Episode 117 Eggheads

These five 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.

You might recognise them, as they've won some of the country's toughest quiz shows. They are the Eggheads.

And challenging our resident quiz champions today are the Black Lions.

The team met while socialising together at The Black Lion pub

and now form a successful quiz team, who've been in the South Cheshire Quiz League for over ten years.

Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Terry. I'm 59 and I'm a retired salesman.

Hi, I'm Julie.

I'm 45 and I'm a solicitor.

Hello, I'm David.

I'm 56 and I'm a software developer.

Hi, I'm Anne. I'm 48 and I'm an IT consultant.

Hi, I'm Mike. I'm 43 and I'm an education consultant.

Welcome, Terry. Welcome, Black Lions. Tell us about the pub.

Well, the pub is 1664 built.

It's very, very popular with the Sealed Knot -

when they hold their celebrations in January,

when they commemorate the Battle of Nantwich.

They do the recreation of battles? Do they ever pitch into pub quizzes at the same time?

Well, they don't, but we do.

We play every Thursday in the winter league in the South Cheshire League.

And we've come here to try and take some money home, we hope.

You're saying you're quite good?

-We're a useful side.

-OK.

We've won the league four times in 10 years.

I didn't want you to over play it.

But we just need to get them slightly worried.

Every day there is £1,000 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, Black Lions, the Eggheads have won the last four games,

which means £5,000 says you can't beat them.

-Are you ready to try?

-We are, yes.

First head-to-head battle will be on Film and Television.

Challengers, who wants it?

-Right, I think...

-We think that's you, Julie.

-Julie, solicitor, against...?

-We've decided to go for Julie, yes.

OK. Decisive, that's great. Which Egghead?

-Shall we try Chris?

-You think?

Go on, take Chris, why not?

-Maybe Chris, yeah?

-Yes, Chris, yes.

-I'll try and take Chris on.

-OK.

So, it's Julie from the Black Lions against Chris from the Eggheads.

And to ensure no conferring, please take your positions in the question room.

Film and Television. Three multiple choice questions.

You choose - first, or second set, Julie?

I'll go first, please.

OK, Julie. Here we go. Andy Peters and Emma Forbes

were the original presenters of which children's TV show?

Well, I think they're far too young

to be the original presenters of Blue Peter.

Tiswas was on the other channel.

So I think it's Live & Kicking.

Spot on. Well done.

Chris, in which show were contestants asked to, "Come on down"?

Ah, yeah. The late Leslie Crowther on The Price Is Right.

Quite right. One point each.

OK, Julie. What is the name of the character played by Bruce Willis

in the 1997 film The Fifth Element?

I've got to say, I've never seen this film.

And I'm not a big fan of Bruce Willis.

For some reason, the name Korben Dallas is...I seem to have heard of.

So, I'll go for Korben Dallas.

You are a good quizzer. You're right. Well done!

OK, Chris. "Save the cheerleader, save the world!"

is a catchphrase from which American TV drama series?

Oh, that's Hayden Panettiere, isn't it? The cheerleader in Heroes.

Quite right. Your third question, to keep the pressure on.

Here it is, Julie. Don't Drink The Water

was the spin off from which TV sitcom?

Well, I think I'm going to have to go for It Ain't Half Hot Mum.

Sounds like the right answer, doesn't it?

But it's not. It was On The Buses.

So, Chris has a chance to take this round. Here we go.

Who wrote the screenplay, Chris, for the 2007 film Charlie Wilson's War?

Well, it's a complete and utter guess.

None of those names mean anything to me.

So, who sounds like a Hollywood scriptwriter?

-Mmm... Just as a guess, I'll say Aaron Sorkin.

-Ha!

I just don't know how you do it! You're right. Brilliant guess!

Sorry, Julie. He's beaten you, but only just.

You were beaten by Chris.

So he can play in the final round, Julie, and you can't.

Please, both of you, come back and rejoin your team mates.

OK, as it stands, the challengers have lost one brain

from the final round.

The Eggheads have lost no brains.

Our next subject is politics.

Who from the challengers will be playing?

-What will we do?

-Who would you like to take on?

-Gamble we don't get History as well?

-Yeah, you'll have to go for it.

At the end of the day, we have to. But who do we take on Politics?

-I'll be doing the Politics.

-OK.

Terry. Who looks non-political?

-I wouldn't say Kevin, no.

-Any of the others.

-Any?

-Maybe Daphne?

Un-political.

-Depoliticised.

-Try Daphne.

-Which one?

-Daphne.

-OK. Daphne, from the Eggheads,

versus Terry, from the Black Lions.

To ensure no conferring, please take your positions.

I'm going to ask each of you three questions in turn.

Terry, would you like the first set or the second set?

I'll have the first set, please.

Good luck, Terry. Fine Gael is a political party in which country?

Sorry about that. Er, my family name is Mulkerrin. It's an Irish name.

-It's bound to be the Republic of Ireland.

-Quite right.

Fine Gael is in Ireland.

Daphne!

-Jeremy!

-Beaming at us today.

Good to see you there.

Who was elected to a third term

as Prime Minister of Italy in April 2008?

I think that was Silvio Berlusconi.

It was, indeed, Silvio Berlusconi.

Who on earth is Walter Veltroni? Anyone know?

Oh, he was the opposition, I think?

-The runner-up.

-The runner-up?

-Yes.

See, I was listening.

You were. One point each.

Terry, which horse-drawn carriage

traditionally carries the sovereign from Buckingham Palace to open a new parliamentary session?

Well, once again, you have another Irish connotation in there.

And it is definitely the Irish State Coach.

So, the name Mulkerrin, your surname, is coming in handy?

Indeed it is.

All right, Daphne. We continue with the Ireland round.

Which prominent political figure was born William Jefferson Blythe?

Well, that was Bill Clinton.

I think he adopted his stepfather's name afterwards.

That's right, it was. Two points each.

Third question for you, Terry.

Put the pressure on Daphne.

Which 20th century political leader is quoted as saying,

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated?"

Well, it would hardly be Charles de Gaulle,

given his treatment of animals.

And I don't think it was Ford -

a man who couldn't chew gum and walk at the same time!

I suspect it was Mahatma Gandhi.

Great play, Terry. You're right. Well done.

Daphne, if you get this wrong, you're out of the final round.

And I do quite often get the third one wrong, don't I?

Well, I hadn't noticed that, I must say.

In fact, in this round, Politics,

-of the last 22 that you've played, you've only lost one.

-Ah!

So, if one is quite often, then...

we need to rethink our use of words.

Following the 1900 General Election,

what was the first constituency Winston Churchill represented?

Well, I think that was Oldham.

She won't be shaken off that easily, Terry. You're right, Daphne.

Three each. No more multiple choice. We go to sudden death.

And here you give me the answer. I won't give you three options.

Terry, which 20th century British Prime Minister gave a speech in which he famously said,

"It does not mean, of course, that the pound here in Britain,

"in your pocket or in your purse, has been devalued"?

Well, I clearly recall him doing it.

But I think I would be about 19, at the time.

And it was Harold Wilson.

It was, indeed, in 1967.

Daphne, what name is given to the representative of the Sovereign,

acting for the Head Of State, in dominions of the Commonwealth -

notably Australia and Canada?

Governor-General.

Governor-General is quite right, Daphne. Well done.

So, neck and neck.

Here we go with you, Terry.

Which English word for the direct vote of all members of an electorate

on an important public question

comes from the Latin for "decree of the common people"?

My Latin's a bit rusty,

as it's something like 30, 40 years, since I did any.

But I seem to recall from school that it was referenda.

-It's plebiscite.

-Plebiscite.

-Plebiscite is the word.

-Yup, OK.

Daphne, if you take this, you've got the round.

Which German chancellor gave his name

to the Independent Commission On International Development Issues,

which published the 1980 report,

North South - A Programme For Survival?

I don't know, Jeremy. It'll have to be a guess.

Willie Brandt.

-You're right, you're right!

-Oh, you're joking!

Known as the Brandt Commission.

Don't look so surprised, it was a great guess!

Sorry, Terry. You were beaten by our Egghead too.

So you can't play in the final. Please, both of you, come back to the studio.

As it stands, the challengers have lost two brains,

while the Eggheads have lost none.

Our next subject is Music. Who from the challengers wants to play Music?

Can't obviously have Julie or Terry.

I think it may have to be Mike.

-I think Mike should do it, maybe?

-I think so.

-I think it's me.

-OK. Who would you like to play against?

Erm, I'll just confer with the team.

Depends on if it's classical or modern. Either Judith or CJ. Judith, perhaps?

-Seem to suggest I should try Judith.

-All right.

Mike, from the Black Lions, versus Judith from the Eggheads.

-You're happy about that?

-I have to be, don't I? No choice.

To ensure no conferring, please take you positions in the question room.

So, Mike and Judith, I'm going to ask each of you three questions on Music in turn.

Mike - first or second set?

I'd like to go first, I think.

Good luck.

"And now the end is near, and so I face the final curtain." is the first line of which well-known song?

I hope I'm fairly clear about which one this is. I don't think it's...?

Light My Fire's The Doors, isn't it?

And Magic Moments is similar to the one I think it is.

Perry Como - my mum's favourite. I think it's My Way.

That's the correct answer.

Judith, The Invitation To The Jellicle Ball

and The Rum Tum Tugger

are songs from which Andrew Lloyd Webber musical?

I think The Rum Tum Tugger is a cat. So it's Cats.

Quite right, Judith. Well done.

Mike, after leaving The Specials, Terry Hall became

the lead singer of which band?

Again, I hope I know this one.

Er, UB40 was... was it Ally Campbell?

And I think he's left, recently, and left his brother to it.

Haircut 100 was Nick Hayward.

So I think Terry Hall joined Fun Boy Three.

-That's your answer?

-Yeah.

Yeah, you're right. Spot on. Fun Boy Three.

-Completely your era, that question.

-Yeah.

Judith, which band's single, Whole Lotta Love,

was used in many forms, for many years, as the theme tune for the TV show Top Of The Pops?

Don't think it was The Rolling Stones.

Erm, I think it was The Beatles.

Whole Lotta Love was Led Zeppelin, sorry.

So, with this you take the round, Mike.

The Psalms, composed by Leonard Bernstein in 1965,

were written for which cathedral?

I've no idea, to be honest.

Of the three, the only one I've been to is Cologne Cathedral.

It's a fantastic building. Erm...

He's, well, had an international reputation.

So, I'm going to guess Cologne.

Sorry, you're wrong.

It's Chichester. So, Judith, you're back in.

The 1888 Messa de Requiem,

for solo voices, chorus, orchestra and organ,

has become the most well known of which composer's works?

Well, Faure's requiem is very, very well known.

My father-in-law had it at his requiem mass.

I think it's probably Faure's requiem.

Faure and requiem seem to go together.

Good logic, Judith. You're right, it is Faure.

And that was his requiem. So, we're locked on two points apiece.

That means we move to Sudden Death.

And here, not multiple choice, as before. You need to give me your answer.

-No options. Mike, you ready?

-Yup.

Kimberly Walsh and Nicola Roberts are members of which chart-topping girl group?

Blimey! It's not always good to be 43, is it?

Erm, I'll guess Girls Aloud.

I was thinking as I read it, yes, being 43 is a problem here.

But you got it right! Well done.

Judith, in 2008, which former Pop Idol contestant

took on the role of Rhett Butler in the West End musical version of Gone With The Wind?

Oh, I saw that in the paper!

Erm...oh, God! Who was it?

Rhett Butler.

Oh, Darius... Darius something or other.

Or he calls it Darius, I think. Erm...

I do need first name and surname.

Oh, what was his surname?

I simply can't remember his surname.

-I've got stuck. It's gone.

-Gone With The Wind?

-Yup, Gone With The Wind.

-Darius Danesh is the answer.

So, Judith, I'm sorry, I can't give you that.

Which means our challenger has won this round.

Mike, well done.

It is great being 43, officially. You've taken on an Egghead, you emerged triumphant.

So you will play in the final. And Judith, I'm sorry to say, won't.

Please, both of you, come back.

Well done, challengers. Now you have an extra brain in the final round, which is Mike.

Eggheads have lost one brain on this side. You've lost two.

Our last subject is Arts and Books. Which one of you wants this?

-I think I'm doing it.

-Well, yes.

-Because I'm doing whatever the subject is!

-OK! And versus whom?

Who shall we...?

-CJ or Kevin?

-CJ, I think.

-Take CJ out.

-CJ.

Right. Anne, from the Black Lions, against CJ, from the Eggheads.

To ensure there's no conferring, please leave the studio now.

-So, Anne, you're an IT consultant?

-That's right.

-With a bit of gardening and fresh veg on the side?

-That's right!

-Not all at the same time.

-And you enjoy your quizzing?

-I do, yes.

-OK. Good luck.

-Thank you.

-Three questions, Arts and Books, multiple choice.

You can choose - first or second?

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

Your question, Anne. Paul McCartney's first wife, Linda,

was a professional in which field of the arts?

Well, I believe she was actually from the Eastman family,

who are known for photography. So I'm going photography.

Yes, you've got it right! Well done.

CJ, Carlo Collodi created which popular children's character?

Erm, I think that's Pinocchio.

You think right.

Well done, CJ.

Anne, Rocinante was the horse of which fictional character?

Well, it's about 25 years since I read this.

But I think it's Don Quixote's horse.

Don Quixote is right.

CJ, who played the part of Karen

in the original 1988 Broadway production of David Mamet's play Speed The Plough?

Well, I know Madonna's certainly done it.

I don't believe the other two have. So, I will go for Madonna.

Madonna has indeed done it. You're quite right.

You've got a point, too. Neck and neck. Back to you, Anne.

What name is given to the group of artists

whose first exhibition was in Moscow, in 1910,

and whose members were the leading exponents of avant-garde art in Russia at that time?

I really don't know the answer to this.

I've never heard of any of those groups of artists.

I think I'll go for... Jack of Diamonds.

You got it right, well done!

Good play by the Black Lions.

Good stuff. CJ, pressure on you.

The lines "God's in his heaven, all's right with the world."

appear in a work by which poet?

You know I hate poetry.

Knowing my luck, it's probably gonna be Shakespeare.

But I'm gonna go for Browning. Sorry, I don't know.

Robert Browning is your answer. Daphne, is he right?

Yes. It comes from Pippa Passes.

You are right, CJ.

Confirmed by Daphne. Well done, three each.

Tight round, scores level.

So it's Sudden Death now.

-Are you ready, Anne?

-Yes.

Gonna need your answer. I won't give you the options.

"We seek him here, we see him there, those Frenchies seek him everywhere."

is a famous line from which 1905 novel?

-The Scarlett Pimpernel.

-Correct, well done.

CJ, which play, which premiered in London in 1980,

is set in the office of The Open University lecturer Dr Frank Bryant?

It's, erm...assuming. I only know one that's set there.

So, let's assume it's Educating Rita.

That's right. By Willy Russell.

Anne, which American painter was renowned for her atmospheric images

of bones and flowers set against a perspectiveless space,

typified by such works as Cow's Skull With Calico Roses, painted in 1931?

Well...

Can't even bring to mind any female American painters. Er...

No, I'm going to have to say, I haven't got an answer.

I can't think of any female American painters.

-You're passing?

-I am.

-You sure?

-Yeah.

Georgia O'Keefe is the answer.

CJ, this is your question for the round.

Which American-born writer

spent the latter part of his life at Lamb House, in Rye,

East Sussex, where he wrote his last great novels,

including The Golden Bowl?

Don't know The Golden Bowl. But...

I do know that Henry James came to live in East Sussex.

And, as I've got nothing else to go on, I'm gonna go for Henry James.

He became a British citizen in 1915. It was Henry James, CJ.

Well done! Well done.

So, Anne was beaten by our Egghead...just.

As a result, she won't be able to help her team in the final round.

Would you both please join your teams?

So, this is what we've been playing towards.

Time for our final round. General Knowledge. I'm afraid, though,

those who lost head-to-heads won't take part.

So that is Terry, Julie and Anne from the Black Lions and Judith from the Eggheads.

Please now leave the studio.

Well, David and Mike, you are playing to win the Black Lions £5,000.

Kevin, CJ, Daphne and Chris,

you are playing for something which money can't buy - the Egghead's reputation.

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

This time the questions are all General Knowledge and you are allowed to confer.

So, Black Lions, are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

David and Mike, would you like to go first or second?

Yeah. OK, we'll go first, please.

Good luck, Black Lions.

Your team are rooting for you there.

What word is used to describe animals of a particular region, habitat or geological period?

-I think it's fauna. Flora's the plant life.

-Flora is plants, yeah.

-And feria, I'm not familiar with.

-Could be anything.

I do think fauna is the animal life.

You can even... You talk about the fauna in your gut, can't you?

Sort of, the bacterial...

-Right. OK.

-So go for fauna.

-We're not sure what feria is.

But the answer, we know, is fauna.

Fauna is your answer and it's right. Well done. Well done.

Eggheads, back to you.

Which sport, traditionally in England a feature of girl's public schools,

is played with long-handled, racket-like implements,

used to catch, carry or throw the ball?

-Out of those options...

-Yup, lacrosse.

That's lacrosse, Jeremy.

-Lacrosse is right.

-And Judith's played it.

Judith, you're a lacrosse player? Give us a wave if that's true.

-Yes. This is how you...

-Yes, that's it.

Originated with North American Indians,

who sometimes used the heads of defeated opponents.

A touch of St Trinian's there!

-Did they?

-National summer sport of Canada.

-I'll never play again!

Back to you, Black Lions. Your second question.

What colour dot on a squash ball grades it as being suitable for beginners?

What colour dot on a squash ball

grades it as being suitable for beginners?

Oh, it's so long since I played squash.

I've only played a couple of times.

-Should know this.

-I think red or yellow.

I think a yellow dot is very fast. So it's not yellow.

I can't recall seeing a blue dot. But I might be wrong.

-I think I've seen ones with a red dot.

-Happy with red?

We'll try red. But we just don't know, I'm afraid.

Your answer's red.

I think red is slower...

but it's blue. Blue is the answer.

Eggheads, you can take the advantage decisively with this question.

Which area of London is particularly associated with the diamond trade?

Hatton Garden.

Yeah.

-That's Hatton Garden.

-Quite right, Kevin. Well done.

Two points to you.

Black Lions, if you get this wrong, I'm afraid the contest is over.

Good luck. In April 1938,

what percentage of Austrians approved the Anschluss -

the political unification with Germany?

Well, if it were 99.7, it might suggest that...

either people who thought otherwise didn't feel they could vote...

-or the vote was rigged, you know...

-It might well have been rigged.

So, it might have been a false result.

I'd say it's probably more than 33.7%.

-Yeah, I'd agree with you.

-Because...

-Cos otherwise...

-They took it over relatively peacefully.

-Yeah.

When you do get rigged elections, it's always somewhere short of 100%.

It's meant to look marginally more authentic.

Do you want to go for 99.7?

I mean, it's the sort of stand-out figure that might be remarkable

enough to be the correct answer.

We're down to guessing. We don't know.

-But we've got a line of logic behind that one.

-Yeah, OK.

-We'll go with 99?

-Go on, then.

-Right, we'll go with 99.7%.

But we really don't know. We suspect...

We suspect the real number was probably less than that.

But, officially, it might have been 99.7.

99.7 is the correct answer.

And, er, worryingly, that might have been the real number.

OK, so, you're still in the game.

Well done. If they get this right, they have won the contest. Here we go, Eggheads.

The North American tree with the Latin name, Liriodendron,

is better known by what name?

If you get this right, you've taken the contest.

-There's no such thing as a daffodil tree.

-No, and rose tree is just...

-Rose tree is rhododendron.

-Tulip tree.

Tulip tree is definitely North American. Yeah.

-OK?

-I'm happy to go with you!

That's the tulip tree, Jeremy.

-Which is the Liriodendron, you think.

-Yes.

Good play. You're quite right.

Eggheads, you've won.

Commiserations, challengers.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them and they still reign supreme over quiz land.

I'm afraid you won't go home with £5,000,

which means the money rolls over.

Eggheads, very well done. Who will beat you?

Join us next time to see if the new challengers have the brains to defeat the Eggheads.

£6,000 says they don't.

Till then, goodbye.