Episode 125 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've won some of the country's toughest

quiz shows. They are the Eggheads.

Challenging our regular quiz champions today are The Divas.

The team all know one another through team captain Rhian, and have

been friends for over ten years.

Despite their team name, they promise

not to throw a tantrum, unless the Eggheads win!

-Absolutely, absolutely.

-Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Rhian, I'm 47, I'm a part-time violin teacher

and classical music agent.

Hello, I'm Melanie, I'm 46, I'm a singer and actress.

Hi, I'm Louise, I'm 35, I'm a singer and musician.

Hi, I'm Steffi, I'm 44 and I'm a property developer.

Hello, I'm Debbie, I'm 46 and I'm a journalist.

Welcome, Divas.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-A real showbiz team

we've got here, Rhian, tell us about your friends.

Erm, well, we've known each other collectively for over ten years.

Melanie's actually my best friend and we were at college

a long time ago together.

Melanie's sister, Louise,

I've known since she was a wee one.

Steffi, I met through my youngest child.

She has a child the same age and we met at nursery.

Debbie, similarly, I met when I had my daughter,

-14 years ago.

-Just to pick one of you out, Louise,

you sing and you've sung with Robbie Williams and Bryan Ferry, right?

I have indeed, yes.

-Doing backing vocals?

-Doing backing vocals for those guys, yes.

-On big stages?

-Throughout the world, really, yeah.

All over and it's been great fun.

I still do it, so it's great.

Fantastic. Well, welcome to all of you.

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.

Divas, the Eggheads have won the last four games which means £5,000 -

kind of a convenient amount of money -

-says you can't beat them. Are you ready to play?

-Yes.

-We're ready.

-The first head-to-head battle is on the subject

of Food and Drink, so you can pick that.

-Is that me?

-That's you, Rhian.

OK, I'm going to do that one.

Rhian, all right, total certainty. Against which Egghead?

Kevin, please.

-What a surprise.

-You've watched this programme before.

I sense a strategy here. So, Rhian from The Divas against

Kevin from the Eggheads. You'll be aware of what happens next.

You've gotta go to the question room to make sure there's no conferring.

Multiple choice questions, three of them.

You can choose the first or second set.

I'll go first, Jeremy, please.

So, Rhian. What term is normally used for person who eats no meat,

fish or dairy products of any kind?

Right, I feel on quite good ground here.

It's definitely not a vassal, it's definitely not a velum,

it is a vegan.

Vegan is quite right, well done.

Kevin, the man with no oven.

A hard-boiled egg wrapped in sausage meat and deep fried

is usually known by what name?

I've never come across the other two

and I do like Scotch eggs, so I think we'll go for Scotch egg.

Scotch egg is quite right, Kevin, well done.

Your question, Rhian.

In Italian cuisine, what are cannellini?

Well, it is my favourite country to visit. I've spent lots of time there.

I think the answer is beans.

Beans is right.

Good, good, good.

Kevin, let's see how you do in question two. Oyster sauce is an

integral part of the cuisine of which part of the world?

I've never heard of that in relation to Scandinavia, which is

no reason to...

think it might not be, I suppose.

But Central America? I've not heard of that

in relation to Central America.

So I may be wrong, but I'm gonna go for southern Asia.

You guessed right, it is...

oyster sauce in southern Asia. Well done, Kevin.

Rhian, your third question.

In which US state did the modern day Chinese fortune cookie originate?

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

I wouldn't have thought it was Florida.

It's either New York or California.

I'm going to plump for New York.

-That's your answer?

-Yes!

-Eggheads?

-California.

-I'm sorry, you're wrong, Rhian.

-Oh no!

-I'm sorry about that.

Mortified!

So, Kevin. Rotini pasta takes the form of which shape?

I mean, it sounds...

Rotini, that sounds wheel-like in some...

..some way. The logic may be entirely wrong, but...

I'm tempted to go for spiral, but I'm just trying to think if I have

ever heard of it as a tube one.

No, I'm gonna go for spiral.

So, if you get this right, you've taken the round and poor old Rhian

will not play in the final round. You probably know the answer,

-Rhian?

-Probably, he's right.

-Yeah, he is right. Kevin, well done.

You've taken the round on Food and Drink, which is, legend has it,

Kevin's weakest subject.

Oh, that's even worse! Oh, no!

But the tactics were good, Rhian.

Anyway, you were beaten by our Eggheads,

so you won't be playing in the final round. Kevin, you will.

Please, both of you, come back and rejoin your teams.

As it stands, the challengers have lost one brain from the

final round whilst the Eggheads have lost no brains.

The next subject is Arts and Books.

A good one for you as well.

You're going to do that, aren't you?

-Go on then, Deb.

-Come on, Debbie!

Come on, Deb, you can do it!

-OK, against which Egghead?

-Ah. OK.

-We don't know about Barry.

-No, Barry's a dark horse, isn't he?

Very, yeah. We'll take on the unknown quantity.

Yes. Let's go with Barry.

So it's Debbie from the Divas against Barry from

the Eggheads, here we go.

Take your positions, please.

So, Debbie, would you like the first

-or the second set of questions?

-I'd like the first set, please.

In poetry, Debbie, a quatrain is a stanza of how many lines?

Quatrain?

-The word comes from four, it must be four.

-That's your answer?

-Yes.

-You got it right!

Barry, here's your first question.

What is the name of the chief in the English versions of the Goscinny

and Uderzo books featuring Asterix the Gaul?

I just love Asterix because of the great names that they have.

My favourite is actually the musician, who is Cacophonix.

-But in Asterix, the chief is Vitaltatistix.

-He is indeed.

Well done, that is the answer.

Over to you, Debbie. Which English novelist born in 1882

wrote the books To The Lighthouse, and The Waves?

I don't know the answer to this.

I don't think it's Charlotte Mew.

I don't think it's Daphne du Maurier.

So I will go for Virginia Woolf.

Brilliant process of elimination, you're absolutely right.

It was Virginia Woolf.

Well done.

Barry. "Of man's first disobedience and the fruit of that forbidden tree

"whose mortal taste brought death into the world, and all our woe,"

is the opening to which poem?

The Divine Comedy was by Dante and the Canterbury Tales was by Chaucer,

but my answer is Paradise Lost, which was written by

Oliver Cromwell's secretary, who was John Milton.

It's correct, well done, Barry.

See if you can get this one right, Debbie.

What is the name of the 2,100 kilogram

bronze statue that was stolen from the Henry Moore Foundation in 2005?

Henry Moore? Erm...

I don't remember this.

But I think he did a Locking Piece.

He probably did the others too.

I'm going for the Locking Piece.

-Anyone?

-It's Reclining Figure.

-Yeah, the answer is Reclining Figure,

that's the one that was stolen.

Barry, your question. You get this, you take

the round and you're in the final.

In which country did the American poet Ezra Pound die in 1972?

Gosh.

Er...

It's a pure guess and I have nothing to go on but I'll go for France.

France is wrong, it's Italy.

So you remain level.

Well done, Debbie. Staying level, that means we go to sudden death

and these questions, to make it harder, are not multiple-choice.

-Debbie, are you ready?

-Yes.

Here's your question. Henry Wilt is the main character in four novels

by which English satirical author?

Henry Wilt? Sorry, my head's gone completely blank. Erm...

Oscar Wilde.

Not Oscar Wilde. The answer is Tom Sharpe.

So, Barry, if you get this right, you've taken the round.

The champions of the Irish Revival movement,

WB Yeats and Lady Augusta Gregory,

established which famous Dublin theatre which opened in 1904?

I believe the Playboy Of The Western World was first

performed at this theatre.

The theatre, I'm pretty certain, is the Abbey Theatre.

-Which is in Dublin, you think?

-It is, indeed.

Barry, you got it right, well done, congratulations.

That means you will be in the final round.

Debbie, sorry, beaten by our Egghead.

As a result, you won't be in the final.

Please come back and rejoin your teams.

As it stands the challengers have lost two brains from the final round

while the Eggheads have lost none. The next subject is Sport.

Come on, Steffi!

-Come on!

-Now, you know who's doing it?

-Yes.

Steffi? OK.

Against?

-CJ!

-Let's go with CJ.

Yeah, CJ.

So it's Steffi from the Divas against CJ from

the Eggheads and to ensure there's no conferring, please take your

positions in the question room.

-Good luck, Steffi.

-Thank you.

-I sense an opening here.

-Oh, I don't know.

Three questions, multiple choice, and you can choose the first or

-second set.

-Er, first, please.

Steffi, in which sport might you encounter a dog-leg?

This is definitely one of my sports and I do play golf, and it's golf.

Bang on. What is it?

It's where you can't see the actual flag, so you have to

go straight, and then either left or right before you see the flag.

Great answer, one point to you.

CJ, how many points are awarded to a driver for a win

in a Formula One Grand Prix?

Erm, that has changed in the last few years, the scoring system,

but I think the driver who wins always gets ten points.

That's right. That is the answer.

Steffi, your question.

In March 2008, which bowler

became the 11th Englishman to take a Test match hat-trick?

I do like cricket, but, ooh...don't know.

Oh, I'm gonna go for the new boy, Ryan Sidebottom.

Is that a total guess?

-Mmm, sort of.

-It's totally right.

THEY CHEER AND APPLAUD

I love your team.

You're brilliant, absolutely brilliant.

CJ, which American boxer is nicknamed The Executioner?

Boxing is one of those sports I know absolutely nothing about.

I've never even heard of Antonio Tarver.

I don't know why I'm thinking. I'm just gonna have to pick one.

I'm going to go for Antonio Tarver.

Antonia Tarver, The Executioner? Daphne is shaking her head.

-Bernard Hopkins.

-Sorry, CJ, it's wrong.

It's Bernard Hopkins, The Executioner.

You have a chance here now.

Steffi, the Battle of Santiago was a notoriously violent football match

between Chile and which team at the 1962 World Cup?

Oh, before my time, I'm afraid. Erm...

I don't think it's Italy.

Santiago, South America?

Brazil.

A total guess.

You're wrong, I'm afraid.

-It was Italy, Steffi.

-Oh, it was. Sorry.

CJ, what was the prize money awarded to the winner

of the Wimbledon Mens' Singles Championship in 2008?

Exactly the same amount of money

awarded to the winner of the women's single.

It was 750,000.

You are right. Well done. So, after three questions

you are neck-and-neck with two correct answers each.

We go to a sudden-death.

Steffi, the graveyard of champions is the nickname

for which number court at Wimbledon?

"Graveyard of champions"... I do not think it is Centre Court

Court One? Could be Court One.

Graveyard of Champions...erm... I'll go for Court One.

The logic took you nearly there but not far enough.

It was Court Two.

Oh, Court Two, yeah.

CJ, at which sports have Mervyn King and Tony Alcock

been world indoor champions for England?

Bowls.

You said that so precisely and so certainly.

Tony Alcock is one of the most famous English bowlers ever.

Bowls is correct, CJ. You've taken the round.

And it was a tough round.

Steffi, you were beaten by our Eggheads.

-O-oh...

-You won't be able to help your team in the final round.

Please, both of your, come back to the studio.

The challengers have lost three brains before the final round

and the Eggheads have lost none.

Next, the subject is Film and Television.

Is that good?

-OK, Louise. It's Louise.

-Louise, are you doing it?

So, it's Louise, yeah?

ALL: Yeah. We're gonna go for Chris.

-Chris? Chris, yeah?

-Chris.

We're going for Chris.

Louise from the Divas against Chris from the Eggheads.

-Please take your positions in the Question Room. This is getting lively.

-Oh, yes!

We are excited to have a singer with us, Louise. More than one, in fact.

Give us...

some Bryan Ferry, some Beverley Knight, you tell us.

I will...well...

This time I'm trying to pray to myself and sing.

# Don't you worry about a thi-i-ing

# Don't you worry about a thi-i-ing.

# The Divas. #

CHEERING

What about that?!

Absolutely beautiful. Chris, your turn.

# Sirens are screaming in the fires of hell

# Way down in the valley tonight... #

Stop it! Stop it!

All right, Louise, I'm going to ask you three questions on film and television in turn.

First or second set?

The first, please.

Lovely singing.

Thank you.

What is the name of Noriyuki Pat Morita's character

in the 1985 movie the Karate Kid.

Oh, yo... I think I'm going to go

for Mr...Mr Suzuki.

Suzuki is wrong.

-Miyagi is right. I'm sorry.

-Never mind! Never mind.

Sorry.

Chris, who provides the voice for the Children's TV character

Bob the Builder?

It's Neil Morrissey.

It is Neil Morrissey. Well done. One point to you.

Come on, Louise.

"On every street, in every city there's a nobody who dreams of being a somebody",

is the tagline for which 1976 movie?

I can feel either Taxi Driver or The Godfather Part II,

so...erm...

The Taxi Driver.

Team mates, are you pleased?

-Yes.

-Yes, that's right.

OK!

Well done.

Chris, which 1996 disaster film starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton

was the first movie ever released on DVD?

Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton... that was Twister.

You're right. Twister is the correct answer.

So, you need this, Louise.

In the 1932 film Night After Night, who replies to the hat check girl's exclamation,

"Goodness, what lovely diamonds!",

with the line, "Goodness had nothing to do with it, dearie!"

I can feel a kind of attitude in that reply

so I reckon, with attitude, Bette Davis.

Bette Davis is your answer?

Yeah, cos she's kind of cool and she'd be using a shoulder going...

Whatever that phrase was.

We so want you in the final but...

it's Mae West.

I'm really sorry. Beaten by our Egghead.

You won't be in the final, Chris will be.

Please come back and rejoin your teams.

It's time for the final round which as always is General Knowledge.

Those of you who lost your head-to-heads

will not be allowed to take part,

which means Rhian, Louise, Steffi and Debbie from the Divas,

please leave the studio.

So, Melanie, all alone.

-Yes.

-Playing to win the Divas £5,000.

Kevin, CJ, Daphne, Chris and Barry, you're playing for something

that money can't buy - the Eggheads' reputation.

As usual, I will ask each team three questions,

this time the questions are all General Knowledge.

You are allowed to confer.

Melanie, the question is,

is your one brain better than the Eggheads five brains?

-And you're an actress and singer.

-Singer/actress. Yeah.

OK, do you want to do yourself a line of something in song

to get us going here?

# Summertime and the living is easy

# Fish are jumping and the cotton is high

# Oh, your daddy's rich and your ma is good looking

# So hush, little baby Don't you cry. #

APPLAUSE

Forget the last round, just sing!

I'll take the money now, thank you! Thank you.

OK, the first question is do you want to go first or second?

I'll go first, please.

Melanie, in April 2008 which former deputy prime minister

disclosed that he secretly battled

with the eating disorder bulimia throughout his political career?

I know it's not Michael Heseltine and I know it's not Geoffrey Howe

but it was definitely John Prescott.

John Prescott is correct.

Your first question, Eggheads. What does the L represent in the charity abbreviation RNLI?

That would be Lifeboat.

-That's right, as in Royal...

-..National Lifeboat Institution.

Very good. One each. Back to you, Melanie.

The pop singer Jessica Taylor of the group Liberty X

married which sportsman in 2007?

Well, it's not Rio Ferdinand,

and it's not Danny Cipriani.

-It's Kevin Pietersen.

-Yes, you're right.

-OK!

Eggheads, who played the role of Richard Hannay

in Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 version of The 39 Steps?

That's Robert Donat.

It is correct.

Third question for you, Melanie.

What name is given to a literary work in the form of letters?

I'm looking at the last one - Epistolary.

I'm thinking of the word "epistle",

which means letter.

I'm going to go with Epistolary.

You got it right.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

So, the pressure is now on the Eggheads.

If you get this wrong,

you are defeated

and the challengers take the money. Which American president

began the tradition of the ceremonial first pitch

at the start of the baseball season in 1910?

Was it...?

THEY CONFER

Wasn't he too fat to throw anything?

-He was President at the time.

-Yeah.

Yeah, he was President at the time.

But we want the serving President

rather than the ex-President, I think.

I think we have to go with Taft. We've covered that anyway,

-because we know he was President.

-Right.

We are going to go for William Taft,

because he was President at that time.

-Yes, you're right.

-Ooh, good.

SHE CHUCKLES

Now, three questions each. Scores are level.

We go to sudden death. Hang on in there, Melanie.

What type of bird is the emblem of the city of Athens?

SHE SIGHS Erm...

-What's on your mind?

-Is there another question?

-No.

-CHUCKLING

Erm...

I really don't know.

Total total total guess.

An eagle.

-Eagle is wrong. It's owl.

-Oh.

Eggheads, your question. If you get it right, you've snatched the prize

from our wonderful challengers.

In Welsh folklore, what did Saint David suggest

that his followers wear in their caps in battle

to distinguish them from their Saxon foes?

THEY CONFER

-Barry, did you think of leek, there?

-I'd go with daffodils.

-Kevin and I both thought leek.

-So did I, because Llewellyn

was supposed to wear a leek in his cap.

Yes, so that would probably be the older emblem.

-That's probably the origin of it.

-Right.

Consensus of opinion

going on Shakespeare's Henry The Fifth,

we think it's a leek.

And if you get it right,

it's the end of the line for our wonderful divas.

Leeks is correct.

Congratulations, Eggheads, you've won.

-Sorry, Melanie.

-Bad luck. Commiserations.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally.

They still reign supreme over quiz land,

and I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £5,000.

So, 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.

£6,000 says they don't.

Till then, goodbye.

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