Episode 123 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.

You might recognise them, as they have won some of the country's toughest quiz shows.

They are the Eggheads.

And taking on our quiz champions today are the Pit Stop Pirates.

Team captain Baz runs a motorway tea bar

and the rest of team have been regular customers for the past 15 years. Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Baz, I'm 59 and I run the Pit Stop Tea Bar.

Hi, I'm John, I'm 58 and I'm a window cleaner.

Hello, I'm David, I'm 59 years old and I'm a retired company director.

Hi, I'm Roger, I'm 57 and I'm a retired window installation contractor.

Hi, I'm Chris. I'm 57 years old and a retired company director.

Welcome, Pit Stop Pirates. So, Baz, you're the key guy.

-Yes.

-You're the link man.

-Yes, I'm the link man.

-Where is this tea bar?

It's in Buckinghamshire between Princes Risborough and Chinnor.

It's in a lay-by. I tow the vehicle there every day,

a mobile tea bar, and these customers come along

and discuss current affairs, price of fuel, everything like that.

How often do you see these guys?

More or less every day. Most of them. Three of them are retired.

This is how you've got your quiz knowledge together - you've worked out that you know stuff.

We've got a plan.

-Let's see if it works, shall we?

-Yes!

Every day, there is £1,000 in cash up for grabs for our challengers.

If they fail to defeat the Eggheads, the prize money rolls over to the next show.

So, Pit Stop Pirates, the Eggheads have won the last two games

which means £3,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

Are you ready for our first head-to-head battle?

It's on the subject of Arts & Books.

So, challengers, who wants to play this one?

THEY CONFER

It's the poison chalice. Head on the guillotine?

-You won't shoot me for it?

-No.

-OK?

-Yeah.

-Who's this? John?

-Yeah.

-It's the poison chalice, but we'll go for this.

I will take on, I will say Daphne.

So, John, from the Pit Stop Pirates, against Daphne from the Eggheads

and to ensure there's no conferring, please take your positions.

-John, three multiple choice questions and you can choose the first or second set.

I'll go first, I think, please, Jeremy.

So, here we go. In the 1954 Dr Seuss' book Horton Hears A Who,

what type of animal is Horton?

I'll have to think this one out, Jeremy.

I've not got much of an idea.

I will go for aardvark, please, Jeremy.

Aardvark is wrong.

I'm sorry, John. It was actually an elephant

in that children's book.

Daphne your question.

In which present day country was the 19th-century composer Jacques Offenbach born?

He was actually born in Germany but he moved to France and became

a naturalised Frenchman.

Germany is right, well done, Daphne.

Always impressive.

John, over to you.

Which school of painting is characterised by effects of light in landscapes emphasising tranquillity?

I think this is luminism, Jeremy.

That's right, well done.

On to you, Daphne.

The 2007 novel Runemarks is the first children's book to be written by which author?

Could you spell it?

Yes. R-U-N-E-M-A-R-K-S.

Oh, no idea.

Completely passed me by.

David Baldacci.

Is wrong, it's not the right answer, it's Joanne Harris.

You're still level. John, if you get this, you put pressure on Daphne.

"Happy families are all alike, every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way,"

is the first line from which Leo Tolstoy novel?

I'm not sure about this at all.

I'm slightly on the back foot on this one.

I'll have to take a stab at Anna Karenina.

What made you do that?

Somewhere, I think, in the back of the computer, it's cropped up,

but that's the only reason. I don't say it with any certainty.

-A file popped up in the hard drive?

-Somewhere.

Well, it was the right file. Well done, John, you got it right.

Daphne, if you get this wrong,

you are not in the final. Here we go.

The play, The Two Noble Kinsmen, attributed to John Fletcher and William Shakespeare,

is based on which story from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales?

It's The Knight's Tale.

You're quite right. It is, Daphne, well done.

OK.

You've got the same number of questions right after three questions,

so we go to Sudden Death, and to make it harder,

these questions are not multiple choice. Ready, John?

Ready when you are, Jeremy.

In the title of a poem by A E Housman, from which county does the lad of the title come?

I'm going to say Derbyshire without any conviction whatsoever.

I'm sorry the title of the poem was A Shropshire Lad.

The answer was Shropshire.

Daphne, this for the round.

If you get this right, you are going to knock John out.

Which children's book by Eric Carle, originally published in 1969,

features the journey of a creature who eats his way through various foods

before emerging as a butterfly?

It's called The...

Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Yes, you're right.

It's the second most favourite children's story in a recent poll.

Fantastic. That gives you the round. So, you've beaten John.

Sorry, John - beaten by our Egghead.

As a result, you will not be able to help your team in the final round.

Please both of you come back to the studio.

So, the challengers have lost one brain

from the final round, whilst the Eggheads have lost no brains.

The next subject is Politics.

A-ha, this is the thing you discuss when you get the tea with Baz.

So, which of you wants to take on politics?

-I'll take it.

-It's going to be Chris.

-Chris.

I'll take on Barry.

-Barry, we haven't done Barry on politics yet, have we?

-Not yet.

OK, Chris from the Pit Stop Pirates versus Barry from the Eggheads.

Do please take your positions in the Question Room.

OK, three questions on politics in turn, multiple choice, of course.

Chris, you can choose first or second set.

I'll go first, please.

Chris, who became the Mayor of London in May 2008?

Well, I'm pretty sure... Well, I know the answer because he was,

before he became the Mayor, our MP for Henley, and it's Boris Johnson.

Absolutely right. How could one forget?

Barry, who published her memoirs in a book called Speaking for Myself in May 2008?

I think Margaret Thatcher's memoirs were imaginatively titled,

The Margaret Thatcher Years, and Edwina Currie published her memoirs

somewhat earlier, so it was Cherie Blair.

It was indeed Cherie Blair.

Over to you now, Chris.

Stephen Harper became Prime Minister of which country in 2006?

I really don't know the answer to this one, Jeremy.

I'm going to have to make an educated guess.

I don't think it was Ghana. I've a feeling it wasn't Ghana.

I think I'm going to go for Australia.

You went the wrong way. It's Canada.

Stephen Harper, Canada.

OK, Barry.

What is the form of government in which the possession of property is a qualification for holding office?

The Physiocrats in 18th-century France were great believers

that property ownership should be a sine qua non for holding office,

but of those three choices,

theocracy sounds as if it's a government by priests,

meritocracy is a government by the most able,

would that we had that all the time,

and the answer to this must be timocracy.

It is the answer, you're quite right.

OK, Chris, you need this one.

In the House of Commons, what name is given to a vote

during which members go into the Aye and No lobbies and are counted?

Um... Again, I'm not absolutely sure,

but I do seem to recall the use of the word "division bells".

I think it's division.

Division is the correct answer, well done.

Still in there.

If you get this question right, you've taken the round, though.

What is the name of the presidential study adjacent to the Oval Office in the White House?

This one is new to me. The Cabinet Room is certainly in Downing Street,

so I'm not too sure if there was one in the White House,

and it doesn't sound as if Treaty Room would be suitable.

There were two Roosevelts who were presidents of the USA.

I think I will choose Roosevelt Room.

I don't know if the Roosevelt Room exists.

It's not that, it's Treaty Room,

which is next to the Oval Office in the White House.

So, you're level

after three questions each. We go to Sudden Death. Here we go, Chris.

The Caravan of Death, which involved an army unit touring cities,

killing political opponents of their leader,

occurred in which South American country in October 1973.

I don't know the answer. I'm going to have to work it out.

South American rather than Central American.

I'm going to guess Chile.

Good guess, you're right.

Your question now, Barry.

The Coroner was the nickname of which British Prime Minister?

Well, I've nothing to go on, but I know Robert Peel was described

as having a smile like the silver handles on a coffin, so I'll say Robert Peel.

Lovely bit of logic, but you're wrong, Barry. It was actually Neville Chamberlain.

That answer means, Barry, that you won't play in the final round.

Chris, you will. You took on the newest Egghead and you emerged triumphant.

Well done, challengers, do both of you come back to the studio.

So, as it stands, the challengers

and the Eggheads have lost one brain each from the final round.

Our next subject is sport. Who wants sport?

Baz, you look worried.

THEY CONFER

It can't be John, it can't be Chris.

-Barry, I think...

-OK, shall I do this one?

-Go on, Barry. I've got the greatest faith!

-He's the one who looked the most worried.

-Yeah.

-Against who?

I'll try CJ, please.

Baz from the Pit Stop Pirates against CJ from the Eggheads,

and to ensure there's no conferring, please take your positions in the Question Room now.

So, I will ask each of you three questions on sport in turn.

Baz, you can choose the first or second set.

I think I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

Baz, in standard American pool, what colour is the eight ball?

Um...

Yellow...

Yes, I think the eight ball is black, Jeremy.

How did you do that? I'm fascinated.

I have played a bit of pool, I'm sure that's right.

You're right, it is right.

CJ, your question. In golf, "dance floor" is a slang term for which part of the course?

I've watched quite a bit of golf

and I've never heard "dance floor" used as a term.

I can only assume it's the green...

..because that's the... I suppose it's the smoothest.

I've never heard the term, but I'll go for green.

Yeah, green is right.

Your next question now, Baz.

The rugby union team known as Sale Sharks is based in which town?

Um...

I don't really know the answer to this one at all, I'm afraid.

It will have to be a complete guess.

I'll say Salford.

Salford is wrong, Baz, sorry.

It's actually Stockport where the Sale Sharks are based.

CJ, which middle distance runner was nicknamed the Jarrow Arrow?

No, not heard this one either...

..but I don't naturally associate Coe or Cram as coming from the North.

I don't think Coe did. I'm not sure where Cram came from,

but I haven't heard it. Let's go for the oldest, let's go for Steve Ovett.

Yeah, that's interesting.

It's not Ovett. Barry?

Steve Cram came from Jarrow.

Yes, he's very much associated with the Northeast of England.

So, one point each.

Baz, put the pressure on, get this one right.

In which year did John Parrott win the Snooker World Championship?

John Parrott... Oh, dear...

Um...

I'll go straight down the middle, Jeremy. '91.

-Correct answer.

-Thank you.

Brilliant, straight down the middle.

CJ, see if you can have the same brilliant bit of luck.

Who is the only England footballer to have scored in three separate World Cups?

I think it's Beckham, but hold on.

No, I'm going to go for Beckham.

You're quite right. Absolutely right. It was David Beckham.

So, after three questions, your scores are level.

We go to Sudden Death. And it gets a bit harder now, because Baz,

as you know, the questions are not multiple choice. Are you ready?

-Yes.

-Which judo competitor carried the Great Britain flag

at opening ceremony of the 2004 Athens Olympics - the first from judo to receive this honour?

Blimey.

Well, the only judo person I've really heard of,

although I think it was before this time,

but he's the only one that comes to mind, is Brian Jacks.

It's wrong. It's Kate Howie.

The only British woman to have won two Olympic judo medals.

CJ, this for the round.

In 1980, who became the first Canadian snooker player to win the World Professional Championship?

Cliff Thorburn.

You looked very happy saying that.

I know snooker. Cliff Thorburn.

It is Cliff Thorburn. So, you have taken the round, CJ, well done.

Baz, I am sorry.

You were beaten by an Egghead. You won't be able to help your team in the final round.

Please come back and rejoin us.

So, the challengers have lost two brains from the final round,

while the Eggheads have lost just one brain.

The last subject is Film & Television.

Who wants that?

That will be me, Jeremy. We need to leave David in at the end.

-OK.

-I'll go, whatever it is.

-OK!

-Who are you going to take on?

-Who do you fancy?

It can't be CJ, Daphne or Barry.

I'll take on Judith, please.

All right. Roger from the Pit Stop Pirates

against Judith from the Eggheads, and do take your positions now.

Here we go - three questions on Film & Television.

-Roger, you can choose, first or second set.

-I'll go first, please.

Roger, what is the name of Sacha Baron Cohen's flamboyant Austrian fashion reporter alter ego?

I'm sure I've seen this, but I can't remember what it was.

I'm going to have to make a guess at this one and I'm going for Bruno.

Bruno is correct, well done, Roger.

Which comedian played various members of the Balowski family

in the sitcom The Young Ones?

I feel like a fish just opening and shutting my mouth.

Ben Elton.

Good associations cos he was involved, but it wasn't him,

-it was Alexei Sayle.

-Oh, dear, it was between him and Alexei Sayle.

Bad luck. Your second question, Roger, to take the lead.

Which documentary maker presented the Weird Weekends TV series?

Something's telling me to say Nick Broomfield, so that's my answer.

The something needs to be caught and punished

because it was not Nick Broomfield, it was Louis Theroux.

Bad luck. Over to you, Judith.

Which siblings directed The Matrix trilogy of films?

The Matrix series of films?

Yes.

I go to films and I don't look at who does the direction.

Anyway, I didn't go to those films.

CJ doesn't go to films and he does look!

Well, he just learns lists. I can't do that.

What about the Farrelly Brothers?

-What about them?

-Maybe they directed The Matrix.

CJ what does your list say about the Farrelly Brothers.

Certainly that they didn't direct The Matrix films.

It's the Wachowski Brothers.

Yeah. Wachowski is the answer, Judith, I'm sorry.

Third question to you now, Roger.

If you get this one right, you've taken the round.

Which US TV series is set at the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital?

I do believe I saw this last week.

It's certainly not Scrubs. It could well be Grey's Anatomy.

That's my answer.

And, it's wrong, it is House.

-If you don't get this, Judith, you are not in the final round.

-I know.

The Channings and the Giobertis were two warring families in the 1980s, in which US TV soap?

The Giobertis and who?

-The Channings.

-The Channings.

I don't know.

Actually, I have watched Falcon Crest and Knots Landing

but it's a terribly long time ago.

Um...

I'll just have to guess again and say Knots Landing.

-Have you ever seen Knots Landing?

-I have, but I mean, years ago.

It's not that. It's the one you watched, it's Falcon Crest.

-I watched both.

-OK, well, in that case, Judith, bad luck.

You've been beaten by Roger. Well done, Roger.

Both of you, please come back and join your teams.

This is what we've been playing towards.

Our final round - General Knowledge.

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

won't be allowed to take part, so Baz and John from the Pit Stop Pirates

and Barry and Judith from the Eggheads, would you please,

I know it sounds severe, please leave the studio.

So, David, Roger and Chris, you are playing to win the Pit Stop Pirates £3,000.

Kevin, CJ and Daphne, you are playing for something money can't buy -

the Eggheads' reputation.

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

This time, the questions are all General Knowledge. You are allowed to confer.

Pit Stop Pirates, the question is, are your three brains better than the Eggheads' three?

David, Roger and Chris, first or second set of questions?

-Shall we say first?

-We've done well going first, so we'll stay first.

And very best of luck to you.

In German, what does the word, "bitte" mean?

Happy with that?

-Yes.

-Not a pint of bitter!

We think the answer is "please", Jeremy.

"Please" is spot-on, well done.

Eggheads, Dreams, Rise and a cover of the Dionne Warwick classic Walk On By

were all UK top ten hit singles for which singer?

-Gabrielle?

-Yeah.

-Gabrielle, Jeremy.

That's right.

Second question to you.

The essential oil of which spice is used in some parts of the world

as a painkiller in dentistry?

I think it's clove.

-It's clove.

-It's clove.

THEY CONFER

-Are we sure?

-Yeah.

It's cloves.

Definitely.

We think the answer is clove.

You sound like you're really sure.

Pretty damn sure.

Very encouraging. Clove is right, well done.

Two to you.

Eggheads, to which group of dogs does the English pointer belong?

-Gundog...

-It should be a gundog.

-I don't know what a pastoral is.

-No...

-It just points.

-Yeah.

On the basis that the function of a pointer

is to indicate game, gundog.

Quite right, it is gundog.

Two each.

Pit Stop Pirates, what nickname was given to the door-to-door French onion salesmen

prevalent in the 1920s?

-Willies doesn't sound right. I'm sure it's Johnnies.

-Sure?

-Sure.

I don't know. I haven't a clue.

-I'm sure.

-Right.

Jeremy, I think we're going to go for Onion Johnnies.

Bang on. Onion Johnnies is correct, well done.

Three out of three, brilliant play.

Eggheads, the New York socialite Plum Sykes is a famous name in which field of journalism?

You get this one wrong, you've lost.

It's ringing a faint bell, which makes me think

-it's not film or food, but...

-I thought fashion... I don't know.

If only because it's ringing something with me...

-I can't say...

-I'm sure it's not film.

-No.

-Shall we...?

-It's more likely to be fashion.

-Yeah.

-Go for it.

As you might have guessed, we're not absolutely certain

but we'll go for fashion.

If you get this wrong, then you've lost the entire contest.

It's a good job we haven't, then, isn't it, Jeremy?

You haven't got it wrong.

Plum Sykes is a fashion journalist.

Eggheads, you've saved it. Three points each after three questions.

It's tight. We go to Sudden Death,

and, of course, to make it harder, these are not multiple choice.

Which English author wrote the officially endorsed James Bond novel, Devil May Care?

That's someone that was just published in the last...month ago.

Is it something like Martin Amis? I think it's Martin Amis.

-I think it was Martin Amis.

-I'm not sure.

-Any other offers?

It's a long shot.

We don't know,

we sort of have a feeling it might be Martin Amis.

Martin Amis is wrong, I'm afraid.

Sebastian Faulks wrote it.

So, Eggheads, you get this right, you've taken the contest.

The thin strands of volcanic glass

drawn out from molten lava are named after a Hawaiian volcanic goddess

who shares her name with which footballing legend?

THEY CONFER

-It is Pele, isn't it?

-That's a Hawaiian goddess... Pele.

I've never heard it as the Hawaiian goddess...

We think it's Pele, Jeremy.

You've won, it's Pele.

Commiserations to our challengers.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally. They still reign supreme over quiz land.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £3,000.

That means the money rolls over to the next show.

Eggheads, congratulations. Who will beat you?

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

£4,000 says they don't.

Until then, goodbye.

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