Episode 78 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 five quiz challengers pit their wits

against possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain.

You might recognise them as Goliaths in the world of TV quiz shows.

They are the Eggheads and challenging the awesome might

of our resident quiz champions today are The Highland Poachers.

Four of the team work together in Glasgow

and Rolf regularly quizzes with Michael. Let's meet them.

My name is Rolf, I'm 43, I work in a supermarket and I'm a part time poet.

I'm Michael, I'm 42 and an admin assistant.

Hi, I'm Jim, I'm 54 and I'm a taxi driver.

Hi, I'm Ian, I'm 47, I'm a BT customer service adviser.

Hi, I'm David, I'm 54 and I'm a civil servant.

Welcome, Highland Poachers. I hope, with the name,

you're not making an admission you shouldn't be making on network TV.

-What's the poaching bit?

-We're hoping to poach a few Eggheads.

-Ah, I see. So, it's not your kind of nefarious night-time activity.

-No.

And tell me, the team,

you're from the Highlands, you enjoy the Highlands.

Well, we all come from Scotland but various degrees in latitude.

Do you ever get out into the hills?

Yes, thankfully. My father stays up near Oban. It's great up there.

It's a great way to clear the head.

-Yes.

-What about the quizzing, then, how does that go?

You two quiz together, don't you?

Myself and Michael quiz together regularly,

but with the rest of my colleagues, we did get through to the grand final

of the British Telecom challenge three years running,

before winning it.

How many rounds did you get through?

Generally, you had to win the Scottish one,

then the Northern one, to get to the final.

-Wow.

-This a chance to meet up again and try again.

This is a different league again; you're playing the Eggheads today.

Sounds like you've got some good quizzing credentials.

Every day there's £1,000 of cash up for grabs for our challengers.

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

Highland Poachers, the Eggheads have won just the last game

which means £2,000 says you can't beat the Eggheads.

And we'll play our first head to head then.

To kick us off, its going to be Entertainment.

-Who'd like to play this?

-Michael.

Oh, Michael, straight away. And which Egghead? Any one of them.

I think I'll take on Kevin.

Kevin, Entertainment.

Second straight Entertainment outing for you, isn't it?

-Yes, it is.

-OK, to make sure there's no conferring.

could I ask you both to take your positions in the question room.

Michael, playing Entertainment,

very eager to do so, got your hand straight up.

-Do you want to go first or second?

-I'll go first.

And kicking off as well. OK, here's your question, then.

In which city was the comedian Jasper Carrott born?

I am going to have to have a guess and go for Bristol.

OK, Bristol, Jasper Carrott. Its Birmingham, Michael,

Birmingham is where Jasper Carrott was born.

Presumably not his real name Eggheads, what's his real name?

-Bob Davis.

-Bob Davis, born in Birmingham.

So, nothing there to kick the Highland Poachers off.

Kevin, a chance for the lead, then.

In 2007 who stepped down as a regular team captain

on A Question of Sport, after 11 years?

I have to admit it's a long, long time

since I watched A Question of Sport,

which I shouldn't admit as Sue Barker's a fan of this show.

I can't imagine, Matt Dawson hasn't been there for 11 years, surely.

Could Frankie Dettori have been on it that long?

I am going to go for Ally McCoist, I really don't know.

I'd have thought you'd have been a keen viewer,

good fodder for Eggheads, lots of sporting information.

Its just one of those things and there are various others,

I have just fell out of the habit of watching.

OK, well the answer is Ally McCoist, you got it.

Yes, which I'm sure our Highland Poachers knew.

Yes, Ally McCoist stepped down after 11 years on a Question of Sport.

So, you have

got the upper hand there. Michael, to get you off the mark.

Which film won the Best Picture Oscar at the Academy Awards Ceremony

in 1987.

Chariots of Fire was around about 1982, so it's not that one.

I would probably say Rain Man.

OK, Best Picture in 1987...

was Platoon. Platoon, not Rain Man.

So, a chance for Kevin to wrap it up with his second question.

Second Coming was the title of the long awaited second album

by which band?

Ah, now this I don't know.

I don't think it's Oasis.

Second Coming...

The long awaited. I wonder what long means.

I'm ruling out Oasis, I don't think its Oasis.

Its pretty much of a 50/50 between the other two quite honestly for me.

I'm going to go for Primal Scream.

OK, Second Coming was the title of the long awaited second album

-by the Stone Roses.

-There we go.

Not Primal Scream and you were right not Oasis but incorrect,

Primal Scream it was not. OK, keeps your hopes alive then, Michael,

you've got to get this, though.

What is the only Beatles UK number 1 hit single

that has a one-word title?

Yesterday.

Its not Yesterday, Michael, its Help!.

It is Help, "I need somebody".

Kevin doesn't need any more help to get through to the final round.

The round's over. Sorry, Michael, you won't be playing there.

Kevin, a place for you in the final round.

Well, Kevin the one who successfully negotiated a tricky Entertainment round,

means the Highland Poachers are one brain down so far.

Let's play our next one today and this one's Science.

Who'd like to play? It can't be Michael.

I'll have a go at that, Dermot.

OK, who do you fancy from the Eggheads? Can't be Kevin.

-Judith.

-Judith, it's Science.

OK, let's then have Ian and Judith into the question room, please.

-OK, Ian, it's Science, do you want to go first or second?

-I'll go first, please.

Good luck, Ian.

Which 19th century naturalist invented the evolutionary theory

of natural selection?

That one would be Charles Darwin.

No slips there, yes, Charles Darwin.

Judith, the chinchilla is native to which continent?

I'm fairly sure that's South America.

It is, that's right, South America. So, back to you, Ian.

Which branch of science deals with the nature and properties

of energy and matter?

I've got a chemistry degree and it's not that.

And it won't be biology so it would be physics.

It would be, that's correct.

Judith how many nipples does a cow have?

How many nipples does a cow have? Are you keen on a bit of milking?

I was trying to count.

Oh, how many?

Oh, lordy.

I haven't looked that closely.

I think its four.

Six would be a bit crowded

and definitely eight would be terribly crowded, wouldn't it?

-There's not enough room.

-That looked like quite a practised hand.

If you haven't been milking, I think you should get the old milking stool out.

Well, when I was very, very young

I used to go and stay next to a farm where they still milked by hand.

Hand-milked, wow.

So, I'm used to the sight of that, as it were.

A laborious process, that.

OK, but while you were watching that go on, did you count correctly?

-I don't know.

-You did, it's four, well done.

Correct, two each.

OK, Ian, in the early 1960s hip replacement surgery

was pioneered by John Charnley in a hospital in which town?

I don't know the answer to this one, I can't even think

of a way of narrowing it logically.

This stuff goes down the south east of England,

big London hospitals but..

I'll go for Woking.

OK, Woking, John Charnley, a bit of a guess there from Ian,

I'm guessing...

and you missed it, it's Wigan.

Not Woking. John Charnley was working in Wigan.

He pioneered hip replacement surgery.

So, a chance for Judith to win the round. Pierre and Marie Curie

discovered polonium and which other chemical element in 1898?

I think radon is that stuff that comes out of granite, isn't it,

you don't want to live on granite as a result.

I don't know what rhodium is. I think its radium.

Pierre and Marie Curie discovered polonium and...

radium in 1898.

It's the right answer, Judith. Bad luck, Ian.

Nodding there, you knew that one.

It wasn't your question. I'm sorry you won't be playing

in the final round. Would you please come back and join your teams.

Two of the Highland Poachers been caught red-handed,

I suppose, so far by the Eggheads.

They will not be playing in the final round

but we've got two more head-to-heads.

This next one is history,

Jim, David or Rolf to play.

-Nominate Jim for that one please.

-Oh, yes, I think so.

I'll take that one, please.

OK, Jim and which Egghead would you like to play?

-It's CJ, Daphne or Chris.

-What do you think?

Hmmm. Who would you rather, CJ or Chris?

-CJ.

-CJ.

-CJ.

-CJ. OK.

Let's have Jim and CJ into the question room, then.

OK, Jim how do you want to play it?

Do you want to start or let CJ begin?

I'll go first, thanks, Dermot.

Good luck.

Here you go then, Jim, history.

In which century did Jack the Ripper stalk the streets of London?

In which century did Jack the Ripper stalk the streets of London?

Well, that was in 1888 so that would be

the 19th century, wouldn't it?

It would be and that's the right answer, a good start for you, Jim.

CJ, in Britain, which historical period

directly followed the Bronze Age?

In Britain, which historical period directly followed the Bronze Age?

I sincerely hope

that's the Iron Age.

Yes, it is the right answer.

The Iron Age following the Bronze Age.

OK, Jim's second question, then.

Which doomed ocean liner was captained by Edward J Smith.

Well, it was definitely the Titanic.

It sank I think at 2:20 on the 15th April, 1912.

Right, thank you very much for that.

Very good answer, yes, and it was the Titanic. Yes, right answer.

Precise. OK, CJ.

The Dawes Plan was a reparation payment plan set up after which war.

I'm just trying to think.

I should know this straight off and I'm just trying to think.

For some reason I can't place...when Dawes was.

I think its either World War I or the Vietnam War,

I don't think it's the Boer War, but...

I should know this straightaway. I think Dawes was American

but I can't think when he was.

That could be an absolute load of rubbish.

I really don't know this. I'm going to go for World War I.

The Dawes Plan was a reparation payment plan

set up after World War I.

It's correct, CJ.

Much relief there, going through agonies. OK it's two each.

Jim,

which European country was invaded by the Soviet Union

in November, 1956.

That was definitely Hungary.

November 1956,

Hungary's the right answer.

Yes, well done Jim. Three to you.

CJ, you've got to get this.

Who was King of France at the time of the Battle of Hastings? Was it...

Haven't got the blindest idea.

Louis VI.

Louis VI. The King of France at the time of the Battle of Hastings,

it was Philip I. Metaphorical arrow in your eye,

you're not playing in the final round, CJ.

So, the first of the Highland Poachers through is Jim.

Would you both please come back and join your teams.

Well, impressive stuff from you there Jim, especially that Titanic answer.

Can't give you extra points for the timings

and the dates, and the rest of it.

Eggheads you know an awful lot about these sort of things and transport, Chris down there.

Was the Titanic, as we've seen in many, many films now, was it as simple as that.

Hit the iceberg.

They just got unlucky, basically.

Watertight bulkheads only went up as far as E deck and with five flooded

she couldn't stay afloat. End of story.

So, is it a case if the bulkheads had gone up further...

Well, if they'd gone up another couple of decks, or...

if the gash in her side had been 20 feet shorter.

Yeah, OK. Well, as it stands now the Highland Poachers have lost two brains

from the final round, the Eggheads have lost one, though.

And this is our next head-to-head, it's arts and books.

Who wants to play this - Rolf or David?

Two remaining poachers.

THEY MUTTER

-We're going to nominate David for this.

-OK, David and it's Daphne or Chris for you.

-I'll go for Chris.

Chris on arts and books.

OK, question room for you two.

-Right David do you want to go first or second in this arts and books category?

-I'll go first.

Good luck then, David.

The Greek statue the Venus de Milo, is housed in which museum?

Well, I've never been to either the British Museum or the Prado.

I have been to the Louvre and I do believe I saw it there.

So, I'll go for the Louvre.

Yes, through the crowds. It's the right answer, it's the Louvre.

Venus de Milo. OK,

Chris, what name is given to the process of arranging the movement of actors on stage?

That's called blocking, Dermot.

Blocking it all out.

Yes, it's the right answer. One each, back to you, David.

Which French Impressionist artist painted Olympia in 1863? Is it...

I wouldn't think it would be Paul Gauguin because he mainly painted

in the south of France with Vincent Van Gogh.

So, that leaves just Claude Monet or Edouard Manet.

I think, in this case, it's actually Claude Monet.

I could be incorrect, but I'll go for Claude Monet.

Claude Monet painted Olympia in 1863?

David, you are incorrect - it's Manet.

Manet painted Olympia. So, a chance for Chris to take the lead.

Arcadia and Rock and Roll are plays by which writer...?

I don't think they're Peter Shaffer.

Oh...

I think they're two of the later plays by Tom Stoppard. Tom Stoppard.

Tom Stoppard, you think. Arcade and Rock And Roll are by Tom Stoppard

that's correct, which means, David, you've got to get this one correct.

In which country was the writer JRR Tolkien born?

Well, the name sounds a bit Norwegian

but I don't think he was born in Norway.

I have a creeping suspicion, in this case,

but it would be an educated guess, that it is South Africa.

Yes, it is, well done David.

But, that middle one there, the X, gives Chris the chance to win the round.

The Diamond Smugglers and Thrilling Cities are non-fiction works

by which author?

Well, I don't think Dick Francis writes non-fiction.

Ian Fleming, well,

a lot of his stuff was semi non-fiction

based on his war-time experiences in British intelligence.

But, I think John Le Carre has written a couple of non-fiction books

so I'll say John le Carre.

John Le Carre. Judith, you're shaking your head.

-It's Ian Fleming.

-It's Ian Fleming.

It is, Ian Fleming wrote the Diamond Smugglers and Thrilling Cities.

Great news for you, David.

We go to sudden death, which means

we remove those choices David, so I've just got to hear an answer from you.

This is your question.

Which best selling book of 2007

begins with an epigraph from Aeschylus's The Libation Bearers.

I must admit to not having any great clue about this one. Um...

If I had a guess it would be...

just totally plucking something out of the air.

I'm sorry, I don't know.

-OK, David, passing on that one. Do you know, Chris?

-Not a clue.

OK, any Egghead tell me?

Cheating At Cooking by Delia Smith.

Yeah, that's right, it is(!) Any serious attempt from the Eggheads?

It doesn't tell you what the epigraph is, does it?

No. It just says "an epigraph". OK, I'll give you the epigraph.

Oh, the torment bred in the race, The grinding scream of death.

-Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

-No, I don't know.

-It's Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows.

I thought it was Harry Potter.

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows. Well, nothing there,

which means another chance for Chris.

Which poet wrote Cut Grass and The Old Fools?

Relatively modern, isn't it, so...

-Ted Hughes?

-OK, well Rolf you're a poet, is he right, do you know?

Well, we were thinking it was Kingsley Amis but probably not.

Well, no it's not Ted Hughes.

-Eggheads.

-Philip Larkin.

-Philip Larkin from Judith there.

Philip Larkin wrote Cut Grass and The Old Fools.

Another let-off, David. Right, see if you can get this.

Myra Arundel and Judith and David Bliss are characters in which Noel Coward play?

The only one I know that might be by Noel Coward is Blithe Spirit.

Blithe Spirit, Noel Coward it is by, but it's not the right answer.

Not Blithe Spirit. Chris.

-Hay Fever.

-Hay Fever. Yes, Hay Fever.

Myra Arundel and Judith and David Bliss are in Hay Fever.

So, another chance, Chris.

Yossarian, Milo Minderbinder and General Dreedle

are characters in which anti-war novel first published in 1961?

They're all in Catch 22 by Joseph Heller.

They are characters from Catch 22. It's the right answer, Chris.

It gets you through to the final round, just. Good quizzing, David.

Wasn't to be for you. Would you both please come back and join your teams.

This is what we've been playing towards.

It's time for the final round - as always, general knowledge,

but those who lost their head-to-heads

won't be in this round. So, Michael, Ian and David from the Highland Poachers

and CJ from the Eggheads, would you all leave the studio now, please.

So, Rolf and Jim you're playing to win the Highland Poachers £2,000.

Judith, Kevin, Daphne and Chris you're playing

for something that money can't buy, the Eggheads' 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, Highland Poachers, are your two brains

better than the Eggheads' four brains? Rolf and Jim would you like to go first or second?

We'd like to go first, please.

Kicking off, it's the Highland Poachers

and this is your first question. What is the cube root of 64.

HE WHISPERS

-Four.

-Four.

Four, yes, cube root of 64 is four. Good start.

So, one to you. Eggheads,

in English grammar, what part of speech is the word "quickly".

It's adverb.

Quickly is an adverb, yes, right answer.

So, one each. OK, Highland Poachers,

second question.

In Greek mythology what was the first of Heracles' 12 tasks?

Lion came later,

so it's the stables or capture the bull.

I think it might have been cleaning the stables, the first one.

-That's what I'm thinking.

-Not 100 percent on that.

Something kind of mediocre and then... Work his way up.

It might have been shovelling, final answer, yeah.

-Bit of shovelling.

-Bit of shovelling.

OK, cleaning out the Augean stables.

In Greek mythology, the first of Heracles' 12 tasks

was to Kill the Nemean Lion.

-Kill the Nemean Lion.

-Sorry.

So, a chance for the lead, Eggheads.

According to figures from the Office of National Statistics,

what was the most popular boy's name for newborn babies in England and Wales in 2007?

Seeing as my great grandson was born last year, it's actually Jack,

although he's a Jacob.

I see. Jack, you think.

-Yes.

-Yeah, it is the right answer, Jack,

the most popular boy's name in 2007.

So, you've got to get this, Poachers.

The national flag of Benin is made up of three colours, green, yellow

and what?

-Benin flag...

-I'm pretty sure it's red.

Give me a second to think about it. I'm trying to picture it in my head.

I think it's red.

-I don't know.

-Are you happy with that?

-Is that your answer?

-We think it's red.

OK, Jim letting you get on with it there.

-So he can blame me.

-Well, if you don't know, you don't know, do you?

You do now, its red, it's the right answer. Well, done, Rolf.

-Dermot, red, yellow and green are what they call the pan-American colours.

-African.

Pan-African colours, and they are all based on the flag of Ethiopia.

I see, pan-African colours,

red, yellow and green.

-Whichever particular configuration.

-Yes, lots of African countries have red, green and yellow flags, yes.

-Loads of them.

-Gosh, you lot know your flags, don't you?

It's the art of good quizzing, I suppose.

There we are - got that one there,

Highland Poachers, keeps you in it, but that middle one,

the 12 tasks of Heracles, means that the Eggheads have a chance to win the game.

In which year, Eggheads, was the Independent newspaper first published?

That would be 1986.

You are toying with me there, like I toy with you.

Yes, it's nice to get my own back.

Well, quite closely grouped, those years.

But it was 1986.

It was 1986, Eggheads you have won.

The Independent published in 1986 has won the game for you, which means

Highland Poachers, we bid you adieu. Thank you very much for playing the Eggheads today.

-Pleasure meeting you all. I'm sure the Eggheads enjoyed taking you on.

-Mmm, we did. Lovely.

OK, it means the Eggheads have done what comes naturally, though. They still reign supreme over quiz land.

I'm afraid you won't be going home with the £2,000 which means

the money rolls over to our 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.

£3,000 says they don't. Until then, goodbye.

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