Episode 88 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 a team of five quiz challengers

pit their wits against possibly the greatest quiz team in Britain.

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

They are the Eggheads.

And taking on the awesome might of our quiz Goliaths today

are the Kings and Queens from Wiltshire.

The team all know one another through quizzing at their local pub,

the King's Arms, where team captain,

Richard, is the landlord and Rachel is the quiz master. Let's meet them.

Hi, I'm Richard, I'm 37 and I am a publican.

Hi, I'm Jacky, I'm 45 and a legal assistant.

Hi, I'm Rachel, I'm 23 and I'm a probation services officer.

Hi, I'm Nick, I'm 35 and I'm a window fabricator.

Hello, I'm Sue, I'm 52 and I'm a teacher.

These are your customers, I'm assuming,

because we've got a probation officer,

a re-mortgaging secretary, a window maker and a teacher. I left you out.

-You've got all bases covered there, right?

-All bases.

Good luck. 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, Kings and Queens, the Eggheads have won the last four games

which means £5,000 says you can't beat them.

The first head-to-head battle will be on the subject of arts and books.

Challengers, you can choose who answers the questions

-and who you take on.

-I'll take that one. What do we think about the Eggheads?

-Daphne?

-I think so.

I think I'm going to take on Daphne.

It's Richard from Kings and Queens versus Daphne from the Eggheads.

Please take your positions in the question room.

I'm going to ask each of you three multiple choice questions on arts and books in turn.

Whoever answers the most questions correctly is the winner.

Richard, do you want to take the first or second set of questions.

Please may I take the first set of questions.

Marrying The Mistress and The Rector's Wife

are novels by which writer, sometimes referred to as

the Queen of the Aga saga?

I don't think it's Jilly.

I may have read one or two of her books before, but I'm pretty sure

I haven't read either of those titles.

I'm not too familiar with the work of Maeve Binchy at all.

I'm going to plump for Joanna Trollope.

Spot on. Well done. It is Joanna Trollope.

Have you read any of them?

No.

-I have!

-You have?

-Yes.

Why does that not surprise me?! OK, Daphne,

here is your first question. The Tale Of Pigling Bland is a book by which writer?

That's the advantage of having grandchildren, Jeremy,

because you re-read all the classics to them and it's Beatrix Potter.

Completely right, well done. And she illustrated it as well, did she not?

I think she illustrated most of her books, if not all of them?

Just an amazing artist as well, yes.

Your second question, Richard.

Which novel was the subject of a famous immorality trial

when it was published in 1857?

Wow... I'm really not too sure about that one.

I think I'm really going to have to guess.

I'm not too sure that it would be Anna Karenina.

Les Miserables, I don't think so. I think it's Madame Bovary.

Is that your answer?

-It is.

-You're right.

A great guess!

Daphne, in which of Shakespeare's plays

is the witch, Sycorax, spoken of but never seen?

I can spell it if you want.

No, no, it's fine. She is the mother of Caliban in The Tempest.

She is, in The Tempest.

You're quite right. And never seen. Well done.

Level pegging, two points a piece.

See if you can get this one, Richard.

Which British artist is famous for his paintings of biblical events

set in his home village of Cookham in Berkshire?

If it's any consolation, I don't think your team know either(!)

That's a great consolation, thank you very much(!)

It makes me feel so much better(!) I don't recognise any of the names,

I think I'm going to have to take a wild stab at this one

and go with Stanley Spencer.

Give us your reasoning.

What brought you to Stanley?

Do you know, I have absolutely no idea.

It's three answers on the screen and that's the one that is glaring at me.

Well, you're right. Stanley Spencer!

So that puts the pressure on you, Daphne, now.

Here's your question. Women, Beware Women and

The Revenger's Tragedy are widely attributed to which dramatist?

I know I'm going to get this wrong. It's one of the Thomases.

Thomas Dekker.

You're saying Thomas Dekker.

Yes, and it's wrong, isn't it, Jeremy?

You're right about one thing, it is wrong. It's wrong!

Why Dekker and not Middleton, out of interest?

I knew it was Thomas, and, you know, Thomas Dekker and Thomas Middleton

are very similar and at the same time, and I just can't separate

them mentally, and I got it wrong.

You did. The correct answer is Thomas Middleton.

Richard, against the odds you've done it.

You took on one of the Eggheads and you emerged triumphant.

Good news for our challengers the Kings and Queens. Congratulations.

Both of you, please come back and join your team-mates.

So, as it stands, the challengers have not lost any brains from

the final round, while the Eggheads have lost one brain.

Daphne has her head in her hands.

The next subject is sport.

Who from the challengers wants to play in this round

and who would you like to take on?

There is laughter breaking out.

-So it's a very strong subject? It's you?

-Yes, I'm the only one who

-knows anything about sport, I think.

-And who do you want to take on?

I think I'll play Judith, please.

-How are you feeling about that, Judith?

-Well, we'll see, won't we?

So it's Nick from Kings and Queens versus Judith from the Eggheads.

Please take your positions in the question room.

And, Nick, you get to choose whether you go with the first set or the second set.

I'd like to go first, please.

Which controversial sportsman did Ken Livingstone say,

in February 2008, was invited by mistake to carry the London leg

of the Olympic Torch Relay?

I'm not too sure about this, but there was a lot of controversy about

Dwain Chambers this year, so...

I think I'll go with Dwain Chambers.

-Your answer is wrong, I'm afraid. It was Linford Christie.

-Oh.

Your question, Judith.

John McEnroe took which tennis player to a 16-18 tie-break

in the 1980 Wimbledon men's singles final?

Um, I think that might have been Jimmy Connors.

-Oh, Judith, Judith.

-Is that your answer?

-Yes.

-It's wrong.

-Oh.

-It's Bjorn Borg.

-Oh, really?

I would have gone with you, Judith, I've got false memory syndrome.

OK, Nick, you're off the hook there!

Both level pegging on zero.

Your second question, here we go.

For which football team did the midfielder Trevor Brooking play?

I actually know this.

Being an Arsenal fan, he scored one of his only headers against us in an

-FA Cup Final and it was for West Ham united.

-Absolutely right. Well done.

Off the blocks.

Judith, in show jumping, what is the name of the round against the clock?

It's got to be jump-off, hasn't it? It's the only one that makes sense.

I love the way you give all your answers to me as a question.

-I know, I know.

-Do I score a point by answering them?

For us, yes!

You're right. It is jump-off. Well done. One all.

Back to our challengers.

Nick, which golfer lost the 1972 British Open to Lee Trevino after

three-putting on the 17th hole?

This one is going to have to be a guess, I'm afraid.

Golf is not one of my sports.

I would say....

Jack Nicholas. That's a pure guess.

And it's purely wrong, I'm afraid. It's Tony Jacklin, Nick.

-Don't worry, it's not over yet. Are you ready, Judith?

-Yes.

With your conviction?

-Yes.

-In 1947 which major league baseball team became the first to

sign an African-American player?

No conviction. Um...

I just don't think it's Seattle.

I think it might...I think it's Brooklyn or Boston

and it's eeny-meany...

I think I'm going to say Brooklyn.

And it's right.

Oh, hurrah,

you've made my day.

Well done, Judith. Sorry, Nick, you were beaten by our Egghead,

you will not be able to help your team in the final round.

Would you both please come back and join your team-mates.

The challengers have lost one brain from the final round

and the Eggheads have also lost one brain. The next subject is music.

Who from this team, the Kings and Queens, wants to take on whom?

-You don't want to do it, do you?

-What shall we do?

-Shall we send

-Jacky? You don't want it?

-I can't do music, I'll be rubbish.

-We're going to pick Jacky.

-Jacky, legal assistant from Wiltshire.

Pick an Egg.

Chris, please.

Chris, music.

-Yeah...!

-Surprised?

Not very.

Jacky from Kings and Queens will play Chris from the Eggheads.

To ensure there is no conferring, please take your positions

in the question room.

Jacky, are you ready for music?

-Yes.

-Do have music on when you're doing your remortgaging?

-No, not at work.

-OK.

Well, good luck with this. You have the choice, of course, the first set

-of questions or the second set. Which do you want?

-First, please.

Your first question, Jacky, which group had a UK number one hit single

with Freak Like Me in 2002?

Gosh, this will be a guess, it's a bit modern for me.

Um, I don't know why, I think it might have been the Sugababes.

I just must go to Chris on this, because, of course,

your favourite bands are coming up here, Chris.

Hardly, but it has been a bit of

a running gag for about three years that I fancy the Sugababes. No way!

Is she right or is she wrong?

-I think she's wrong.

-You think she's wrong!

Well, luckily, Jacky, it's not up to him. You're right.

Well, you obviously don't fancy the Sugababes if you

don't even know that, Chris. The next question for you, Chris.

Who was the lead singer of the band Blondie?

Ah, now we ARE talking fanciable ladies, it was Debbie Harry.

Quite right, Debbie Harry was the lead singer of Blondie.

Second question to you, Jacky. In which Mozart opera

is the protagonist dragged down to hell in the last act?

Again this will be a guess because I'm not very good at operas.

I don't think it would be The Magic Flute.

I think it's possibly Don Giovanni.

-Is that your answer?

-That's my answer.

-You're right. Good.

Two to the challengers. Chris, you're on the rack.

Which jazz musician released the album A Love Supreme?

Well, both Charlie Parker and John Coltrane were sort of...

..out there on the fringes of jazz, you know,

quite drug-fuelled and out there.

Miles Davis was altogether smoother.

So, going by the title, I would say it was Miles Davis.

You're wrong.

It was not. It was John Coltrane.

-Oh.

-Obviously in a calm moment. Jacky, which rock star

caused controversy during a concert

in Birmingham in the '70s when he spoke in favour of Conservative MP

Enoch Powell's views on immigration?

I think that may have been Eric Clapton.

You're doing what Judith does, you're asking me.

Yes, I'll go with Eric Clapton.

Well done, right answer.

And Jacky,

that means you've got the round. Well done.

You took on one of the Eggheads and emerged triumphant.

It means, Jacky, you'll be able to play in today's final round.

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

It's going well for the challengers. They've lost one brain

from the final round, whilst the Eggheads have lost two brains.

Our last subject is politics.

Who from the challengers will be playing in the politics round?

-RACHEL GASPS

-Attack of the vapours, Rachel?

-I don't know anything about politics.

-You've probably got more

-general knowledge.

-I don't mind.

-I think Sue. What do you think?

-Am I nominated then?

-Yes!

Oh, thank God!

Who do you want to play against?

Who is left?

I'll take CJ, please.

So it's Sue from Kings and Queens versus CJ from the Eggheads.

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

Sue, you're a teacher but you've previously been what?

Oh, dinner lady, lollipop lady.

I've worked in hotels chambermaiding, reception.

All sorts of things. Shop assistant, the list goes on.

Which job has best prepared you to face CJ on politics today?

None of them, really! Of all the subjects I had on my list that I might take this wasn't there.

-So I think I've just drawn the short straw.

-All right, well, don't worry.

Three questions, multiple choice and, of course,

-you choose whether you take the first or second set.

-The first, please.

Sue, what is the name given to an MP's first speech

in the House of Commons?

It's got to be maiden speech, I think.

-Yes.

-You're ruling out the others?

-Yes, definitely.

You're right. Well done.

Thank you.

It's not a virgin speech or a damsel speech, is it, CJ?

I don't think so, Jeremy.

CJ, Shimon Peres became the President

of which country in June 2007?

Not much else to say apart from that's Israel.

You're quite right. One point a piece.

Back to you, Sue.

David Trimble

was the leader of which political party between 1995 and 2005?

Right. I've got to think about this now.

I'll give you them again, if you want.

That's all right. I'm just thinking.

Parties tend to get broken down,

don't they, into their initial letters, so I haven't heard

of a UUP, or a DUP. I've heard of UDP so I'm going to plump for

Ulster Democratic Party, purely on those grounds.

It's the wrong answer, I'm afraid.

There was a UUP.

-I hadn't heard of it.

-I think it was the OUP before, wasn't it, Eggheads?

Wasn't it the Official Unionist Party before?

You know about that kind of thing.

And then it became the Ulster Unionist Party.

But all the names were so similar,

I think HE would have struggled with that one.

CJ, your question, to take the lead.

Which Tory frontbencher became the first Conservative MP to

announce their intention to enter a civil partnership in March 2008?

Matthew Parris I don't think is on the front bench.

I've never actually heard of Caroline Spelman,

but Alan Duncan, I believe, is entering

into a civil partnership, so I'll go for Alan Duncan.

And he's the right answer.

Caroline Spelman is on the front bench, but it's not her.

Third question to you, Sue.

In 1961, Margaret Thatcher went

against Conservative Party policy by voting for the restoration of what?

I'm trying to think when...

I don't think... This again is going to be a guess.

Um...

I don't think it would be the stocks.

There's a lot of controversy about hanging, but I remember

there being something... I'm going to go for birching.

I remember there being something about birching, perhaps...

-Yes, I'll go for birching.

-Presumably that's not

operational in the school YOU'RE working in?!

-No!

-It's the right answer, though.

Well done.

CJ, your third question.

What song is Ronald Reagan use for his 1984 re-election campaign before

being asked to stop by the artist?

This is when he beat Walter Mondale by a record margin.

Born In The USA was 1984, so that seems very appropriate.

Bruce Springsteen, I wouldn't have thought, was a Republican,

so I'll go for Born In The USA.

Born In The USA by Bruce Springsteen is quite right.

He did ask him to stop. Well done, CJ, that gives you the round.

Sorry, Sue, you were beaten by our Egghead,

and as a result you won't be able to help your team in the final round.

So, both of you, please come back to the studio here.

This is what we've been playing towards. It's time for

the final round, General Knowledge.

Those of you who lost your head-to-heads

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

So, Nick and Sue from the Kings and Queens, and Daphne and Chris from the Eggheads,

would you please leave the studio?

Richard, Jacky and Rachel, you are playing

to win the Kings and Queens £5,000.

Judith, Kevin and CJ, you are

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

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

questions are all General Knowledge, and you are allowed to confer.

Kings and Queens, the question is,

are your three brains better than the Eggheads' three?

Richard, Jacky and Rachel, you can choose the first or the second set.

-Shall we go first?

-I think so.

-Yes.

-We're going to go first.

Rachel, you're the quizmaster in the pub, aren't you?

-I am, yes.

-So you see the questions every time, and they lodge, do they?

You'd think that, but they don't, no.

-Are you the secret weapon here?

-No, there's a reason I read them

and I don't participate in the actual quiz, because I can't do it!

Let's see.

Your first question.

In which board game might you pick up a card telling you

you've won second place in a beauty contest?

You're pointing at yourself very excitedly!

-That must mean...

-I know the answer!

It's not Operation, because that's the one you use little tweezers

to pick out the bones and stuff.

And it's not Risk, because I'm pretty sure that's a ship game.

So it must be Monopoly.

It is Monopoly.

By elimination, or actually because you knew it was Monopoly?

I still play it!

Nothing to be ashamed of, we all do!

Eggheads, first question to you. On which birthday does somebody

become a nonagenarian?

It's when they turn 90.

Nonagenarians are in their 90s.

-Is that your answer?

-Yes.

That's the correct answer.

Your question.

Which term is given to irregular practises introduced by groups of

workers with the aim of gaining certain advantages?

-It's not Spanish, because you'd know, wouldn't you?

-Yes, I would.

The French are good at manipulating things and going on strike...

Something come up about the 35-hour week as well in France...

Yes, I'd go French.

Shall we go for it?

Yes, that's fine.

-Do that.

-OK.

We think we're going to go with...French?

-Yes.

-French.

-French practises?

-French practises.

-It's not, it's Spanish practises.

-Oh, no!

You'll now see that phrase everywhere and suddenly think, "Ah!"

It happens to us all the time. You don't know an answer,

-you learn the answer - everywhere, you see it.

-Your second question, Eggheads.

What was the destination of the first CND march in 1958?

Aldermaston. Yeah, they marched from London to Aldermaston.

So the destination was Aldermaston?

-Yeah.

-Correct, Kevin, well done.

So you need this one, guys, or it's curtains.

In 1854, what became compulsory

for the employees of the East India Company's Bombay Army?

I want to say moustaches, but I don't know why!

You just want to SAY moustaches, or is it the answer?!

I don't know.

-Why would they wear moustaches?

-Why would they wear tattoos?

What was it? East...?

-India Company.

-Would you mind repeating that again?

-Not at all.

In 1854, what became compulsory for the employees of

the East India Company's Bombay Army?

Right, I've got absolutely no idea. So, um...

If I had to guess...

I would guess, I don't know why, because I'm just thinking of those

hats with moustaches under them, but I don't know.

-Maybe we should go with moustaches.

-Yes, I don't know.

I don't know, it could be church, but...

I don't think it's church.

I don't think you could make someone have a tattoo, it would hurt.

If you get this right, it keeps the round alive.

-No pressure!

-So we're in agreement on moustaches?!

Well, it's certainly the FUNNIEST answer!

I think we're going to go with moustaches.

On the basis that that was the one that made you laugh the most?

Yes. And Jacky can just remember people in hats with curly moustaches.

Well, do know what? You're completely right.

-Well done!

-And it was to command respect.

So it obviously didn't work with your team!

OK, they're still in the round, the challengers, our Kings and Queens.

Eggheads, your third question.

Which architect designed the National Theatre on London's South Bank?

And if you get this right, you've taken the contest.

It was Dennis Lasdun, Jeremy.

You're right. Congratulations, Eggheads, you've won.

Commiserations, challengers. The Eggheads have done what

comes naturally to them, and they still reign supreme over quizland.

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

which 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.

£6,000 says they don't.

Till then, goodbye.

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