Episode 98 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. Back to winning ways?

-Yes.

-On the way back.

OK. Hoping to get one over on our quiz champions today

are Wind Plus from County Durham.

Now, the majority of this team share

a passion for wind instruments, which often come up in our quizzes,

and they met through the Durham Music Service.

Let's meet them.

Hello, I'm Judith. I'm a woodwind teacher.

Hi, I'm Caroline. I'm also a woodwind teacher.

Hello, I'm Paul, and I work in IT support.

Hello, I'm Jean, and I'm a retired legal consultant.

Hello, I'm Carolyn and I'm a brass teacher.

-So, Judith and team, welcome.

-Hello!

-And tell us about which instrument you play, Judith.

-I play the oboe.

-OK. So, everyone here is a wind instrument person?

-Except for Paul.

-Except me.

-Paul, now how did you get in the team, Paul?

-I'm the Plus.

-The rest of them are all wind and I'm the Plus.

-OK.

I'm married to Caroline.

-Understood, and Wind stands for something else?

-It does, actually.

Some of us have met through work

and we started going out for meals together.

And after a few meals, it became apparent that WIND

also stands for Women Into Naughty Desserts.

Well, certainly not arguing with that. Eggheads also...

Yes!

Eggheads into their naughty desserts, I think. Aren't we all?

Oh, yes!

OK, good stuff.

Every day, there is £1,000 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, Wind Plus.

The Eggheads have won just the last two games.

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

-Yes, we would.

-Good stuff.

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

I want music to come up, but I don't know what's coming.

Politics, who wants this?

-I think it's me, isn't it?

-It is!

-It's me!

-Paul's going to do it.

-OK, Paul. Against which Egghead, Paul?

-Any one of the five.

-Strategy...

-Dave or Judith, I think.

-Dave or Judith.

-Shall I try Dave? Go for Dave?

-Yes!

-I'll play Dave.

OK, Paul from Wind Plus on Politics

versus Tremendous Knowledge Dave from the Eggheads.

Please go to our legendary Question Room now.

So, Paul, you've a run out on Ken Bruce's PopMaster?

I have, that's right.

This was ten years ago and I actually won my game,

-got 24 points, and I won the digital radio.

-Oh, right!

Do you remember any particular question

that was a good one for you?

I do remember that there was a question relating to

instrumentals from the '60s and I didn't actually know the answer,

but I guessed The Shadows and I was very pleased

that was the right answer.

But of course, in this game, you can't really do the Music round

-because everyone else is a musician.

-Well, yes, actually.

It may have worked out that way, to be honest, but the strategy

has gone out of the window now.

Good luck on Politics against Tremendous Knowledge Dave.

-Would you like to go first or second?

-I'll go first, please.

Your question, Paul.

In 1999, Alun Michael became the first First Secretary

of the assembly of which country in the United Kingdom?

I...think 1999 was the time of the Scottish Parliament,

so I would go for Scotland.

Yeah, actually, you've gone the wrong way because it's Wales.

-OK.

-Dave, your question.

In September 2012, an apology about tuition fees

by which politician went viral

when it was remixed into an autotuned version

and released on the internet?

Let's see. Person who did that was Nick Clegg.

Nick Clegg is right, and it was very funny. How he remixed that...

so quickly, I've got no idea.

So, he's ahead, Paul. Try and stop him.

In 1931, which Conservative leader criticised the press

for seeking power without responsibility.

Well, the Prime Minister in 1931 was definitely Stanley Baldwin

so I'm going for Stanley Baldwin.

Nicely done, you're quite right. Stanley Baldwin it was.

Dave,

in which year did Henry Campbell-Bannerman

become British Prime Minister?

Whoa, I'm on a brain freeze here. Having a bad moment.

So, Salisbury is in 1901, so we'll rule that out.

I had 1908 in my head for some reason.

And then Asquith took over.

Asquith was definitely there throughout World War I.

1905 is looking more and more likely

because of Asquith's longevity.

And it's something I would normally know very well.

But I'm going to have to go...

..1905.

1905.

Well, let's just see. Do you know, Paul?

I think I would have gone for 1905 as well.

-Eggheads?

-1905.

-1905 is the right answer. You got there.

-Tricky.

-So, you need to get this right, Paul.

-OK.

In 1973, Luis Carrero Blanco was assassinated

while serving as President of which country?

Well, it certainly sounds like a Spanish name, but they are all

Spanish-speaking, so that doesn't really help.

I'm going to rule out Spain because I think I would have been

aware of it if it had been Spain.

I think around about that time,

there may have been more political upheaval in Nicaragua,

so I'm going to go for Nicaragua.

Let's see. Dave, do you know?

I thought it was Spain.

-Spain is the answer.

-OK.

Hard questions, Paul. Sorry, you've been knocked out there

-by Tremendous Knowledge Dave.

-OK.

-You won't be in the final, he will.

Rejoin your teams, we'll play on.

OK, so Wind Plus have had a little bit of wind

taken out of their sails with that.

They've lost a brain from the final round.

The Eggheads are all still there.

The next subject is Music. Oh!

And off they go. Who wants this?

-I think it's me.

-It is Judith.

-Judith?

-It's me, yes.

-The team captain, against which Egghead?

Any one of them, obviously not Dave.

-I'll consult the strategy master, Paul.

-I'd go for Barry.

Barry? Right, Paul the strategy master says Barry.

Yes, that's fine, Barry has his moments.

Judith from Wind Plus versus Barry from the Eggheads.

And to ensure there is no conferring,

please go to our Question Room.

Well, I'm worried now, Judith,

that we're going to ask you some really lo-fi question

about rap or the Sugababes and you're going to think ill of us.

That's what I'm worried about. Rappers!

-Your instrument is the oboe, did you say?

-Yes.

-OK, and you teach it as well?

-Yes, I do and I teach clarinet as well.

And favourite period of music? What sort of music do you like?

Oh, that's a difficult one.

I think 20th-century, Shostakovich, that type of thing.

OK, well, Barry's knowledge is intense in some areas

and invisible in others.

-Sounds like mine!

-He won't mind me saying.

-So, Music, Judith. Do you want to go first or second?

-First, please.

And this is the question.

The disco group Village People took its name from an area of which city?

Pretty sure that's part of New York.

And which part, do you think?

-I think it's Greenwich Village.

-I think it must be, yeah.

New York is right. What a band! What a band.

-I'm glad we kept it highbrow early on for Judith.

-Sorry.

You just tell us you like Shostakovich and we hit you

-with a question about the Village People.

-Never mind!

OK, Barry.

In the summer of 2015, which singer-songwriter launched

a new record label called Gingerbread Man Records?

-Summer of 2015?

-Yes.

I don't know this for sure,

but I have a sneaking suspicion that was Ed Sheeran.

So, that's my answer.

Yeah, the ginger hair is a clue.

Gingerbread Man records was launched by Ed Sheeran.

You're right, one each. Back to you, Judith.

The musical Close To You, which made its London debut in 2015,

features the music of which American singer-songwriter?

Ah, there are so many American...

Don't think I've read about this.

There has been one about Neil Diamond,

but I don't know if it was that one.

Because something just made me think Neil Diamond,

I'll say Neil Diamond.

Well, it's a famous song, isn't it, by the Carpenters?

And the writer is the one who wrote it for them.

-It's Burt Bacharach.

-Oh, right.

All right, your question, Barry, to take the lead.

The Arctic Monkeys song I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor

contains a reference to characters from which Shakespeare play?

That's a highbrow question!

I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor.

I, I'm trying to picture Othello or Shylock on a dance floor.

I think I must go for Romeo and Juliet there.

Can you help us, Lisa?

What's the reference? I'm trying to remember.

It's in the bridge, it's about no Montagues or Capulets.

-The best I can do.

-Oh, yeah!

IMPERSONATES: "No Montagues or Capulets."

-Thank you, Jeremy, yes.

-In that voice.

Didn't know they were from Manchester. They're from Sheffield!

So, he's got that right, Judith.

Uh-oh!

I'm really hoping for the opera question for you now.

You need this to stay in.

Who had top five albums in the UK in the 1960s called

The Twang's The Thang and A Million Dollar's Worth Of Twang?

Well, I definitely don't know it, so I'm going to have to guess again.

I remember hearing Duane Eddy when I was a girl, but...

..that doesn't help!

I think I'll say Eddie Cochran.

-Let's check with your team-mates. Is she right?

-It's Duane Eddy.

-It's Duane Eddy, had a kind of twanging...

-Oh!

-He played the guitar in a certain way.

-Oh, right.

So, I'm sorry, Judith.

But you were not beaten

on Shostakovich. That's for sure.

Barry is in the final round - well done, Barry.

Come back to us, both of you, and we'll play the next round.

As it stands, Wind Plus have lost two brains from the final round,

blown away.

The Eggheads have not lost any so far, so whatever instruments

you have, direct them at these five and just start puffing.

The next subject is Film & TV.

-Who would like this?

-I knew...

I knew it!

-Yes, I'm at the sacrificial lamb on that one.

-Sacrificial!

-Jean?

-Yes, it's me.

-OK, Jean.

Retired legal consultant and musician playing what instrument?

-The bassoon is my instrument.

-Bring your bassoon.

-And the violin.

-OK, well, bring them both.

-That's your strategy.

Who do you want?

Any of the three in the middle.

-Judith, please.

-OK.

So, Jean from Wind Plus, brings Judith...

-We still don't have a proper name for you, Judith.

-No, I'm enigmatic.

Enigmatic, from the Eggheads.

Please go to the special room now.

Jean, good luck. Would you like to go first or second on Film & TV?

First, please.

Here is your question.

What was the name of the department store in the sitcom

Are You Being Served?

Well, I'm very sad in admitting this, but I did used to watch it.

It was Grace Brothers.

So did I and you're quite right. Grace Brothers is right.

Although of course, Peacock and Slocombe were characters in it.

So, could have misled you.

OK, Judith.

Which of the main characters from the TV comedy Fawlty Towers

comes from Barcelona?

Well, it's not Polly from Barcelona, or Sybil from Barcelona.

It's a Manuel from Barcelona.

It is.

"I no understand."

Manuel is right.

OK, Jean.

Who directed the 2015 film The Hateful Eight?

I don't know the answer.

I'll have to think about it.

I'm initially drawn to Quentin Tarantino, but I wouldn't know why.

The Hateful Eight doesn't sound like a Steven Spielberg film.

And I don't know anything about George Lucas,

so I'm going to say Quentin Tarantino.

Yes, Quentin Tarantino is quite right.

It's got that kind of slightly violent title.

OK, Judith.

In which futuristic 1981 film and its 1996 sequel

does Kurt Russell play a character called Snake Plissken?

I have absolutely no idea.

Erm, I'm going to say Escape From New York.

You're quite right, Judith. Well done. Good stuff.

So, here we are, two each.

Jean, over to you.

For what do the letters JJ stand in the name

of the American film director, producer and writer JJ Abrams?

Another one I don't know.

I'm going to have to guess, I haven't got a clue.

I don't think Jeffrey Jacob sounds very American.

I'll go for John Joel.

No, it's Jeffrey Jacob.

OK, you can get into the final with this answer, Judith,

or we go to Sudden Death.

What was the first name of the detective Ironside,

played by Raymond Burr in the 1960s and '70s?

Ah, I can see him.

I don't...

Don't think anybody ever called him by his first name, though, did they?

Andrew Ironside, George Ironside, Robert Ironside.

I think Robert Ironside goes best of all. I'm going to say Robert.

-Do you like that, Eggs?

-Yes.

-Yes, you're right.

-Judith, well done, three out of three.

-That was lucky.

On Film & TV.

Definitely getting back into form,

these Eggheads.

-Sorry, Jean. You've been knocked out as well.

-Can't be helped.

Come back to us, both of you.

We'll play our last round before the final.

So, Wind Plus have lost three now from the final round and here,

the Eggheads are definitely back to their best with no losses.

The next subject is Arts & Books.

Who would like this?

That would be you.

Who was going to take those? Carolyn.

Who wants to do General Knowledge if you do Arts & Books?

-I think you'd be all right on the books.

-What about Carolyn?

-For general.

-Yeah, we do need a good one, don't we?

-I would take Lisa rather than Pat. Tough choice.

-Say who?

-Lisa rather than Pat.

-Lisa.

-Right, so I'm doing it.

-OK, so Caroline is doing it, woodwind teacher.

-That's right.

-Which Egghead?

-Lisa, please.

OK, so Lisa goes into the booth, fine.

Caroline from Wind Plus, Lisa from the Eggheads.

Please, for the last time, go to our Question Room.

Well, not part of the quiz, Lisa, but here's a question.

-Do you know what chicha is?

-Chicha?

-Yes.

-In what context?

-I'm not giving you a context.

-Well, that's not fair.

-It's a drink.

-Go on.

-Can I tell you? No.

-All right...

-You tell me.

Well, Caroline will tell us, go on.

OK, so chicha is basically a fermented spit drink

that I drank in the Ecuadorian jungle several years ago.

Was that... Like, it was a good price on the menu or what?

No, I was in a village with a local and they passed a bowl of it around

and we figured it was rude to refuse, so we tried some.

-How did it taste?

-Horrible.

There we are, that's the answer, Lisa.

Well, I'm always glad it's not a geography round,

but I'm even more glad it's not a geography round now.

-I reckon chicha will come up in our Food & Drink round one day.

-Eugh!

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

First, please.

And here we go.

In which work of literature do the characters meet at the

Tabard Inn in Southwark before setting off on their journey?

I think that's The Canterbury Tales.

It is The Canterbury Tales.

Lisa, what colour

is Roger Hargreaves's first Mr Men character, Mr Tickle?

I do love the highbrow nature of this quiz sometimes, I really do.

Mr Tickle is orange.

Well done to you. Outed as a Mr Man fan.

Indeed.

All right, your question, Caroline.

What name is often given to a competition in which poets

recite original works which are then judged in front of a live audience?

Well, a slam sounds like a tennis competition.

Spiral doesn't really fit.

I'm hoping it's scrawl.

It's actually a slam.

OK, Lisa, your question.

Blackmailers Don't Shoot,

which appeared in the pulp fiction magazine Black Mask in 1933,

was the first published detective story by which writer?

I could be here all day and not get this one.

On the dates, I like Raymond Chandler for that.

I never have been very good with these American authors.

I'll try Raymond Chandler.

Yes, you're right, it is Raymond Chandler.

Raymond Chandler is correct, Lisa.

We go back to you, Caroline,

you need to get this right.

Which American author wrote the novels The Hustler

and The Man Who Fell To Earth,

both of which were later turned into films?

Now I'm in big trouble. Don't know any of those.

Ira Levin.

Now, he's the only one I would have ruled out on the basis

-that he did The Stepford Wives, didn't he?

-Rosemary's Baby.

-Boys From Brazil.

-Rosemary's Baby, Boys From Brazil.

Wrote some amazing novels, not these.

This was Walter Tevis.

And I'm sorry, Caroline, you've been knocked out.

So, we've lost

another instrument, Lisa will be in the final.

Let's see what music our Challengers can play with only one player left.

And this is what we have been playing towards.

It is time for the final round.

As always, it's 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, Judith, Caroline, Paul and Jean from Wind Plus,

sorry but would you please leave the studio?

So, Carolyn, you are playing to win Wind Plus £3,000.

Dave, Lisa, Pat, Judith and Barry,

you're playing to get the Eggheads back on track

and to just confirm your sterling reputation.

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

This time, they're all General Knowledge.

I was going to say you are allowed to confer,

but I know they're all away.

So, Carolyn, the question is can your one brain defeat these five?

-And last time they lost, it was to a single brain.

-Oh, right.

-So, good luck, would you like to go first or second?

-First, please.

Here is your first question.

Abel Tasman National Park is located in which country?

So, that first word is A-B-E-L and the second word is T-A-S-M-A-N

and both of them are capitalised.

Well, Tasman sounds like it might be something to do with Tasmania.

Which would make me think New Zealand.

I'm going to go for New Zealand.

New Zealand is the right answer.

Oh, good.

Eggheads, your question.

"It is kisstomary to cus the bride"

is an example of which type of speech?

It's a spoonerism.

-A spoonerism?

-Mm-hm.

We think that's a spoonerism.

Yes, you're right. Well done.

Next question is for Carolyn.

In dry weather,

what is the maximum speed limit on a French toll motorway?

Well, I'm going to discount 160 because that seems quite fast.

100 is about 70mph,

so that would be about the same as here.

But I've got a feeling it might be higher.

Hmm, I'm going to go for 130.

-I'm so glad you did, you're right.

-Good.

Good, well done.

Carolyn, two out of two. Back to you, Eggheads.

The blind lawyer Matt Murdock who lives in Hell's Kitchen

in New York is the alter ego of which comic book superhero?

-Daredevil.

-It's Daredevil?

-Yes, we're all happy on that.

-Definitely.

-Yes?

We think that's Daredevil.

Daredevil is the right answer. How do you know this stuff?

-Do you know that?

-I didn't know that.

-I didn't know that!

What are they doing all day long?

OK, your third question. Get this right

and you never know.

Which of these monarchs ruled England

for the longest period of time?

Well, Edward II was the one that was murdered, I think.

And Richard II was the one who came to the throne as a very young boy,

but I don't remember him having a particularly long reign.

I can't quite decide between Henry II

and if I'm getting my Edwards mixed up.

I think I'm going to go for Henry II.

Let me check with the eggs. Eggs?

-I think that's right.

-You want the longest reign?

-The longest reign.

-Henry II, I think.

-I think it's Henry II.

Dates for us, any sense?

-1154 to 1189 or something like that?

-Yes.

So, he did 35. Richard did 22.

Edward 20.

-So you're absolutely right, Carolyn. Three out of three.

-Thank you.

And they're going crazy in the background there!

All right, you've done everything that could be expected of you.

You've not come a cropper and now you may win £3,000.

If they get this wrong.

Eggheads, the Frenchwoman Mireille Ballestrazzi

was elected as the first female president

of which international organisation in 2012?

-Well, not NATO.

-It can't be NATO, surely?

I don't think it'd be Interpol.

Got a bell ringing that UNICEF has a female head.

Would you elect a president of UNICEF?

At least in the UN, there is sort of a voting mechanism.

From component countries.

I've not heard of her connected with NATO.

And the other thing to say with NATO is the secretary-general,

I've not heard of a president of NATO.

Have you heard of a president of NATO in terms of any?

We do have a president of Interpol, that's the other thing.

Well, you could have...

Think, the head of Interpol is called what?

It's just our international police body.

-They don't use international police ranks.

-Based in Lyon, I think.

-It was started in Vienna, but it's in Lyon now.

-A French woman.

-It would be convenient, wouldn't it?

-Well...

I think it could be either Interpol or UNICEF.

Yeah, but president of...

I'm starting, on the wording, to look towards Interpol.

You would have...

-Several nations electing somebody.

-Electing somebody?

Putting somebody forward too.

Would UNICEF be appointed or elected?

Well, it would be somebody who have probably worked in the body before.

I wouldn't have thought somebody just comes from outside

and then just becomes UNICEF, but again, you know, with Interpol,

it's somebody who's got... She may have experience of...

I'm coming round to your argument here.

Because I just think it's just the way the question's worded.

It's a nasty one.

Well, I'm going to go for Interpol but with no conviction at all.

I'm going to go for Interpol as well. You've convinced me.

I'm afraid I'd still be UNICEF.

I think I'd be UNICEF.

Without any great reason.

-So, I'm the casting vote.

-You're the casting vote.

-Interpol.

-OK, well?

We have three for Interpol, two for UNICEF.

OK, we've had a vote.

We don't know what we're doing and we're saying Interpol.

Yeah, UNICEF is Anthony Lake so you got it absolutely right.

It is Interpol, well done.

Vindication of the Eggheads democracy.

Yeah, democracy in action there. Dave banging away!

And it does show this thing of Dave's, looking at every word

in the question does pay dividends sometimes.

So sorry, you were very, very close

to the jackpot then.

They've just stopped you. We go to Sudden Death, Carolyn.

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

-Are you ready?

-Yes.

What does the E stand for in the name of the

Oxford University degree course known as PPE?

I think that is Economics.

It is, Philosophy, Politics, Economics. Well done.

Sudden Death, Eggheads.

In the lyrics of the song made popular by Frank Sinatra,

which city is "My kind of town"?

-Chicago.

-"Chicago is."

-"My kind of town, Chicago is."

-Chicago.

-Everybody's happy with Chicago?

-Yes.

We're going for Chicago.

Chicago is right, well done.

OK, Carolyn.

What term, taken from the Latin for five-twelfths, refers to

a group of five objects arranged in a rectangle

with one at each corner and the fifth in the centre?

I've never even heard of that.

Five-twelfths, well, the five would be...

..something like quin.

And the twelfths...

So, that's like five on a dice, isn't it?

One in each corner and one in the centre.

I don't think I've ever heard this term.

Quin...

Not even sure what I can make up.

Quin... Five-twelfths.

What would 12 be?

Trying to think if I can think of any word that comes to mind.

-A quintagon, I don't know.

-Quintagon?

-I've made that up.

-Eggheads?

-Is it quincunx?

Quincunx is the word, yes.

Well done, Eggs.

So, a chance for them now, Carolyn.

Which Japanese word, meaning improvement,

is used for a philosophy of continuous improvement

in working practices and just in time of business techniques?

-Kaizen?

-I've always wanted to have it as a tattoo.

-Kaizen.

-Kaizen?

-I'm happy with that.

I think that's what it is, OK.

We think that's kaizen.

If you have got it right, the contest is over.

The answer is kaizen. We say congratulations, Eggheads.

You have won.

-Did you know that last one, by the way?

-No, I didn't.

Because those last two questions, obscure words,

quizzers delight, I guess.

I'm going to have to get a tattoo now, aren't I?

It's just a very useful quizzing thing, obviously,

-continuous improvement.

-Yes, kaizen or quincunx.

Barry's probably already got a tattoo with that on it.

Carolyn, I'm sorry, commiserations to Wind Plus.

Great team but the Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them

and reigned supreme over quizland.

It does mean that you won't be going home with the £3,000,

so we roll the money over to our next show.

Eggheads, well done, you took on the musicians

and you won and I'm wondering when you will next be beaten.

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

have the brains to do the job.

£4,000 says they don't.

Till we play, goodbye.