Episode 47 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.

Taking on our quiz champions today are the Magnetos.

Now, most of this team from Northamptonshire

are members of the Veteran Car Club of Great Britain. Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Chris, I'm a mechanical development manager.

Hi, I'm Charles and I'm a company director.

Hello, I'm Susie. I'm a retired radiographer.

Hi, I'm Alan and I'm a property surveyor.

Hi, I'm Geoff. I'm a retired clerical officer.

Chris and team, welcome.

-ALL:

-Hello.

-Good to see you.

Thank you very much for coming. Just tell us, Chris,

the connection is sort of through cars, in a way, isn't it?

Yes. We originally decided to put together a team

at the Veteran Car Club and we chose the team name for that reason,

cos we were originally going to have The Bright Sparks,

but that seemed a bit obvious.

So, we decided to use the magneto,

which is a device on an old car engine for producing sparks.

Did we know that? Did we know what a magneto was?

-No. It just comes from X-Men in my world.

-X-Men.

Yeah. There's a more, that's right, up-to-date connection, I guess.

So, good luck, Magnetos.

Every day there is £1000-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, Magnetos,

the Eggheads are just getting into their stride.

They've won the last three. So, there's £4,000 to win today.

-Would you like to try?

-Yeah.

-Yes, we certainly would.

-The first head-to-head is on the subject of

History and you can choose Judith, Beth, Kevin, Pat or Steve.

Who wants to have a go at History?

-Yeah?

-Do you want me to do it?

No, I think I might save you

because there's a few of us could do History. So, probably Geoff or me.

-Do you fancy having a go?

-Yeah, I'll have a go at history.

-OK, so, Geoff will have a go at history.

-All right, Geoff.

Our retired clerical officer, Geoff.

-Against which Egghead?

-I think...

..I will try...

-..Beth.

-Geoff from the Magnetos versus Beth from the Eggheads.

Please go to our legendary Question Room now.

Good luck, Geoff. And on History,

would you like to go first or second, Geoff?

I think I will go first, please, Jeremy.

OK. Here we go.

Violette Szabo found fame for her exploits

as a secret agent during which war?

It doesn't sound like it would be anything from the Korean War.

I've read a little bit about World War II,

and her name hasn't come up there.

I will choose the Crimean War, please.

Anyone know on your side?

-It's World War II.

-World War II.

-Sorry, it is World War II, Geoff.

-Ah.

So, Beth, your question.

The gunpowder plot in which rebels plotted to blow up Parliament

and kill James I of England took place in which century?

Beth, was it...?

-That's the 17th century.

-17th it is.

Geoff, back to you.

What term is most commonly used to describe

the breakaway of the Confederate States in the American Civil War?

I would definitely rule out Procession.

And I don't think it's Concession, so I will go for Secession.

That's right. They seceded. Secession.

Beth, in which modern-day country

is the explorer and navigator John Cabot

thought to have been born?

Pretty sure it's not Ivory Coast.

There was a lot of navigators coming from Italy, explorers.

But why would he be called John?

You would expect him to be called, I don't know,

Giovanni, or...

..something like that.

I'm going to go with Ireland,

just because John doesn't sound a very Italian name.

OK. Eggheads?

It was Anglicised. So, she mentioned Giovanni.

-Yeah.

-And his original name was Giovanni Caboto. He was from Venice.

-Oh, really?

-And Anglicised when he came to work for Henry VII.

So, his original name, Beth, was Giovanni Caboto.

From Venice to work for Henry VII.

Italy is the answer. You had a bit of a let-off there, Geoff.

-Press the advantage now.

-Yes.

The principal magistrates of which ancient city-state

were called Archons?

None of these civilisations I'm very well educated on,

but I'm going to go for...

..Athens.

And Athens is the right answer.

Well done.

Nice work. OK, Beth, to stay in, you need to get this right.

What phrase did the Duke of Wellington use

to describe his own troops in an 1813 letter to Lord Bathurst?

Oh, this is... This is something I don't know.

I would like to think he thought of them as the cream of the crop.

Cream of the crop. Let's just get a bit of wisdom here.

What's the answer, Steve? I can see you shaking your head.

-Scum of the earth.

-Why is it scum of the earth?

I just think they were a ragtag mob, basically.

Scum of the earth is right, Beth.

So, you've gone out to Geoff over three questions.

-Well done, Geoff, good start. Well done.

-Thank you.

Knocked out an Egghead on History and you will be in the final round,

Beth won't. Come back to us, please, and we'll play on.

As it stands, the Magnetos have not lost any brains.

-Well done.

-Thank you.

-All five still there.

The Eggheads have lost one, they're down to four.

The next subject is Geography.

Now, which Magneto likes Geography?

-Oh, Lordy.

-Driving around in your cars.

I think you should have a go at the Geography, Susie.

-Would you have a go at that?

-Looks like me.

-Yes, I think so.

OK, Susie, our retired radiographer, against which Egghead?

-Anyone, but Beth.

-I'm just trying to think.

-Maybe...

-Judith. Can I have Judith?

No, don't go with Judith because Judith's not very good

-if Sport comes up.

-OK.

-I think maybe Steve.

-What do you think?

-Steve.

-Steve.

We sort of match, don't we?

-Yes.

-You match, yeah.

-Nice.

-We don't clash.

-You can't have Judith, you'd clash.

-That would be no good.

-Yeah, that wouldn't work.

-Different shades of...

-Yes, yes.

-..of purple.

-Yes.

-OK.

So, Susie from Magnetos versus the other newer Egghead, Steve.

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

Steve, I was just remembering that you were saying that you would buy

your son a dog if you became an Egghead.

And I should ask you if you did.

Things we say when we think we've got no chance of winning.

Yeah, I did, I bought him a Miniature Schnauzer.

-And how old's your son?

-He's eight.

So... Oh, well, he'll be loving that.

-Oh, he will. Yeah, he loves him.

-Yeah. What's the dog's name?

-Sonny.

-Sonny.

-Shout out to Sonny.

-OK.

Very good. On Geography then, Susie,

would you like to go first or second?

I would prefer to go first, please.

And here is your first question. Good luck.

Which coastal African country is bordered by Algeria and Libya?

Is this...?

It's not Sudan because that's landlocked.

It's not Angola because that is much further south.

I think it's Tunisia.

Yes, it is Tunisia.

Tunisia is right. Well done. Steve, on to you.

Which of these is a monetary unit of China?

Right, I think it's usually better known as the Yuan,

but it's Renminbi.

Renminbi is correct.

Back to you, Susie.

What name is commonly given to the landscaped lawns

and gardens of the main colleges adjacent to the river in Cambridge?

Oh.

Not sure, so I'll try and be logical.

I suppose it could be...

..any, couldn't it? I don't think it's The Backs.

Probably wrong.

I think it's The Fronts.

The Fronts is your answer. Team?

-Backs.

-It's The Backs.

-Oh, it is The Backs.

-Oh.

-It is The Backs.

Steve, see if you get to the front now.

Which Scottish city's most prominent geographical feature

is an extinct volcano known as The Law?

I was hoping you were going to say Arthur's Seat.

I've never heard of this.

Because I know Arthur's Seat's in Edinburgh, I'll rule that out.

I don't know about any being in Glasgow,

so, I'll say Dundee,

on the flimsiest logic.

Used a series of eliminations.

Dundee's right.

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

-I do.

-..to stay in contention.

Roxbury, Mattapan and Beacon Hill

are all residential areas of which US city?

I really don't know.

I think I'm going to say San Francisco.

It is Boston, Susie.

It is Boston. Steve, well done.

You were challenged, you came through, you're in the final.

Bit of a fillet for the Eggheads, that.

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

Please come back, we'll play the next round.

So, as it stands, the Magnetos have lost one brain from the final round

whilst the Eggheads have also lost one.

The next subject for you, Challengers, is Music.

-Music.

-Music.

-Right.

-Food of love.

I think, Charles, will you have a go at the Music for us?

-I'll do Music.

-You'll do Music?

-OK, right. Good man.

-OK, Charles, company director.

And who would you like to take on?

It's going to be Pat or Kevin or Judith.

One of the more classical Eggheads.

-Yes, I think... Yeah.

-I'll play against Judith, please.

Very good. So, it's going to be Charles from the Magnetos

and, Judith. Music. Have you had a run-out on that recently?

Yes, I've had three run-outs lately.

-On Music?

-Mm.

-Please go to the Question Room.

Charles, on Music, would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first please, Jeremy.

Here we go.

A string quartet conventionally consists of two violins,

a viola and which other instrument?

I think it's very unlikely to be a guitar

and likewise unlikely to be a piano,

So, I will go with cello.

Yes, they're all string.

Cello's right.

OK, Judith. In the musical Funny Girl,

Fanny Brice sings the song Don't Rain On My...

What?

Don't Rain On My Parade.

That's right. And I never do, do I?

You have a good go.

Charles, who was the keyboard player in and co-founder of,

the American rock group The Doors?

I have to be honest and say

I've never actually heard of Garth Hudson.

Billy Preston was associated with the Beatles

and therefore the answer is Ray Manzarek.

Ray Manzarek is quite right. Well done.

I can tell you love your music.

Good stuff, we probably like the same stuff.

OK, Judith, who composed the music

for the anthem known as Jerusalem

whose words are taken from a William Blake poem?

I think that is Hubert Parry.

It is Hubert Parry. You're playing well too.

So, third question now.

Charles, get this right, and may be some pressure,

Judith might have one of her moments.

Who did the singer Edie Brickell marry in 1992?

Charles, was this...?

I think it's unlikely to be Paul Simon.

I have a feeling Pete Townsend's been married longer than that,

so I'm going to go with Peter Gabriel.

-Paul Simon is the answer.

-Oh!

OK, Judith, you've got a chance to take the round now.

"If it seems a little time is needed, decisions to be made"...

..are the first lines from which 1980s hit single

by the Human League?

Well, it sounds...

Decisions and action go together.

I'm going to say...

I think the logic sounds like Love Action.

-Steve knows this. Steve?

-(Keep Feeling) Fascination.

-(Keep Feeling) Fascination.

-Oh.

Two each after three. Charles, a little bit of a let-off there.

-Yeah.

-We go to Sudden Death, it gets a bit harder.

-I don't give you options.

-OK.

Born in 1944 in Liverpool,

the musician with the stage name Mike McGear

is the brother of which singer and songwriter?

Pretty sure he was in The Scaffold at some point

and I think he's related to Paul McCartney.

Paul McCartney's right.

Judith, to stay in.

The female singer described by Martin Luther King

as the Queen of American folk music

was Odetta who?

Absolutely no idea.

That's completely passed me by.

I don't know.

Odetta...Smith.

It's Odetta Holmes.

So, you're knocked out, Judith, on Music.

-Well done, Charles.

-Thank you.

Nice to have a bit of Ray Manzarek there, getting you through.

Absolutely.

Very classy. So, come on back to us, both of you.

We'll play the last round before the final.

As it stands, Magnetos have lost a brain from the final round.

The Eggheads have now lost two brains.

So, you're just starting to motor,

with your vintage engines.

The next subject for you is Film And TV.

See if you can press the advantage here.

I think there's a logical choice on this one.

-It's going to have to be you, Alan. I'm afraid you going to have to do this.

-Yeah.

It's tough, but I'll give it a go.

OK. You're the man, Alan.

OK. Alan against which Egghead?

-I'd be inclined to go with Pat, personally.

-OK.

-We'll go with Pat.

-Yeah.

OK. So it's going to be Alan from the Magnetos versus Pat from the

Eggheads and if you go to the Question Room for the last time,

we'll find out what happens.

Alan, Film And TV, would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first please, Jeremy.

And here we go.

The phrase "Flobbadob" is mostly associated

with which children's TV characters?

Erm...

I can't remember Zippy and Bungle saying that.

I've luckily never seen the Teletubbies...

..so I'm going to say Bill and Ben.

-Is he right, Pat?

-He is, I think, yes.

Flobbadob. Yes, Bill and Ben.

Just to see if we can raise the tone a bit here.

Pat, the 1960 movie The Magnificent Seven

is an example of which genre of film?

The only reason I'm hesitating is

I'm just making clear in my head that the original...

The Japanese film on which it was based

wasn't called The Magnificent Seven,

so it's a classic Western.

Western is right.

Back to you, Alan.

In which of these films did Daniel Craig play a character

named Connor Rooney?

Erm...

He's not in Road To Perdition as far as I can remember.

I don't know Munich, but Daniel Craig is in Layer Cake,

so, I'm going to say Layer Cake.

Now, he may be in Layer Cake,

but he's not Connor Rooney in Layer Cake.

He's Connor Rooney in Road To Perdition.

So, that is the answer.

Gives Pat a chance here.

Which series won the 2015 Golden Globe award

for Best TV Musical or Comedy Series

and centres on the life of the Pfefferman family?

So, it's musical or comedy TV series.

The Pfefferman family.

Empire's all about

a music dynasty and the power battles between the family

or families that drive it.

I don't know very much about Outlander.

Transparent's Jeremy Tambor and his family.

He transitions from being a man to a woman and all the...

All the consequences.

I'm in trouble here.

I'm going to go for Transparent.

You're not in trouble at all.

Transparent is right. Transparent.

Right.

Back to you, Alan.

He's taken the lead.

You need this one.

Who directed the 2000 film Castaway?

I could have told you who was in it,

which doesn't help.

It's going to be a complete guess.

Chris Columbus.

It's Robert Zemeckis, Alan, sorry.

No way back. Pat has knocked you out.

So, we're going to be very evenly matched in this final.

Come back to us and we'll play it.

So, this is what we have been playing towards.

It is time for our final round which as always is General Knowledge.

But I'm afraid those of you who lost your head-to-head won't be allowed

to take part in this round.

So, that's Susie and Alan from The Magnetos,

but also Beth and Judith from The Eggheads.

Would you please now leave the studio?

Well, Chris, Charles And Geoff,

you are playing to win the Magnetos £4,000.

Steve, Pat and Kevin, you're playing for something that money can't buy -

the Eggheads' reputation and to keep this roll going.

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

This time, they're all General Knowledge.

You are allowed to confirm.

So, Magnetos, the question is are your three brains better

than the Eggheads' three? Simple as that.

Would you like to go first or second?

We'll go first, please.

OK, Chris and team, good luck.

In which year was the Pac Man computer game first released

onto the market?

-I think it's too late for 1994.

-Very much so, yes.

It's either '80 or '87.

Certainly in the '80s.

-I can't seem it being as late as '87.

-No.

-I think it's 1980.

-I think I'll go for 1980.

-I think I would go for 1980.

We're all happy with 1980?

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-OK.

Our answer is 1980.

1980 is quite right.

OK, Eggheads.

Between 1991 and 2006,

Luis Figo played football for which national team?

-He's Portuguese?

-Portuguese, played in Spain, but he is Portuguese.

-Yeah. OK?

-Yeah.

Yeah, he tended to play his club football in Spain,

but he was actually Portuguese.

So, Portugal.

Portugal is correct.

Back to you.

Which historical English county's coat of arms

consists of three curved Saxon knives or short swords?

-Well...

-I don't think... I don't think it's Kent.

-It's not Kent.

That's just a white horse, isn't it?

It's the horse. I don't think it's Surrey, either,

because I used to come from Surrey.

I think I've seen it on...

..Essex Cricket Club...

-Yes, I think I've seen it...

-My first thought.

-..on their shirts.

Let's think this through.

-Yeah.

-It's definitely not Kent.

-I'm sure Kent is the white horse

and Surrey used to be an acorn.

-I'm happy with Essex.

-OK, we're happy with Essex?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-OK, Essex is our answer, Jeremy.

Well done, Essex is right.

Could be an easy one to make a mistake on.

So, you've got two. Eggheads,

what did the Foreign Ministry of the Czech Republic announce

would be the country's new short-form name in 2016?

-Czechia? I think...

-I think, yeah, it rings a bell.

I think they went for Czechia.

-I don't know.

-Yeah. If you two are happy, then fine.

I think it's Czechia.

We think that's Czechia.

They obviously found their old name a bit too long for convenience.

Czechia's right.

All right, third question. Can be crucial.

In 1956,

where did an official referendum take place that resulted

in a majority for full integration with the United Kingdom,

including its own MPs at Westminster?

Is it...?

I suspect it's not Mauritius.

I wouldn't... The British protectorate...

That would be my last choice, Mauritius.

Malta eventually decided not to...

..have its own MPs.

Yeah, but Malta's always had quite a close relationship...

-Yes.

-..with Britain.

But they did take... They did decide in the end not to go for...

Was it under Mintoff's regime that there was problems?

Cyprus - there's a long history with Cyprus, isn't there?

I don't think it's Cyprus.

-I mean, '56.

-'56.

Was this before the...

..trouble with the Greeks and the Turks?

That's long before. That didn't happen until about 1975.

-'74.

-'74.

-The Turkish invasion was

-I think '74...

-Yes.

-..into Cyprus. Northern Cyprus.

-Yeah.

I can't believe Cyprus.

We had a reasonable relationship with Cyprus then

because we had the army and air bases there.

I'm inclined to think it's Malta, but I can be swayed either way,

to be honest.

I think I could go down on the side of Malta as well.

Yes.

OK, we all happy with Malta?

We're lukewarm, I don't know...

-I don't know if we're happy.

-I think we're going to decide on Malta.

-Yeah.

-Right.

OK, Jeremy, our answer is Malta.

Malta is your answer.

Malta is right. Nice play.

That's a hard old question.

All right, Eggheads,

a number of challenging teams recently have got three out of three

in the final round and it makes things harder for you, I know.

So, get this wrong and it's over.

You know that. Here's your question.

What scientific term describes the segments of DNA

which occur at the ends of chromosomes?

-Telomeres.

-Telomeres.

Telomeres?

There's a theory that

with each reproduction, they shorten and shorten,

so it's tied in with age and decrepitude.

-OK?

-Yeah.

-Happy with that?

We think that's Telomeres.

Telomeres is your answer.

I should check this with Beth. You will know, Beth.

Yeah, Telomeres, They're implicated in ageing,

so if you have a long telomere, you're more likely to live longer,

so the research says.

Right. And we should say Tee-lomeres, should we?

-Telomeres, yeah.

-Telomeres is the right answer, Eggheads.

Well done. So, three out of three for both teams.

-They never make it easy, do they?

-I don't believe this!

You were close to the £4,000, you just needed them to go the other way.

They didn't do that,

so, we go to Sudden Death and I don't give you options.

Which historic royal palace by the Thames did Cardinal Wolsey

lose to Henry VIII when he fell from favour in the 1520s?

Well, there was a number of palaces, then. There was Whitehall...

There was Lambeth.

Whitehall's gone, Hampton Court.

I think it was Hampton Court.

-I think it's Hampton Court.

-I think it's Hampton Court.

I know Cardinal Wolsey was...

Yes, yes. I think he built that and you can see it's just a sort of

expression of a huge ego, can't you?

And that is a guy with a big ego.

As soon as the question was asked, I just thought Hampton Court.

Yeah, yeah.

Are you all right with that?

-Fingers crossed.

-Fingers crossed.

-Yeah.

Jeremy, our answer is Hampton Court Palace.

Hampton Court Palace is your answer.

It's correct.

We go back to the Eggheads.

In 1998, Eggheads, Gerhard Schroder

succeeded which politician as Chancellor of Germany?

Kohl. Was it Kohl?

He's there for the reunification in '89.

Does he...? Does he hang on for another nine years?

I think so.

Kohl, Schroder, Merkel.

-Is that the sequence?

-Yeah.

Yeah, because Merkel took over in 2005.

So, Schroder was there for about seven years.

I don't think I've forgotten anybody.

-I think it's Kohl.

-Yeah.

No, there's nobody else.

OK. We'll go with Helmut Kohl.

Helmut Kohl.

Helmut Kohl is right.

Back with you, Sudden Death.

"A fool, a fool,

"I met a fool in the forest," is a line from which Shakespeare play?

-Well...

-It seems to me like a Midsummer Night's Dream.

Puck in a Midsummer Night's Dream.

Yes. Unless that's just too obvious.

That was my first reaction.

-Mm.

-It jumps out at you.

It jumps out, doesn't it?

-I think I favour Midsummer Night's...

-Yes.

-Shall we go with Midsummer Night's Dream?

-Yeah.

Again, we're not certain, but we're going with Midsummer Night's Dream.

Certainly the obvious answer.

-Is it right, Eggheads?

-I'm not sure.

-I think it might be As You Like It.

-As You Like It, yeah.

-Or even King Lear.

-Yeah, could be King Lear.

I think As You Like It, but I'm maybe...

Character is Jaques.

-That make sense?

-Yeah.

-Who is it, then?

-As You Like It.

-As You Like It.

-As You Like It.

As You Like It is the play.

-Oh, dear.

-The character Jaques.

Eggheads, get this right, the contest is over.

In which country is the Tanami Desert located?

I think that's Australia.

I've never heard of it.

-Oh, yeah, yeah.

-Northern Territory, I think.

-Yeah.

-Up above Alice Springs.

-Yeah. That's right.

-You two seem happy.

-I never heard of it.

-Northern Australia, isn't it?

We think that's Australia.

Well, you've taken not much time about that, have you?

The answer is Australia.

We say congratulations, Eggheads, you have won.

Well played!

Oh, Magnetos, the spark plugs were really working there.

-That's for sure. My goodness.

-Gave them a run for their money there.

-You certainly did.

-Yes.

-And not many get that far.

-No.

-And many commiserations, I hope you enjoyed it.

-Very much so.

-Absolutely.

-Good seeing all these classic vehicles

in action here.

So, the Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them.

You really just dug it out today, Eggheads.

Impressed with your performance as well.

They reign supreme over Quiz Land.

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

so we roll the money over to our next show.

Eggheads, congratulations.

Who will beat you? Join us next time to see if a new team of Challengers

can do it. What a final round we had here!

£5,000 to play for next time.

Until then, goodbye.