Episode 87 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.

Strolling along, Eggs?

-Oh, well...

-No, not really.

We had a bit of a problem in the last game.

Anyway, before we get to that,

if you would like to work on a question from the Eggheads

while you watch at home, Barry, you've got one?

I have indeed. And my question is this:

which group of composers can be represented by the mnemonic Mr BBC?

Mr BBC. We'll think about that.

We'll find out the answer from Barry at the end of the show.

Challenging the might of our quiz goliaths today

are Things Are Looking Dicey from Edinburgh.

Now, this team met while studying for their PhDs

and they quiz together weekly at the Tolbooth Tavern in the city's beautiful Old Town.

-Let's meet them.

-Hi, I'm Luke and I'm doing a PhD in cancer research.

Hi, I'm David and I'm a trainee radiologist.

Hi, I'm Lucy and I'm a postdoctoral researcher.

Hi, I'm Ross and I do a PhD in immunology.

Hi, I'm Ollie and I work in biotechnology.

So, Luke and team, hello.

-ALL:

-Hello.

-Great to see you, what brings you together, Luke, then?

So, we all met whilst we were doing our various PhDs in the city

of Edinburgh, and we sort of became friends,

and then we started quizzing at the Tolbooth Tavern,

and we do it on a weekly basis.

Brilliant, well that's perfect.

So, you've got a kind of medical background, a lot of you, haven't you?

We've got cancer research, radiology, postdoctoral...

-What's your postdoctoral research in?

-Cancer research, the same as Luke.

OK, I though you were going to say English literature for a second.

-No, sadly not!

-LAUGHTER

Immunology, biotechnology.

This... If science doesn't come up, what are we going to do?

-Yeah, we've hopefully got...

-You've got sport and you've got some other things?

-Yeah, a few other things we might be OK in.

-All right, and when you quiz together you do all subjects anyway?

-Yes, we do.

-Tell us about the Tolbooth, cos I love that part of Edinburgh.

Oh, it's a lovely little pub right at the bottom end of the Royal Mile,

and, yeah, we go there every week on a Sunday evening.

And we... To moderate success, I would say.

We don't win every week but we've won a few.

Brilliant. OK, well good luck, guys.

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, things are looking dicey.

I don't even know what to say about the last game the Eggheads were on, it's best forgotten.

The Challengers won it.

And at least that proves it can be done.

It does mean the jackpot for you is £1,000, if you can repeat their

feat of winning. Would you like to try?

-ALL:

-Yes. Definitely.

-OK, the first head-to-head battle

is on the subject of Film and TV.

So, it's one of you, please, against either Dave, Beth,

Barry, Pat, or Chris.

-Ollie, do you want to go up for this?

-Yeah.

-Who do you want to take on?

-Ollie, OK.

-I think Beth.

-You want to take on Beth?

-Yeah.

-OK.

-Perfect. Good stuff.

Ollie from Things Are Looking Dicey takes on Beth from the Eggheads.

Eggheads trying to get back on their feet here.

To ensure there's no conferring,

would you please take your positions in our legendary Question Room?

So, Ollie, you work in biotechnology?

Yes, I did my PhD in immunology and then I got a job

as the UK sales manager for a biotechnology company.

There's a lot of -ologies here.

A lot of -ologies, yes.

Yeah, do we have any -ologies?

-You have an -ology, don't you, Beth?

-I've got several -ologies.

-What's yours, is it microbiology?

-Microbiology and applied biology,

and in my applied biology I did immunology, endocrinology, toxicology...

Oh, and some more -ologies. Physiology.

You've chosen well. Beth has some -ologies, too.

Would you like to go first or second on Film and TV?

I'd like to go first, please.

OK, let the quiz begin. Good luck, Challengers.

Which of these is a famous quote from the TV series The A-Team?

Um, so, I don't know the quote in the middle.

Or, well, I know the quote on the right, "Don't make me angry..."

"You wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

That's from The Incredible Hulk.

I know that it's said by the leader of the A-Team.

It's, "I love it when a plan comes together."

"I love it when a plan comes together" is absolutely right.

Well done. "Who loves ya, baby?" is Kojak, by the way.

But that's way before your time, Ollie.

OK, Beth.

Which long-running TV drama series was set on the Chatsworth estate in Manchester?

Not something I actually watched...

..but I think this was Shameless.

Shameless is right, and it is an amazing series, that.

OK, Ollie.

Mahershala Ali won an Oscar in 2017 for his role in which film?

Um, well, I haven't actually gotten around to watching

any of those movies. I know it's not La La Land because, like,

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are in that.

And Nocturnal Animals, I haven't actually...

I haven't seen that movie.

I'm going to go for Moonlight.

Well done. Two out of two.

Moonlight is correct.

Beth, back to you.

The drama series Stranger Things is set in which decade?

Oh, right amount...

The children in this are roughly about the same age I was

at the time, and it's the 1980s.

1980s is right, Beth. So you're absolutely level.

-This is exciting, isn't it, Challengers?

-Yes, very exciting.

-He's doing very well.

-Let's see... Yeah, you're doing well, Ollie.

Here's your third question.

What is the first film to be written and directed by the Coen brothers?

Ooh, well, I...

I know their later movies.

Uh, I have not seen any of these movies.

I can't even align these to the Coen brothers.

So, I am going to take a guess with something

that just jumped out at me.

I'm going to say Miller's Crossing.

Miller's Crossing. Let us check this with the Eggheads.

Eggs? Do we know... Are they all Coen brothers films?

-They're all Coen brothers.

-Right, they all are.

-So, it's not easy.

-I think I have a feeling it's Blood Simple.

Yeah, always dangerous to disagree with Pat.

Blood Simple, Pat says,

and he's right. I'm afraid Miller's Crossing is wrong.

OK, Beth.

For the round, who provides the voice for the title character

in the 2017 film The Lego Batman Movie?

Oh, he does a fantastic take on Batman.

It's such a... I've not seen The Lego Batman movie,

but I've seen The Lego Movie, which he's also in. Um, and...

-GRAVELLY VOICE:

-"I'm Batman,"

is kind of his impression, and I'm pretty sure that's Will Arnett.

Will Arnett is right.

Beth, she's got three out of three.

Sorry, Ollo... Ology, I nearly called you!

LAUGHTER

We've had a win for the other -ology here.

Well done, Beth, you're through to the final.

Sorry, Ollie, beaten by our Egghead

and so you won't be in the final round.

Please come back. We'll play on.

So, as it stands, Things Are Looking Dicey -

have lost a brain from the final round.

The Eggheads have still not lost one, and the next subject is Music.

Who would like Music?

-Um...

-I have to leave this one to...

-Do you want to take this?

-Is it going to be me?

-Do you want to take this, Lucy?

-Ross, how do you feel about it, or...?

-I'm awful at music.

-Right, then, I think that decides it!

-It's me then.

-Go on, Lucy.

-Lucy, against anyone but Beth.

-Um...

-Chris or Pat, I think.

-Chris or Pat?

-Yeah, I think so.

-Choice is yours.

Who do you feel?

I'll take on Pat, please.

Good, so, Lucy from Things Are Looking Dicey

versus Pat from the Eggheads on Music.

Please take your positions.

So, Lucy, I know music is in your life cos you're an Irish dancer.

Yes, I Irish danced from when I was four years old until I was 18.

Stopped when I went to university,

but since moving to Edinburgh I've joined a dance school there

and I actually have started my Irish dance teaching qualifications.

Got the first half of those last month.

So, next year, hopefully, I will be a qualified Irish dance teacher.

What a thing! That's brilliant. Have you ever tried that, Pat?

-No, no, I haven't.

-LAUGHTER

What a loss to the world that is.

Well, only that you've got Irish heritage and all that.

-I thought it might be the sort of thing that was compulsory.

-No, no.

-I've never done it.

-OK.

Well, good luck. Maybe you can give Pat a lesson later.

Or maybe this round will be a lesson for Pat, Lucy, who knows?

-Hopefully!

-OK, so, Music.

Would you like to go first or second?

First, please.

And here we go with your first question. Good luck, Lucy.

Which type of singing is defined in the Oxford Dictionary as a song

for men's voices in three or more parts, usually unaccompanied?

Jumping out at me is aria.

So, I'm going to go for that, but I'm not 100% sure.

I think this is actually quite hard.

-Challengers, what do you think? Is she right?

-I honestly don't know.

-I thought aria was like a piece of the music?

-I thought oratorio

-might be the one, but...

-Yeah, we are all over the place here. Barry?

-It's a glee.

-A glee?

-An aria is for a solo voice.

-An aria is for a solo voice.

And an oratorio come before a whole company.

So, Lucy, the answer is glee.

But if it's any comfort, it stumped a lot of us in here.

-OK.

-Pat, your question.

Which of these Robbie Williams singles was released first?

Pretty sure Candy is the most recent of those.

I think they're actually pretty much arranged

in chronological sequence.

I think Angels was a very early mega-hit ballad.

And it's very much associated with Robbie Williams,

so I'm going for Angels.

Angels is right.

Back to you, Lucy.

What is the title of Harry Styles' debut solo album,

released in 2017?

LAUGHTER

I quite enjoyed reading that!

Well, um, not a massive One Direction...

Well, more of a One Direction fan than a Harry Styles fan.

I'm going to take a punt that he just named it

all the way after himself and say Harry Styles.

I think, looking at this, it is a very hard question, actually.

I think it looks easy, and it's not,

but you've got it right. Well done.

Well done, Lucy.

Here's your question, Pat.

Which of these operas is set near to Seville in Spain?

Well, Seville is a fairly popular location for operas,

probably the most popular.

Madam Butterfly, I think, is set in Nagasaki, in Japan.

And the Flying Dutchman is off the coast of...

Well, it's in the Atlantic.

So, of those three, the one set in Seville is The Marriage Of Figaro.

The Marriage Of Figaro was indeed set in Seville.

So, he's ahead, Lucy.

-You need to get this one right to stay in.

-OK.

Which song begins with the lines, "Load up on guns,"

"bring your friends, it's fun to lose and to pretend."

"She's overboard, self-assured, oh, no, I know a dirty word."

Paradise City is the one that I think...

I don't think it's Smells Like Teen Spirit.

I can't remember how Stairway To Heaven goes.

So, I'm going to go Paradise City by Guns N' Roses.

It's not Stairway To Heaven. It's actually not Paradise City, in fact.

It is Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana.

Although I couldn't quite place those lines.

Pat, well done. You're in the final.

Lucy, sorry, beaten by our Egghead.

Challengers having a rough time here, but you can come back,

no question.

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

So, as it stands, Things Are Looking Dicey have lost two brains

from the final round.

The Eggheads have not lost any so far,

and your next subject is Food and Drink.

Who would like this? Ross?

-Ross?

-Do you think it's my turn to go?

Do you want to be a sacrificial lamb?

Yeah.

Ross? OK.

Against... Well, you've got the alternate ones -

Dave, Barry, Chris.

-Barry?

-Sure.

-Down the middle.

OK. Ross, from Things Are Looking Dicey,

versus Barry, from the Eggheads.

When you do Geography, we always say he's been to every answer.

Now I've eaten every answer.

I bet you find you've eaten every answer as well.

More like drunk every answer!

THEY LAUGH

Gentlemen, please take your positions.

So, Ross, you enjoy playing with Frisbees?

-Yes.

-It's more like the sporting level Frisbee, is that right?

-Yeah.

-Well, Ultimate Frisbee is a seven-a-side sport.

So, yeah, it's not just throwing around a Frisbee so much.

No, I used to take it quite seriously, when I used to throw

a Frisbee as well.

Barry, has there ever been a good quiz question about Frisbees?

Yes, Frisbees started because they were, I think,

-pie boxes from an American pie company.

-Really?

And after the guys had eaten the pie,

they started throwing the boxes around.

And that's how Frisbees developed.

-Did you know that, Ross?

-I think I've heard that, yeah. Brilliant.

OK, we're on Food and Drink,

you've done a fantastic link from Frisbees to food, there, Barry.

Wonderful to see you in action.

Ross, do you want to go first or second?

I'll go second.

All right. Barry, here we go.

First question. Black Ivory is an expensive coffee

made from beans that

have been eaten and then excreted by which creature?

Well, there's many creatures that excrete coffee beans.

But out of those three, I think it's only an elephant who eats beans.

So I'll go for elephant.

Elephant is right.

Over to you, Ross.

Fajitas, made by rolling strips of meat in a tortilla with vegetables,

grated cheese and other garnishings,

are associated with the cuisine of which country?

I think the name kind of gives it away, with the J being a kind of...

It would be Mexico, wouldn't it?

Mexico is right, well done.

You've hit him with your Frisbee.

Barry, the word magret refers specifically

to the breast meat of which type of animal?

Magret - M-A-G-R-E-T.

Well, turkey and duck are so common a meat,

that if anything was called magret I'm sure I would have seen it

on a menu. So I'll go for guinea fowl.

Eggheads? Beth?

It's duck. I have a few magret de canard in my freezer.

Magret de canard. Yeah, duck is the answer, Barry.

Oh, I didn't know that. Wow.

Beth pulled the expression that you normally pull.

The tables have turned here.

Now, this is a good moment for our Challengers.

Let's just think about this. Get this right, Ross,

and you may be just trucking on through to the final.

Don't let him back in.

What name is given to the French cut of beef corresponding to the top of

the skirt?

Uh... Oh, dear.

Sirloin is the only one I recognise out of all of those names,

but entrecote is the most French-sounding one, I think.

So I think I'd probably go for entrecote.

Onglet is the right answer, Ross.

-Oh, well.

-So, Barry has the chance now to re-establish himself.

Mantou is a type of steamed bun in the cuisine of which country?

-Could you just spell that, please?

-Of course, M-A-N-T-O-U.

It doesn't sound Russian and it doesn't sound Japanese,

but it does sound vaguely Chinese, so I'll go for China.

China is right. Barry's got two.

-You need to get this one right now, Ross.

-Yes.

In Indian cuisine, what name is given to the flat skillet

on which breads such as chapatis and parathas are cooked?

Oh, dear.

I do enjoy Indian cuisine,

but I never really know how it's cooked in general.

I think I'll just have a guess at tava.

It sounds like a sort of skillet to me.

Now, had you gone wrong here,

I would be congratulating Barry on his 500th head-to-head victory.

Oh, wow!

I didn't feel it was right to say this earlier.

-But tava is right.

-Oh, yes!

-Well done.

You've said that very graciously, Barry, considering.

So, we're not quite there, Barry.

-500, wow.

-500.

A proper part of Eggheads history. So here we are on Sudden Death.

It gets a bit harder for you both,

I don't give you alternative answers.

Barry, in an Italian restaurant, what type of seafood is granchio?

I've never heard of this,

and I'm particularly fond of Italian seafood in restaurants.

Granchio? Well, it's not clams.

It possibly could be scallops.

Octopi? Lobster? Mussels?

Oh, I'm running through a whole list of seafoods now.

I don't know. I'll go for octopus.

Octopus you think is granchio?

Well, I don't know, but I just had to say one.

500th victory in a head-to-head, Barry, if you get all this right.

But it's not right, I'm afraid, it's crab.

-Ah!

-So, Ross, you can spoil the party here.

Leave him waiting. Which term for a meat,

fish or vegetable mixture that has been cooked in advance,

allowed to set in its container

and is then usually served in slices, takes its name

from the French for earthenware pot?

Is...?

I don't know if that sounds, like, too easy.

That sounds like a pie to me.

-Oh, no.

-Oh, no.

Um... Or would it be...?

Yeah, I'll just go with pie.

No, it's terrine.

Terrine, oh, right. I don't know!

I can see where you...

-THEY LAUGH

-Yeah!

No, I think the key thing is the earthenware pot is the terrine bit.

Oh, OK.

OK, Barry. Your question.

Which French cheese is aged in the caves of Combalou

in the South of France?

Now, this would be easy if it wasn't for the fact that the French

have about 300 cheeses.

So, picking one out of that might be a bit difficult.

But one cheese that I do know is aged in caves, I believe,

is Roquefort.

So I'll go for that.

Roquefort is correct, Barry. You're a very good quizzer.

You haven't won the round yet.

Ross, to stay in.

Which foodstuff used in Europe to make polenta

before the introduction of maize

is the focus of Corsica's annual festival, Fiera di a Castagna?

I don't know any Spanish, so I'm not sure.

Maize might be another sort of crop, similar to that.

Um... I'll have a guess at barley.

No, it's chestnut.

-Chestnut.

-Barry, well done. 500 head-to-head victories.

Well done. A great moment for Barry.

Sorry, Ross. But there we are, a bit of Eggheads history for you.

The Frisbee missed. Barry's in the final round.

And if you come back to us, we've got one more round to play

before the final.

Well, I won't make the obvious remark

about Things Are Looking Dicey. It's still looking pretty hopeful,

if you look from the right angle!

And you have lost three brains from the final round,

the Eggheads have not lost any so far.

But this, we could turn this around.

So, who would like to go in? It's Geography now.

And it's going to be Luke or David.

-Are we...?

-I think probably you.

-And then leave you for the final?

-Yeah, I think that's probably wise.

OK, so I think it's going to be me.

OK, team captain goes in.

-Yes.

-Against? You've got either of the two gentlemen on the end.

-Dave or Chris.

-Who are we thinking, Dave or Chris?

I think go with Dave.

We'll take on Dave.

Very good. Luke, from Things Are Looking Dicey,

takes on Dave, from the Eggheads,

just trying to get one back for the Challengers here.

To ensure there's no conferring, for the last time,

please go to the Question Room.

So, Geography, Luke, against Dave.

Would you like to go first or second?

I'll go first, please.

And here we go.

Which of these is a popular nickname for the Scottish city of Inverness?

Well, I don't think it's Capital of the Borders,

because that's the south of Scotland,

and Inverness is the north of Scotland.

I would probably go for

Capital of the Highlands.

Capital of the Highlands is quite right. Well done.

And you're Edinburgh-based, aren't you?

-Yes.

-That's good, you can go back to Edinburgh in safety.

Dave, Reykjavik is the capital of which country?

Iceland.

Iceland is right.

Luke, Guatemala and which other country of Central America

share a border with Mexico?

I don't believe...

Panama is the very south, southern part of Central America,

and I think the Panama Canal is connecting it to South America.

I think Belize is...

..it's set to the east side by itself.

So I think...

I think it's Costa Rica.

So I'm going for Costa Rica.

Eggheads, is he right?

-No.

-No.

-It's Belize.

A chance for Dave to take the lead.

Dave, which of these mountains is the highest?

OK, it's not Snowdon. Let's get that out of the way.

I've got a feeling that Kilimanjaro is higher than Mont Blanc.

So I'm going to go Kilimanjaro, please.

Yes, you're right. Kilimanjaro it is.

So, Dave is ahead.

Luke, you need to get this one right to stay in.

The Columbia River forms part of the border between Oregon

and which other state?

Could you repeat the question again, please?

The Columbia River forms part of the border

between Oregon and which other state?

I don't think it's Colorado.

I think Oregon's quite near Canada, in the north, and it's to the west.

So I think it's either Washington or California.

I would hazard a guess and go for Washington.

OK, let's think this one through.

Help us, Eggheads. Oregon is on the West Coast?

-West Coast.

-Yeah.

-It is the top left, or is Washington the top left?

-Washington is top left.

-So it goes Washington, Oregon, California.

If you go inland from Oregon, what's the next state along?

You might hit Idaho.

So you wouldn't hit Colorado, so we can rule that out.

Is that right? OK.

So, it's got Washington north of it and California south of it.

You've gone the right way. Washington is right, Luke.

Well done.

OK, Dave, you can take the round with this.

Horncastle, located on the River Bain

and with a history stretching back to Roman Britain,

is a market town in which county?

Right. I might have got this wrong, but...

I'm all over the place with the geography,

but Dorset and Cheshire I'm going to rule out,

I'm going to go Lincolnshire, please.

Lincolnshire is the right answer, Dave.

You're in the final round. So, bad luck, Luke.

Sorry, knocked you out there. It's always the one incorrect answer

that's so pricey with these Eggheads, when they're on good form.

Come back to us, please. 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 people who lost their head-to-heads

are not allowed to take part in the final.

So, that's Luke and Lucy and Ross and Ollie, I'm afraid,

from Things Are Looking Dicey,

would you please now leave the studio.

OK, David. Here we are. You're playing to win your team £1,000.

Dave, Beth, Barry, Pat and Chris,

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

the Eggheads' reputation. Get this outfit back on the road.

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

This time, they're all General Knowledge.

Usually, I say, "You can confer",

but I appreciate that's not easy today.

But, David, the question is, can you, with your one brain,

defeat these five?

-I'm sure you can do it.

-We'll wait and see what happens.

Good stuff. Would you like to go first or second?

First, please.

All right. Here we go. General Knowledge, and David first.

Which of these creatures has a caudal fin?

And caudal is C-A-U-D-A-L.

I know that caudal means towards the tail end.

So the rear end of the animal.

So I'm going to go for fish.

Absolutely right. Fish is right.

OK, Eggheads. Which line immediately follows,

"You don't have to say you love me,"

in the chorus of the Dusty Springfield hit single?

-Just be close at hand.

-Just be close at hand.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

Well, every version that I've ever heard,

it's, "Just be close at hand."

"You don't have to say you love me, just be close at hand," is correct.

Back to our Challenger.

Which of the following served as US President Gerald Ford's

Secretary of Defence from 1975 to 1977?

Well, I think I'm going to discount the first two cos Dick Cheney,

I believe he was the Vice President during George W Bush,

Donald Rumsfeld, I think, was his Defence Secretary.

So by excluding them, I think it's John Ashcroft.

Yeah, I see your logic, but, actually,

Rumsfeld was making a comeback. Donald Rumsfeld was the answer.

He was Ford's Secretary of Defence.

So, you've got that wrong. Eggheads, your question.

The Cannibal was the nickname given to which cyclist?

-Eddy Merckx.

-Eddy Merckx.

-Eddy Merckx.

Fantastically competitive.

That's Eddy Merckx, Jeremy.

Eddy Merckx is right. They've taken the lead.

David, it's not over unless you get this wrong.

Anthony Marston, Ethel Rogers

and Justice Wargrave are characters in which Agatha Christie novel?

I can't say I'm a big fan of Agatha Christie novels, I'm afraid.

I'm not sure which way to go.

I'm just going to have to go for gut instinct,

cos it's the one I've heard of.

Murder On The Orient Express.

Let's find out. Eggheads, what's the answer?

It's And Then There Were None.

The clue's Justice Wargrave.

He's one of the main characters.

And Then There Were None is the correct answer, David.

The Eggheads have taken it.

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

Commiserations. Agatha Christie.

She comes up a lot.

-She does, doesn't she?

-She's brilliant.

What, as a quiz trove?

-Quiz trove? She's a mine.

-Yeah.

Well, the Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them

most of the time. Here you are,

I won't say reigning supreme, Eggs,

but certainly back in charge of Quizland.

It does mean that the Challengers don't go home with the £1,000.

The money rolls over to our next show.

And this lot then start to think about building on it

and increasing the jackpot.

Oh, Barry, you had a question.

Yes, my question was,

which group of composers can be represented by the mnemonic Mr BBC?

OK. Is it a group of composers by time, or music, or what?

Well, it's by music and place, really.

The answer is they're the Russian composers known

as the Mighty Handful, or sometimes The Five.

And they're Mussorgsky, Rimsky-Korsakov,

Balakirev, Borodin, and Cui.

Brilliant.

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

the brains to embarrass them.

£2,000 says they can't do it.

Till then, goodbye.