Episode 44 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, as we know, the Eggheads,

and there's no possibly about it, is there?

THEY LAUGH Probably, definitely.

-Certainly.

-Certainly, Judith. Thank you.

Hoping to beat the might of the Eggheads today

are the Muscateers from March in Cambridgeshire.

Now, this team are all members of the March United Services Club,

hence Musc, and feature amongst their ranks

the club's quiz master, Gary.

So, let's meet them.

Hello, I'm Jen, a retired club steward.

Hi, I'm Gary. I'm a machine operator.

Hi, I'm Selena.

I'm a self-employed airport transfer specialist.

Hi, I'm Syd. I'm a retired machine operator.

Hi, I'm Gary, I'm a retired local government officer.

-So, Jane and team, welcome.

-Thank you.

-Good to see you.

So, March United Services Club is just basically a social club?

-Yes, yes, a working man's club.

-Right, a working man's club?

-A CIU working man's club.

-What's the CIU bit?

Club and Institute Union. It's like a league of clubs or whatever.

-But it's a tradition of having social clubs.

-Yes, yes.

-Why not just go down the pub?

-Originally, we were a lot cheaper.

You could get the cost of your membership back in a night.

HE LAUGHS

Well, we've got several clubs in March.

And, you know, people just congregate to whichever club

that they fancy.

-It's nice to belong, I guess?

-Yes.

-And do you quiz in the club?

Yes, we do. Yes, with Gary.

So, Gary at the end sets the questions.

-Yes.

-OK, does the question setter always know the most?

I don't know, we'll find out, won't we?

I always think asking them,

I've secretly developed greater knowledge than all the Eggheads.

Oh, well, that bodes well then, doesn't it?

I must never show it,

so I'm constantly pretending not to know things.

So, you know all the answers?

All the answers unfortunately of programmes we've already broadcast.

-That's the problem.

-Ah, yes.

It's the ones that are upcoming that I struggle with.

-We know those answers too.

-Well listen, good luck against them.

Every day, there's £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.

Muscateers, I can tell you the Eggheads

have won the last six games.

It means £7,000 is here for you to win.

-Would you like to get cracking?

-We would.

Very good, so our first head-to-head battle

is on the subject of Film & TV.

Who would like this?

-Is that you, Selena?

-I don't know, is there any point in...?

-Would it really?

-Not really a film buff.

-I think we've kind of decided. Yeah? Me?

-Yeah, go on.

-OK, I think it's going to be me.

-OK, Selena.

And would you like to choose an Egghead?

They're all ready and waiting.

Same as we were thinking about for the...?

I think so, go for the same again.

Yeah, take Lisa and hope that she's not watched too much TV

-because she's always on this. Yeah?

-Too busy swatting up.

OK, we're going to play against Lisa, please.

Right, I'm sensing you've got a plan here. You've got a game plan?

-Very sketchy at this early stage!

-OK. Sounding good, though.

Selena from the Muscateers versus our own Lisa from the Eggheads

on Film & TV. Please go to the famous Question Room now.

So, Selena, tell us about your job. What do you do?

I'm a self-employed airport transfer specialist,

which basically just involves getting a big car

and running people up and down the motorways

to the various airports of Britain.

OK, so not a taxi driver but something a bit more?

A bit more specialist. I've kind of niched into that specific area.

And is there a big demand for that?

Yes, people always go on holiday

and if they're the kind of people who will take a taxi,

they will come back year after year

and continually take the same one, hopefully.

OK, well, let's see if it's going to be taxi for Lisa.

Here we go with this round, Film & TV, Selena.

Your choice, would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please.

Here is your question.

Who is Kevin Costner's character employed to protect

in the film The Bodyguard?

Well, I'll be honest, I didn't watch the film.

I know of it and I know the actress.

I'm almost sure it wasn't the US President.

I seem to think because of the casting of the character...

I think I'm going to plump for pop star.

Which one are you thinking of? Who was the actress/singer?

-Whitney Houston, I believe.

-Yeah, that's right.

-Pop star is quite right.

-Oh.

Lisa, your question.

The 1992 action film Under Siege is primarily set

on which mode of transport?

I'm trying to think.

I'm trying to think if I'd seen that particular Steven Seagal

muscles and gun fest.

Erm, I can't remember precisely.

I know there's one that's sort of water-based. I'll go for battleship.

Battleship is the right answer.

OK, Selena.

Which film-maker known for his epic productions

was Pauline Kael describing when she said,

"He made small-minded pictures on a big scale?"

I can't believe that I've heard this quote very recently.

But I don't know in relation to who.

Well, Alfred Hitchcock certainly didn't make small-minded pictures

so I'm not minded to go with him.

I think, given the scale that we're talking about,

I shall plump for John Ford.

I'm not too familiar with Cecil B DeMille, so John Ford.

-John Ford was Westerns, was he?

-Yes, he was.

-Eggheads, OK.

Painted Desert.

-Yeah, and Cecil B DeMille is the right answer I'm afraid, Selena.

-Oh.

-And he was Ben-Hur and those big ones.

-Of course he was, yes.

Ten Commandments.

It was all the big budget historical and religious epics. That was him.

OK, so Lisa has the chance to take the lead.

What is the profession of John Cleese's character

in the 1988 film A Fish Called Wanda?

Oof! Seen the film.

My first thought was lawyer. He could be an accountant. Erm...

First thought, I'll go for barrister.

Yeah, barrister is right.

I think there's some, I just remember a scene

when he's in his pants in someone else's flat

and he's talking to her, they all come in.

And I think the other person who comes in is another barrister.

-About as much as I remember as well.

-Yeah, it's a great film.

OK, Selena.

It's 2-1 to Lisa, you've got to get this one right.

The 2015 film Everest starring Jason Clarke and Josh Brolin

is based on the real events of a disastrous mission

to reach the mountain summit in which year?

Don't know the film, I have to be honest.

I think 1996 is out because I'm fairly sure

we haven't had any recent disastrous treks to Everest.

'52 seems very early.

I'm going to say 1974.

Purely because I don't think it's either of the other two, really.

-I'm going to surprise you, it was the most recent one.

-Oh!

It was 1996.

Selena, sorry, no way back for you.

Lisa is in the final round, but early days.

Please return, rejoin your teams. We'll play on.

Well, we're early in the contest

but the Muscateers have lost a brain and the Eggheads are still,

as things stand, going to be all there in the final round.

But lots to play for. The next subject is Sport.

Who wants the Sport?

-I don't think there's any contest about this, is there, Gary? No.

-OK.

Who do we fancy? Who's looking sporting over there?

-Well, non-sporting.

-She loves Sport, she's the pretty good at it.

She's done well on Sport lately. Yes.

-Erm, we'll take Kevin, please.

-Ooh! Really? You sure?

-Yes.

-Yeah? OK.

-Ooh!

Gary from the Muscateers versus Kevin from the Eggheads on Sport.

Please go to the Question Room.

So, Gary, on Sport, do you want to go first or second?

I'll go first please, Jeremy.

Here we go. And good luck to you, Gary.

Which of these venues hosted matches of the 2015 Rugby Union World Cup?

Murrayfield I've not, I think Murrayfield was used

for a different purpose.

Stade de France, I'm going to go the Millennium Stadium.

Millennium Stadium is quite right. Well done, Gary.

Kevin, which of these countries plays test match cricket?

Well, the one that plays test match cricket there is Zimbabwe.

Although Afghanistan are knocking on the door, I think, at times.

-But Zimbabwe are a test country.

-Yes, you're right, Zimbabwe it is.

One each. Back to you, Gary.

How tall is the boxer Tyson Fury?

As a heavyweight, I don't think he's 5ft 3 for certain, so...

And I think he's taller than me so he's more than 6ft,

so I'm going to go for 6ft 9.

He is indeed 6ft 9. He's a very tall, strapping guy.

Kevin, Dr Eva Carneiro worked at which Premier League football club

from 2009 to 2015?

We all know all about this one. As a Chelsea fan.

Got into a bit of a controversy with Mr Mourinho and she was at Chelsea.

-Yes! Created a horrible domino effect, didn't it, Eggheads?

-It did.

-Which seemed to result in the loss of an interesting manager.

-Yeah.

You're right, Chelsea it is, Kevin.

Both playing well, very tight game.

Gary, which British long jumper won a silver medal

at the 2015 World Athletics Championships?

Don't think it was Shara Proctor.

Erm, I think she just missed out,

I'm going to go with Katrina Johnson-Thompson.

You're wrong, it's Shara Proctor.

Shara Proctor is the right answer.

And this gives Kevin a chance. Kevin?

New Zealand's Lydia Ko is a famous name in which sport?

Yeah, the name Ko comes... Well, she's of Korean descent.

But she, in 2015,

she became the youngest ever women's world number one in golf.

Golf is the right answer.

So hard to get any flies on Kevin, I must say, Gary.

Played well but he's got three out of three there, as he often does.

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

and as a result, will not be able to help your team in the final round.

Please come back, please rejoin your teams.

So, the Muscateers have lost two brains from the final round.

The Eggheads have not lost a brain so far.

Let's see if you can stop them now with a bit of Muscateering.

The next subject is Geography, so who would like this?

-Sydney.

-Syd?

-Yeah, I'll go for that, yeah.

-OK.

Retired machine operator Syd against which Egghead?

-I'll take Judith.

-I say we go Judith, yeah?

So, Syd from the Muscateers on Geography

against Judith from the Eggheads.

Please go to the Question Room.

-So, I know you travel quite a bit on your motorbike, Syd?

-I do.

I haven't been the last couple of years but normally

around Europe, I've been up to Denmark, across down to Venice.

Germany and France are the normal destinations,

but Switzerland we've done.

Ireland, I've done that in the past.

Is it scary?

Er, sometimes you go on these roads and they're a bit hairy

when you're looking down one side and there's a 2,000-foot drop

and there's a mountain on the other side. It's a bit scary, yeah.

Have you ever ridden a motorbike, Judith?

-Well, I've been on the back of one.

-Have you? When was that?

-Oh, a long time ago.

-Was it scary?

I had a friend who had Harley-Davidsons

and whirled about in them.

He was very, very fast so it was rather frightening.

OK, every few shows, we learn something new about you.

-I think the last time, we learned you had a pony.

-Yes, I had a pony.

-And now we've learned you've been on the back of a Harley-Davidson.

-Yes.

Surprising things.

So Geography, Syd, would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please, if I may.

And your first question, Syd, is this.

Which of these is a mountain in Tanzania?

Erm, I have no idea where the middle one is

but the last one sounds pretty good.

-Kilimanjaro for me.

-Yes, it is Kilimanjaro, well done.

Judith, the region of Portugal known as the Algarve

takes its name from the Arabic for what?

Well, I hoped it was going to be the south

because I thought it was in the south. Erm...

..I think I'm going to say the west.

Yeah, maybe it's good there wasn't a south

because you would have chosen it and been wrong.

The west is the answer. You got there.

OK, Syd.

Nepal is bordered by India and which other country?

China.

-China is right. You just suddenly came out with it.

-Yeah.

I thought they were all pretty close but that's the one I went for.

Yeah, well done. Nice one. Judith.

Which of these countries ran a public competition to design

a new national flag in 2015?

I think that was New Zealand.

It was New Zealand.

I'm not sure what the result was but you're right about the answer.

New Zealand.

Syd, your question.

Timgad on the high plateau north of the Aures mountains

in north-eastern Algeria

is the site of the ruins of an ancient city

from which civilisation?

I don't really know this one.

I know the Romans have ruins around that area. I'll go for the Roman.

Well, that's nice play. You're absolutely right, it is Roman.

It would have been easy to go

with one of the others there, well done.

Nice work, three out of three. Is the tide turning?

Let's see, Judith, can you stay in?

What is the approximate area of Mexico in square kilometres?

Oh, would be! I deal in miles!

-The metric martyr now, are you?

-Yes.

-I've no idea.

-Square kilometres, Judith.

Why can't we have it in miles? That's what we all think in.

Well, Mexico is pretty big so it's bigger than 2 million.

So, say it's about 3,000 miles across or 3,500.

And three up.

And then convert that from kilometres into miles to get a...

-I mean, prepare to be here for a long time.

-As long as you want.

I think it's probably 12 million.

I simply can't sit here and work the sums out

but I should think it's 12 million.

I don't know how to say this. You're wrong.

I'm very cross.

I know you're cross. 2 million is the answer.

Wait till I get hold of the question setter. I know where he is!

HE CHUCKLES

OK! Sorry, Judith, but there are questions in kilometres.

-It's one of these things.

-Oh, really? It was two.

-I thought you were going to say 20.

-2 million is the answer.

-No, it's really smaller than you thought.

-Ah.

Syd, sorry, we were taking away from your limelight.

You've done really well, you've beaten an Egghead.

Thank you very much.

And it could just be the tide is turning for our Challengers.

Come back to us.

We will see what happens in our last round before the final

and probably get it in the neck for the kilometres as well.

-Well, Syd is the hero of the hour, Jen.

-Absolutely.

-Shows it can be done. Revved up the motorbike.

-Oh, yes.

-And straight off.

-Yes!

-Good, so feeling good?

-Yes.

-Yes, OK.

-Well, you're getting closer.

-Depends on the next category.

-Exactly.

One more, then the final.

You've lost two brains, the Eggheads have now lost a brain themselves.

The next subject for you is Music.

-So who would like this, Jen?

-Damn!

Jen or Gary?

Have I got to bite the bullet?

-I know nothing about music.

-You're very bad.

I think I'm going to bite the bullet.

OK, Jen from the Muscateers. But who would you like to play?

-Dave in the middle or Pat?

-A conversation about it.

What do you guys think for music?

Trying to glean something from their eyes as to whether

-they're pleased with this or not.

-They're both pretty good.

-They're both pretty good.

-Yeah.

-Sometimes they have off days.

-Dave.

-Dave.

-Dave? Yeah.

-All right.

So, Jen from the Muscateers versus Dave from the Eggheads.

I could sense the tension as you made that decision.

Don't worry, Jen. It's going to be good.

To ensure there's no conferring,

please take your positions in the special room.

-OK, Jen. This is the moment. Are you ready?

-I am.

-Good, good.

Now you're up against Tremendous Knowledge Dave.

Music, would you like to go first or second?

Well, I think I better do what everybody else has done

and go first, please.

So, good luck, this is a really big round now.

In the lyrics from the Queen song Bohemian Rhapsody,

"I see a little silhouetto of a man,

"Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the" what?

Well, I won't sing it, not in front of you, anyway. But it's...

-..fandango!

-It is, "Will you do the fandango?" Very good.

-Go on, Jen.

-Absolutely.

All right, Dave.

Who did the rapper Jay-Z marry in 2008?

-It's Beyonce.

-So his fiancee was Beyonce?

Fiancee was Beyonce.

The answer is correct.

Over to you, Jen.

Which character adopts the false identity of Monsieur Madeleine

in the stage musical Les Miserables?

Oh, crikey.

I must be one of the few people in the world that has never seen this.

I started to watch the film but I found it very dark.

Erm, I will take a guess, and this is a guess, at Javert.

No, it's Valjean. The first one.

-Dave.

-Mm-hm.

Can't Feel My Face was a 2015 hit single by which Canadian singer?

I've got no idea.

My teenage daughter will be shouting at me.

Erm, Charlie Puth.

-No, you're wrong!

-Mm-hm.

-The Weeknd.

-Hmm.

So, there we go.

All right, Jen.

The jazz trumpeter Harry Edison, born in 1915,

was best known by which nickname?

Sweets.

-What do you think, team?

-I would have said Lockjaw.

None of us have got a clue

but we would have plumped for Lockjaw as a team.

They would have said Lockjaw.

Eggheads, do you know the answer?

-I think it's Sweets.

-Sweets is the answer!

Well done! SHE GASPS

-Well done to you. OK, you've got two points out of three.

-Go, Jen!

Let's see.

So, a bit of pressure on our Dave now.

What is the only completed opera by the French composer Claude Debussy?

Right.

Now, I've got a big problem here.

I'm sorry, Kevin.

Because I thought Pelleas And Melisande was a ballet.

But I could be wrong.

But it's the only composition out of those

that I would associate with Debussy.

Yeah, I'm just going to have do go with it because of Debussy

and go Pelleas Et Melisande.

Pelleas Et Melisande is correct, Dave.

Sorry, Jen.

-He's a blocked you at the pass there.

-Yes.

We go to Sudden Death.

A bit more difficult because I don't give you alternatives.

Your question, Donauinselfest is a huge music festival

held annually in which European country?

-I can spell it for you, if you want.

-Yes, please.

D-O-N-A-U-I-N-S-E-L-F-E-S-T.

All one word. Donauinselfest,

Well, you get beer fests in Germany, don't you?

So I'll hazard a guess at Germany.

-You're close but it's Austria.

-Ah!

Dave, your question for the round.

What instrument can Paul Simonon be seen destroying

on the cover of the Clash album London Calling?

Hmm.

-Oh, no!

-HE CHUCKLES

I don't look at album covers.

I'm going to have to just say guitar.

I can accept that. Bass guitar but guitar we were looking for, yeah.

Guitar is correct Dave.

-Oh, Jen.

-Yes!

-You almost got him there.

Oh, Jen!

Don't worry, your team captain duties continue

because there is still hope in the final.

Come back to us, both of you. We'll play that final round.

This is what we've been playing towards, everyone.

It is time for our final round.

And as always, we have General Knowledge questions for you.

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

are not allowed to take part.

So, we say goodbye to Jen, Selena and Gary from the Muscateers

but also Judith from the Eggheads.

Would you please now leave the studio?

So, Gary and Syd, you're playing to win the Muscateers £7,000.

Kevin, Dave, Lisa, Pat, you're playing for something

that money really can't buy, which is the Eggheads' reputation.

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

This time, they're all General Knowledge.

You are allowed to confer.

So, Muscateers, the question is are your two brains

better than the Eggheads' four?

Good luck, Gary and Syd. Would you like to go first or second?

-We'll go first, I think, yeah.

-First please, Jeremy.

So, here is your question.

In mythology, Asgard is the home of which family of gods?

-Norse.

-Norse.

-That's Norse, Jeremy.

Norse is right. Well done.

Eggheads, how old was Marilyn Monroe when she died?

-36.

-36.

-She died in 1962. She was born in 1926.

-Sounds about right then?

-36?

-36, yes.

She was just 36.

She was, the Candle In The Wind was 36.

Your question, Challengers.

In October 2015, who was confirmed as the Conservative candidate

for the 2016 mayoral elections?

I think it's Zac Goldsmith.

That's fine by me, yeah. I've got no idea.

-Go with Zac Goldsmith?

-Yeah.

It was Zac Goldsmith.

-Zac Goldsmith is correct, well done.

-Well done.

Your second question,

I can sense your tension, Eggs.

What does the E stand for in the abbreviation

of the United Nations agency UNESCO?

Is it Ethical, Educational or Environmental?

-Educational.

-Educational?

Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

-We'll go for Educational.

-OK.

We think that's Educational.

Educational is correct.

Eggheads are on two, you guys are on two. Couldn't be closer.

Get this right, you may not have to work again today.

Maybe nothing left to do. Just this one.

What was the peak weight of Jon Brower Minnoch,

the heaviest person in medical history?

Well, it's heavier than 30st, isn't it?

30st is completely out of it.

-100st is quite...

-60st, that's four times me.

So it could be 100st?

What do you think?

I'll go for 100. Yeah, go for 100.

-Yeah?

-Yeah. 50-50.

We're going to go for 100, Jeremy.

OK, I thought you were going to go down the middle there.

But 100 is right.

So well done, you've got three out of three.

OK, Eggheads.

Get this one wrong, the contest is over.

In the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics,

which of these characters is a mutant rat?

-Splinter's a mutant rat.

-Splinter, isn't it?

Shredder's a human being.

Couldn't tell you much about Karai

but I think Splinter is the rat ninja master, isn't he?

-Splinter is a rat. I mean...

-Shredder?

It's my era, I grew up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,

or the Hero Turtles as they were usefully sanitised.

I'm just aware that there is a rat called Splinter.

There is a rat called Splinter

and I think he was the master of the Ninja Turtles.

-And Shredder is not a rat?

-No, he's the super villain.

-OK.

I think he was mostly human.

Let's go with Splinter, then.

We're going for Splinter.

Splinter is correct.

So they got three out of three as well.

So guys, we're back to you, we're Sudden Death now in the final.

Couldn't be closer, £7,000 were playing for.

And here is your Sudden Death question.

Bit more difficult because I don't give you alternatives.

Which expression, meaning an appropriate time of day

for starting to drink wine

was added to the Oxford dictionary in August 2015?

2015...

I've seen some various lists of words but I don't recall this one.

Wine time?

-Vine time.

-Vine time?

-Vine time.

-As in Jeremy time?

-Vine time.

-We're going to go with vine time.

-HE LAUGHS

I thought I heard my name being called out there

and I was not sure what's going on.

No, no, I wonder if your fellow competitors know at the back.

-Do you?

-Is it wine o'clock?

-Wine o'clock.

-Why didn't we think of that?

-Wine o'clock.

All right, so the Eggheads have a chance to take the contest

on this question and here it is.

Three Mile Island,

the site of a serious nuclear power station accident in 1979

is located in which US state?

-Pennsylvania.

-Pennsylvania?

-Pennsylvania and Harrisburg. State capital.

-But that's where it is?

Yeah, it's Pennsylvania, yes.

It's in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania.

If you've got this right, the contest is over.

The correct answer is Pennsylvania.

We say congratulations, Eggheads. You have won.

-Would you have got the wine o'clock answer?

-Yeah.

-Would you?

-Yes!

-Yes, OK, Lisa knew. All right.

-That's just about now.

Yeah, I was thinking under the yard arm, but that's old, isn't it?

-I like vine time though, that sounds good.

-Vine time is better.

-Could be a new expression.

-Vine time is better.

I'm sure we can find a use for that, can't we, somewhere here?

Yeah, we use it a lot. By next year, it'll be the correct answer.

Can't you add it to the book now and make...?

Yeah, I know, could just put it in.

Commiserations, Muscateers. Been great seeing you play.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them

and their winning streak continues

and we can really call it a streak now, doing well.

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

so we roll that money over to the next show.

Eggheads, congratulations. I would call you almost unbeatable.

At this stage, can't see it happening.

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

have the brains to defeat them.

£8,000 says they'll never do it.

Until then, goodbye.