the Tarn, and she's right.

Tarn is the answer.

OK, Chris, your chance to take the lead.

Which Scandinavian city is served by Arlanda Airport?

Ah, d'you know, I don't know.

Er...

I've been to all three, but only on a cruise ship. Erm...

So it's going to be a pure guess - Oslo.

-I think the Eggs here know.

-Stockholm.

-Stockholm.

-Stockholm?

-Ja, ja.

Norman, your question.

Which of these is nicknamed "America's Walking City"

due to its compact layout?

I've been to San Francisco, which is very hilly, of course. Erm...

and I wouldn't imagine that would be a walking city.

So I'll rule that out. Er...

The other two...

I'll try Boston.

Yeah, I guess it's more European. Boston is the answer.

So, Chris, you need to get this right to stay in.

To which type of geographical feature

does the Arabic word "sabkhah" refer?

And "sabkhah" is S-A-B-K-H-A-H, Chris.

Can't get a handle on it at all. Erm...

Oh, now, though...

You've seen Lawrence Of Arabia, haven't you, and, er...

..there's that place called the Sun's Anvil,

where Lawrence goes back to rescue IS Johar.

Er, so...

..on that basis, I'll go with salt flat.

Salt flat is the right answer.

-(Phew!)

-Good quizzing. We go to Sudden Death, Norman.

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

-Are you ready?

-I am.

Clingmans Dome is the highest point on which long-distance

US hiking route which has linked Georgia to Maine since 1937?

Well, that's going to be up the Eastern Seaboard...

I would imagine.

Could you just say the name of it again, please, Jeremy?

Clingmans Dome.

The highest point on which long-distance US hiking route?

I don't know it. I'll just guess Route 66.

No, that's over the other side.

-It's the Appalachian Trail.

-Ah, right.

In the Smoky Mountains.

OK, Chris, for the round.

Which type of sedimentary rock,

composed mainly of calcium carbonate,

is the quintessential stone of the Cotswold hills

and is often called 'Cotswold stone' in that area?

Well, it's Cotswold limestone, isn't it?

Limestone is the right answer.

On Sudden Death, you've taken it, Chris.

So, Norman, sorry, you were beaten by our Egghead,

and, as a result, will not be in the final round.

Gentlemen, come back to us, we'll play the final.

So, 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, Norman, John and Kevin from the Bowler Hats,

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

Bansa and Pat, you're playing to win the Bowler Hats £3,000.

Pat, CJ, Barry and Chris, you're playing for something

that money can't buy, which is the Eggheads' 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, Bowler Hats, the question is,

are your two brains able to defeat these four?

And would you like to go first or second?

We'll go first, please, Jeremy.

OK, good luck, Bansa, good luck, Pat.

Here's your question.

An exaggerated increase in the price of a commodity

caused by speculation is commonly known by which term?

Any idea, Pat? Erm...

Spike.

-I'd say...

-It's not going to be a ripple, and it's not...

-Say it's a bubble, it blows up.

-Yeah.

-When you think "bubble," blowing up.

-I think that's right, yeah.

-Go for bubble?

-I think we should go for bubble, yeah.

Jeremy, we're going to go for bubble.

Bubble is correct. Housing bubble and South Sea Bubble and so on.

-Tulip bubble?

-Yeah.

-Any other famous bubbles?

-Dot com bubble.

-Dot com bubble, yeah.

OK, Eggheads. The supposed remains of which king

were reburied in Leicester Cathedral in 2015?

-Richard...

-Yeah, Richard.

-Should have been buried in York.

-Richard III, yeah? Happy with that?

-Mm-hm.

We're going for Richard III, Jeremy.

He escaped from a car park and he's now in, is it Leicester Cathedral?

Leicester Cathedral, yeah, he was found buried underneath a car park.

Was it true they tried to apply some sort of penalty charge?

THEY CHUCKLE

Richard III. OK, back to our Challengers.

What expression, Challengers, refers to a cutting remark

or pointed gesture made at the moment of departure?

Parthian shot, I think.

Well, let's just work through them.

-Erm, Greek missile, I've never heard of that.

-Roman dart...

Never heard of a Roman dart.

-"Shot" is leaving, something leaving a gun.

-Yeah.

-And it's going away.

-OK.

So if it's said when you're leaving, "shot" is an explosive...

-And leaving, part.

-Part.

-Yeah?

-I'd say...

-Go for that?

-I think so, yeah.

-OK. Jeremy, we're going to go for Parthian shot.

Parthian shot is correct.

And I've only just realised that people say "parting shot..."

-They do.

-..because they've just twiddled with it over the years,

but it was Parthian shot, was it?

Anyone know what a Parthian shot originally was?

Yes, the Parthians were the great enemies of the Roman Empire,

and their favourite battle strategy was to pretend to retreat,

and as they were retreating the archers, who were mounted,

would turn around and fire a shot at the opposing enemy

-when they were not expecting it.

-Right.

OK, Eggheads, your question.

Which of these people, later to become US president, was captured

as a teenager by the British during the American Revolution?

-Pretty certain that was Andrew Jackson.

-Not George Washington.

-George Washington certainly wasn't...

-Jefferson won't...

No, that's why Andrew Jackson held a grudge against Britain ever since.

OK, we're happy with that, yeah.

We're going with Andrew Jackson, Jeremy.

Andrew Jackson is correct, Pat. Well done.

So, two out of two for you both.

Your third question. Get this right, put the pressure on.

Eugene Cernan, the last man to have stood on the moon's surface,

was the commander of which 1972 Apollo mission?

What do you think?

This is going to be a complete guess on my part, it is. Erm...

I'd go for 15, but it's purely a guess. Any ideas?

I'd go for 13, but it's just a guess. I've no idea, I've no idea.

-Well, we'll go with your instincts.

-I don't know.

-You could be right, 13?

-No, you go with your gut.

OK, we'll go for that. Jeremy, we'll go for Apollo 13.

Apollo 13, OK...

Eggheads, do you know?

-Apollo...

-17.

-..17.

17. Just help us out here, 13 and 15, what were they?

Right, there were seven Apollo missions to the moon.

Each one had three men in them.

Six of them landed, Apollo 13 obviously didn't so turned back.

One stayed in the capsule each time so only 12 people have ever

walked on the moon, and Apollo 17 was the last one,

so 11 was the first, 17 was the last.

-There we go, 17 was the last.

-Yeah.

Let's see if you can take advantage.

Eggheads, if you get this right, the contest is over.

Who designed Derby Arboretum, which opened in 1840,

and is often said to be Britain's first public park?

-It's too late for Brown.

-Too late for Brown.

It's too early for Sackville-West and too late for Brown, surely?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, seems reasonable.

Yes, it's definitely too late, 1840, for Brown.

Er, we're going to go for John Claudius Loo-den.

Low-den.

John Claudius Loudon. Do you know, by any chance?

-No.

-They did it on the dates, ruling out the other two. Were they right?

Capability Brown was too early,

Vita was too late, you think.

John Claudius Loudon is the correct answer.

We say well done, Eggheads, you have won!

Well, you've got to get back to that Bowling Green pub

-and get stuck into the quiz!

-I think we have to.

I reckon you should not have been sitting the quiz out!

-Maybe we will in the future.

-Commiserations to the Bowler Hats.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them,

and they are putting together a run, I think it's fair to say.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £3,000

so the money rolls over to our next show and becomes 4,000.

Eggheads, congratulations. Who will ever beat you?

I can't imagine it happening.

Mind you, actually, now I think about it,

it does happen, doesn't it?

Join us next time to see

if a new team of Challengers have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£4,000 on the table.

Till then, goodbye.