Episode 99 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've won some of the country's toughest quiz shows.

They are the Eggheads.

And taking on our quiz champions today are the Flexi Funksters.

The team are all students at Plymouth University

and know one another from taking part in team captain Nixi's weekly dance class.

-Let's meet them.

-Hi, I'm Nixi. I'm 26.

I'm a dance instructor and full-time environmental science student.

Hi, I'm Emily. I'm 20 and I'm a student studying psychology.

Hi, I'm Sarah. I'm 23 and I'm studying human biosciences.

Hi, I'm Jen. I'm 22 and I'm a history student.

Hi, I'm Emma. I'm 19 and I'm a theatre and performance student.

So, Nixi, you teach the others to dance?

Yes.

I teach them on a weekly basis in a studio in Mutley Plain.

And what is Nixi like as a teacher? Let me ask the others.

-Brilliant.

-Fantastic.

-She's very good.

-Breaking new ground?

-Thanks, guys!

-Yeah.

-For us.

She's very friendly and manages to teach us without us rebelling

against her. I think that's pretty skilful.

We'll see what she's like as a team captain. 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 rolls over to the next show.

So, Flexi Funksters, the Eggheads have won the last 15 games,

15, which means that £16,000 says you can't beat them.

The first head to head battle will be on the subject of History.

Which one of you Funksters wants to take History?

Definitely has to be the history student. Jen.

-Yeah, that'll be me.

-Jen on History.

-I think go for CJ.

-OK.

I'll take CJ on, please.

That's interesting.

So Jen from the Flexi Funksters against CJ from the Eggheads.

What a combination! To ensure there's no conferring,

please take your positions in the question room.

I'm going to ask each of you three multiple choice questions

on History in turn. Whoever answers the most questions correctly

is the winner. Jen, you can choose the first or the second set.

I'd like to go first please, Jeremy.

Jen, in 44 BC where was Julius Caesar assassinated?

This is not my area of History. I'll go with "On The Battlefield".

-The answer is "In The Senate House".

-Oh.

Where they all stabbed him, including his best mate.

CJ, first question to you.

The construction of Stonehenge is believed to have begun on

or around what date?

By far the oldest. It's 3000 BC.

If I was watching at home, I would not believe you could be right,

but you are. It is 3000 BC. It's that old.

OK, Jen, got to pull it back now.

Which English royal house took its name

from the sprig of yellow broom they used as an emblem?

I did Tudor England and it didn't come up, I'm certain of that.

Plantagenet.

-Plantagenet.

-Yeah, sorry.

-No trouble. You're quite right.

-Oh!

-Well done.

ALL: Whoo!

CJ, whom did President Truman dismiss as commander

of United Nations forces in Korea in 1951?

Yeah, he was widely criticised for it,

but he really had no choice because the general in question

severely criticised him first, although he was the best person

for the job and it was MacArthur.

MacArthur is the correct answer, CJ. Well done.

Two points to our Eggheads. Jen, you need this one.

Which general led his troops to victory

at the battles of Lake Trasimene and Cannae in the third century BC?

Wow! OK. Again, this is not my area.

Erm... I'll go with Alexander the Great, please.

-CJ, you know this one?

-Alexander was dead by then.

Genghis Khan hadn't been born. It's Hannibal.

It is Hannibal. Sorry, Jen.

Didn't get that right, so that means well done to CJ.

Jen, you were beaten by our Egghead.

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

Please both of you come back to the studio, join your team-mates.

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

The Eggheads have lost no Brains. Our next subject is Music.

Who from the Flexi Funksters would like to take music

and which Egghead would you like to beat?

-I'll go for music, cos then we've got you for others.

-Yeah.

-Will you be all right?

-Yeah.

-So who do you want to take on, Emma?

Chris has a friendly face and I'd like to...

I wouldn't mind sitting next to him in the...

What a nice reason! No-one's said that before about Chris.

-Play against Chris.

-So... OK, it's Emma from the Flexi Funksters

against Chris from the Eggheads.

And to ensure there's no conferring, please take your positions

in the room just mentioned, the question room.

I'm going to ask each of you three questions in turn,

multiple choice of course. Emma, which set - first or second?

Erm, I think I'll go first, please.

What type of building is mentioned in the first verse

of the Christmas carol Once In Royal David's City?

Luckily, primary school singing really educated me for this.

It was... Good time of my life... Cattle Shed.

Yes, it was. Well, done.

ALL: Whoo!

Chris, the jazz musician Miles Davis

is best known for playing which instrument?

Well, he wasn't a drummer.

And I don't say that he couldn't play the piano.

I don't think he was known for playing the piano.

I think Miles Davis was a trumpeter.

Trumpet.

Quite right. One-all.

Here we go, Emma.

In which country was the pianist David Helfgott born?

I can't say I'm familiar... I'm just trying to think of the name.

And it doesn't sound like a Russian name,

as many of them I can't pronounce.

Erm... I'll go for United Kingdom, at a guess, a complete guess.

-You think he was born in this country?

-Yes.

He wasn't. He was born in Australia.

-Oh!

-Sorry, Emma.

You have to hope Chris trips up now.

He doesn't often.

Chris, which Latin word is used in classical music

to denote a musical composition and is commonly numbered

to indicate its order of issue?

Well, locum is the place. Pinxit means he, she or it painted it,

and the word you're looking for is opus.

You're right. So the Eggheads have two and the challengers have one.

And this is your third question, Emma,

so you must get this right to stay in.

Rope In The Wind,

The Chase and In Pieces are best-selling albums by which singer?

I think...

I'm just going to have to go from gut, which is often wrong.

I'd like to go for Billy Joel, please.

Chris, do you know this?

I'd be inclined to say Garth Brooks myself. I don't know.

It is Garth Brooks. I'm sorry, Emma.

Chris has won. You were beaten by our Egghead.

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

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

So as it stands, the challengers have lost two Brains

from the final round, whilst the Eggheads haven't lost any.

The next subject is Geography.

-Flexi Funksters, who is the Geography person?

-Me!

-Which of you?

I think it'll be you.

..the best of us. It's not our strongest subject...

Nixi, team captain.

I'm going to give it a go. Who do you think I should challenge?

Hmm? I have no idea.

Emma, did we discuss...

-Not for Geography.

-I think Judith.

OK, Judith. OK.

Nixi from the Flexi Funksters versus Judith from the Eggheads.

To ensure there's no conferring,

please take your positions in the question room.

As you know, we have three questions on Geography.

They're multiple choice.

You can choose the first set or the second set of questions.

I may go second.

So, Judith, first question to you.

Bel Air is a fashionable area in which American city?

I think that might be Los Angeles.

Yes, it is. Well, done.

Your first question now, Nixi.

What name is given to the stretch of promenade

between the North and Central Piers of Blackpool?

OK, this is going to have to be a complete guess,

cos I've never been to Blackpool.

I may choose the Golden Mile. I'm going to go for the Golden Mile.

-Yeah, it's right. Well, done, Nixi.

-Yes!

-Well, done.

Judith, Epping Forest, a region of ancient woodland

straddles the boundary between Greater London and which county?

Epping Forest, a region of ancient woodland,

straddles the boundary between Greater London and which county?

Well, not Surrey and not Kent.

I am convinced it's Essex.

-Have you been there?

-I think I've driven through it.

I don't think I've stopped.

Well, you spent enough time there to know. Well done. It is Essex.

Your question, Nixi.

What city is served by Gimpo Airport?

Doesn't sound like a Rome name,

though I'm probably going to kick myself later if it is.

Erm... I'm going to go for Seoul. Is that how you say it?

-Seoul.

-Seoul.

-It doesn't matter how you say it, it's the right answer.

-Yes!

I love when you say "guess", you throw your arms in the air.

Can you do that again, the guess?

Yeah, that's right. We can move on.

Judith, what colour are the two stars on the flag of Syria?

Well, I wonder. Syria is a Muslim country,

so I think there would probably be green in there somewhere,

but whether it's a green background with white stars,

or a white background with green stars, I'm not sure.

I think I'm going to go for black, actually, after all that.

The answer is green. You're wrong.

I should have stuck to it, shouldn't I?

So, Nixi, get this, you've got the round.

Approximately how many miles long is the terrestrial border

between Canada and the United States?

This for the round.

I don't believe it's 5,500, just because it just seems too short

for the size of the countries,

cos they are huge compared to us.

I'm going to go for... Fingers crossed...

10,500 miles.

That's wrong, I'm afraid. It's 5,500.

Sorry, Nixi. Your Egghead is still in there.

We've had our multiple choice questions.

The scores are level. We will go now to sudden death.

Just to make it that bit harder,

these questions will not be multiple choice.

Judith, Banjul is the capital of which West African country,

the smallest on mainland Africa.

I think it's the Gambia.

-You're right, it is the Gambia.

-I've been there, funnily enough.

You've made it to the Gambia. You drove through Epping Forest.

Where have you not been? Well done.

-OK, you need this answer, Nixi, here to stay in.

-OK.

The mountainous plateau region of south central France

which occupies almost one-sixth of the country is known by what name?

My mind's just gone completely blank.

I'm going to have to pass.

I'm probably going to kick myself after. I really can't think.

No guess? Any guess for us?

My friends, if there's snow there, they probably snowboard there,

but I can't think of any hills in France right now. I can't think.

I just can't think of any.

The pressure, it's intense.

-I'll take a pass, shall I?

-Yes, please.

-OK.

The mountainous plateau region of south central France

-is known as the Massif Central.

-Ah.

That's the end of that round. Well done, Judith.

Nixi, you were beaten by your Egghead.

As a result, you 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 three Brains

from the final round, while the Eggheads still haven't lost any.

The last subject is Sport.

Now which of you challengers?

Oh, dear! Immediate deflation.

-What are we thinking?

-Who wants to take it?

-We lost our sport person.

-I don't watch any sports.

We want to leave Sarah till the final round, really, I think.

She's probably our strongest General Knowledge.

So I guess that would be me.

It's not my best subject, so it's going to be interesting.

-You can do it.

-Guessing.

But you are a surfer, aren't you?

That doesn't mean I know anything about different sports!

OK. Which Egghead do you want to take on?

-Daphne's good.

-Yeah, Daphne's good.

It's got to be Daphne or Kevin.

-Kevin.

-Kevin on sport?

-Yeah.

OK. So it's Emily from the Flexi Funksters

against Kevin from the Eggheads. To ensure there's no conferring,

please take your positions in the question room.

Emily, you get to choose the first or the second set of questions.

I think I'll go first.

What is the venue for the US Open tennis tournament, Emily?

US Tennis Open... that's definitely not my area.

I'm going to go for Madison Square Garden, cos it's the one I know of.

Sorry to say that's the wrong answer. It's Flushing Meadows.

OK. Kevin, the boxer Henry Cooper won British and European titles

fighting in which weight division?

He was a heavyweight, Jeremy.

He was indeed a heavyweight. You're right.

So the Eggheads have one point.

Come on, Emily. Micah Richards, born in Birmingham in 1988

has represented England in which sport?

I've never heard of him, which is unfortunate.

Erm... Micah Richards.

I'm going to go with football, I think.

-I'm so glad, cos it is football.

-Yes!

Your question, Kevin.

The fast bowler Steve Harmison made his debut

for which country cricket team in 1996?

Well, hoping he hasn't moved counties since then.

He actually plays for Durham, so Durham.

Durham is right.

So two points to the Eggheads, one to the challenger.

Emily, you need this.

The journalist and broadcaster Clive Everton

is well known for his writings and TV commentary on which sport?

Clive Everton. It rings a bell.

I don't know why - I want to go with snooker.

I really don't know why.

Clive Everton?

I'm going to go with snooker, I think.

First instinct, snooker.

-Bang on.

-Yes!

ALL: Whoo!

Cor! You're putting us through it, I tell you.

Pot black anyway. You did it. Well done.

Now, Kevin, if you get this right, you have knocked Emily out.

From which of these scores is it impossible

to achieve a three-dart finish?

I was going to say, probably impossible for me

with all three of them, but I've done one of them,

which is 164. Which is treble 20, treble 18, bull.

And 167 you can do by treble 19,

treble 20, bull. So it's 162.

It is indeed 162, Kevin. Well, done. You've taken that round,

which means, Emily, you were beaten by our Egghead.

So you won't be able to help your team in the final round.

Please both of you come back here to the studio.

This is what we've been playing towards -

the final round, which, as always, is General Knowledge,

but I'm afraid those of you who lost your head to heads

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

So, Nixi, Emily, Jen and Emma from the Flexi Funksters,

please leave the studio.

So, Sarah, you are playing to win the Flexi Funksters £16,000

and there they are behind you,

willing you on.

Judith, Kevin, CJ, Daphne 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 all General Knowledge.

You are allowed to confer.

OK. Who with?!

So the question is,

is your one brain better than the Eggheads' five?

-And if you win this money for your team...

-Yeah.

-You're going to take the lot?

-Yeah, absolutely!

-They don't think so.

-No!

-What will you spend it on?

-No, we'll split it.

I would go on holiday and buy a surf board.

-Buy a surf board. You all love your surfing.

-We do.

-We do love to surf in Cornwall and Devon.

-Well, best of luck.

-Thank you.

They are a mean machine this lot, but you can do it. It's been done.

It's a little bit intimidating.

Choose the first or the second set of questions.

I think I'll go first please.

Sarah, a nosegay is a small bound collection of what?

A nosegay, N-O-S-E-G-A-Y, is a small bound collection of what?

I can't imagine it would be fish.

Erm...

So it's going to have to be feathers or flowers.

I'm going to go with feathers.

-Feathers is your answer?

-Yeah.

-I'm sorry it's wrong. It's flowers.

-OK.

OK.

Your question, Eggheads.

Which animal lends its name to a stock market

in which prices are persistently rising?

-Bull, definitely.

-Yeah, bull.

That would be a bull market.

You're right, the answer is bull.

So second question to you, Sarah.

Clinker built is a term normally referring

to the construction of what?

Clinker built... C-L-I-N-K-E-R built... B-U-I-L-T

..is a term normally referring to the construction of what?

I don't know why, but I'm drawn towards ships for that question.

So that's what I'm going to go for. I've no idea why,

but that's what I'm going to go for.

-Ships is right. Well, done.

-ALL: Whoo!

And they're very, very happy about that. You're still in there.

You're still in fighting.

Eggheads, which cartoon strip character created by Alex Graham

made his first appearance in the Daily Mail in 1963?

Which cartoon strip character created by Alex Graham

made his first appearance in the Daily Mail in 1963?

Well, Rupert Bear's the Express. Where's Dilbert?

It's American syndication...

-Yeah.

-That's Scott Adams.

-But it is Fred Basset. That's our answer.

Daphne, you're right. The dog Fred Basset. Well done.

OK, Sarah, you need this one.

Malta lies approximately 58 miles south of which Mediterranean island?

Malta lies approximately 58 miles south of which Mediterranean island?

I don't think it's Majorca.

I'm going to say Sicily.

-You're saying Sicily?

-Yeah.

-To stay in with a chance of winning £16,000?

-Yeah.

-Sicily it is. Well done.

-It's right! Oh!

Oh, goodness! How much more of this can we bear?

So, Eggheads two, challengers two.

Eggheads, if you get this answer,

then you've taken that money away again.

During the refurbishment of Westminster Hall in the 1920s,

what did workmen find in the rafters,

apparently dating back to the time of Henry VIII?

During the refurbishment of Westminster Hall in the 1920s,

what did workmen find in the rafters,

apparently dating back to the time of Henry VIII?

And if you get this answer right,

you send the Flexi Funksters home with nothing.

..I don't know if that's anything to do with that.

He did play tennis, didn't he?

Because, well, further up in Whitehall

there's Henry VIII's wine cellar.

-Oh.

-Which there is underneath the Ministry of Defence main building.

But I don't know. I wouldn't...

-I don't know this, but I wouldn't have thought family portraits.

-No.

-No. Tennis balls?

-I've never heard of them playing tennis

in Westminster Hall, so I think the most likely is wine bottles,

but I don't know it.

Chris and me said wine bottles.

That is the most likely one.

It's either tennis balls or wine bottles.

You can tell by the prolonged discussion,

we're not absolutely sure...

We're enjoying it.

-We're enjoying that, aren't we?

-We do think it might be wine bottles.

-You're saying wine bottles?

-We are.

-Flexi Funksters, you're still alive. It's tennis balls!

-Yes!

-Really.

-Yes, it is. So the scores are level.

We now go to sudden death. And remember,

to make it that bit harder, these questions are not multiple choice.

First question to you, Sarah.

Who was William Shakespeare's wife?

I live just outside Stratford-on-Avon,

so if I get this wrong...!

It was...

Anne Hathaway.

Spot on. Well done.

-ALL: Yeeeah!!!

-Go, Sarah!

OK, Eggheads.

If you get this question wrong,

the Flexi Funksters go home with £16,000 and not only that,

you've been beaten by their lone surviving player.

Which quiz show host was the subject of a popular urban myth

that he played the saxophone solo

in the Gerry Rafferty UK hit single Baker Street?

-When was that?

-When was that?

Let's work it out.

Let's think of quiz show hosts. Bamber Gascoigne.

Jeremy Paxman.

-Hughie Green.

-How did you express it again, Jeremy?

Did you say, "Which quiz show host"?

Which quiz show host was the subject

of a popular urban myth that he played the saxophone solo

in the Gerry Rafferty UK hit single Baker Street?

It may be a popular urban myth, but it's not one I've ever heard of.

-No, I've never heard of it.

-I thought...

Do we know who really did...?

-Nicholas Parsons...

-If you get this wrong, Eggheads,

it's the third time only that you've lost to one person

playing on their own.

Right, now come on, we've got to think of quiz show hosts.

Right, so...

Gascoigne, Leslie Crowther, Nicholas Parsons, Hughie Green.

-Bruce Forsyth.

-Who's done a music quiz?

-No idea.

-No idea.

We need an answer, Eggheads.

-Bamber Gascoigne.

-Bamber or Hughie.

-Hughie.

-Hughie?

-Hughie Green.

Hughie Green is your answer, Eggheads?

And I think she's won.

For £16,000...

-Oh, no. We've never...

-If you're right,

-you're snatching that money away.

-I'm guessing we're not!

-No.

-You're wrong.

ALL: Whooo!

You are so wrong! It was Bob Holness.

Challengers, you've just won £16,000. Congratulations.

What an amazing game. Well done.

-Well done, Sarah.

-We won!

-What went wrong, Eggheads?

-Sorry?

-Tennis balls.

Just the circuits fused. The tennis balls went wrong?!

We didn't think that one through, but we hadn't come across it.

... cos you hit tennis balls up in the air.

One of my colleagues on Radio 2, Stuart Maconie,

started the rumour in NME magazine

that Bob Holness had played the saxophone on Baker Street.

-Did you know that?

-I didn't. I needed reminding.

-So...

-I can't believe it.

-What happens now?

-The surf shops?

-Tomorrow! Tomorrow!

We're going shopping.

Well done, Flexi Funksters.

You are officially cleverer than the Eggheads.

You have proved they can be beaten.

Join us next time on Eggheads to see if the new team of challengers

will be just as successful.

Until then, what a great game. Goodbye.

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