Episode 20 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 five quiz Challengers pit their wits

against possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain.

Here they are, the Eggheads. Feeling quizzy, are we?

-Yeah, definitely!

-Good!

Taking on our awesome quiz champions today are the Bass Muntjacs.

Now, this team have both lived and quizzed together

during their time at Leeds University.

So, let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Joe, I'm a field operations executive.

Hi, I'm Jack and I'm writing and performance student.

Hi, I'm Alex and I'm a zoology student.

Howdy, I'm Witt, I'm a medieval studies student.

Hi, I'm Scott and I'm a chemistry student.

So, Joe and team, hello.

-Hello, Jeremy.

-Good to see you.

Tell me about the team name, Joe?

Bass Muntjacs?

So, me, Alex and Scott were in a band together at Leeds and that was actually called Zlatan originally,

cos we were big fans of Zlatan Ibrahimovic at the time.

And then we decided that we liked this name Bass Muntjacs

because they came down to see me in London and the muntjac is...

Don't tell us, I'm going to ask the Eggheads. What's a muntjac?

-A barking deer.

-Oh, they know.

That's so annoying!

-He was in the band!

-So the muntjac is a kind of deer.

It's a small kind of deer and it's supposedly native to where I live

in London, which is Wanstead.

-Oh, really?

-And they liked that, and Alex is a zoologist,

so we decided that we'd have a band with muntjac in the name,

and then we realised it's quite similar to another famous band.

-Because Bass Muntjacs sounds a bit like Basement Jaxx.

-Yep.

OK. This is the best answer we've ever had on a quiz show,

-by the way.

-It gets better though.

We're not even finished yet?!

-That was never the band name.

-Right.

I graduated and had to go back to London and the band just sort of fell away.

-So we never actually got to use the name.

-Until now!

We only ever did three gigs because we won a competition to be in the Leeds Ball.

Oh, right. So one of you, ie you, Joe, you've graduated?

The rest are still at university?

-Yes.

-Right. And do you get a chance, Joe, to quiz together or separately?

I try and get up to Leeds whenever I can, so we go to local pubs,

sometimes they quiz in the union as well.

And you quizzed together when you were at uni together?

Yeah. We won the quiz in the uni I think a couple of times.

Ah. I heard a noise there from the Eggheads.

That's the noise they go when they're suddenly worried.

There was just a little, did you hear that? "Uh," like that.

Game on. Good luck, guys!

Let's hope you can take them down.

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.

You know that. Now, Bass Muntjacs,

I can tell you that the Eggheads are starting to get into their stride.

They've won five on the trot, which means there's £6,000 to play for.

-Would you like to try and win it?

-Yes.

-Well, we're here.

I thought so!

No-one's ever said no to that question.

So the first head-to-head battle is on the subject of Film & TV,

and it's one of you against either Beth, Kevin, Chris, Barry or Dave.

-OK.

-Film & TV.

-I think that might be me.

-That's going to be Scott.

We'll send Scott up for that.

Scott, OK, our chemistry student, against who?

-Kevin.

-Do you think?

-Do you fancy yourself on it?

-Why not?

-Yeah? OK.

-Yep.

-Scott will go against Kevin then.

-Oh, right, OK.

A lunge at the leader.

Scott from Bass Muntjacs versus Kevin from the Eggheads,

and it's Film & TV, please go to the Question Room now.

So, Scott, here we are, Film & TV,

would you like to go first or second against the grand master?

Ooh, I think I'll go first.

Your first question is this.

Leslie Ash played Deborah,

the object of Tony's lust, in which TV sitcom?

Er, right, it's a tough one for me, I'm afraid.

Ooh, which one to go for?

I think, I have a gut feeling for some reason,

I'm going to go for Men Behaving Badly.

Men Behaving Badly is the right answer.

-Oh, lovely.

-All right, Kevin, your question.

Which of these won the Best Picture Oscar earliest?

Right, yes, just making sure.

American Beauty was around about the millennium.

Braveheart was in the mid-1990s.

But Rain Man was back in the late '80s, so...

the earliest winner of the Best Picture Oscar there was Rain Man.

You are correct, Rain Man it was.

OK, Scott. In which country was the actor Ryan Gosling born?

Right, I think I know this one.

Pretty sure it's not Ireland.

Pretty sure he's not Australian,

so I think Ryan Gosling is Canadian.

Canadian is correct.

It's Canada. He's in La La Land, he's brilliant.

Kevin. In 2002,

Kate Ford joined the cast of Coronation Street

playing which character?

-Kate Ford.

-Yeah, Kate Ford.

No, I don't think she's either...

I think she's Tracy Barlow. Tracy Barlow.

Tracy Barlow is right. Two each.

-This is tense. Are you feeling it, Challengers?

-Yep.

I've got a feeling of tension.

OK.

Your question, Scott. Who played Erin Gilbert

in the 2016 film Ghostbusters?

Um, well, I haven't seen it, which is not a good start.

But, I'm trying to think who's in it.

I don't think Amy Schumer or Rebel Wilson is in it.

So just by that logic I'm going to say Kristen Wiig.

Let's check with the Eggheads here. Eggheads, is he right?

Kristen Wiig is the only one of those three

-that's actually in the film.

-Yeah.

Beth confirms it, Kristen Wiig is the right answer, well done.

So three out of three.

Not a question wrong so far for our Challengers.

Kevin, the first episode of the first series of Downton Abbey

was set on the day after which of these events?

I think it originally ran from,

it started just before the First World War,

and the other two events are a little bit further back than that.

And I have a recollection that the Titanic sinking

came into it at the outset. So sinking of the Titanic.

You're absolutely right. The sinking of the Titanic.

Three questions and three correct answers from both of you,

so we go to Sudden Death.

Scott, it gets a bit harder.

I don't give you multiple-choice options.

-Are you ready?

-I'm ready.

-All right.

Here we go, Bass Muntjacs.

Who was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar

for her role as the witch in the 2014 musical film Into The Woods?

Into The Woods? Oh, I can picture... I can see her face,

but I can't think of the name.

Oh, I don't know.

Jennifer Lawrence? I know it's wrong, but I'll have a go.

Wrong generation actually.

We were looking for somebody who's, I guess, senior.

-Yeah?

-It was the 19th Oscar nomination for Meryl Streep.

-Oh, OK, yep.

-So it was that generation.

-Yep.

She might be complimented you didn't guess...

-Maybe.

-..that she played the witch.

Kevin, you can take the round with this.

Who played the austere father Mr Banks

in the 1964 musical film Mary Poppins?

It's so long since I've seen it.

I saw that as a kid when it came out and I've never seen it since.

I...

I think it was David Tomlinson, but I'm just having...

I'm not mixing that up with Bedknobs And Broomsticks or something, am I?

Um...

No, I'm going to have to say David Tomlinson. I can't remember.

It's interesting that you mentioned Bedknobs And Broomsticks cos I happened to see that recently

and I've got this vivid image of this guy floating around on a bedstead,

and it is the same guy.

So the confusion is not confusion, actually.

David Tomlinson is the right answer.

Sorry, Scott. He is a very powerful quizzer, isn't he?

-It was worth a try.

-It was very much worth a try, and it's happened

before, catching Kevin cold at the start sometimes works,

cos he doesn't expect to be picked. Kevin though, you're in the final.

Scott, you're not, please return to us, we'll play round two.

So, the Bass Muntjacs have lost a brain from the final round.

They lost Scott. The Eggheads have not lost any so far.

I stress SO FAR. It's Politics now.

Who would like Politics?

-Joe, what do you think?

-Do I have to go on this?

-That's got to be Joe.

-It has to be you really.

And then we're hoping Sport doesn't come up. If Sport comes up, Scott's out.

-Yeah, cos I could've done Sport.

-I don't know.

-Can you do Politics?

-No!

Well, it's you then, Joe.

Maybe, I...

-We've lost Scott for Sport, that's the thing.

-Yeah, I know we have,

but like...we can't play for a perfect outcome now.

-That's true.

-That's very wise.

OK. Yeah, it's going to have to be me.

OK, Joe, against which Egghead?

-Can't be Kevin.

-Who do you fancy?

I will take Barry.

-Barry!

-We agree.

-Yeah.

Very good, OK.

-Sorry, I should have consulted my team!

-The discussion was minimal.

-Executive decision.

-Joe from Bass Muntjacs

versus our own Egghead muntjac, Mr Barry Simmons.

Please go to the Question Room now.

So, good luck here, Joe.

You're against Barry. Would you like to go first or second?

I will go first, please.

Here's your question. Donald Trump was born in which decade?

Can't be 1920s, of course. 1960s definitely wouldn't work.

It's got to be 1940s, yeah.

1940s is right.

Well done. First point to Joe.

Barry, which Shakespearean phrase

was famously used to describe a period

of James Callaghan's government that began in 1978?

I remember this well, and it was the winter of discontent.

It was indeed. And what play is that from, Barry?

-I think it's Richard III.

-I think it is.

I think it's that famous sort of hammy

Laurence Olivier speech, isn't it?

It is, which I will refuse to do!

JEREMY LAUGHS Well done. Joe.

What is the first name of Theresa May's husband,

whom she married in 1980?

Right, I feel like it's not Michael.

I feel like that would have a good ring to it

and it would really jump out at me.

Henry isn't saying anything.

Philip May sounds good to me.

I don't know it for sure. Yeah, I'll say Philip.

Philip is correct.

Well done.

Barry, who was British Prime Minister between 1929 and 1935?

I should know this instantly,

but for some reason I'm struggling.

Now, I know Stanley Baldwin was the Prime Minister

at the abdication crisis, and that was 1936.

Bonar Law I think is earlier.

Now, Baldwin was Prime Minister on a number of occasions,

but I don't think it was him.

I think it was James Ramsay MacDonald.

You're absolutely right, well done.

James Ramsay MacDonald, known as Ramsay MacDonald.

Your question now, Joe.

What was the occupation of Stephen Ward,

who became a central figure in the Profumo affair?

I'm not sure what the Profumo affair is.

So it's going to be tricky to figure this out.

Jockey seems really left field.

I like the sound of chauffeur cos maybe he was driving a politician.

I probably shouldn't talk about the affair as I don't know what it is.

I think chauffeur. He might have overheard things, so chauffeur.

Profumo was a Conservative minister in the '60s

who was linked with these women

and then it was an issue of him lying to Parliament about it and

Russian spies and the whole thing went completely crazy, basically.

Osteopath is the answer.

OK, Barry, your question.

Chevening House, used as an official government residence,

is in which English county?

-This for the round.

-Oh...

I always get confused between Chevening and Dorneywood,

which is also used, but it's not in Cumbria,

but I can't remember, is it in Kent or Norfolk?

Chevening.

But I've a feeling it's in Norfolk, so that's my answer.

-Eggheads?

-Kent.

Kent is the answer, Barry!

OK, a bit of a let off there, Joe.

Two out of three for you both. We go to Sudden Death again.

Here's your question.

In 1988, which junior health minister

created outrage by saying most of Britain's egg production

was infected with the Salmonella bacteria?

Right, junior ministers from the late '80s.

So it's probably someone who was around in the '90s.

I'm going to say, could it be John Redwood?

No, it was Edwina Currie.

Barry, who was twice defeated in the running

for the leader of the Liberal Democrats

by Menzies Campbell in 2006 and Nick Clegg in 2007?

Oh, I know who it was,

I can see him in my mind's eye and I can't put a name to him!

Oh, goodness, Barry.

Chris Huhne.

For the round, Chris Huhne is correct.

Well done, Barry!

Sorry, Joe, knocked out by our Egghead,

similar circumstances to the last round.

So, Joe, you won't be able to help your team in the final, either.

Not a crisis yet, but getting close.

Come back to us, we'll play round three.

OK, Bass Muntjacs have lost couple of brains now from the final round.

The Eggheads are still all sitting there looking a bit too pleased with

themselves. The next subject is Food & Drink.

Food & Drink, who would have thought that?

Now, who wants this? Three guys in the middle?

-OK.

-Witt, do you think?

-OK.

-How do you feel about that?

I don't think I'm going to do well.

Hear me out. I'm a dead man walking.

I'm a dead man walking. I'm going to get out of it.

There's no chance for me anyway.

You know your Latin, I think that might help.

OK. When I'm gone and you're just here...

When I'm gone.

-Remember the Alamo.

-We're going to go for the soon-to-be departed Witt.

OK, Witt. That was a very dramatic monologue.

-And against which Egghead?

-To be honest, I don't know.

OK, Food & Drink.

Let's say...

-Chris?

-Yeah, I think.

-Chris?

-Whoever you want.

-Chris.

OK. We'll go for Chris.

OK, so Witt from Bass Muntjacs versus Chris from the Eggheads,

please take your positions.

So, Witt, where are you from originally?

Um, well, I was born in California, was raised in Texas,

but I've lived in Kansas the longest.

So I'm from the United States of America.

So you're passing through Europe or staying?

I don't know, I'm just around.

JEREMY LAUGHS

And when you were very young, you were in a film?

Yeah, I was.

-Called Gattaca.

-Yeah.

-What were you doing?

-I played the main character, actually.

It was a flashback scene, I was two years old, but, yeah.

I did play the main character. It was uncredited,

you'll have to take me at my word.

I take my mother at her word, I don't really remember it.

Good luck, Witt. You're up against Chris on Food and Drink.

Do you want to go first or second?

I'm going to go second.

Here we go, Chris. Which part of the chicken is most likely to be used to

make the dish chicken Kiev?

You wouldn't get much of a Kiev out of a Parson's nose, would you?

So you make a Kiev with the breast.

It is the breast, exactly.

Nice and spicy, garlicky, yes, lovely.

OK, Witt, your question.

What type of food is mulligatawny?

Mulligatawny. That sounds like something regional.

I don't know why, but it doesn't strike me as cheese.

I don't know. Mulligatawny soup, mulligatawny bread.

Mulligatawny, I don't know.

I kind of like... I kind of want it to be soup.

I don't know anything about the origin of the word.

I'll go with... I'll go with soup.

Let's just check with your team-mates here.

-Is he right?

-We're pretty happy with that.

-I think so.

Yeah, they like that. Soup is right.

Chris, the aniseed-flavoured spirit ouzo

is most associated with which of these countries?

It's the national tipple of Greece.

Greece is the right answer.

Back to you, Witt.

The delicacy known as bird's nest soup is made from the nest

and saliva of which bird?

Sorry, you're on the soups here.

Bird's nest soup?

Bird's nest soup.

This would probably help if I knew which ones nested and which ones,

I don't know, did whatever other birds do.

Maybe they all nest.

But I'm guessing that's what the question's actually

asking or something.

I might have to go with...

I like wagtail.

I just like that word. I don't know, I'm going to go with wagtail.

-Wagtail is your answer.

-Chris, do you know this one?

Yeah, it's a species of oriental swift or swiftlet.

-Swiftlet.

-Oh.

Chris, your question. And you can take the round with this.

Which fish is an essential ingredient of the dish

known as Scotch woodcock?

I always thought that was a cheese on toast type thing.

Well, to pep up cheese on toast and make it into Scotch Woodcock,

you'd add a couple of fillets of anchovies.

Is he right, Eggs?

-Yes.

-Yeah. Anchovies is the right answer.

Three out of three for Chris.

Sorry, Witt, you've been knocked out there.

Knocked out by soups.

Yeah, that's how it comes to you, I guess.

Please come back to us both of you, we've got one more round to play.

All right. Bass Muntjacs have lost three brains from the final round.

The Eggheads have still got all their brains.

And the next subject for you is Geography.

So the last one before the final, who wants this?

This could be a key moment.

-Well, we're pretty happy with that.

-I think I'll take that.

-Yeah.

-Going to be Alex? OK.

Zoology student against which Egghead,

and it can be either of the ones on the end, so it's Dave or Beth?

-I think maybe Dave?

-I think Dave.

We'd like to go for Dave, please.

Right, Alex from Bass Muntjacs is going to take on Dave.

Tremendous Knowledge Dave, as he's called, from the Eggheads,

on Geography. Could be a key moment now. Please go to the Question Room.

OK, Alex, Geography, against Tremendous Knowledge Dave.

Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go for first.

OK, you're looking pretty relaxed there.

I'm not feeling too bad.

Good. Here's your first question.

In which country is the resort of Acapulco?

Acapulco.

Could you spell that, please.

A-C-A-P-U-L-C-O, Acapulco.

I feel like that sounds more Mexican than the rest of them,

so I'm going to go with Mexico.

Mexico is quite right.

Famously going loco down in Acapulco, and all that.

It's sort of a famous party town.

Mexico's right, well done.

Dave. Which two countries border the principality of Andorra?

-Andorra, yeah?

-Yeah.

Well, it's in the Pyrenees, so that leads me to France and Spain.

France and Spain is correct.

Back to you, Alex.

In Somerset, Wookey Hole is the source of which river?

In Somerset.

I'm not sure about any of these rivers, to be honest.

I don't have much reason to go for this,

but I'm going to go to for River Spear.

I guess a river flows like a spear.

I don't know whether the two wrong answers here are made up or not.

Dave, which is it?

It's River Axe.

River Axe is a river, and River Axe is the answer.

Dave has a chance to take the lead.

The colon is the unit of currency in which of these countries?

I think it's one of these where Barry spent a few of these.

I don't think it's Chad,

I don't think it's Cambodia, I think Costa Rica.

Let's check with Barry, known as He's Been To Every Answer Simmons.

Barry, which is it?

It's Costa Rica, and I was there quite recently!

Of course you were, of course you were.

You've been everywhere quite recently.

Costa Rica is the answer.

Alex, you've fallen behind him.

-Yep.

-You need to get this right to stay in, otherwise,

it's going to be Jack alone in the final.

Which of these countries shares a border with Eritrea?

Well, I'm going to Kenya soon, and I don't think it borders Kenya.

And Djibouti is very small.

I think it borders Ethiopia

and I think Uganda's next to Ethiopia,

so I'm going to go with Uganda.

Let's see if your team-mates know. Do you know?

We think it's Djibouti. We think Uganda might be too far.

Yeah, they're all in vaguely the same neighbourhood,

but the one with the same border is Djibouti, Alex, sorry.

I know, as a zoology student,

that might not have come up in your subject.

-No.

-But thank you for playing.

You've been beaten by our Egghead. Dave will be in the final.

Return to us, we will play the final round.

So this is what we've been playing towards.

It's time for the final round,

which as always, is 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 all from this side, I'm afraid.

It's Joe, Alex, Witt and Scott from Bass Muntjacs,

would you now, please, leave the studio.

OK, Jack, you are playing to win Bass Muntjacs £6,000, and good luck.

Dave, Barry, Chris, Kevin and Beth,

you're playing for something that money can't buy,

which is the Eggheads' reputation.

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

This time, they're all General Knowledge.

You are allowed to confer.

Sorry, that doesn't help you, Jack, cos you're on your own.

The question is, can your one brain defeat these five?

-It's been done before, hasn't it, Eggs?

-Oh, yes.

That's why they're worried.

Jack, would you like to go first or second?

First, to get more questions.

OK. So, your first question is this -

West Ham United traditionally wear a home kit described

as being blue and what colour?

OK, I'm pretty confident about this.

When you started the question I knew it was a sort of maroon,

like the shirt basically I'm wearing now,

and of those three the closest to that description

would have to be claret.

Claret is quite right, brilliant.

OK. First question for the Eggheads.

The beaver is an official symbol of which country in the Americas?

-Canada.

-National animal of Canada.

That's the national animal of Canada.

Canada's quite right, Beth, well done.

You need them to struggle over an early question.

That's essentially what we need. The beaver didn't help us.

Here's yours.

For what does the G stand

in the name of the pig breed abbreviated to GOS?

OK.

Didn't brush up on pig knowledge for this, but, I mean,

when you said GOS I was thinking something old sow,

but that doesn't sound technical.

That doesn't sound like a farmer would want to refer to pigs as that.

That leans me more towards Gloucestershire.

I'm thinking of other livestock breeds

that I can name, such as Friesian or Shetland,

which have locations in the name, so I'll say Gloucestershire.

Now, I think the OS stands for old spot, am I right?

-Yes.

-So the pig breed is Gloucestershire old spot, well done.

Gloucestershire's correct.

Eggheads. Incheon Airport is in which country?

I-N-C-H-E-O-N.

-South Korea.

-South Korea.

It's where the landings were.

-It's South Korea, definitely.

-Near Seoul.

OK, Kevin informs me it's near Seoul in South Korea.

South Korea is right.

Here's your third question, Jack.

Manuel II was the king of which European country

until it declared itself a republic in 1910?

I think...

It can't be Spain

because I'm pretty sure they still have a monarchy.

And I feel like they probably did have one before the Civil War.

Italy I think was unified in the 19th century with Garibaldi.

So I'm going to go with Portugal, Jeremy.

Eggheads, what is the answer?

-Portugal.

-Portugal is correct, well done, three out of three.

So, Eggheads, here we are.

You know how dangerous this is, don't you,

cos you've been here before and you've had the smiles

wiped off your faces.

Third question, final round, £6,000 the jackpot.

If you get this wrong, the Challengers have won.

Who was the mother of Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh?

-Alice.

-I thought it was Princess Alice.

Alice, isn't it?

I've recently watched The Crown

and I'm pretty certain it was Princess Alice.

Yeah, I think it's Alice.

We're pretty convinced that it's Princess Alice.

The correct answer is Princess Alice.

Three out of three for you both.

Well done, Jack. Great play so far, gets a bit harder now,

-because I don't give you multiple choices.

-Yeah.

Here we go, General Knowledge, come on, you can do this.

Which television personality

narrated the UK audio book editions of the Harry Potter series?

OK, I think I know this.

I never listened to them myself, I read the books, of course,

but I'm pretty sure,

because I've heard people ape him over and over again doing it,

I think it's Stephen Fry.

Stephen Fry is right.

OK, Eggheads, on the edge again.

Whispering Grass was a 1975 UK number one single

for two members of the cast of which UK TV sitcom?

-It Ain't Half Hot Mum.

-It Ain't Half Hot Mum.

-It Ain't Half Hot Mum.

-Lofty.

Don Estelle and Windsor Davies.

Sung by Don Estelle and Windsor Davies, from It Ain't Half Hot Mum.

It Ain't Half Hot Mum is correct.

Back to you, Jack.

A famous quote from Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra is

"Age cannot wither her, nor customs stale her infinite" what?

Right, well I know he's talking about Cleo, of course.

I have seen the play. I have studied the play...

..in theatre history.

Um, my instinct is to say beauty.

That seems to be the word that would most fit,

it's the word I'd probably put there.

"Stale her", as well, I feel that beauty is something that could

be described as going stale. "Cannot wither her."

And the line started with "wither her" and that's very much

a physical thing, so I will say beauty, Jeremy, for £6,000.

-It's not beauty.

-Ohh!

-Variety.

-Variety, I wouldn't have got that.

"Nor customs stale her infinite variety."

That doesn't ring a bell.

OK, the Eggheads have a chance to take the contest then.

Sudden Death. This question.

The Peloponnese peninsula is a part of which Mediterranean country?

-Greece.

-Greece.

-Greece.

South of the Corinth Canal, yeah.

It's part of Greece, Jeremy.

If you're right, the contest is over on Sudden Death.

The answer is Greece.

We say congratulations, Eggheads, you have won.

I knew that one but...

Eggheads, did you know the Shakespeare one?

-Oh, yes.

-Yeah.

-All right, all right!

I didn't want to go to them cos I thought that would have been off-putting.

So, on Greece, they've taken it, but gosh, you're a quizzer, Jack.

Well, I tried.

You did so well. You were storming along there.

I'll take the moral victory, not the financial one.

Bass Muntjacs, you've been a great team to see in action.

-Thank you for coming here.

-Thank you.

-Commiserations to our Challengers.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them, and their winning streak continues.

It does mean that you're not going home with the £6,000.

We will take that money and roll it over until our next show.

Eggheads, well done.

Who is ever going to beat you?

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

have the brains to take them down. £7,000 says they won't.

Maybe they never will.

Until we play again, goodbye.