Episode 99 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 team in Britain.

They are the Eggheads.

-Looking powerful there.

-How kind.

-Thank you.

All right, let's see how you do.

Taking on our awesome quiz champions today

are the Captain's Crew from Derby.

Now, this team of colleagues all work together

building the electrical system for the London Crossrail project.

Let's meet them.

Hello. My name is Cliff and I'm a training officer.

Hello. My name is Nic and I'm a production engineer.

Hello. My name is Mark and I'm a panel wirer.

Hello. I'm Emma and I'm a production engineer.

Hello. My name is Ian and I'm a railway electrician.

-So, Cliff and team, welcome. Good to see you.

-Thank you.

-And, Cliff, you're known as The Captain?

-Yes.

I used to be in the navy.

Not a captain in the navy, but I used to be in there,

and ever since then when I've worked with these lot,

they always call me Captain as a nickname.

And I know you have quizzed together occasionally, right?

-We have before, yes.

-Brilliant.

So, I wish you all the best. Good luck to you.

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 our next show.

So, Captain's Crew, the Eggheads have won the last three games,

getting into their stride.

That means £4,000 says you can't beat them today.

-Would you like to try?

-Yes, we would.

-All right.

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

Now, which of Captain's Crew wants this?

-Would it be me?

-I think it is Cliff, yeah.

I think it's you, Captain.

-It's going to have to be me.

-The Captain himself.

My goodness. OK, high stakes. Against which Egghead?

-It can be any one of them.

-Lisa or Dave.

-Lisa or Dave?

-Yeah.

-I'd say Lisa.

-Dave.

-Lisa.

-Or Dave, yeah.

Yeah, Dave. Dave. I think Dave.

I can sense your indecision.

Cliff from Captain's Crew is going to take on

Tremendous Knowledge Dave from the Eggheads on History,

and to ensure there's no conferring, please go to the Question Room.

Cliff, History. And would you like to go first or second?

First, please, Jeremy.

And here is your question.

Which modern city was once the capital of Byzantine Empire?

Um, I'm pretty sure that's Istanbul.

-We'll go for Istanbul, yes.

-Yes, Istanbul is right. Well done.

Tremendous Knowledge Dave, your question.

How old was Victoria when she became queen in 1837?

I think she was born in 1819, so I think it's 18.

18 is quite right.

Back to you, Cliff.

In the 14th century,

which of these people would be most likely to wear a bassinet?

I honestly can say I've never heard that word before. Um, 14th century.

Because I've never heard of an alewife, I'll say alewife.

OK, let's work out with the Eggs what a bassinet is. Eggheads?

It's a type of helmet.

-Type of helmet?

-Mm.

-It's a knight, Cliff.

-Yeah.

-A kind of knight's helmet.

Your question, Dave.

Which of these ancient civilisations was the first to appear?

Could've gone wrong here, but I'll go Sumerian.

Sumerian is right.

Good quizzing by our Egghead.

And, Cliff, you're on the defensive now.

You've got to get this one right.

Which British admiral was disastrously defeated

by the Spanish in 1741 at The Battle of Cartagena de Indias?

Again, not sure on this one at all.

Go down the middle, Collingwood.

Collingwood you say. Let's ask Tremendous Knowledge Dave. Dave?

I wouldn't have gone Collingwood. Vernon.

Vernon is the right answer. Sorry, Cliff.

You've been knocked out by our Egghead

and you won't be in the final.

But it's early days. Please rejoin your team-mates. We'll play on.

As it stands, Captain's Crew have lost a brain.

They've lost the skipper from the final round.

The Eggheads have not lost any so far.

Let's see if you can change that, Challengers.

The next subject is Music.

Who would like Music?

-That's your subject, yeah.

-Is that yours, Nic?

Yeah. I'll take that one then.

OK, Nic. And which Egghead would you like, Nic?

-I think Chris. Yeah.

-Chris, OK.

-Chris.

-Chris, yeah.

-Yeah, yeah. Go for Chris.

-Chris, then, please.

-All righty.

So, Nic from Captain's Crew versus Chris from the Eggheads on Music,

his favourite subject.

To ensure there's no conferring, please go to the Question Room.

I gather, Nic, you are self-confessed clean freak,

it says here.

Unfortunately, yes.

Meaning that you clean your house a number of times a day.

Well, it has been known that I've got the hoover out

at least three or four times a day.

Wow. So, you're just going up and down the stairs the whole time?

Yeah. If I see a bit of dust,

it's an excuse to get the hoover out.

Good luck on Music, Nic.

-Would you like to go first or second?

-I'll go first, please.

And here is your first question, Nic.

The London venue known by the abbreviation ROH

is famous for which genre of music? ROH.

Um, not 100% on this one.

I'll go with opera, please.

I'm glad you did. It's the Royal Opera House.

Opera is correct. Chris, your question.

In which year did Celine Dion

have her first UK number one single with Think Twice?

Well, she had the first really big one

on the back of Titanic, which was 1997 -

My Heart Will Go On.

Before that was Think Twice. Had we heard of her in '85?

Don't think we had. 1995, Jeremy.

Yes, spot on, Chris. Well done. '95.

OK, Nic, your question.

What did Natalie Cole record as a posthumous duet

with her father, Nat King Cole,

winning the Grammy for Song of the Year in 1992?

I think...

I think I'll go with...

Unforgettable.

-Is she right, Eggheads?

-Yes.

-Yes, you're right.

Unforgettable.

And you didn't.

Chris, between 1999 and 2006,

which band had 14 number one singles in the UK charts?

Well, if we're going back to 1996, it's got to be Take That.

No, you're wrong. I wonder if you misheard me.

-I said between 1999 and 2006.

-1999. Oh, right.

-Yeah.

-Oh, I'll still stick with Take That.

Take That is wrong. It's Westlife. OK, so, let's have a look.

One to the Eggheads, two to the Challengers.

Get this right, Nic, you're in the final.

Igor Stravinsky took lessons from which composer

after meeting him in 1902 and becoming his friend?

I haven't got the foggiest.

I think I'll go with Rimsky-Korsakov.

Rimsky-Korsakov. Let's have a look.

Eggheads, do you know the dates here?

I think Rimsky-Korsakov or Scriabin are both plausible,

so...

Which dates have we got on Rimsky-Korsakov, Kevin?

1844 to 1908.

-OK, so he would've been in later life.

-Mm.

He is the right answer. Well done, Nic.

You've got it right. Rimsky-Korsakov.

You've taken on an Egghead and you've won. Sorry, Chris.

-Knocked out by Take That.

-Mm-hm.

And Nic has taken that. She's in the final round.

Come back to us please. We'll play on.

So, as it stands,

Captain's Crew have lost one brain from the final round,

but big Chris has fallen...

-Victim of Westlife.

-Yes, exactly. Knocked out by Take That.

The next subject is Geography.

Who would like this?

-Mark.

-Who fancies it?

I don't mind. Do you want to do it or not?

-Yeah, do you want to do it?

-Think you can?

Not my subject, but I'll give it a go.

Think about what's gone, this is the only other one that's gone.

-What will we do if Sport comes up?

-I'll do it, yeah. Yeah.

-Go on.

-OK, Emma.

-Mark is going to... Mark.

-Oh, Mark. OK.

Our panel wirer against which Egghead?

It can be Lisa, Pat or Kevin?

-Definitely.

-Lisa?

Yeah. Lisa then, please.

-Didn't think that decision would take so long!

-OK.

Mark from Captain's Crew, Lisa from the Eggheads,

would you both please go to the Question Room now?

Lisa, I know we've joked about Geography,

but actually you're on a winning streak.

Yes.

The problem with you mentioning things like that before we play,

Jeremy, is it usually signals the end of such things.

Yes. Oh, sorry. That's true. I hadn't thought of that.

But of course, it all turned around

after your dear mum gave you a map of Australia for Christmas.

I'm still not thanking her for it. You can't make me.

How are you one Australia, Mark?

Cos we seem to have a bit of a difficult history

with Australia in this round.

Not very good, so it could be interesting.

OK. Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please.

Mark, which Italian city with a metropolitan population

of more than 3 million lies within the possible eruption zone

of the Mount Vesuvius volcano?

I think I know this one, and I'll go Naples, please.

-Naples is the right answer. Well done. Have you been there?

-No.

-I'd like to.

-OK.

Lisa, the island of Tahiti is in which ocean?

I think Tahiti is a Caribbean one,

so I think we can employ Keppel rules on this one.

When in doubt, say Pacific.

Keppel rules are holding strong. Pacific is right.

OK, Mark...

the area of London called Fitzrovia

that became known as a haunt of writers and artists

borders on which famous thoroughfare?

I'm not really sure. It's going to be a guess.

-I shall say Oxford Street.

-Yes, it is. You're right.

Very near where Radio 2 is, actually.

In fact, I think we might even be in it.

OK, Lisa, your question.

Spokane is the name of a city and a county in which state of the USA?

Spokane.

Well, before those came up,

I had Spokane, Washington, in my head.

We'll stick with that. Washington.

Yes, I had, embarrassingly, Spokane, Wyoming,

so obviously I'm not at the races today.

Washington is right. Well done.

-I guess a Native American name, Eggheads...

-Yes.

-..would you say? Like Cheyenne.

-Yeah, I think it is.

OK, Mark, your third question can be crucial.

In which Australian city

is the district called Fortitude Valley

famous for its shops and nightlife?

Once again, it's going to be a stab in the dark.

I'll go straight down the middle and say Sydney.

Do I dare ask you, Lisa, if he's right?

Do you really think I'll have a clue?

On Australia? It's Brisbane, Mark.

Sorry.

So, we go to Lisa,

who can take the round now.

What is Aspatria?

Will you spell it for me, please, Jeremy?

Yeah. A-S-P-A-T-R-I-A. Aspatria.

It sounds like it ought to be a suburb.

I've never heard of it in Nottingham. It's possible.

I'm really struggling with this cos I really can't think

of a way of getting any closer...

..through any of them.

Aspatria. Does it sound like anything?

I don't think I can get any sort of derivation from it.

I really don't know. I don't know.

It sounds to me most like a suburb,

so I'll say suburb of Nottingham with very little confidence.

Mark, I wonder if you know this one.

I don't think it's a suburb of Nottingham,

but I'd have guessed on a Devon fishing village.

Yeah, it's a Cumbrian market town.

-Interesting.

-Yeah. That's a good question, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Aspatria is a Cumbrian market town.

OK, so scores are level after three questions.

We go to Sudden Death, Mark. It gets a bit harder.

I don't give you alternatives.

What is the largest island of the Inner Hebrides?

I have no idea. I couldn't even give you an answer.

-So, that's a pass.

-Yeah.

It's Skye. Isle of Skye.

So, Lisa, for the round,

the world's longest mountain range is on which continent?

The longest mountain range?

Eugh.

I think the Himalayas is the highest.

I don't think it's that.

The Alps are pretty long, but they're in Europe

and, you know, Europe ain't spread out over a great deal of space.

It must be between the Rockies and the Andes,

but I don't know which one to pick

between North America and South America.

I suspect that there's probably an America in the answer.

North America.

-Eggheads?

-South America.

-South America.

-Argh!

-South America.

Sudden Death. Mark, your question.

Which strait connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov?

I have no idea. Pass.

It's the Kerch Strait.

Lisa, for the round.

Situated on two hills divided by a deep ravine,

the Spanish city of Ronda

is located in which autonomous community?

And Ronda, Lisa, is R-O-N-D-A.

Which is fine, and I could tell you roughly where Ronda is.

I couldn't tell you what the autonomous community is at all.

I don't really know what you'd be looking for as a name.

This is going well, isn't it?

Southern Spain.

No, I'm not going to come up with anything plausible for this.

I'm sorry. I'll have to pass.

OK. Andalusia.

Oh, OK.

Mark, back to you. Sudden Death.

The Moroccan city of Fez - F-E-Z -

is located in the basin of which major river?

Trying to think of a Moroccan river, and I'm struggling.

Sorry. Pass. No idea.

OK, it's the Sebou, S-E-B-O-U.

Lisa, for the round, Sudden Death.

Mount Aripo - A-R-I-P-O -

is the highest peak on which Caribbean island?

I don't do mountains and I don't do rivers.

I don't do seas.

I don't do things that stick up or have water in them, basically.

Which Caribbean island?

Mount Aripo is the highest peak on which Caribbean island?

OK, seriously, there aren't that many to pick from.

The only difficulty with that, of course, is...

..is it the name of a country

or is it, like, Hispaniola or something like that?

Oh, God.

I suppose it could just be Cuba.

Shall we try Cuba?

-No, Trinidad.

-Oh, OK.

Mark, Sudden Death.

What is the largest island in the Indian Ocean?

This is going to be another stab in the dark, I think.

I will say...

Probably going to make myself

look very foolish with an answer here, but...

Fiji.

No, it's Madagascar.

This for the round, Lisa. Sudden Death.

The Todd River, whose course goes through the Heavitree Gap,

is in which country?

-Is that Todd, T-O-D-D?

-Yeah.

I bet it's Australia.

And if it isn't Australia, it's my other nemesis, Canada.

I'm not enjoying these 50-50s today. I'm really not.

Todd River.

Suppose it could be the US.

Shall I avoid saying Australia or Canada

just so I don't feel like an idiot

for not picking the other one and say the US?

Or shall I just say Australia

because I should always say Australia wherever possible?

Yeah, this is not logic to get me to the right answer,

it's just something to say.

I'll try Australia.

-Australia is the right answer. Well done.

-Yay!

You're through... SHE LAUGHS

..on Australia. My goodness. How about that?

Mark, you've been beaten on Sudden Death there

and you won't be in the final round. I'm sorry.

Lisa, come back to us and we'll play the last round before the final.

So, Captain's Crew have lost two brains from the final round now.

The Eggheads have still just lost the one,

and the last subject before the final is Sport.

Do we have a sporty person?

-That's me, Jeremy.

-OK, Emma. Against which Egghead?

Who looks as if they might struggle?

-Can I have Pat, please?

-You can indeed.

Emma from Captain's Crew takes on Pat

from the Eggheads on Sport.

Please go to the Question Room.

So, you love sport, Emma?

I do, yes. Very much so. Playing it and watching it.

-And Derby County, I gather.

-Yes, yeah. The Rams all the way.

And has that had its moments?

We have our ups and downs, yeah.

Your team, Pat?

I watch all sorts of teams. I don't have any particular loyalty.

-I watch whoever's on.

-Yeah, OK.

So, you don't cheer on Manchester United

like Dave, for example.

Not as vigorously, I suspect.

But if you see a match and there's two teams playing,

how do you choose which one to support?

I come up with some completely arbitrary partisan way

of allocating loyalty.

OK. Good luck on Sport. Do you want to go first or second?

I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

And here we go.

In relation to the Australian cricket team,

which item of clothing is known as the baggy green?

I do know this one, and it's the cap.

It is the cap. Well done.

Pat, your question.

In golf, what is the standard diameter of the hole?

There are occasionally suggestions that it should be made larger

to dilute the influence of putting in the modern game of golf,

but it is 4.25 inches.

4.25 is correct.

Over to you, Emma.

Graham Mourie, Wayne Shelford and David Kirk

all captained which team at Rugby Union?

-Right. Can you repeat the question, please, Jeremy?

-Of course.

Graham Mourie, Wayne Shelford and David Kirk

all captained which team at Rugby Union?

Right. Take out England cos I know that's not right. Kirk.

I haven't actually heard of any of them.

I'm going to plump for Ireland.

-Challengers, is she right?

-No, we think New Zealand.

New Zealand is the answer.

Rugby Union, New Zealand.

So, Pat, a chance to take the lead.

Which football club played its home matches at Filbert Street

until 2002?

Um...

I'm pretty sure.

Let me just think for a moment.

Don't think it's Crewe Alexandra.

I don't think it's Middlesbrough. I think it's Leicester City.

Leicester City is correct.

Emma, at the 2012 Olympics,

who was the first British competitor to win a medal?

Hmm.

Don't think it's Rebecca Adlington.

Something is jumping out at me that it's Lizzie Armitstead,

so I'll go for Lizzie Armitstead.

Yeah, absolutely right. Well done.

Lizzie Armitstead it is, and you needed that one as well.

So, level, but Pat has a chance to take the round.

In December 2015, the boxer Billy Joe Saunders

defeated Andy Lee to take the WBO World Title at which weight?

-This for the round.

-Oh, dear, dear, dear.

Billy Joe Saunders, what weight is he?

James DeGale is in there somewhere.

I think there was a point towards the end of 2015

when there were a dozen British boxing world champions

stretching across all of the divisions.

I think James DeGale is in there somewhere around middleweight.

Where was Billy Joe Saunders?

I don't think he's a big man,

so I think we can rule out light heavyweight.

It's possible that James DeGale has grabbed that middleweight title,

but not...

So, where do I put Billy Joe?

I think I'll have to say he's a lightweight.

-Actually, no. Middleweight...

-Ah.

-..is the answer.

So, a slight let-off there, Emma.

And we go to Sudden Death.

I don't give you alternatives.

In 2014, a men's world record time

of two hours, two minutes and 57 seconds

was set in which athletics event?

I'm going to say marathon.

Marathon is quite right. Well done. Set by Dennis Kimetto.

Pat to stay in.

Which male name is given to the small target bowl

that is used in crown green bowls?

-I think that's a jack?

-It is a jack.

Back to you, Emma.

Kris Humphries and Lamar Odom are famous names in which sport?

I believe that's basketball.

It is basketball cos I think they're partners of the Kardashians.

-Yeah.

-Two of them.

So, Pat, back to you to stay in.

Which Formula One world champion is the father

of the motor racing driver Nico Rosberg?

-That's Keke Rosberg.

-It is Keke Rosberg.

Emma, how many football teams

competed in the 2015/2016 Premier League?

38 is jumping out at me.

Or is it 36?

How many football teams competed in the 2015/2016 Premier League?

-I'm going to say 38.

-38, no, no. But you're a football fan?

-I am, yes.

-So, Derby are in the Championship.

If they go to the Premier League,

-they'll be competing with 19 other teams only.

-Ah.

-There's 20.

-I was thinking of games. Yeah.

-Ah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I see.

It is. It's teams and it's 20.

Sorry. So, Pat has a chance to take the round.

In which decade did Chamonix host the first Winter Olympics, Pat?

I think it lagged quite a bit behind the Summer Olympics.

Chamonix. I have a...

My first thought was 1928.

Is that correct? Chamonix.

I think that's all I've got. I'm going with the 1920s.

It's actually 1924, but you've got the decade right.

That's what I asked for. 1920s is the answer.

Sorry, Emma. So annoying, that.

I know you know it's 20, and you've been knocked out by Pat.

If you return to your team-mates,

we will see what happens in the final.

So, this is what we have been playing towards.

It's time for the final round,

and as always, it's General Knowledge.

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

are not allowed to take part in this round.

So, Cliff, Mark and Emma from Captain's Crew -

also Chris from the Eggheads -

would you please now leave the studio?

Nick and Ian, you're playing to win Captain's Crew £4,000.

Kevin, Dave, Lisa and Pat,

you're playing for something that money cannot buy -

the Eggheads' reputation.

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

They're all going to be General Knowledge. You can confer.

So, Captain's Crew, the question is,

can your two brain's defeat these four?

And do you want to go first or second?

We'll go first, please, Jeremy.

OK, Ian and Nic. Good luck.

Which fellow TV personality did presenter Tess Daly marry in 2003?

-Vernon Kay.

-Vernon Kay, yeah.

-100%, yeah.

We'll go for Vernon Kay.

Vernon Kay is the right answer.

Eggheads,

Mittwoch is the German word

for which day of the week?

-Wednesday.

-It's the only one without a "tag" in it.

-Middle of the week.

-That's right.

-Wednesday.

Mittwoch is Wednesday.

Wednesday is right.

-Lisa would know that, with your German origins.

-Yep.

Mittwoch, middle of the week.

Challengers, in the 2015 film 45 Years

which actor plays the husband of Charlotte Rampling's character?

-I don't know.

-Have you seen it?

-No.

-No.

-Haven't seen it.

-45 Years.

-It's a recent film, though, isn't it?

If it's recent, I wouldn't say it's Tom Courtenay then, would you?

-I would...

-I would go... I don't know. Tom Wilkinson?

-Do you know any of them at all?

-No. I don't know any of them.

Tom Wilkinson, probably, but I'm not 100%.

Well, Jeremy, on this one, all we can be sure of is Tom,

so we're going to go for Tom Wilkinson.

Let's see if the Eggheads know.

-Is it Tom Wilkinson?

-Tom Courtenay.

-Tom Courtenay.

-Oh.

Is the one there who is the right age, is that right?

Tom Wilkinson would be the right age as well.

-Wilkinson as well.

-Hiddleston is too young.

Tom Hiddleston is younger,

but no, plausibly either of the other two could've done it.

Tom Courtenay is the answer.

Eggheads have a chance to take the lead.

Which leading British fashion model

had the Duke of Devonshire as a grandfather?

-I suspect it's Stella Tennant.

-Stella Tennant, I think.

-I imagine it must be Stella Tennant.

-Agyness Deyn is from some...

-She's from Lancashire.

-She's from Rossendale or somewhere like that.

I think it's either..

I think that Erin O'Connor is from somewhere... Yeah...

-Stella Tennant sounds right to me.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, she's aristocratic...

-Mm.

-..I would say.

-OK? Happy with that?

-Yeah.

-Uh, we think that's Stella Tennant.

Stella Tennant is quite right.

So, you need to get this one right.

In French and in heraldry, what type of bird is a hirondelle?

So, H-I-R-O-N-D-E-L-L-E.

I think, in heraldry, it's falcon.

-I don't know.

-The French use falcons as well.

-I'm sure...

-Go with that, then.

We're going to go for falcon, Jeremy.

Falcon is your answer. You're right.

There's a lot of falcons on shields and whatnot.

Is it the right answer, Eggheads?

-Swallow.

-Swallow.

The correct answer is swallow.

We have to say congratulations, Eggheads. You have won.

-I totally get your logic there, Ian, completely.

-Yeah.

Eggheads, well done. Commiserations to Captain's Crew.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them once again.

In your stride, and this little streak continues.

It does mean you won't be going home with the £4,000,

so we roll the money over to our next show.

Eggheads, well done. Who will beat you?

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

have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£5,000 says they don't. Till we play, goodbye.