Episode 129 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've won some of the country's

toughest quiz shows. They are the Eggheads.

Challenging our resident quiz champions today

are The Cube Rooters from Dundee.

They're current or former colleagues of team captain Dawn.

They take their name from the fact that four of them

are maths teachers. Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Dawn. I'm 32 and I'm a maths teacher.

Hi, I'm Ian. I'm 29 and I'm a maths teacher.

Hi, I'm Eddie. I'm 34 and I'm a maths teacher.

Hello, I'm Derek. I'm 49 and a facilities coordinator.

-Hi there, I'm Richard. I'm 28 and I'm also a maths teacher.

-So, Cube Rooters, welcome.

-And which one isn't a maths teacher, first of all?

-Derek.

What do you do, Derek?

I'm in charge of the facilities of the school, maintenance work, repairs and things like that.

You're all connected through the school or through maths?

We're actually now at different schools but we have worked together at different times.

What do we need to know about maths that we don't know? Cos it is one of those very special subjects.

-The circumference of a circle?

-Do you know what it is?

-Um, is it piD?

-It is.

And you quiz together?

We have done, yes.

Derek runs a little quiz at

the school, so some of us have been involved in that. Others have been

-in pub quizzes and things as well.

-Well, good luck to 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.

So, Cube Rooters, the Eggheads have won the last eight games,

which means that £9,000 says you can't beat them.

First head-to-head battle is on the subject of Science.

-You like this, don't you?

-Well, we've got

three that are quite happy.

-We'll have to battle that one out.

-OK, you're spoilt for choice.

Choose one of you and then one Egghead to play against.

You're going with me,

are you? You're going with me?

-Ian? Yeah?

-OK.

-We're going to have Ian and...

Who do you want to play against?

I don't know. Judith or Barry?

-Go for Barry.

-Barry.

-We'll go for Barry.

We'll see how we go. Ian from The Cube Rooters against Barry,

our new Egghead. To ensure there's

no conferring, please take your positions in the Question Room.

Ian, we had a look at Barry on the way to him becoming

an Egghead. He played Science twice and, Barry, you won twice.

Oh, that's good to know.

-Had you forgotten that?

-I had indeed.

You'd lost count.

You're playing a maths teacher, so let's see.

Does maths extend beyond maths for you? Are you a scientist in outlook?

I watch a lot of these documentaries on all

these holidays that I get, so...

But not necessarily in the classroom.

You can be a maths teacher who just knows maths, or a maths

-teacher who knows about everything?

-I know everything, yes!

-Hopefully!

-We've never had anybody say that before!

It's going to backfire!

Let's not even worry about playing, that's it! You've already won!

OK, I'm going to ask each of you three multiple-choice questions in

turn, and Ian, as you know, you get to choose the first or second set.

Er, first please.

Ian, what colour will an object appear if it reflects

all colours of the spectrum?

Right, well, it would be

a bit strange if all the colours disappeared and became white.

I don't really know the answer, but it's not going to be white.

I can't see it being black...

..because there are light colours in there.

So, it's an educated guess of going for grey.

So dangerous, the educated guess.

-It is actually white. So, Ian, you know everything except that.

-Yep!

Barry, your question. The budgerigar is native to which continent?

They're found in the wild in Australia, and

they're normally green in the wild, unlike the colours

that they have in this country.

Spot on. First point to you.

Ian, your question. For what does the letter A stand

in the name of the respiratory illness known as SARS?

I don't think it's Allergen.

So I'm going to cross that one off the list.

From watching the news, I'm tending to go with Acute because

I think that's what I heard many newsreaders saying. Just from that.

So, I'm going to go with Acute.

And you're right.

Well done.

-Stands for?

-Severe Acute...

..Respiratory Syndrome.

OK, Barry, your question. What is the name of the nearest major spiral

galaxy to the Earth's?

The nearest galaxies to the Earth, although they're not spiral,

are the Magellanic Clouds, a kind of nebula.

But the nearest spiral galaxy to the Earth is Andromeda.

Well played, you're absolutely right. Two points, Barry.

Which means Ian has to get this right or he's taken the round.

There will be no way back if you get this wrong.

Meles meles is the Latin name for which British mammal?

OK, I don't know this one, so it's really gonna...

And I can't think of any way of eliminating any of the options.

I'm going to go with...

..otters, simply because it stands out because...

..it is in the water and the other two aren't.

-Because it's in the water?

-Yes.

-OK, I'm afraid it's wrong.

-Barry, do you know?

-It's a badger.

An otter is a lutra lutra.

Barry's good at Science, everyone!

We've discovered this! There's no doubt about it!

Ian, I'm sorry, you were beaten. Commiserations.

You won't be playing in the final round.

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

Ian, that was rough.

Any thoughts?

-I wish I didn't say that I knew everything.

-That was good, that.

-We liked that.

-That's going to backfire badly at school!

Bad luck. But there's plenty of time for your team.

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

the Eggheads have lost no brains. Next subject is Sport. Ah, you were

-the sportsperson, Ian?

-Yes, that was one of my better subjects.

-It's got to be somebody else.

-I don't think we've got any debate about this?

We've got Derek, for sure.

-Derek for sure?

-And, Derek, who?

Who would you like?

I'm gonna take Judith.

-Judith.

-Oh, I'm thrilled(!)

OK, Derek from The Cube Rooters is going to take Judith from the

Eggheads. To ensure there's

no conferring, please take your positions in the Question Room.

OK, Derek, I'm going to ask each of you three questions,

multiple-choice questions.

-You can choose the first or second set.

-I'll go first.

Which snooker player won his third world title in May 2008?

Well, it wasn't Peter Ebdon.

I think I know this one, I think it's Ronnie O'Sullivan.

And you're right. Well done, Derek.

Judith.

Which flamboyant British racing driver was nicknamed The Shunt?

Oh, I know.

James Hunt...

The Shunt!

..Jackie Stewart or Nigel Mansell?

It's James Hunt, The Shunt.

-Shunt The Hunt.

-Shunt The Hunt.

OK, you're right.

How did you get that?

I don't know. It's one of the few facts that's stuck in my head.

-We waited a long time for that fact to come around!

-Yes!

-And finally, we've got it.

-It'll never come back!

-No!

One point each. Derek, over to you.

Former All Black captain Tama Umaga allegedly struck team-mate Chris Masoe

over the head with which item in the Jolly Poacher Tavern

on the 27th May 2006?

This isn't the kind of sporting question I was looking for.

I can't imagine a rugby player having a handbag.

I'll rule that out.

I'm gonna say umbrella.

It was a handbag, actually!

He did it with a handbag.

Anyone know the reason?

-Eggheads?

-No.

There wasn't an umbrella handy?

Yeah, that's it!

Judith, Peter Osgood

made 380 appearances and scored 150 goals for which football club?

Hopeless asking me questions like that.

Peter Osgood. Well, Rangers is a Scottish team, isn't it?

So I think it's Chelsea or Leeds, and I'm going to say Leeds.

And it's Rangers?!

No, as a Chelsea fan, I'm quietly devastated. It is Chelsea.

Oh, dear, I'm sorry.

Don't worry, don't worry. We'll recover from that.

Over to you, Derek.

Which Australian swimmer won the gold in the 1500m freestyle at both

the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games?

I'm kind of between two here.

I'm gonna go for Grant Hackett.

It's the right answer, Grant Hackett.

-Judith, if you get this wrong...

-I know.

Go on, tell me. What's going to happen?

-I won't be in the final round.

-OK.

Don't want to hurt your feelings.

Which sport was banned in China by Chairman Mao?

I don't know why, I'm thinking tennis because, until

lately, there've been very few

Chinese tennis players.

So, I mean, I have absolutely no idea, but that is the logic.

-So, I'm going to say tennis.

-He actually banned boxing.

-Sorry, Judith, you're wrong.

-Oh, well.

-It wasn't tennis.

-It was a try.

-So, Cube Rooters, that's good.

Well done, Derek. You took on

an Egghead, you emerged triumphant. That's great news for

the challengers, because Derek can play in the final.

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

So, as it stands, the challengers and the Eggheads have lost one brain each

from that final round.

Next subject is Geography.

So, do mathematicians do Geography? That's the next question.

-Ian apparently does, but decided he wanted to do Science!

-Oh, dear!

-It can't be Ian or Derek.

-That means I'm gonna have to do Geography.

-Yeah?

-OK, Richard? Which Egghead?

-I think it's going to have to be CJ.

-Yes, CJ.

-OK, so, Richard from The Cube Rooters against CJ from

the Eggheads on Geography.

Why don't we take our positions in the Question Room?

All right, guys, here we go.

Three questions, multiple choice.

First or second set for you? Which would you like?

I'd like to go first, please.

Kingston is the capital of which Caribbean island?

Now...

When I was at the airport yesterday, I saw a flight going to Kingston,

and I thought to myself, "I wonder what country that's in."

I wish I'd found out!

I think it's in Jamaica.

-Yes, I'm going to go for Jamaica.

-You happy with that answer, team?

-Yes.

-Maths team here. Yeah, well done, you're right.

Jamaica it is.

CJ, the South Downs stretch across

East and West Sussex and which other county?

Well, not Dorset, cos it's far too far away.

I hate this. I really do hate these questions.

I just don't know British geography.

Um, I'm gonna go for Hampshire.

Hampshire's right. Well done.

OK, Richard.

The Hagia Sophia is a prominent landmark of which capital city?

I have absolutely no idea about this.

I don't think it might be Istanbul.

I don't know why I think that.

So as a guess I'm going to

have to say Belgrade, cos I don't know.

It's a prominent landmark in Istanbul. You got that wrong.

Your question, CJ.

The Chateau Marmont Hotel is located in which US city?

I'm just thinking... I think it's there, but let me just think.

No, it's not in New York.

I don't think it's... I think it's in Chicago.

Chicago's your answer? It's wrong. It's Los Angeles. LA.

Richard, over to you. The Yenisei river flows through which country?

I'll spell it for you. Y-E-N-I-S-E-Y.

I have never even heard of it.

Um, it doesn't sound very Russian.

But that doesn't mean it's not.

I'm going to go for China.

China is wrong. It's Russia.

Your question, CJ. If you take this, you've got

the round and you're in the final.

If not, we go to sudden death.

What term is given to the process in which rock particles knock together,

becoming more rounded and reduced in size?

Well, not lateral erosion.

I've not heard of acculturation.

I'm just going to go for the obvious one, I'm going to go for attrition.

And you're right. It is attrition.

You've taken the round.

Through attrition, CJ's triumphed.

He'll be in the final. Richard, you won't.

Please come back and rejoin your teams.

As it stands, the challengers

have lost two brains from the final round. Eggheads have lost one brain.

Last subject is Music, so which challenger wants this?

-It's got to be Eddie or Dawn.

-I would rather do the last round

than the Music round, but I'm open to suggestion.

Well, I don't mind. I'll do the...

-You'll do Music?

-OK, we'll go with Dawn.

-Yeah, I'm going to go for it.

OK, Dawn, and who do you want? It's Daphne or Kevin.

I think it's... Yeah, I want Daphne!

All right, Dawn against Daphne, please go to the Question Room now.

Dawn, you get to choose whether you take the first or second set of questions.

I'd like to go first, please.

Here's your first question.

Which band released the albums Beggars Banquet

and Exile On Main St?

Oh, before I came in here, the first thing I said was, "I hope

"I don't get asked album titles," cos that's what I'm terrible at.

Pure guess, but I'm gonna go for The Rolling Stones.

It's a good guess, you're right. Well done.

Now, Daphne, your question. Confide In Me

and Spinning Around were UK hit singles for which singer?

Oh!

You can tell I don't know!

Out of the three I think I'll go for Kylie Minogue.

It's that amazing guessing of yours again, you're right.

Well done, Daphne.

OK, Dawn, what is the name of the preacher's son

in the Dusty Springfield song Son Of A Preacher Man?

Oh, now, I know this song.

I'm trying to go through it in my head.

Feel free to sing it if it helps!

I would clear the studio if I did that.

Don't worry!

I seem to think Johnny-James.

I'm crossing out Frankie-Lee for definite, I think.

But then that's never a good thing to say.

I'm gonna go with Johnny-James, please.

It's really a tricky one, this.

Great song, but the name is buried in there somewhere,

and it's not Johnny-James, it's Billy-Ray.

-Oh.

-Sorry, Dawn.

Your question, Daphne. What is the term for a melody

played in conjunction with another,

a technique used in the Irving Berlin song You're Just in Love?

Um...

It's awful! I ought to know this.

Um...

Right, here goes.

Descant?

No, descant is wrong, it's counterpoint.

Oh, I was thinking about that one, yeah.

Oh, dear!

Ooh, dear! So, Dawn, your chance to take the initiative.

Good luck with question three.

Who composed the opera Lady Macbeth Of The Mtsensk District?

Oh, well. Opera's certainly not anything...

Not one of my strong subjects.

I absolutely know nothing about it at all, so it's going to have to be

a total guess.

And I'm going to go for Stravinsky, purely because there's two start

with S and two end with "sky", and that's got

both, so I'm going for Stravinsky.

Great logic. Do you know, Daphne?

Shostakovich.

It is Shostakovich.

Sorry, Dawn, Shostakovich is correct. So, Daphne, with this

answer, you can take your place in the final round.

Or else I sit on the naughty bench!

Well... Maybe!

We will have sudden death if you get this wrong.

Which bebop artist

is credited with writing the jazz standard Salt Peanuts?

It would help if I knew which one of them wrote...

I don't think it's John Coltrane, so, um...

Wrote, who wrote...?

Oh, dear.

Charlie Parker.

Is the wrong answer. It's Dizzy Gillespie.

So you're equal after three questions,

which means we go to sudden death.

Dawn, that means it's that bit harder because it's not multiple choice.

Here's your first sudden-death question. During World War II,

which English singer, born in East Ham in 1917,

was known as the Forces' Sweetheart?

Oh... I can see her.

Can you ask her to hold up a sign with her name on?

That would be...

I'm asking her, but she's too busy singing at the moment.

No, sorry.

Is that a pass?

It's a pass.

-Vera Lynn.

-Oh!

So, this to take the round, Daphne. The composer Eric Spear

is perhaps best known for writing the theme tune

for which long-running TV show?

At last, I know it!

Coronation Street.

Yes, well done. That's right.

And he got, apparently, £6 for doing it.

Ah, bless.

Rather more is at stake today. Challengers,

you've taken a knock. Dawn won't be in the final.

Daphne, you will. Please come back to the studio.

This is what we've been playing towards, it's time for our final

round, which, as always, is General Knowledge. I'm afraid those of you

who lost your head-to-heads won't be allowed to take part in this round.

So, that's Dawn, Ian and Richard from The Cube Rooters and Judith from the Eggheads.

Please leave the studio.

So here we are, final round.

Derek, interesting, all the maths teachers who went up

-got knocked out, the facilities co-ordinator stays in.

-Yeah, well!

Words of wisdom, that's what it is!

So, you're playing to win The Cube Rooters £9,000.

Barry, Kevin, CJ and Daphne, you're

playing for something which money can't buy, the Eggheads' reputation.

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

All General Knowledge.

You are allowed to confer.

So, Cube Rooters, the question is,

are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

Eddie and Derek, first or second set?

-First?

-We'll go first.

-We'll go first.

Your question. What area in London shares its name

with a slim, ankle-high boot with an elastic panel on the side?

-Chelsea, is it?

-Never heard of the other two,

-but I've heard of a Chelsea boot.

-Definitely.

-And it's an area in London.

-Yeah.

I think we've come to a decision, and we're going for Chelsea.

Correct. Second time that Chelsea

has been the answer to a question.

Your question, Eggheads. What is the first name of the woman

that the royal Peter Phillips married in May 2008?

-Autumn Kelly, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

Think her name's Autumn Kelly, so it's Autumn.

Correct answer, well done. Autumn is right.

Your second question, Cube Rooters.

Tell Sid was an advertising campaign

during the 1980s for the privatisation of which company?

My first thought was that as well, was British Telecom.

-It's not British Rail.

-No.

So it's either British Gas or British Telecom. My immediate

thought was British Telecom, but then when I've seen British Gas...

We should go with our first answer.

-First thought, yup.

-Mine was British Telecom.

-Mine as well, mine as well.

We're split between two.

My first instinct and Derek's,

before the choices came up,

was British Telecom.

Then British Gas came up and kind of threw a spanner in the works.

So we've decided to go with our

original instinct and go with British Telecom.

I'm sorry you've done that. It was British Gas.

Which came a bit later than the

-telecom privatisation, is that right?

-British Telecom was Busby.

-Oh, so it was.

-Telecom was '84 and Gas was '86, for what that's worth.

The very annoying series with Sid was Gas.

Your question, Eggheads. Which former newsreader famously flung a glass of

wine over her former boss Jonathan Aitken?

-Anna Ford?

-We all agree.

That was Anna Ford.

She'll be chuffed you remember that! You're right.

So, Eggheads, have two points.

Challengers, you have one.

You must get this right or you lose the chance of the £9,000.

Good luck. Here we go, your third question. Lalo Schifrin

composed the score for which 1960s film starring Steve McQueen?

I don't know Steve McQueen films.

I really...

Bullitt was after the '60s.

Bullitt was in the '70s or '80s.

The Great Escape was certainly in the '60s.

The Magnificent Seven... probably '60s, if anything.

So it's between The Great Escape and The Magnificent Seven.

It's really got to be down to you, this one.

Was that '60s, now?

I'm gonna doubt myself now it was the '60s.

Had to be the '60s.

OK, I'm gonna go for it.

I'm gonna go for The Magnificent Seven.

OK. Unfortunately it was down to one of the challengers, because I really

didn't have a clue.

So we're thinking on Derek's lines, which is The Magnificent Seven.

But we're really not sure.

OK. It's always painful when the correct answer is ruled out early...

-Oh, was it Bullitt?

-..and you discuss the other two.

-Eggheads, you know the answer?

-Bullitt.

-Which was 19... What?

-'68.

So it was the '60s.

The other two were Elmer Bernstein.

You got it wrong, I'm afraid, and that means there's no way back

for our wonderful challengers.

Eggheads, congratulations, you've won.

Commiserations, challengers. Something about movies, if they're good,

-they're there forever, you can't necessarily put a date to them.

-No.

-Bad luck.

The Eggheads have done what comes naturally. Their winning streak continues.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with that £9,000,

which means that the money rolls over to the next show.

Eggheads, congratulations to you. Who will beat you?

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

£10,000 says they don't.

Till then, goodbye.

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