Episode 92 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 they are goliaths

in the world of TV quiz shows. They are the Eggheads.

Taking on the awesome might of our quiz goliaths today

are the Duckenders from Northamptonshire,

the majority of the team live in the same cul-de-sac called Duck End and they form a local quiz team

who have been competing in the Banbury and Oxford quiz league for over 15 years. Let's meet them!

Hi, I'm Trevor, 62, a retired airline pilot.

Hi, I'm Terry, I'm 59, and I'm a company director.

Hello, I'm Clive, I'm 60 and I'm a retired European IT project manager.

Hello, I'm Bruce, I'm 68 and I'm a retired teacher.

Hi, I'm John, I'm 58 and I'm a retired HR director.

So, Trevor, it's Duck End, for three of you at least?

Yes. Small village called Hinton in the Hedges, just half way between Oxford and Northampton.

-And you are mainly retired, all bar one of you?

-Poor old Terry is still working unfortunately!

-Are you retiring soon, Terry?

-Not for at least another five years.

-Maybe on your winnings from tonight!

-Maybe!

-But you keep busy and you keep quizzing?

-Yes.

Let's see how you do. Every day, there is £1000 worth of cash up for grabs for our challengers.

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

So, Duckenders, the Eggheads have won the last eight games,

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

Now the first head-to-head battle will be on the subject of Politics. Challengers,

decide which of you reads newspapers every morning

in your retirement or in your work time.

Who wants to take on the Egghead and which Egghead?

-Which one do we go for?

-Which one do you want to go for?

Bruce? Do you want to have a go at it?

-Bruce?

-Or whoever he is!

-Yes, yes.

-OK.

-Bruce, retired teacher, you've got all five to choose from.

Who do you want to have a pop at?

Who do you reckon?

-Stunned silence!

-Chris?

-Chris, please.

-Chris!

So it is Bruce from the Duckenders versus Chris from the Eggheads.

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

-Bruce, you were a secondary school teacher?

-I was, for many years.

And now you train doctors to make speeches, tell us about that?

Well, it's a presentation skills job and when they have a conference,

and they want some last-minute preparation,

we restructure and tell them how to speak loudly and clearly, like I am trying to do now.

I'm thinking speeches, politicians, you're almost in that zone?

-Oh, dear.

-I would love to think, I would love to think!

-You seemed to crumple for a second there.

Let's see how you do! I will ask each of you three multiple-choice questions on Politics in turn.

Whoever answers the most correctly is the winner

and, Bruce, you have the choice of the first or second set of questions.

I'll go first, please.

What was the name of the one-time friend of Monica Lewinsky

who secretly taped their conversations and passed the information on to Kenneth Starr?

I don't know the answer to this question,

but I have sort of got a feeling that Paula Jones and Kathleen Willey

are a little bit obvious, so I am going for Linda Tripp.

Linda Tripp is the correct answer!

Bruce, well done.

Your question, Chris. What is the first middle name of Tony Blair?

Well, just on the euphony of the thing, Anthony Charles sounds better

than Anthony Peter or Anthony Phillip, so I'll say it's Charles.

-You're quite right. Anyone want to go on the third?

-Linton.

-Linton.

Anthony Charles Linton Blair. That's right! Bruce, back to you.

The Texan congressman Charlie Wilson is best known for aiding which country

in their fight for independence from the Soviet Union in the 1980s?

Well, Poland and Romania may have been under the Soviet heel as it were

but I think the only war that took place against them

was in Afghanistan, so I am going for Afghanistan.

Spot on, yes, well done!

Chris, your question.

Likud and Kadima are two of the political parties in which country?

They are two of the political parties in the Knesset in Israel.

Quite right, too! Two barnstorming performances here, no lack of

certainty at all on these answers.

2-2. Bruce, your third question.

Of whom did the Labour MP Tony Banks once remark, "If he became a funeral director, people would stop dying"?

You couldn't say it about John Major, because he was such a nice bloke!

And I don't think Iain Duncan Smith had the sort of capacity

to stir up such emotion and I think it was the man of the night,

or something of the night about him, Michael Howard.

It is impeccable logic, but you are wrong.

It was actually John Major.

Chris, if you take this, you have taken Bruce out of the final round.

There's a lot riding on it, here's your question.

Who succeeded John Reid as Secretary of State for Defence in May 2006?

Well, I used to know a Des Browne, but it wasn't him,

but the name does ring a bell, so I will say Des Browne.

Is that the only name that rings a bell?

It's the only one that I know, yeah.

I think he did take over defence, Des Browne, yeah, yeah.

Either through luck or wisdom, you're quite right.

Well done. It was Des Browne.

And, Bruce, you were beaten there by our Egghead,

so, as a result, you won't be able to help your team in the final round. Bad luck!

Would you please both come back and join your teams?

-Well, the upside there, Bruce, is we have a quote for our collection, haven't we?

-Absolutely!

"If he became a funeral director, people would stop dying." Bad luck.

The challengers have lost one brain from the final round, while the Eggheads have not lost any brains.

The next subject is Music.

Who from the challengers wants to go on music?

-Me!

-Terry, that was immediate, you were press-ganged there suddenly!

-He volunteered!

-Now, do you sense any weakness on this team on music?

-Oh, that's a point, isn't it? Um...

-You can't have Chris.

And if you've watched the programme a lot, you'll know that's a shame!

-Have a go at Daphne.

-I've been advised by my captain, who watches

this programme extensively, that I should choose Daphne.

-All right, so, Terry...

-Oh, dear!

-She doesn't like that!

-She doesn't like that!

-Good sign.

-You'll be surprised!

Terry from the Duckenders versus Daphne from the Eggheads.

Once again, to ensure there is no conferring, would you please take your positions in the question room?

I am going to ask each of you three questions on Music in turn. Terry,

would you like the first set of questions or the second set?

I'd like the first, please, Jeremy.

-And you're a big Dillon fan, I gather?

-Yes, very much so.

Let's see if he comes up.

You've Got To Pick A Pocket Or Two is a song from which musical?

And that would be Oliver!

That would be right, well done!

Very subdued clapping here, maybe because they all knew it!

Daphne, who recorded the 1992 single I Will Always Love You,

which spent 10 weeks at number 1 in the UK charts?

I am hoping it is Whitney Houston.

What are you basing that on?

Do you know, I think I've actually heard it!

-You've actually heard the song?

-Yes.

-What, by accident or...?

No, actually it is a very pleasant romantic song.

And you are right, it was Whitney Houston!

It was used as the theme from

-the Houston film The Bodyguard.

-That's right, The Bodyguard.

-OK, Terry, here we go, question 2, are you ready?

-Yes.

Frideric was the middle name of which composer?

I don't think it would be Copland, that was American.

So it is between Holst and Handel,

I think I will go for Handel.

Quite right, Terry, well done! Second point to you!

Who was the lead singer, Daphne, of the Liverpool band Echo and the Bunnymen?

No-one is laughing through here! No-one's laughing, it's very serious!

I think...said she...

it's Ian Broudie.

-You think it is Ian Broudie?

-Tell me I'm right!

It would do so much for your street cred if you were right,

-but it is Ian McCulloch.

-Is it?

-So who is Ian Broudie?

-Isn't that Lightening Seeds?

-Lightning Seeds, yes, that's where I got it from.

-Yeah.

-Ian McCulloch, Echo and the Bunnymen.

-Sorry!

That's all right! So if you get

this question right, Terry, you have done it.

What type of instrument is the mellophone?

I don't think it's a drum, er... is it a horn or a keyboard?

I will go for a keyboard.

Are you basing that on a record you have heard or anything?

I am basing it on the fact that I have heard of it,

but if I've heard it, it is more likely to be a keyboard than a horn.

-It's a horn.

-Oh...

Is that, you Duckenders, is that the instrument they use at the start

of Strawberry Fields or is that something else?

-Was it a mellotron or something?

-Mellotron.

-That's a different thing?

All right, Terry, Daphne is still in it. Daphne, this question is yours.

The Symphony of a Thousand and The Titan Symphony

are popular titles of works by which composer born in 1860?

Now that's what I call music!

It's Mahler.

You are right, it is Mahler.

Well done!

So after three questions, you each

have 2 points, scores are level, we go on to sudden death,

and to make it that bit harder, Terry, as you probably know,

you have to give me the answer without multiple choice.

Terry, the Gershwin songs Swanee and My Mammy

were signature tunes of which entertainer born in 1886?

I think that would be Al Jolson.

You are right, it was!

Can I have one like that? LAUGHTER

-No.

-No?

-Daphne...

-Why not?

Because he just had it!

Who sang with George Michael on the 1999 UK hit single which was called As?

-As?

-Spelt A-S.

-Oh!

-As.

As I don't know the answer, I'll have to, um...

Oh, dear.

-You can guess.

-Yes, I am going to have a guess, I think he

recorded something with Catherine Zeta-Jones, so I'll go with that.

I am afraid you're wrong, Daphne, it was Mary J Blige.

Originally a Stevie Wonder song. So...

Terry, well done!

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

Good news for our challengers here, the Duckenders,

because it means Terry will be able to play in today's final round, congratulations.

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

OK, as it stands, the challengers have lost one brain

from the final round, but the Eggheads have also lost one brain.

Next subject is Food and Drink.

Who from the challengers will be playing in this round

and tell us who you would like to take on?

Well, we are waiting for Geography to come up.

Yes, we are. Are you any good on Food and Drink?

-No.

-We need Clive for Science.

-Are you, then?

-I don't mind, but I'm no good at it!

-I'll have a go at it.

-I'll do this one, Jeremy.

-OK. Trevor, it was John saying I am no good at it.

-LAUGHTER

-Sort of forced your hand slightly!

Well, we are on Plan B now, OK!

Plan B? Well, it's not bad for this stage, I tell you!

We've had Plan D by this stage before! Which Egghead?

-Food and Drink.

-Kevin?

We reckon Kevin has only got one tiny weakness,

it might be Food and Drink, so I'll have a pop at Kevin.

-OK. CJ, Kevin or Judith was the choice, you want Kevin.

-Yes.

Kevin, I can tell you, does not own a working oven!

LAUGHTER

So, Trevor, from the Duckenders, Kevin from the Eggheads,

to ensure there's no conferring, please go and take your positions in the question room.

Trevor, it is multiple choice, three questions and you have

the choice of going with the first or the second set of questions.

I'd like to go first.

Trevor, what is the principal ingredient of a traditional black pudding?

Well, coming from Lancashire, if I didn't know the answer to that,

I'd have had to be shot.

It's blood, the traditional ingredient of black pudding.

You are right, well done! It is blood.

Kevin, which aromatic herb has a flavour similar to that of aniseed?

I think, of those...

..I would go for tarragon.

Would you now?

Well, I don't actually know it, so I am going for tarragon.

You are right, it is tarragon!

Question 2 to Trevor.

Piri piri is an African name for which kind of ingredient?

Well, it is not sweet potato and I don't think it is corn,

it's a chilli spice that the Portuguese use

on their chicken, actually, piri piri chicken.

Chilli is the correct answer, well done!

Kevin, feta cheese is traditionally made from the milk of which animal?

I should say a sheep, Jeremy.

You are right, it is a sheep. A very succinct round this.

Going to the answers straight away. Two points apiece.

Let's see whether you can clinch it, Trevor.

In Turkey, what is ayran? Which is spelt A-Y-R-A-N.

Interesting.

I don't think it is a yoghurt drink, um...

I've never heard the, um... the expression, actually,

Um, so a guess between chickpea tart and spiced bread. Um...

I'll go for spiced bread.

It is not spiced bread, it is yoghurt drink, actually,

ayran in Turkey.

So, Kevin...

you could win the round with this question.

At which restaurant did Gordon Ramsey work under head chef Marco Pierre White in the mid-1980s?

I... I don't know it.

I associate both Le Gavroche and Dell'Ugo with other people.

So I am thinking, this is not my final definite answer at the moment,

I am thinking Harvey's, but let me just have a...

Le Gavroche is to do with the Rouxes, I think, and Dell'Ugo

is to do with Anthony Worrall-Thompson.

So Harvey's.

-Harvey's is your answer?

-Yes.

You are right, Kevin, it is Harvey's.

Well done, Kevin. Trevor, sorry,

you were beaten by our Egghead and won't be able to help your team in the final round.

Would you both please come back and join your teams?

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

whilst the Eggheads have lost only one brain.

The last subject is Arts and Books.

Who from the challengers wants to take on an Egghead?

John? John is happy with that?

John, it's you. Retired HR director.

-That's right.

-Against? You pick!

CJ?

CJ. CJ, I think.

OK, it is John from the Duckenders versus CJ from the Eggheads.

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

John, you can choose whether you have the first or the second set of questions. Go ahead.

I'll go first, please.

John, which American author and Nobel Prize winner nicknamed Papa

was a noted devotee of fishing, big game hunting and bull fighting?

I think, with the big game fishing, I do know that Ernest Hemingway

lived in Cuba for a while, so I think the answer is Hemingway.

Quite right, it was Ernest Hemingway.

CJ, Allan Quartermain is the central character in which classic adventure story first published in 1885?

I think he is in King Solomon's Mines.

You sound like you're thinking, but I take that as your answer.

-Am I right to?

-You are absolutely right.

Your answer is correct, well done!

John, Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are Going? is an 1897 work by which artist?

I don't actually know the answer to this, I do not think it is Monet,

I think the answer to this question may be Duchamp.

I am sorry, it is wrong, it is Gauguin.

CJ, next question. In a much quoted first line,

Robert Herrick's poem To The Virgins to Make Much of Time

suggests doing what "While Ye May"?

This is an instances where I am just going to ignore the question

and pick the one of I've heard of, which is "Gather ye Chestnuts".

"Gather ye Chestnuts" is wrong, it is "Gather ye Rosebuds".

Next question to you, John.

The Box of Delights is a children's book by which British writer?

Again, one I'm not sure of, I don't think it will be Philip Larkin...

..which probably leaves us with John Betjeman or John Masefield.

Of those two, I would suspect John Betjeman

might have been the more likely to have written a children's book.

So John Betjeman.

It is the wrong answer, it is John Masefield.

So, CJ, you can take the round if you get this right.

Dora Maar, Francoise Gilot and Marie-Therese Walter

were three of the many lovers of which painter?

Dora Maar was famously the person who took the photographs

chronicling the procedure when Guernica was being painted

and helped Picasso fill in the little lines on the horse.

It's Pablo Picasso.

CJ, you are right, it was Pablo Picasso. You take the round.

Well done. John, you were beaten by our Egghead.

As a result, you won't be able to help your team in the final round,

so would you both please come back and join your teams?

So this is what we have been playing towards.

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

But I am afraid those

who lost your head-to-heads won't take part.

So, Trevor, Bruce and John from the Duckenders

and Daphne from the Eggheads, would you please leave the studio?

Terry and Clive, you are playing to win the Duckenders £9,000.

Judith, Kevin, CJ and Chris, you are playing for something which money can't buy -

the Eggheads' reputation. As usual, I will ask each team three questions in turn.

The questions are General Knowledge and you are allowed to confer.

Duckenders, the question is are your two brains better than the Eggheads' four?

Terry and Clive, would you like to go first or second?

-First?

-Yes.

-First.

-We would like to carry on going first.

In Greek mythology, who was given ass's ears for saying that Apollo's music was inferior to Pan's?

In Greek mythology, who was given ass's ears

for saying Apollo's music was inferior to Pan's?

Zeus? It couldn't have been Zeus, could it?

He was the king of the guards.

Midas was the guy who touched everything and it went to gold.

And Jason was the guy who wandered off

looking for the fleece, the Argonauts.

-I think it might be Zeus?

-Do you?

-Yes.

-I really don't know, so I think it is your call.

Well, that's the other two.

-What are you thinking?

-Well, we are thinking...

We are both thinking different things!

-Oh, I see! We've ruled one out?

-It's whether Zeus,

as king of the gods, would be told to wear ass's ears.

-Which is...

-Which is a bit dubious.

But I don't remember Jason on his travels wearing ass's ears.

Midas really was just turned everything to gold.

-I think I'd end up with Zeus from that.

-OK.

We'll go with Zeus.

Zeus was given ass's ears, you say? You are wrong.

It was Midas.

As in the Midas touch,

but that was different. Same guy, different incident.

Eggheads, Iona is part of which group of islands?

It's Inner Hebrides. That is the Inner Hebrides.

Well done, Judith you are right.

Your second question, Duckenders.

In December 2007, it was announced that the Royal Family of which country

was to be abolished after the establishment of a new constituent assembly?

In December 2007, it was announced

that the Royal Family of which country was to be abolished

after the establishment of a new constituent assembly?

Well, Holland has still got a Royal Family, haven't they?

-And so have Spain.

-So have Spain.

And Nepal had the trouble with the prince.

-Yes, I would think it must be Nepal, mustn't it?

-Yes.

We're saying Nepal.

You're quite right, it is Nepal. One point to you.

The American John Kenneth Galbraith was best known for his work in which area, Eggheads?

Economics.

The American John Kenneth Galbraith was best known

-for his work in which area?

-That was...

-There is not much conferring going on!

-No, we've done it already.

It was like a nanosecond you conferred for.

-We knew this one.

-The vibes swim round.

-You confer by conduction!

-Yes, exactly!

Economics.

You are right, it is economics.

So question three,

and you need this, Duckenders, you really need this.

Which vehicle takes its name from the Latin for "to pull"?

Which vehicle takes its name from the Latin for "to pull"?

It must be the tractor, mustn't it?

-Because it is the only one that pulls amongst those.

-Yes.

As it is the only one that pulls, we are going to say tractor.

You are right, the logic was absolutely brilliant!

Very robust, it is the tractor, you are still in there.

Now, Eggheads, if you get

this question right, you've won the contest, so we have tension here.

In which part of Europe did the polka dance originate?

-Bohemia.

-Yeah, Bohemia.

-Bohemia.

-How did you come to that answer?

-By the usual conduction.

We know the general country area it evolved in and that's in Bohemia.

You are right, it's Bohemia.

Congratulations, Eggheads, you've won!

Commiserations, challengers, the Eggheads have done what comes

naturally to them and their winning streak continues.

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

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.

£10,000 says they don't! Till then, goodbye.

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