Episode 135 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 have won some of the country's toughest quiz shows.

They are the Eggheads.

And taking on our quiz champions today are the Water Babies.

Yes, a young team. They grew up in Dorset, and despite going to

different universities across the country, they return to Dorset

in the holidays, because they can't be away from the sea. Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Will. I'm 20 and I'm a French and Italian student.

Hi, I'm Ed. I'm 18 and I'm a waiter and a musician.

Hi, I'm Alex. I'm 20 and I'm a politics and philosophy student.

Hi, I'm Mike. I'm 20 and I'm a maths and physics student.

Hi, I'm Charlie. I'm 20 years old and I'm a sociology student.

-Water Babies, welcome.

-Hi.

-And I'm guessing the sea,

-so it's surfing and posing on the beach and all that?

-Yeah, surfing. Charlie is a big surfer.

Ed and I, we like our wake-boarding. Out on the boats and so on in Christchurch Bay.

-Is it good there?

-It's great. Yes. Very old-people community,

but there's a bit of life left in it, a bit of fun.

And you're all mates.

Ed and I are brothers. And the four of us, myself, Ed, Charlie and Mike, are friends from school.

We met at the age of two and Alex has been drafted in as a friend from university.

Good luck. They're jealous because they're not young and you are. So you already have the advantage.

Youth is the Lord of life.

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, Water Babies, the Eggheads have won the last 14 games which means,

-have a guess...

-£15,000.

£15,000 says you can't beat them.

The first head-to-head battle is on sport.

-Oh.

-Who wants to take that on?

-Charlie, danger man.

-Getting involved early on.

-Who shall I go up against?

So, Charlie?

I'll try Barry. I'll try the new boy, Barry.

OK, Charlie from the Water Babies against Barry, our newest Egghead.

To ensure there is no conferring, please take your positions in the question room.

Three multiple choice questions.

-Charlie, you can choose the first or second set.

-I'll go first, please, Jeremy.

Charlie, in May 2008, which tennis player announced

her shock retirement from professional tennis with immediate effect?

OK, I'm going to immediately rule out Serena Williams.

It was between Justine Henin and Amelie Mauresmo,

but I'm going to go with Justine Henin.

-It was Justine Henin, well done.

-Good start.

Your question, Barry.

Which Premiership football team did Emmanuel Adebayor join in 2006?

It certainly wasn't West Ham United.

I'm reasonably certain it wasn't Chelsea, so I will go for Arsenal.

And, Judith, you would have known that, wouldn't you?

-They are one of your favourite teams.

-I thought it was Chelsea.

Oh, you on sport is one of the great joys in life. No, it's not Chelsea.

It was Arsenal. Barry, you're right.

Charlie, your question. Which former international cricketer is known by the nickname Dazzler?

OK, um...I'm pretty sure it's Darren Gough. I don't know why

but I'm pretty sure I've heard Dazzler as a nickname for him.

And I'm hoping that it's not Shane Warne or Sachin Tendulkar either.

-Your answer?

-Darren Gough.

-Is correct.

-Good lad.

Barry, over to you.

In Europe, what colour ski slopes are the easiest?

Well, I know that black are the hardest, so I can discount that.

I've not heard of green ski slopes so that leaves me with just red.

-So my answer is red.

-DAPHNE: Oh-oh.

That gasp, or sound of a death rattle from Daphne

will give you the clue that you are wrong.

It was green. So, Charlie, you've got the edge now.

Take this one and you knock Barry out and you're in the final.

Which country won the men's ice hockey gold medal at seven

of the nine Winter Olympics held between 1956 and '88?

I'm not an ice hockey fan,

but before the options came up I was thinking Canada,

because I'm pretty sure they're pretty useful at ice hockey.

So, through no other way, I'm going to go with Canada.

OK. And out of interest, I know you're only 20,

but what do the words USSR mean to you?

-I'm thinking Russia.

-Right, the old Soviet Republics. Yes.

Because that was the right answer, not Canada. Sorry about that.

Barry, British sportswoman, Georgina Harland won a bronze medal at the 2004 Olympics in which event?

Oh, dear. I should know all the British medal winners,

because, sadly, we don't have as many of them as we should do.

I can't seem to recall any sports women winning in shooting.

I don't think we won in the modern pentathlon. So I will say judo.

You're not in the final, Barry. It's modern pentathlon.

Well done, Charlie.

-Charlie, well done.

-Thank you.

-You will be playing in the final. You've knocked out an Egghead,

which is a great start for our Water Babies.

Congratulations, Charlie. Please, both of you, come back to the studio.

The challengers have lost no brains from the final round while the Eggheads have lost one brain.

Our next subject, guys, film and television.

Who is the person for this?

THEY CHAT I think it's got to be Mike.

-Mike.

-Who are you going to take on?

-Judith.

Try and knock her out of the running early doors.

-We'll go with Mikey taking on Judith.

-OK, Mike from The Water Babies

and Judith from the Eggheads, please take your positions in the question room.

Three questions for each of you on film and television

-and, Mike, you can choose the first or the second set.

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

Mike, in 1986, Pam St Clement

joined the cast of EastEnders as which character?

I'm pretty sure it's not Peggy. I don't watch the show that much.

Ooh, I'm going to have to guess and I think I'll go with Pauline.

That's a first instinct. That's what I'm going to try.

-OK, Pauline it is. Any EastEnders fans among your fellow students?

-No.

-Is it not big with students now?

-No.

So a tough question for you there, Mike. And it's Pat, I'm afraid.

Judith.

Who was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his leading role

in the 1982 film Tootsie?

Well, it's definitely not John Hurt.

It's Dustin Hoffman, isn't it?

I didn't ever see it, but I think it's Dustin Hoffman.

-Yes, it was Dustin Hoffman.

-Phew.

Over to you, Mike. Which Peter Weir film,

based on a Joan Lindsay novel, describes the mysterious disappearance

of three schoolgirls and their teacher from a school outing?

Er. Well, I have no idea, so...

This is a tough one.

I'm going to go with The Innocents.

Picnic At Hanging Rock is the answer.

Probably came out before you were born, I would think. Early '80s?

Mid-'70s.

So when you were about minus 15.

Judith, your question now,

and if you get this one right, you will have taken the round

-and you will be in the final.

-Gosh.

Which weather presenter is famous for leaping around a large floating map of the UK

when the TV programme This Morning was broadcast from the Albert Docks in Liverpool?

I can see him doing it and I can't remember which one it was.

I don't think it was a girl.

I don't know who Fred Talbot is, so let's try him.

You're right. Fred Talbot it was, jumping around

a large floating map of the UK.

So, Judith, you'll be joining us in the final.

Mike, you won't, I'm afraid. You've been beaten by an Egghead so you won't be able to join your team

in the final. Both of you, please, come back to the studio.

So, as it stands, the challengers have lost one brain from the final round.

The Eggheads have also lost one brain.

The next subject is science. Have you got

-scientific students here?

-Yes, Mikey,

who just bombed out on film and TV.

Unfortunately.

-Shall I go?

-Yeah.

-It's not my specialist subject, but I'll step up.

-What are you studying?

-French and Italian, a BA.

-There were French and Italian scientists...

-And hopefully I'll have heard of some of them.

-So, Will,

who do you want to take on? Kevin, CJ or Daphne?

I'll go for CJ, I think.

Great, so it's Will from the Water Babies against CJ from the Eggheads.

To ensure there is no conferring, please take your positions.

-Multiple choice questions. Will, would you like the first or second set?

-First, please.

Here we go.

Thermodynamics is the study of the relation between various forms of energy and what?

I'm thinking thermo, heat from thermometer and other things.

But I'm not 100% sure.

It's not my category really.

So, just because I can't see it being particularly either of the other two

I'm going to go with heat, please.

And heat is right. Well done.

You're on the way.

CJ, what natural phenomenon occurs when sunlight refracts through raindrops?

Refraction of light splits it up, so that would be a rainbow.

Quite right. One apiece.

Back to you, Will. What colour

is the halogen bromine,

the only non-metallic element that is a liquid at room temperature?

I'm trying to think. For some reason,

I was thinking a murky green before you said it.

I don't know if there is any logic

or whether it's just old science experiments I'm harking back to.

That's just my gut instinct and I believed that is the way I should go,

so I'll plump for dark green, please.

Which is wrong. It's dark red. Sorry, Will.

CJ, which bird can be identified by its piercing "teacher, teacher" song?

Very little idea on this one.

Something, possibly unwisely, is drawing me to chaffinch

and I've no idea why, but that's the one I'll go for.

Maybe the same something that drew Will to dark green.

I've changed my mind.

No, you've got chaffinch and it's wrong.

It's great tit, CJ.

OK, Will, your question.

He's given you a look-in here. Get this right and you put the pressure on CJ.

The British scientists Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe

carried out the first successful practice of which medical procedure?

Again, I'm a little bit flummoxed by it, even though I've got a shot

at redemption, thanks to CJ. Um...

I'm thinking maybe IVF because it's something that

has come to the fore quite recently.

I'm not sure when the first MRI scan was around.

So, just because it's straight down the middle,

I'm going to go for IVF, please.

Spot on. Well done.

Well played! All right, here's your question, CJ.

If you get this wrong, you're not in the final.

What name is given to the reflex which causes individuals in crowded rooms to amplify their voices,

setting off a cacophonic chain reaction?

Never heard of this. I mean, I can understand what it is referring to,

but I've never heard of it.

It's going to be an absolute blind guess

because I've never heard of this. It's the Lombard reflex.

Your blind guess is quite right. It is the Lombard reflex.

So, we go to sudden death.

This time it's not multiple choice.

It's that bit harder. Here we go, Will.

Hold on tight.

Which inert gas is known to make the human voice squeaky if inhaled?

Well, I've been relying on the answers being in front of me so far

and I've been plumping for one of those.

But this time, I hope I wouldn't need the answer in front of me because I'm 90% sure it's helium.

And you are 100% correct. It is helium.

It says on my card, "Do not try this at home!"

CJ... If you get this wrong, CJ, you're not in the final.

Which species of segmented worm is believed to take its name from the old English word meaning physician?

I don't know the worm, but I'm trying to think

what the old English word for a physician is.

I think this is goodbye to me,

because I can't think of anything.

Doctor...

I'm afraid I'm going to have to fall on my sword because I can't think of anything. Earthworm.

-Earthworm is your answer?

-Yeah.

-The answer is leech.

Popular for bloodletting

in the Middle Ages.

And, well done. Water Babies, you've let a bit of blood from the Eggheads.

CJ will not be in the final.

Will, you will.

Do come back and rejoin your teams.

So, as it stands, the challengers have lost

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

Our last subject is music.

Which of you wants music?

It can be old or new.

Is it Alex?

Yes, I think I'll take on music and I'll take on Kevin. The big man.

Let's get rid of him while we still can.

-You've got to try and take him down.

-We'll try.

It has been tried before. It is quite difficult.

Alex from the Water Babies against Kevin from the Eggheads.

And to ensure there is no conferring, please, do go to the question rooms.

Three multiple choice questions.

Alex, would you like the first or second set?

Can I go first, please?

"My life is brilliant, my love is pure,

"I saw an angel, of that I'm sure,"

is a line from a 2005 UK number-one hit single by which artist?

I'm pretty sure it's not Craig David

because I'm not sure he's had a hit number one for quite a while.

He's got quite an annoying voice, so he always stays with you.

So James Blunt, please.

Very good. It was James Blunt.

You increased your street cred by not knowing that. All right, Kevin.

Which character sings the song Some Day My Prince Will Come in a Disney animated film?

Ah.

I think we'll dismiss the Little Mermaid,

but it could be either of the others, couldn't it?

It's a well-known song.

I'm going to say Snow White. I'm not going to hang about. Snow White.

Everyone is relieved on your side, it is Snow White. Well done.

OK, a question for you, Alex.

Which heavy metal band

had a UK number-one album called Back In Black?

Um, I don't think Deep Purple have released anything

for a while,

so I'm discounting Deep Purple.

I think AC/DC have a song called Back In Black, so...

can I go for AC/DC, please?

You can and you're right. Well done.

Kevin. Which female vocalist, dubbed "the girl with a laugh in her voice,"

had UK top-ten hit singles with Dream Boat

and Never Do A Tango With An Eskimo?

I believe that was Alma Cogan.

It was indeed, you're right. Two points each.

If you get this right, Alex, you put him under pressure.

Get it wrong and goodness knows what will happen.

The jazz pioneer Max Roche

is best known for his skill on which instrument?

I really don't have much of a clue here.

Um, if I was going to go for a...

gut instinct, it probably would be the piano.

I don't think it would be the drums.

Yeah, can I plump for the piano in the middle?

-I'll go for piano, please.

-It's wrong, though.

-It's drums.

-Oh, of course!

Your question now, Kevin. If you get this right you're in the final. Who released the 1968 album

known as The Village Green Preservation Society?

I'm not certain, but I think that was...

It wasn't Donovan.

I think it was the Kinks.

Yes, the Kinks.

The Kinks is the correct answer. You've taken the round.

Bad luck, Alex.

You were beaten by our Egghead. That means you can't take part in the final round.

Please, both of you, come back here to the studio.

Time for our final round. As always, general knowledge,

but those of you who lost your head-to-heads

won't be allowed to take part in this round.

So that's Alex and Mike from the Water Babies

and Barry and CJ from the Eggheads. Would you please leave the studio?

Will, Ed and Charlie, you're playing to win the Water Babies £15,000.

Judith, Kevin 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.

This time the questions are general knowledge.

You are allowed to confer. So, Water Babies, the question is -

are your three brains better than the Eggheads' three?

Will, Ed and Charlie, would you like to go first or second?

Stick with before. Go first, please, Jeremy.

So here we go, and good luck.

£15,000. Which garden plant that can grow three feet a year

and reach heights of up to 100 is nicknamed "the scourge of suburbia?"

It's been in the news recently.

When you said that I thought maybe Leylandii.

I thought ivy and that's not there.

Privet hedge is a little one.

Honeysuckle is some sort of flower.

Use your instinct. That's best.

It's me. I'm going to go with Leylandii in the middle, please.

-Leylandii is correct.

-Brilliant!

Well done, Water Babies.

Next question to the Eggheads.

In the nursery rhyme Sing A Song Of Sixpence, where is the king?

I've done it. The king is in his counting house

counting out his money.

The Queen is in the garden, eating bread and honey.

-Isn't it in the parlour?

-The parlour, yes.

-Who's in the parlour?

-The Queen.

The maid is in the garden, hanging out the clothes,

along comes a blackbird and pecks off her nose. I've got grandchildren!

Such a disturbing nursery rhyme as well,

but you're right, counting house is the right answer.

Over to you, Water Babies.

In 2001, the Post Office spent £2 million changing its name to what?

I thought that straight away.

Again, I don't know why, Aviva. Maybe that's an insurance company?

But I don't know if it's spelt like that.

I'm pretty sure it was, down the middle again, it's Consignia.

Centrica sounds ridiculous as well.

Consignia is what came to me as well.

I'm 90% sure it's Consignia.

We all seem to be in agreement with this one.

Can we go with Consignia, please?

Well done. With great enthusiasm and conviction, you are right.

Consignia is the answer.

Putting the Eggs under pressure.

Here's your question, you three. In heraldry what term is given to an animal, especially a lion,

with its level hind leg on the ground and its other limbs raised as if to fight?

It's rampant, isn't it?

Dormant is literally sleeping.

Guardant, in this instance simply means looking out.

So you get guardant looking forward and reguardant looking back.

So it's rampant.

-Rampant.

-Rampant. Ready to fight.

Rampant is correct.

Both teams are rampant here.

If you get this right,

you might just get the £15,000.

If you get it wrong, then your fate is in their hands and we know what can happen.

About which journalist did Prince Charles allegedly say,

"I can't bear that man. I mean, he's so awful, he really is,"

during a photo call with his sons at Klosters in Switzerland?

I should have done my homework a bit more. This is what I want to go into.

Dan will be sat at home kicking himself with this one.

-I'm clueless in this one.

-I recognise Nicholas Witchell.

-That was the one I was drawn to, but I don't really know why.

-No.

I was thinking DAVID Dimbleby! James Whittaker...

We don't really know. You thought Nicholas Witchell as well.

-It could keep us in the game.

-Well, probably not.

Um, we're a bit...not as confident on this one.

A bit more clueless but we're going to go with Nicholas Witchell

on a tenuous hunch.

Well, Richard Dimbleby is, sadly, long dead,

so that would have ruled him out.

-But you got it right. It is Nicholas Witchell.

-Unbelievable.

I'm trying to work out

if Nick would be pleased or not that you know it was him.

He's probably trying forget it.

Eggheads, if you get this question wrong, Water Babies have got £15,000.

If you get it right, we go to sudden death. Here is your question.

What is the name of the man who was appointed, in 2006, to the position

of Chief of Defence Staff

and principal military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence?

-It's Jock Stirrup.

-That would be Sir Jock Stirrup.

Is the correct answer.

Ohh!

So...we go to sudden death. This time it's not multiple choice.

It's that bit harder.

Here is your question. Who is the only member of the Government

who is allowed to drink alcohol in the Chamber of the House of Commons?

I'm trying to think of someone who is a bit different.

The thing that came to me first is the Chief Whip.

I don't know why. I'm not even sure what he does, to be honest.

I assume it's... I don't think it would be some kind of Prime Minister privilege.

-What does a member of the Government mean, precisely?

-I wish I knew!

The Speaker doesn't belong to a political party, I don't think.

It could be something bizarre like the Leader of the Opposition

-or something.

-But why would he be able to?

-Could be anybody.

It's not necessarily something that is practised.

It could just be something that just exists in historical...

Um... Shall we go with yours? You pulled it out of the bag.

-Is that definitely a position?

-We'll find out. I don't know.

We're going to go...

punt at the Chief Whip, thinking it might actually be a position.

The Chief Whip is in the Government

and, of course, Speaker and Leader of the Opposition are not. But it is not the correct answer.

Well, Eggheads, you said it happened a long time ago.

-It happens every year.

-Yes, it's the Chancellor. During the Budget speech,

the Chancellor often has a glass of whisky. Chancellor of the Exchequer was the answer.

Eggheads, if you get this question right,

you've snatched the money from the Water Babies

and you have won the contest.

Eggheads, which group represented the UK at the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest

with the song Flying The Flag For You?

What were they called? Scooch?

< Yes, that's something very much...

We think it's Scooch.

Eggheads, you're right. Congratulations.

You've won!

Water Babies,

rarely do we get teams where we all feel we want you to win.

Wonderful students with your sea air and your surf boards.

Commiserations. The Eggheads have done what comes naturally to them.

Their winning streak continues. I'm afraid you won't be going home with that £15,000,

so the money rolls over to our next show. Eggheads, congratulations. Who will ever beat you?

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

£16,000 says they don't.

Till then, goodbye.

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