Episode 80 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, and I just described you as formidable,

what's it like to be formidable?

It's excellent.

Challenging the might of our quiz Goliaths today are...

..from Stoke-on-Trent.

This team quiz together every Monday night at the Gresley Arms

in Alsagers Bank, where team member Carl is the pub landlord.

Let's meet them.

Hello, I'm Terry, I'm a retired teacher.

Hi, I'm Carl, I'm a pub licensee.

Hello, I'm Chris, and I'm an estimating manager.

Hello, I'm Ged, and I'm a semi-retired surveyor.

Hi, I'm Phil, and I'm a data analyst.

-Terry and team, welcome, hello. ALL:

-Hello.

So, Terry, tell me about the pub, then, where you all quiz.

It's called the Gresley Arms, Carl is the landlord there.

We meet for the quiz on a Monday night,

with members of various teams

that we've got together for this occasion.

And the name of your team, Downhill, is a reference to where the pub is?

The pub is on top of a steep hill, yes.

From there, pretty much everywhere is downhill.

You climb up to the pub, and then you can just basically slide home,

-can you?

-Pretty much, yes.

OK! You quiz weekly?

-Weekly, yes.

-So, you're quite serious about it, are you?

I wouldn't say serious, it's a fun evening as well.

I notice you also enjoy petanque.

-Petanque, yes.

-Petanque has come up in quizzes before,

so just tell us what that is.

It's the French version of bowls, played with small, steel spheres.

The rules are pretty much the same as lawn or crown green bowls.

Very popular in France, not so popular here.

Is that the one where if you're losing,

you can throw the bowls at your opponent?

No. It tends to be frowned upon!

Good luck, Challengers. Every day there is £1,000 worth of cash up for

grabs. However, if the Challengers fail to defeat the Eggheads,

the prize money rolls over to our next show.

Now, Downhill, we've seen some amazing performances

from the Eggheads, which means that they have won the last 17 games.

Is that good or bad?!

They are on good form, but there is a great jackpot of £18,000.

-Would you like to try and win it? ALL:

-Yes.

OK, so the first head-to-head battle is on the subject of Science,

and you can choose between Beth, Chris, Pat, Barry and Lisa.

I guess that's me.

-OK, Terry.

-Yes, that's me.

-Against which Egghead?

-Start with the nearest, Beth.

You've chosen our scientist.

Terry from Downhill will play Beth from the Eggheads.

And you're a scientist too, right?

Ish, yes.

I'm a scientist-ish, as well!

Oh, right, two scientists-ish.

Please, both of you, to ensure there's no conferring,

take your positions in our Question Room.

Let's remind ourselves, Terry, you taught physics and chemistry.

-Yes, that's right.

-For how long?

28 years in total.

And, Beth, your science background, don't be modest.

I've got a bachelors degree in microbiology,

and a masters degree in applied biology.

All right, good luck to you both. This is going to be good,

two scientists on Science.

Terry, would you like to go first or second?

First, please.

Here we go. Which of these is a long-bodied, cat-like creature,

found in Africa, Europe and Asia,

whose musk is sometimes used in perfume?

The okapi is a relative of the giraffe, I think.

A tapir,

if I'm not mistaken, is South American.

That leaves a civet, which is a cat-like animal.

So, civet.

Civet is right.

Here we are, Beth, your question.

Approximately where in the body, Beth,

is the popliteal artery located?

Popliteal.

I'm going to have to have the spelling of that, please, Jeremy.

One word, P-O-P-L-I-T-E-A-L. Popliteal.

"Pateal" makes me think "patella,"

and that would be your knee.

So, knee.

Knee is correct.

Well done, you got there.

Terry, the "singularity" is a term used to describe

the theoretical centre of which cosmic phenomenon?

I believe that's a black hole, Jeremy.

Black hole is right, Terry.

Well done.

Beth, the orbicularis oculi is a muscle in the human body

that performs what function?

Anything to do with ocular or ocularis must be to do with the eye,

so closes the eyelid.

It does indeed close the eyelid. Well done, Beth.

So, level, and back to you, Terry, for your third question.

Scientist on scientist, in the Science round.

It doesn't get any better.

Here it is.

Which symbol is conventionally used

to refer to the atomic number of an element?

This takes me back to the limited amount of chemistry that I took.

Logically, it should be A for atomic,

and I think it's the atomic number you're asking for, yes?

Which symbol is conventionally used

to refer to the atomic number of an element?

I think I'm going to have to stick with logic and go for A.

Let's check with Beth.

I'm not sure, I think it might be Z number.

-Eggheads?

-Z.

-Z it is.

Two out of three for you, Terry.

Leaves Beth with a way to the final round,

this one question.

To which continent is Apis dorsata,

sometimes known as the giant honey bee, native?

There's lots of...

often news reports about giant hornets and stuff coming from Asia,

so I'm wondering whether that's where this one comes from as well.

So, I'm going to go with that again,

Asia.

I know that you feel that the hex is on when Asia is there,

whether you choose it or not.

You've got it right, Beth.

We're turning the corner here.

Asia's right. So, you're in the final round.

Sorry, Terry, knocked out on the atomic numbers.

As a result, you won't be able to help your team in the final round,

so it's Beth in the final, and Terry knocked out.

But come back to us, Terry, you can still organise the strategy.

A little moment for us on this side,

you have now won a round on every subject.

THEY CHEER

-That's the official... You've arrived.

-Yeah!

Now, Downhill, it started awkwardly, because you've lost a brain.

But there's plenty of time,

the Eggheads are all still sitting there,

all five of them, and they're on this run of victories,

which you have to stop this afternoon.

The next subject for you is Film & TV.

So, who wants this?

-It's got to be Chris.

-Chris.

-Yeah.

OK, it's going to be Chris, our estimating manager.

Who would you like to estimate?

I think Chris.

OK, the great Chris Hughes.

So, Chris from Downhill versus the other Chris, who's going uphill,

-I think.

-Yeah.

-To ensure there's no conferring with the two Chrises,

please now go to our Question Room.

All right, so you're going up against Chris,

known as The Locomotive.

And, Challenger Chris, would you like to go first or second?

I'll go second.

And here is your first Film & TV question, Chris Hughes.

Who provides the voice for the tree-like creature Groot

in the 2014 film Guardians Of The Galaxy?

Oh, good grief.

I don't think it'd be Steven Seagal,

and I don't think it'd be Vin Diesel.

It's the sort of thing Hugh Jackman might do, so I'll say Hugh Jackman.

OK, Beth looks concerned, Beth?

I am Groot.

-Vin Diesel.

-Vin Diesel.

OK.

Chris, Challenger.

Which character in Dad's Army is constantly referred to

by Private Pike as "Uncle Arthur"?

Uncle Arthur, that would be...

Wouldn't be Captain Mainwaring.

I think it's Sergeant Wilson.

It is indeed Sergeant Wilson.

Over to you, Chris Hughes.

What is the weapon of choice of the character Katniss Everdeen

in The Hunger Games series of films?

She's the main heroine, it's a bow and arrow.

-Who plays her, do you know?

-Jennifer Lawrence?

Yeah. Bow and arrow is the right answer.

OK, back to our Challenger. Keep focus here.

Who played the role of William Shakespeare

in the TV comedy series Upstart Crow?

That's not a TV show I've heard of.

I don't think it would be something Alan Davies would do.

I can't really see that.

I think it would have to be a guess,

and I think I would guess with David Mitchell.

David Mitchell is the answer!

OK, hey, this is good, Challenger!

You've got two, Chris Hughes has got one.

You've got to get this right now.

Who directed the 2015 TV series Wolf Hall?

Well, the one there who does the most television work

is Stephen Poliakoff.

Eggheads?

Peter Kosminsky.

Peter Kosminsky is the correct answer,

so well done to our Challenger, you've won through,

you're in the final round, Chris. Nicely done. Sorry, Mr Hughes!

The Locomotive is steaming off into the distance, I'm afraid,

from the Eggheads' point of view.

So, that's good news for our Challengers.

Please rejoin your teams, we'll play Round Three.

So, Downhill lost a brain in the first round,

but the Eggheads have lost one now as well, so they're going downhill.

Let's play Food & Drink.

Who would like this?

Terry, who's it going to be?

I think that's Carl.

Carl, our pub licensee.

He's the chef and the pub licensee.

-Oh, you're the chef as well, are you?

-Thanks for that!

THEY LAUGH

Right, against which Egghead?

You can have anyone but Chris or Beth.

We'll go with Barry, shall we?

Carl from Downhill to play Barry from the Eggheads.

Is this the moment it turns the Challengers' way?

Food & Drink the subject, and the Question Room the place.

Food & Drink. Carl, would you like to go first or second?

I'll go second, please.

So, maybe second is working for our Challengers.

Barry, your question.

Which of these is a dish consisting of pickled herring fillets,

wrapped around a savoury filling?

Well, I eat a lot of these at home, and it's rollmops.

Rollmops is right. I love them myself as well.

We've got the same taste in food.

OK, over to you, Carl.

Which of these is a term used

to mean an individual table setting in a restaurant?

I think that's got to be cover.

That's the correct answer.

All right, Barry, which of these is a variety of olive,

grown in the Peloponnese in Greece?

Fortunately, I've been to Greece twice this year,

and I've eaten an awful lot of olives,

and my favourite olive is a Kalamata.

Kalamata is the right answer.

OK, Carl, your question to catch up here.

Pisco is a type of brandy,

originally produced on which continent?

Spelt P-I-S-C-O, Carl.

Um...

I'll go for South America, please.

South America is quite right.

You're playing really well, Challengers.

I've actually been to a pisco distillery in Peru!

You've been to every answer, Barry, it's amazing!

-Not quite!

-Here is your question, third question.

What is the literal translation of "kopytka",

the name for a type of Polish dumpling?

-A dumpling?

-Dumpling.

Ah, a dumpling, you could conceive of a dumpling having horns.

But I can see more likely that

a dumpling would have a little tail on it.

I'll go for little tails.

Barry, you've got it wrong, it's little hooves!

Oh, I would never have gone for that, ever!

Little hooves is the right answer.

So, Carl, this is your chance now to book your place in the final round.

In which Italian region is the wine grape called Primitivo grown?

Get this right, you're in the final.

No pressure, then!

I'll go down the middle, Veneto, please.

No, Primitivo is grown in Puglia.

So, you're wrong, and so it's level after three questions,

and we go to Sudden Death. Barry, you know this, it gets a bit harder,

I don't give you different options.

-Are you ready?

-Yes, indeed.

Which shape is the pasta known as farfalle?

I think farfalle is butterfly-shaped.

Butterfly is correct, Barry.

I could have accepted bowties or bows as well.

You would have known that, Carl?

Yes, I know that one.

OK, you need this to stay in.

The reggae musician Levi Roots,

best known for launching a range of Caribbean-flavoured sauces,

became nationally famous after his appearance on which TV show in 2007?

That was Dragons' Den, I think.

Dragons' Den is the right answer.

Sudden Death. Over to you, Barry.

The hangover cure that basically consists of an unbeaten raw egg yolk

in Worcestershire sauce is known as a prairie what?

I've known for years but this is called but I have no idea why it is

called that. But it is known as a prairie oyster.

It is, oyster is right. Anyone tell us?

I presume it looks like an oyster pearl or something, doesn't it?

I assume so, but I can't imagine anything more disgusting.

It can't work. It surely can't work, can it?

Prairie oyster is right though, Barry, well done.

So he's taken the lead in Sudden Death,

that means you've got to get this right, Carl.

Which television wine expert began his career as an actor and singer

appearing in the West End

in productions of Evita and Sweeney Todd?

This is one that I don't know.

The only wine expert that comes to mind is Ollie Smith.

But I think that's right, at all.

Team-mates, do you know?

Oz Clarke.

Oz Clarke is the answer.

Sorry, Carl. Barry's taken it.

Well played, Barry, tough old round there.

Indeed, yes.

So our Challenger is gone.

Beaten on Food & Drink by our Egghead.

If you come back to us, both of you,

we will play one more round before the all-important final.

OK, Downhill have now lost two brains from the final round,

the Eggheads have just lost the one.

We play another round and it's Politics.

-Who would like this, Terry?

-Go on, then, Woody.

I'll go, then.

OK, Phil, choose an Egghead.

We've only got two left, Pat and Lisa.

I'll take Lisa, please.

Very good. Lisa on Politics.

And Phil on Politics.

Please go to the Question Room now.

And, Phil. How do you feel about this round?

Unfortunately, I think it's one of those moments that nobody wants to

take on and I think I've drawn this short straw for it.

Listen, all the best, Phil.

Good luck and would like to go first or second against our Lisa?

I'll go first, please.

Here we go. What is the process of

putting forward a question or motion in parliament officially called?

Chairing, tabling or flooring?

Right, it's not chairing.

I don't think it's flooring, but I've heard of tabling a motion,

so I'll say tabling.

Yes, that's right. Motions are tabled.

Tabling is right.

Lisa, who stood down as the MP for Richmond Park in 2016

over the decision to build a third runway at Heathrow?

That was Zac Goldsmith.

It was indeed Zac Goldsmith.

Back to you, Phil.

What term is often used to describe a break during the

parliamentary year for either of the houses?

Well, it's definitely not a retreat.

It's certainly not a respite.

It's a recess.

It is a recess, well done.

This is going well.

Lisa, which Labour politician

was nicknamed Brains by Alistair Campbell?

Supposedly after the character in the TV series Thunderbirds.

Is it a resemblance thing or is that

just because they irritated him or...? I don't know.

I don't think it's Gordon Brown, anyway.

Oh, bother.

David Miliband.

It is David Miliband, well done.

So here we are, 2-2, Phil.

Done well so far,

often the third question is crucial, so get this right

and you'll put a bit of pressure on our Egghead.

The Halloween Massacre was the term used to describe the reorganisation

of which US President's cabinet?

Right.

I don't think it's Richard Nixon.

Doesn't ring a bell with Jimmy Carter.

I'm not sure on this but I'll go with Gerald Ford.

-Lisa, do you know?

-Not a clue.

No, it's really hard one.

Gerald Ford is the right answer, actually,

you've done really well there.

Three out of three. OK, Lisa,

which constituency did Labour MP George Howarth defend

in the 2015 General Election?

There must be a reason I should know this.

I wonder if it is because the others belong to more senior politicians.

I have an idea.

Knowsley belongs to somebody...

..a little bit more high profile.

No, I think I'm going to have to hold my hands up on this one.

I'll try Bootle.

No, it's not.

It is Knowsley, actually.

You've been knocked out.

Well done, Phil, not even your subject.

That's a good performance by you.

So you've levelled it up

and you've taken on an Egghead and emerged triumphant.

If you both come back to us, we will play the final round for £18,000.

This is what we have been playing towards.

It's time for the final round.

Which, as always, is General Knowledge.

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

won't be allowed to take part in this round.

So it's Terry and Carl from Downhill,

and Lisa and Chris from the Eggheads,

would you now please leave the studio.

Chris, Ged and Phil, you are playing to win Downhill £18,000.

Barry, Pat and Beth,

you are playing that the something that money can't buy,

which is the Eggheads' reputation,

and to keep this amazing 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, Downhill, the question is,

can your three brains defeat these three?

Simple as that. You've knocked the others out.

They don't matter any more.

Can I just ask you whether you'd like to go first or second?

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

OK, Ged and team, good luck.

"Boom boom" is the catchphrase

of which long-running TV puppet character?

-Basil Brush, isn't it?

-Yep.

We're pretty sure that's Basil Brush.

Basil Brush is right.

Boom boom!

OK, Eggs.

In the UK, which patron saint's feast day

is celebrated on April the 23rd?

-St George.

-George, isn't it?

We think that's St George.

It is St George's Day.

St George is the answer.

Challengers, in 1973,

See My Baby Jive became the first UK number one single for which group?

-INDISTINCT CHAT

-Roy Wood.

We think that's Wizzard.

Good, old-fashioned pop song.

Yes, still played today on Radio 2.

Wizzard is the answer.

OK, I wonder if you're going to come unstuck in a second, Eggheads.

Let's see, here's your question. Second question.

£18,000, the jackpot.

Jesse Lingard made his senior debut for England in which sport

in October 2016?

He plays for Manchester United, doesn't he?

-He's football.

-He's a forward, isn't he?

-I'll go with what you guys think.

-Manchester United footballer.

He doesn't strike me for rugby and cricket.

-No.

-OK.

-Yeah.

We think that's football.

Football is correct.

Well done.

OK, 2-2, and your third question.

What is the British Army's equivalent of the Royal Navy's rank

of Rear Admiral?

The Rear Admiral is a command of the fleet, isn't he?

The naval fleet.

-I'm sure.

-Mm.

-It's not going to be General, isn't?

-I don't think so.

Or is General more senior than Lieutenant or Major General?

Does Lieutenant mean under?

Yeah.

I think General's the more senior of those three, isn't it?

Major General's in between, isn't it?

That's the middle rank of those three.

-Yeah, I'd expect it to be...

-So...

So we're thinking of going for that for Rear Admiral?

-Yeah.

-It seems logical, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Major General?

-Seems logical.

Yeah.

We're not sure, Jeremy, but we think we've got a certain logic about it,

we going for Major General.

Major General.

Eggheads, do you know?

That's correct.

It goes Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral, Admiral.

And then Major General, Lieutenant General,

General are the corresponding ranks.

You got to it, well done. It doesn't matter how, you're right.

Major General it is.

Here we go. Your third question.

Eggheads, in 2016,

whom did the Oxford University press credit with being the co-writer

of three Shakespeare plays?

I'm pretty certain I've read this and I'm pretty certain it's

-Christopher Marlowe.

-I'm sure it was Christopher Marlowe.

-Yeah.

-OK?

-Yeah.

We think that's Christopher Marlowe.

You do seem pretty certain, do you think they're right?

-Yes.

-It's one of those things when they just, they know it,

they just go to it. Christopher Marlowe is right.

They've won 17 games on the trot, are you going to stop them?

We go to Sudden Death.

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

Good luck, gentlemen.

Amarillo Slim Preston, Doyle Brunson and Stu Ungar

have all claimed the title of world champion at which card game?

It doesn't sound...bridge.

It's not posh enough.

Someone with a name like Amarillo has to be poker.

They had the World Series, didn't they, of the Texas Hold'em?

It's got to...

-Poker?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

We're going with poker, Jeremy.

Yeah, I could have accepted Texas Hold'em but poker is right.

Absolutely. Well done.

OK, over to you, Eggheads.

The Bubba Gump Shrimp Company is an American restaurant chain launched

after the success of which 1994 film?

-Forrest Gump, isn't it?

-Yeah, Forrest Gump.

-That was the name he...

-Happy with that.

-..he sailed with...

-Gary Sinise was the...

Was his captain. But Bubba was the chap

Forrest met in Vietnam.

We think that's Forrest Gump.

Forrest Gump is correct.

Sudden Death. No-one's made a mistake so far.

Final round. 3-3. Couldn't be closer.

Over to you, Challengers.

In the USA,

the day in November when women can propose marriage to men

is named after which character from a cartoon?

American cartoons, it's perhaps going to be one name, isn't it?

One syllable.

Which cartoon character proposed to someone?

Wilma out of the Flintstones?

Did she propose? She's a female cartoon character.

Olive Oyl?

Olive Oyl Day.

I wouldn't say it's Olive Oyl.

Betty Boop?

Cinderella Day?

It's not going to be a Mickey Mouse Day or Donald Duck Day

or anything like that.

It'll be a female character, I'd imagine.

-Minnie Mouse?

-Minnie Mouse.

-Could be.

-It's as good as anything we've come up with, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

With very little confidence, we're going for Minnie Mouse Day.

Minnie Mouse Day is your answer.

Let's check with the Eggheads, do you know this?

We think it's Sadie Hawkins.

Sadie Hawkins Day is the answer.

Taken from the Little Edna cartoon strip in the 1930s

and typically observed, apparently,

the first Saturday after November 9th.

Sadie Hawkins Day.

OK, Eggheads, so you would have got that but that wasn't your question.

This is your question.

And if you get this right, the contest is over.

Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital of which country?

Brunei, isn't it?

-Brunei?

-Definitely Brunei.

OK. That's in South East Asia?

-INDISTINCT CHATTER

-Are you sure?

Yes, it's Brunei.

We just need to give the name of the country.

We think that's Brunei.

Your answer is Brunei.

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

You have played another good rear-guard action, Eggheads,

Brunei is the right answer.

We say congratulations, you have won.

Well played.

You played very well.

It's interesting that they knew Sadie Hawkins.

I'd not heard that. Commiserations, Downhill.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them,

this winning streak you're on continues

so it means you won't be going home with the money, Challengers. Sorry.

We roll it over to our next show.

Eggheads, really well-played again,

no questions wrong in the final round.

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

defeating this lot. For goodness' sake, it's overdue, isn't it?

There's £19,000 to win.

Are we going to get to 20? Until we play again, goodbye.