Episode 65 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.

Here they are, the Eggheads. Feeling knowledgeable?

-Yeah.

-Yep.

-Hope so.

-We hope.

Well, more than hope is needed in this game, as you know.

Taking on our quiz champions

today are On The Rocks. Now, this team all work in different

departments at a whisky distillery on the Isle of Arran.

Let's meet them.

Hello, my name's Jaclyn and I'm a marketing manager.

Hi, my name's Mark and I'm a planning manager.

Hi, I'm Andy and I'm a sales manager.

Hi, my name's Graham and I'm a stillman.

Hi, I'm Euan and I'm a managing director.

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

-Hello.

-Hi.

-Straight from a distillery making whisky, correct?

-Absolutely, yes.

And tell us about the whisky you make.

Well, it's a stunning single malt from the Isle of Arran.

It's a very easy drinking, smooth, fruity single malt that I think

all the Eggheads would enjoy.

Well, don't encourage them. Does it sell all around the world?

-I bet it does.

-It certainly does, yeah.

We sell all over the world and of course here in the UK also.

And do you have to like whisky to work there?

If you don't like whisky before you work here,

you certainly will once you join us.

So the Queen opened your distillery as well, is that right?

-Yes, she did.

-Tell us about that.

The Queen visited us in 1997 to open the visitors' centre, which is

part of our distillery site in Lochranza.

And there were a couple of casks put aside for her grandsons?

Yeah, we put aside two casks for her two grandsons William and

Harry and they're still there, residing in our warehouses.

How wonderful. They can claim them any time, I guess.

They sure can and they're very welcome to.

-Crucially, I know you quiz together.

-We do.

At a certain juncture in the morning - is that right?

-When you break out into a quiz. Tell us when.

-That's correct, yeah.

We listen to Radio 2 in the office every single day

and we await PopMaster at 10.30 every morning and we always have

a good go at all the questions.

-All right.

-We have a particular expert on the team, Andy.

-Oh, the music man.

-Yes, he is.

-Very good. Good luck, team.

Hope you do it. Every day there is £1,000 worth of cash

up for grabs for our challengers.

However, if they fail to defeat the Eggheads,

the prize money rolls over to the next show.

So On The Rocks, the Eggheads are building up a bit of steam, they've

won the last two games, which means £3,000 is here for you to play for.

-Would you like to try?

-We certainly would, yeah.

OK, the first head-to-head battle is on Music!

Couldn't be better and you can choose either

-Judith, Beth, Kevin or Pat or Steve.

-Andy?

-I think this is maybe my shot, isn't it?

-I think so.

-PopMaster champion.

-Let's have a think.

-Who would you like to challenge?

-Andy against any one of them.

-Perhaps Judith?

-Pat.

-Pat?

-I'll have a go at playing Pat at Music, I think.

-Right.

I'm sensing that you watch the show. This is going to be interesting.

You've got some tactics worked out here.

Andy from On The Rocks versus Pat, who is the rock of the Eggheads.

To ensure there's no conferring to do the Music round, would you

please take your positions in our famous Question Room.

You're up against Pat and you can choose, Andy, whether you go

-first or second.

-First. Please.

Here's your question. Which song gave The Beatles

their second UK number-one single?

Is it...

Right.

I think Strawberry Fields and The Ballad Of John And Yoko was

more when they were going a bit weird and experimental and I can

hear screaming behind She Loves You in my head,

when I play it in my head, so, yeah,

She Loves You, I think, is the answer.

She Loves You, that's right, which starts with that

brilliant sort of drumroll, doesn't it? OK.

Pat, your question.

In what year was I Want You Back first

a UK hit single for the Jackson 5?

I listen to the song quite a lot, but I listen to

the KT Tunstall cover, which is rather marvellous.

And Jacksons...

I think the Jackson 5 are...

quintessentially a '70s sound. 1980s a bit too late. I'll go for 1970.

Yes, 1970 it is. Well done.

Back to you, Andy.

What is the modern English name for the orchestral percussion

instrument most similar to the ancient timbrel? It's T-I-M-B-R-E-L.

Is it...

My instinct alone is drawing me away from tambourine,

because I think that might be a bit too obvious,

so I'm going to say timpani.

Timpani. Let's see if Pat knows. Is that right?

It's some sort of percussion thing. Maybe I'd go timpani as well.

Hm. It's not timpani, though, it's tambourine. Andy, sorry.

So Pat has a chance to take the lead.

Which of these bands was initially billed as the New Yardbirds?

I think Pink Floyd were... Fairly quickly became Pink Floyd.

I think the New Yardbirds are part of the very complicated...

mix of 1960s, '70s groups out of which Led Zeppelin emerged.

Led Zeppelin is right. All right.

So you've go to get this right to catch up.

Ian Astbury is the singer in which British rock band formed in

the 1980s? Ian Astbury.

Not 100% on this one either. I'm going to have to just say The Cult.

Yeah, you got it right and even though it's much more my era,

I would not have known that, actually,

so that's a very good answer. Well done.

The Cult. Two out of three - is it enough to stay in?

Pat can take it with this.

Short Ride In A Fast Machine is a popular piece of music by

which contemporary composer?

Pat, is it...

I had a very positive first thought, but having looked at the options

now, a measure of doubt has crept in.

It's definitely not Philip Glass.

Initially I thought it was Steve Reich all day long,

but John Adams is playing on me.

I think I'd have to go for Steve Reich.

-Any Eggs know?

-John Adams.

Yeah, John Adams, says Kevin, and John Adams is right,

so you're stalled at two, Pat, and that means...

How about that, Andy? So we go to Sudden Death, OK?

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

And here is your question, Andy.

Which song by Bill Haley & His Comets begins with the line,

"One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock rock"?

Rock Around The Clock.

Yes! You got it right. Well done. Rock Around The Clock.

Pat, your question to stay in.

Released in 2013, Pure Heroine was the debut album by which

young female singer from New Zealand?

Well, the outstanding candidate is Lorde.

Have I any other young New Zealand singers to trouble me?

-No, I don't think I have. I'll go for Lorde.

-Lorde is right.

Andy, back to you.

You Know My Name,

sung by Chris Cornell,

was the theme song to which James Bond film?

My name... Hm.

Might be quite a recent one, I think.

Casino Royale, er...

I don't think that was Audioslave that did that one.

Let's Say...Quantum Of Solace.

-No, it is Casino Royale.

-Oh!

Pat, your question for the round.

The married couple Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth were members of which

American group whose UK hits included And She Was

and Once In A Lifetime?

I think that's Talking Heads.

Talking Heads is the right answer.

You've taken it on Sudden Death, Pat.

Well done. You're in the final. Sorry, Andy. Knocked out.

Not to worry.

Tricky old round, that Music round.

As a result, you won't be in the final.

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

So as it stands, On The Rocks have lost a brain from the final round.

The Eggheads still all sitting there.

See if you can knock one out now. We've got Politics for you.

Who would like this, Jaclyn?

-Want to give it a go, Graham?

-You want to try, Graham?

-I'll give it a try.

-Do you want to give it a try?

-As long as

-you do Science.

-We need to stick to our strategy, don't we?

-Yeah.

-I'll give it a go.

-OK.

So it's Graham, is it?

Just before you go, choose an Egghead and it can't be Pat.

-I'm thinking Beth maybe?

-Yeah.

-Good idea.

-I'll take Beth.

-Very good.

Graham from On The Rocks versus Beth from the Eggheads on Politics.

Have you done much Politics recently? I can't remember.

-I've done a couple.

-All right. I won't even ask how they've gone,

I'd never enquire. To ensure there is no conferring,

please go to our special Question Room.

So, Politics, Graham, is the subject.

-Would you like to go first or second?

-I'll go first.

Who succeeded Michael Heseltine as MP for Henley in 2001?

Was it...

Henley. Oh...

I'll just have to... I'll go down the middle, I'll say Michael Gove.

No, it was actually... Boris Johnson.

Appearing in Parliament for the first time as an MP.

When he won, when he made a speech saying,

"Go back to your constituencies and prepare for breakfast."

So Boris Johnson.

OK, Beth, your question.

What nickname is given to the Strangers' Bar at Westminster,

because so many of its regulars were Labour MPs with

a strong trade union background?

Is this...

Erm...

Well, the most likely out of those would be, erm...

Red Square.

I must admit I hadn't heard this and I might have gone that way as well.

-It's The Kremlin.

-Kremlin. Yeah.

-The Kremlin. OK. Graham, back to you.

Which former British Prime Minister returned to the Cabinet

in 1970 as Foreign Secretary?

Er... I...

It's almost a cliche to say, but long before my time.

Erm, I'm thinking...

Well, I've definitely heard of the achievements of Clement Atlee

more than the other two, so I'm going to have to say Clement Atlee.

No, Clement Atlee was Labour and I think this is

a Conservative government we're talking about.

It's Alec Douglas-Home.

So we're waiting for our first correct answer in this round.

Beth, the actress Antonia de Sancha made headlines in 1992 after

a much publicised affair with which Tory politician?

Ooh.

She had an affair with David Mellor.

That is correct.

David Mellor is the right answer. All right.

Beth is in the lead here, Graham.

You need to get this answer right to stay in.

Elected as an MP for Bromsgrove in 2010,

Sajid Javid is a member of which political party?

I... I don't think it's Labour.

I think this might be more of a right-leaning one if

I remember right.

I'll say Conservative Party.

Conservative Party is quite right. Well done.

OK, your question, Beth, for the round.

In relation to the EU,

the acronym Emu, or EMU, stands for Economic Monetary what?

Union.

You've got it. Union is the right answer,

so well done to Beth, you're in the final.

Sorry, Graham, knocked out on Politics there,

beaten by our Egghead, not in the final,

but come back to us and we'll see if the Challengers can turn it around.

So as it stands,

On The Rocks have lost two brains from the final round.

The Eggheads have not lost any so far. They're playing well.

Sorry about that. That happens sometimes - what can I say?

The next subject is Arts & Books,

so which one of you would like this from On The Rocks?

-I'll take that.

-I think the best shout's Jaci for that one.

-OK, Jaclyn.

-That's for me.

-OK and you can have Judith or Kevin or Steve.

-Steve.

-Steve?

-Steve, yeah.

-I'd like to challenge Steve, please.

OK, one of our newest Eggheads.

So it's going to be Jaclyn from On The Rocks on Arts & Books

and taking on Steve from the Eggheads.

Please, take your positions.

All right. Jaclyn, Arts & Books -

would you like to go first or second against Steve?

I'd like to go first, please.

Here we go. Good luck.

Which of these characters was created by a female writer?

Which of these characters was created by a female writer?

Female writer.

I don't think it's Mary Poppins. I'm going to say Lyra Belacqua.

OK. Lyra Belacqua is your answer.

Eggheads, let's start with Lyra Belacqua.

What do we know about her?

She's the protagonist in the Philip Pullman,

-His Dark Materials trilogy.

-That's Philip Pullman. OK, Miss Havisham?

-Dickens.

-Charles Dickens. So who wrote Mary Poppins, Eggs?

-Oh...

-Travers.

-Travers, yeah.

There was a film about her. The one about her and Disney. Yes.

And what was her name?

-Pamela.

-Pamela Travers.

She wrote as PL Travers, so it's one of those names where if you

just see the initials, you wouldn't be sure,

but it was Pamela Lyndon for the PL.

So the one guide to us here, Jaclyn, is that movie.

I don't know if you saw it, but maybe out in 2015, which was all

about she wrote Mary Poppins and she had this very awkward

relationship with Disney, who wanted to turn it into a film.

-And it's... It's PL Travers.

-Yeah.

So Mary Poppins is the right answer.

Steve,

which science-fiction writer born in Russia in 1920 was for

a time a professor of biochemistry at Boston University?

Steve, was this...

Well, if he's born in Russia and his name ends in "ov",

I think it's a safe bet it's Isaac Asimov.

That's a good point.

Isaac Asimov is right.

Jaclyn, your question.

Which term, from the Italian for "light and dark",

is the name of the painting and drawing technique used to make

something appear three-dimensional through the use of light and shadow?

Well, sfumato is to do with smoke.

And chiaro is Italian for "light"

and scuro is Italian for "dark",

so the answer is chiaroscuro.

Chiaroscuro is quite right. Brilliant, well done.

Steve.

La Comedie Humaine, or The Human Comedy,

is a vast series of novels and novellas by which French writer?

Yeah.

If I'm thinking right - I've read a few of 'em - it's Honore de Balzac.

Honore de Balzac is quite right.

Now, Jaclyn, you need to get this one right to stay in.

The painter Francis Picabia, born in 1879,

was one of the leading figures in which art movement?

I don't know the answer.

Let me try...

..photorealism.

I don't how developed photography was at that stage.

It's not photorealism, it is Dada.

-Sorry, Jaclyn.

-OK.

-You're knocked out.

Steve, well done, taken out their skipper. Will that be crucial?

Please, both of you, return to us,

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

-Steve, Arts & Books is your best category so far.

-Really?

Seven you've played, seven you've won.

Secret's out of t'bag now, in't it?

It is out of t'bag.

So, On The Rocks have lost three from the final round.

Don't worry - it's happened to lots of teams.

And you can still win - that's the key thing.

The Eggheads are still sitting there.

It would be good to just get one out now. Just to shake them.

So, it's Geography.

Who wants this? Mark or Euan?

I think you'd maybe be better at geography than Mark.

Who's been to the most countries? That's sometimes a guide.

-Hmm...

-I'll go up.

It's how many countries can he remember being in, that's the thing!

That is true. That is partly a factor - you're right.

-Is it you, Euan?

-Yes, OK, I'll go for it.

And you can have either Kevin or Judith.

-Yeah, I'd like to go up against Judith, please.

-Good stuff.

Euan from On The Rocks, with Judith from the Eggheads.

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

All right, good luck here on Geography. Euan, first or second?

I'd like to go first, please, Jeremy.

Here is your first question.

Worthing is a seaside resort on which English coast?

Worthing.

I have relations down in the south of England, so if I get this

wrong I'll never live it down.

But I'm going to say the South Coast.

The South Coast is right.

I know the stakes were high there.

So, your first question, Judith.

As of 2016, how many Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty

were there in Britain?

Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty?

Yes.

I think probably 46.

Right. 46 is correct.

Oh, thank goodness.

All right. Back to you, Euan. Your second question.

In 2016, it was announced that the international airport in Madeira

was to be renamed after which footballer?

OK.

I've never been there,

but I do know that Cristiano Ronaldo comes from Madeira.

So I'm going to go with the one I know is from Madeira,

and I'll say Ronaldo.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the right answer, good quizzing.

OK, Judith, your question to catch up.

Bonn, formerly the capital of West Germany, is situated on which river?

Well, it's not the Rhone, because that's in France.

Erm...

I think it might be the Rhine.

-I think it might be the Rhine. Well done.

-Thank goodness for that.

Euan, your question.

Third question, could be crucial.

The international dateline largely runs

through which degree of longitude?

I'm going to say 90.

90 is your answer.

Let me just see - this is a tricky one. Eggheads?

-180.

-180, you say with great conviction, why? Why, Kevin?

Well, it runs through the middle of the Pacific,

so you go 180 degrees east or 180 degrees west,

if you're coming the other way.

-That's where they meet, halfway round.

-And why is that 180?

Because it's halfway around the world.

Because there's 360 degrees in a circle, so it's halfway round.

I see. So, we're zero in London, Euan, and apparently you've got to

go halfway around the world to get the dateline.

-Yep, make sense.

-I know, that baffled me.

So Judith has a chance to take the round with this question.

Which city is the principal seaport of Chile?

Oh.

I don't think it's Valparaiso,

because I think that's somewhere else.

And that's the one I've actually heard of.

But I can't remember where it is.

I think it might be Antofagasta.

Antofagasta is the wrong answer.

-It's Valparaiso.

-Oh!

So we go to Sudden Death. Euan, that's good, isn't it?

-That's very good.

-You're still in it.

It does get a bit more tricky, though,

because I don't give you alternatives.

So here we go, do this for the Challengers now,

get yourself in the final.

St Davids is a city in which UK country?

I don't believe it's Scotland, that's for sure.

Northern Ireland...?

I would say it's between England and Wales.

For some reason, something tells me it's something in the south...

I'm going to say England.

I'm so sorry. It's Wales.

-Yeah.

-It is Britain's smallest city in terms of size and population.

I've been there - it's got a most beautiful cathedral.

I'm not imagining that, am I, Judith?

No, I've been there, lovely cathedral.

-Absolutely extraordinary place yeah.

-Yeah.

You can take the round, Judith, with this question.

The only one hitch is, you have to get it right.

Argos is the name of a city in which European country?

Well, it could be Greece.

Or Spain.

Or Portugal or Italy.

Argos.

Well, I'm going to say Greece, just in case.

It dominated the Peloponnese in the seventh century BC,

it's one of the oldest cities of ancient Greece. Well done, Judith.

You've taken the round on Sudden Death. Sorry, Euan.

St Davids - what can I say?

At least you didn't say Scotland for that - that was good.

Yeah, I thought that was the obvious answer,

-but I thought it may be too obvious.

-Yes, you avoided that very cleverly.

You've been beaten by our Egghead, though, and won't be in the final.

If you come back to us, both of you, we will play the final round.

This is what we have been playing towards,

it is time for our final round.

As always, 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, that is Jaclyn and Andy, Graham and Euan from On The Rocks.

I'm sorry, but would you please now leave the studio?

-OK, Mark, good luck.

-Thank you.

You're playing to win On The Rocks £3,000.

Your team-mates all looking on, expectantly.

Steve, Pat, Kevin, Beth and Judith, 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.

I was going to say, you can confer,

but I know there's no-one to confer with!

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

And don't say no, because we have seen it happen.

Actually, I think quite recently as well.

So, only question for now, would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

OK, Mark, our planning manager with the distillery,

we wish you all the best here against the Eggheads.

And here's your first question.

What was the name of the car driven by the cousins Bo and Luke Duke

in the 1980s US TV series The Dukes Of Hazzard?

I think, Jeremy, that's the General Lee.

It is the General Lee.

OK, Eggheads.

The GRA, or Grande Raccordo Anulare,

is a ring-shaped orbital motorway around which European capital?

Can you spell all of that?

-I think it should be Rome, but...

-Yeah, should be Rome.

Do you have the spelling, Jeremy?

Yeah. Grande, G-R-A-N-D-E,

Raccordo, R-A-C-C-O-R-D-O,

Anulare, A-N-U-L-A-R-E.

And don't be put off by my accent, cos it's rubbish.

-I think it sounds like Rome.

-It's Rome, it's Rome.

If it was Madrid, it would be "gran" rather than "grande".

-Yes, exactly.

-And it's not.

It's not Athens.

So, yeah, I think...

I mean, there is an initialled ring road around Rome,

and that sounds right.

So, OK?

We think that's Rome, Jeremy.

Right, we had some trouble with Spain the other day, didn't we?

Can't remember the circumstances.

The Spanish phrase took you down in the last round.

But, fortunately, this time you've stayed clear. Rome is right.

So one each. Back to you, Mark.

Which a famous book features a motiveless murder,

committed by a man named Meursault?

Right.

I really will have to take a guess at this one, Jeremy.

I'm going to go down the middle, with Le Petit Prince.

Right, let's just try some elimination here.

So, A La Recherche Du Temps Perdue was a famous Proust,

long, long thing where nothing happens.

Le Petit Prince, what about that?

-Is that Oscar Wilde?

-That's Saint-Exupery.

-Is there a murder in that?

-No.

There's a death, but not a murder.

-It's L'Etranger.

-OK.

Which is The Stranger, Judith, isn't it?

The Outsider, that's a better translation.

-Who wrote it?

-Camus.

-Camus.

Eggheads, you can take the lead with this.

Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others is a stage musical based on

the songs of which English band?

May well just be The Smiths.

-It's a track on t'Queen Is Dead, so, yeah.

-OK.

-Happy with The Smiths? That was my thought as well.

-Yeah.

-Smiths?

-Are we saying The Smiths?

-Smiths.

-Yeah.

All right, OK.

We think that's The Smiths, Jeremy.

It is The Smiths.

Very famous song by them.

Right, so, they are ahead, and that means, Mark,

you've got to get this one right to keep the contest alive.

Otherwise, it's over.

Here's your question, third question to our Challenger.

What type of creature is the titmouse?

OK.

Once again, I think the obvious one...

..the description fits, obviously, bird.

Obviously, that might not be the case,

but I'm going to go with the obvious answer, bird.

Bird is the right answer.

Well done, your team are cheering you here.

So you've saved it.

The only problem, I can imagine, is if the Eggheads get this right.

Otherwise we go to Sudden Death.

Third question, Eggs.

What word for a bone in the human body can also mean

a brooch or pin used in the ancient world to fasten garments?

-Fibula.

-Fibula.

-Fibula.

-Which is it?

-Fibula.

-Fibula.

-Fibula, OK.

Yeah, just like a little brooch thing.

-OK?

-Yeah.

That is a fibula.

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

Not humerus, not scapula, the correct answer is fibula.

We say congratulations, Eggheads, you have won.

Commiserations, Mark. Would you have got the fibula one there?

Erm, I would have picked that one, yes.

I was thinking scapula sounds like a scalpel,

and I was going off in another... Another direction, actually.

So, thanks for playing.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them.

You still reign supreme over quiz land.

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

so we roll the money over to the next show.

Eggheads, congratulations.

Who will beat you?

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

have the brains to defeat this lot.

£4,000 says they don't.

Till then, goodbye.