Episode 43 Pointless

APPLAUSE

Thank you. Hello, I'm Alexander Armstrong,

welcome to Pointless.

This is the show where the questions have all been asked to 100 people

before the show and all our contestants have to do

is come up with the answers that no-one else could think of.

Let's meet today's players.

APPLAUSE

Couple number one.

Hi, I'm James. This is my lovely girlfriend, Sophia.

We're from Surbiton.

Couple number two.

Hi, I'm Rachel. This is my mum, Carol. We're both from Cornwall.

Couple number three.

My name's Adrian. This is my fellow head teacher and friend, Brian.

We're from Norwich.

Couple number four.

My name's Rich. This is my best friend, Aaron.

We're both from Cardiff.

These are today's contestants.

APPLAUSE

Thanks very much, all of you.

We'll find out more about you throughout the show.

That just leaves one more person for me to introduce.

He's a carefree fact maverick who plays by his own set of rules,

and that of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, obviously.

It's my Pointless friend. It's Richard.

Hiya.

Hi, everyone.

APPLAUSE

-Afternoon to you.

-And to you.

Two returning pairs today, both of whom did rather well last time.

James and Sophia, who got knocked out in Round Two, and Aaron and Rich,

who played against Lorraine and Myra in that head-to-head.

-Lorraine and Myra were good, weren't they?

-Very good.

-They were tough to come up against.

-Yeah.

-Aaron and Rich had a slight disaster in the head-to-head.

-Yes.

But not the worst I've ever seen. Made it all the way there as well,

so they're going to be very good opponents.

But did you hear on podium three...?

It would appear that Brian and Adrian are both head teachers.

-Yeah, I heard that.

-What's that about?

-Yeah.

They're both head teachers. Having one head teacher on a team is plenty.

They better be good.

(Imagine if they're terrible.)

RICHARD CHUCKLES

Well, this could be an unbelievable show, Richard. Thank you very much.

Every question has been asked to 100 people before today's show.

The contestants are looking to find a pointless answer -

an answer that none of those 100 people gave.

If you find one of those, we will add £250 to the jackpot.

Myra and Lorraine didn't win the jackpot last time,

so we add another £1,000 to that, so today's jackpot starts off at...

If everyone's ready, let's play Pointless.

Remember, the pair with the highest score at the end of the round

will be eliminated.

Our first category today is...

Football. Can you all decide in your pairs who's going to go first,

who's going to go second?

Whoever's going first, please step up to the podium.

OK, let's find out what the question is.

We gave 100 people 100 seconds to name as many....

Clubs that have finished the season in the top half

of the Premier League, Richard.

Yeah, looking for any team which finished in the top half

of the Premier League since it first began in the 1992/93 season.

The first couple of seasons there were 22 teams, so if you finished

in the top 11 there, since then anybody who finished in the top ten.

Best of luck. Easy to guess on this one,

but there's a few good obscure scores out there, so best of luck at home.

Thanks very much, indeed.

James, we come to you this time.

-You're back. Last time we discovered you're a chauffeur.

-That's right.

-We talked about that.

-Generally around London.

Who's the most exciting person you've driven?

One of the people I've driven, he's an older chap

and he judges people's dancing skills.

-The Duke of Edinburgh, yes.

-That's right.

Arlene Phillips.

LAUGHTER

He's digging a hole here for me.

-OK, and he was lovely.

-Lovely.

Good as gold, perfect.

That's the kind of anecdote I was after.

Perfect. James, I suspect you'll have a good answer here.

I'm into football. I follow Brentford.

I know for a fact they haven't finished

in the top half of the Premier League,

but I'm going to go with Southampton,

cos they've been in the Premier League a long time.

I think at one point in their career in the Premier League,

they have finished in the top half.

OK, Southampton, says James.

Let's see if that's right and, if it is,

let's see how many of our 100 people said Southampton.

It's right.

Still going down.

9, very well done indeed. That's a great answer.

9 for Southampton.

Well played, James.

Best finish of 8th in 2002/03 for Southampton.

Thanks very much indeed.

Rachel, welcome to Pointless. Great to have you here.

There was an audible groan from you when football came up on the board.

-No, it's OK.

-Maybe it was from Carol.

-Probably.

-It was Carol.

I beg your pardon. What do you do, Rachel?

I run and own three restaurants in Cornwall,

one in London with my husband.

-Fish restaurants, mostly.

-Of course. Fish restaurants.

-You can barely move in Cornwall for fish restaurants.

-Absolutely.

But these are fish restaurants of the very highest...

-Of the first water, you might say.

-RACHEL LAUGHS

One of them is.

-It's got two Michelin stars.

-See that is...

How long have you had those?

It's the only two Michelin star in the world that's just fish.

-That seems a bit limiting.

-I know.

I like some veg or something with my...

Also, I wouldn't want to try the puddings.

LAUGHTER

-No, fish puddings, they're yum.

-What, fishcake?

-Mm.

-Yeah. OK, now, Rachel. So, then...

-OK.

Football clubs that have finished in the top half of the Premier League.

-I know. So I think I'm going to go for Charlton.

-OK.

Charlton, says Rachel. Let's see if that's right

and, if it is, let's see how many of our 100 people said it.

It's right.

Well, 9 is what Southampton scored. Where's Charlton going to finish up?

Look at that! 3 for Charlton. Very well done indeed, Rachel.

That's a great answer.

That's a terrific answer, Rachel. Well played.

2003-04, they finished 7th.

Thanks very much indeed, Richard. Brian, welcome.

-Great to have you here.

-Pleased to be here.

You described yourself as a secondary head,

which sounds very Douglas Adams.

But that's a good thing. How did you and Adrian meet?

Were you in the pub passing around the ready-rub or...?

Our schools work very closely together.

lots of his students come up and join my school.

In fact, his daughter is at my school as well,

so we work quite closely together.

We were at a conference a few years ago,

and I had to sneak off and go and watch The Apprentice,

cos I'm a big fan of quizzes and reality TV, and then Adrian said,

"Well, why don't we go in for something and give it a go?"

I have to stand up and do assemblies and tell kids how they should

go out, try things and give it a go, so I thought,

"Why not? We'll give it a go."

That's quite gutsy,

because presumably tomorrow you will have to stand up in assembly.

-Who knows what might happen?

-Yes, I could be very embarrassed.

Anyway, Brian, here's your first shot at glory.

Right, now this...

I was going to say Charlton cos I knew that they'd

finished in the top half of the Premier League.

I'm going to take a little bit of a chance,

but I've got to say it cos it's from my heart. Wimbledon.

Wimbledon, says Brian.

Let's see if that's right and, if it is,

let's see how many of our 100 people said Wimbledon.

It's right.

Very well done, Brian.

3 our lowest score at the moment.

9 our highest.

You pass 9, you pass 3.

Look at that, Brian!

You can hold your head up high in assembly tomorrow. 1 for Wimbledon.

Great answer, Brian. What a role model you are. That is terrific.

In 1993/94, they finished 6th, Wimbledon. Was that back in your era?

Yeah, I remember that season really well.

No longer with us, of course.

There's AFC Wimbledon, who've grown from the ashes,

but the team themselves went to Milton Keynes.

Became the Milton Keynes Dons.

Thanks very much indeed.

-Aaron.

-Hello.

-Aaron, welcome back.

-Thanks.

Head-to-head last time. You did exceedingly well.

However, back we come.

Football, big part of your life, as you said last time.

I've got a few in the bank, but I've got one where they came up

and didn't last too long in the Premier League,

but I remember their first season

under George Burley was a very good one.

I think it distracted them the next year

cos they actually qualified for Europe.

-I'm going to say Ipswich Town.

-Ipswich Town, says Aaron.

Let's see if that's right. Let's see how many of our 100 people said it.

It's right.

Oh, look at that. 3, very well done indeed.

Very, very low-scoring round.

It finishes in the same vein there, halfway through.

Well played, Aaron. Terrific from everybody there. Really good scoring.

They finished 5th in that season you were talking about.

-It was an amazing achievement.

-Very good, indeed.

We're halfway through that round, let's take a look at those scores.

1 the best score of that pass, Brian, very well done there.

I'd say that puts you and Adrian

in a very strong position at this stage.

Then up to 3 where we find Rachel and Carol, and Aaron and Rich.

Then up to 9, James and Sophia.

I'm getting deja vu here, slightly, Sophia.

It's a nice low score, but you happen to be out in front there.

Best of luck with that. We're going to come back down the line.

Can the second players step up to the podium?

OK, Rich, remember we're looking for football clubs

that have finished the season in the top half of the Premier League.

The team I'm thinking of...

Again, in their very first season of the Premier League finished

quite highly, if I remember correctly.

I'm going to go for Norwich City.

Norwich City.

Some firm nods on podium three there.

Norwich City, let's see if that's right.

You're on 3, the high-scorers on 9 are Sophia and James,

so if you score 5 or less, you'll avoid becoming the high-scorers.

Let's see if that's right. Norwich City.

There's your red line.

It's right.

13 for Norwich City.

Takes your total up to 16.

Another good answer, though, Rich.

They came 3rd in the very first Premier League, in fact,

Norwich City. Went through to the UEFA Cup, beat Bayern Munich.

An amazing time.

Now, then, Adrian.

You're on 1. Which of you two's been teaching in Norwich for longer?

I've been there the last 30 years.

When you're not teaching, what interests you?

I play a lot of bridge, sort of at county level.

Occasionally played at national level.

-A great game. Really enjoy it.

-There we are. 14 or less is your target.

A friend of mine is a great fan of a club that came up

and did well in their first season.

My answer is Reading.

Reading.

Reading. OK, there's your red line.

Let's see if Reading will get you below that line.

Reading, is it right and, if it is, how many of our 100 people said it?

It's right.

And you're through. 2!

Our two best scores so far on podium three.

Very well done to the head teachers.

Very well played. You're right.

They did well in their first season, finished 8th and then were relegated.

It reminds me, all that bridge talk, that we were going to launch

that bridge cruising company, weren't we? Bridge on the River Kwai.

-Yes.

-We should do that.

-Yeah.

Yeah, but we must never stop these schemes.

We never did our trip to Bangor Pier either, did we?

Oh, no. A load of us went.

LAUGHTER

Me and the whole team, a load of contestants. We all went.

Everyone who's ever been on it. It was a great laugh.

-Was it?

-Oh, Bangor's lovely that time of year. We had fun.

A lot of the viewers came as well.

These guys all came cos I knew they were coming. We had such a laugh.

Oh, God, it was fun.

I guess I must have just been busy or something, probably.

Eh, yeah, why not? Yeah, yeah.

-Yeah, let's say that. Oh, we had a laugh.

-Excellent.

Carol, welcome. Good to have you here. Up from Cornwall.

Do you get involved in the restaurant trade as well?

-Are you ever called in?

-I have a pub.

-You have a pub.

-Yes.

-Have you always had a pub?

I've worked in or around that industry all my life, yeah.

The high-scorers on 16, Rich and Aaron.

12 or less sees you through.

-Yes.

-The groan came from you when football came up.

-It was me, yes.

Not your favourite topic.

I used to watch football years ago,

but since the Premier League started I haven't had time, so...

I shall go for Blackburn.

Blackburn, says Carol. Blackburn. There's your red line.

If you get below that with Blackburn,

you're through to the next round. Let's see if it's right.

It is right.

It is right.

Will it take you down below that red line?

Oh, almost. 13 it scores.

Takes your total up to 16.

We have tied high-scorers.

Oh, it could be exciting, couldn't it?

Yeah, it's a good answer.

They're one of only five teams to have won the Premier League,

at time of recording, anyway. That may change.

Thank you very much indeed, Richard. Now, then, Sophia. Sophia.

Yes.

How are we feeling?

Under a lot of pressure.

SHE LAUGHS

All good answers. I go to Brentford occasionally,

but I don't follow football.

I'm going to say Leeds.

-Leeds.

-Yes.

-OK, Leeds, says Sophia.

I'm going to tell you this.

Brian, who scored 1, our lowest scorer in the round, nodded.

Right then he was nodding.

Is it right, will it get you below that red line?

-It's right.

-Oh.

It just has to go below that red line. It has to score less than 6.

Down it goes. Still going down. Oh, no! 16.

16, not a bad answer at all. 25 your total.

A terrific round from everybody there. That was very well played.

They actually finished in the top five, five years in a row, Leeds,

from the late '90s onwards.

Fallen from grace since then, unfortunately.

Before we go through, there's only one pointless answer.

I'll take you through some of the lower scorers

then reveal what that pointless answer is. You would have got...

These would have seen you through to the next round.

You would have scored 5 for Queens Park Rangers

or Bolton Wanderers.

4 points for Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday,

Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Birmingham City.

3 points for Leicester City, Wigan Athletic. 1 point Coventry City.

There's one pointless answer, very well done if you said...

Derby County.

Thank you very much indeed.

So at the end of our first round, the pair who are heading home

with a high score of 25, your high score was 35 last time.

We thought that was pretty low.

Anyway, James and Sophia, I'm afraid this time it's goodbye,

but it's been great having you on both shows.

Thank you so much for playing. James and Sophia.

But for the remaining three pairs, it's now time for Round Two.

And then there were three pairs.

Obviously at the end of this round, we have to say goodbye

to another pair in time for our head-to-head round.

Best of luck to all three pairs.

Our category for Round Two today is...

Famous Buildings.

Can you all decide in your pairs who's going to go first,

who's going to go second?

Whoever's going first, please step up to the podium.

OK, and the question concerns...

Famous buildings and their cities, Richard.

On each pass we're going to give you the names of six famous buildings.

You need to tell us the cities in which they're located, please.

Six on each pass, 12 in all to have a go at at home. Good luck.

Thanks very much, indeed. We're looking for the cities

in which you would find these famous buildings.

Here is our first board of six.

We have...

I'll read those all one last time.

There we are. Six famous buildings. which cities would you find them in?

Carol, how do you find that board?

The foreign ones I'm just hopeless with.

But I do know the Palace of Holyroodhouse,

which is Edinburgh.

OK, Edinburgh, says Carol, for the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

Let's see if that's right, let's see how many people said it.

It is right.

33.

-33 for Edinburgh.

-Yeah, originally founded as a monastery in 1128.

Thank you very much. Adrian, famous buildings and their cities.

I do think I know two or three.

The one that came up at the end,

my daughter with Brian's school went on a school trip to

one of these, so I think the bottom one, Sagr-ay-da Familia,

because I'm sure I've seen pictures brought back, is Barcelona.

Barcelona, says Adrian for Sagrada Familia, or Sagr-ay-da Familia.

Let's see if that's right and,

if it is, let's see how many of our 100 people said it.

It's right. It is Barcelona.

24.

Good answer.

Yes, building began in 1882, and not scheduled to finish until 2026.

-Yeah, we've had builders like that.

-LAUGHTER

-Wow.

-Gaudi started it off.

There's been many, many different architects since then.

But it looks rather good unfinished, I think.

Thank you very much.

We come to you, Aaron, you're the last person to have this board.

-Do you want to talk us through it?

-I wish I could.

There's one I think I know for definite.

Teatro Colon, I'm not sure. Bolshoi definitely sounds Russian.

Azteca Stadium, I thought someone might have taken Burj Khalifa,

so that would have been my parachute.

I think it's Mexico City, but I'm not going to go for that.

I'm going to go for Burj Khalifa, Dubai.

Dubai, says Aaron for Burj Khalifa. Let's see if that's right

and, if it is, let's see how many people said Dubai.

It is right.

Well, 33 is our high score. 24 our low. Well, you pass both of those.

21, Aaron. Well done.

Burj Khalifa.

Yes, 160 storeys high, Burj Khalifa.

Tallest building in the world when it was opened.

To rent a one-bedroomed flat in the Burj Khalifa would cost

you £48,000 a year.

A one-bed flat.

SILENCE

I know. Can you believe that?

And you're a long way from a shop as well, aren't you?

You've got to go all the way down to the ground floor.

Maybe they have shops at various intervals.

You would hope so. Or a shop in the lift. That's what I would do.

-That's what you do.

-Yeah.

There's a business idea. Shops in lifts.

-Now shall we take a look through the rest of this board?

-Nah.

-Nah.

LAUGHTER Dubai was a good answer,

but not as good an answer as Mexico City would have been.

You're absolutely right, Azteca Stadium hosted two World Cup finals

in Mexico City. Would have scored you 16 points.

Bolshoi Theatre does sound a bit Russian, doesn't it? It's in Moscow.

Would have scored you 40. The best answer up there, Teatro Colon.

It sounds Spanish in some way. It's in Buenos Aires in Argentina.

Best answer there. 3 points if you said that.

Thanks very much. We're halfway through the round.

Let's take a look at those scores.

21, the best score of that pass, Aaron. Very well done.

Pretty close scoring, though.

24 is where we find Adrian and Brian.

33 is where we find Carol and Rachel.

Yes, you are a little bit ahead there, Rachel.

We need a really stunning, low-scoring answer from you

to keep you in the game, so best of luck with that.

We're going to come back down the line now.

Can the second players please step up to the podium?

OK, let's put six more famous buildings on the board.

Here they come. We have got...

I'll read those all one last time.

We're looking for the cities

in which you would find these famous buildings.

Rich, you're going to try and find the one

you think the fewest of our 100 people knew.

What do you think?

It's a hard board. It's making me laugh, how tough it is.

I might have to take a stab in the dark.

I'm going to say La Scala is Paris.

OK, Paris for La Scala, says Rich. You're on 21.

The high-scorers on 33, Rachel and Carol.

11 or less was your target. There's your red line, let's see...

Is it Paris?

Bad luck, Rich.

I'm afraid that's an incorrect answer,

scores you the maximum of 100 points.

Takes your total up to 121.

Yes, afraid not, Rich.

I'll give you the correct answer at the end of the pass.

-Thanks very much indeed. Now, then, Brian.

-Mm-hm.

See, looking at that, there's one, two,

there's three that I know and I do know where La Scala is

but I think it's going to be higher than the one that I'm going to say.

I think Petronas Towers are in Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur says Brian for Petronas Towers. Let's see if that's right.

Now, there is your red line, nice and high.

If you get below that, you're through to the next round.

Let's see how many people said Petronas Towers

were in Kuala Lumpur.

Absolutely right.

21.

45 is your total.

Well played, Brian. Yeah, 88 storeys high each.

They've got a skybridge which connects them at the 41st floor.

-Thank you very much. OK, now, Rachel.

-OK.

-You have to score 87 or less.

-I know.

Talk us through that board, maybe do some thinking out loud.

Robie House, no idea.

Pompidou Centre just sounds French.

So, I think I'm going to go for the Smithsonian American Art Museum

and Washington.

Washington says Rachel.

Let's see if Washington is indeed right for the Smithsonian.

There's your red line.

-It's right!

-Ooh.

-Very well done, Rachel. Good for that TV show.

I know.

25.

25 takes your total up to 58, sees you into the head-to-head.

-Well done.

-Very well played.

Yeah, one of the oldest public buildings in Washington.

It was actually the site of Abraham Lincoln's inaugural ball,

the Smithsonian.

They nearly knocked it down in the '50s to build a car park.

Now, Aaron and Rich, last time you were on the show,

you got knocked out because you failed to go for...

-Milan.

-Milan. Oh, please don't.

Now, this time round, you had to tell us where La Scala was.

It's not in Milan, surely.

-It is Milan.

-I feel sick.

It is Milan, it would've scored you 20 points.

So, it would have seen you safely through. You've been double Milan-ed.

I can't believe it.

I think that might be the first time people have been knocked out

twice in a row for not giving the same answer. It's a shame, isn't it?

-Mm.

-Now, let's look through the rest of these.

Pompidou Centre, it certainly does sound French.

-It's in Paris.

-It's in Paris, yep. Would've scored you 39.

Do you know the Pitti Palace?

-It's in Florence.

-That is in Florence.

That would've scored you 9 points.

And Robie House, it's designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

and it's in Chicago.

It's the best answer there, would've scored you 6 points

so well done if you said that.

Thank you very much indeed.

So, at the end of our second round, the pair heading home with

the high score of 121, I'm afraid, Rich and Aaron, it is you.

-Head-to-headers last time.

-Yeah.

This time, second round, but, yeah, listen, Rich, Aaron,

it's been lovely having you on the show, thank you so much for playing.

-Thanks.

-Thank you.

APPLAUSE

But for the remaining two pairs, it's now time for the head-to-head.

Congratulations, Brian and Adrian, Rachel and Carol,

you are now one step closer to the final

and a chance to play for our jackpot which currently stands at...

APPLAUSE

So, we have to decide who's going to play for that money

and to do that, you are now going to go head-to-head.

The big difference is you're now allowed to confer before you

give your answers and the first pair to win two questions will be

playing for that jackpot.

Best of luck to both pairs. I think it's going to be close.

Let's play the head-to-head.

APPLAUSE

OK, here comes your first question and it concerns...

Presenters of Newsnight, Richard.

We're going to show you five pictures now of people who've presented

the BBC current affairs show Newsnight.

Can you tell us the name of the most obscure?

OK, thanks very much.

Let's reveal our five Newsnight presenters and here they come.

We have got...

There we go. Five Newsnight presenters.

Brian and Adrian, you've played best throughout the show so far

so you will get to go first.

THEY CONFER QUIETLY

-We're going to try D, Jeremy Vine.

-D, Jeremy Vine say Brian and Adrian.

D, Jeremy Vine. Now, Rachel and Carol, the board is all yours.

OK.

We only know A which is completely obvious.

-We're working when it's on.

-Yeah.

-Just never get to see it. So...

-We'll go for A, Jeremy Paxman.

-A, Jeremy Paxman.

So, we have Jeremys Vine and Paxman.

Brian and Adrian went for Jeremy Vine.

Let's see if that's right and if it is, let's see how

many of our 100 people said Jeremy Vine for D.

It's right.

15.

15 for Jeremy Vine, very good indeed.

Now, Rachel and Carol have said Jeremy Paxman.

Let's see if that's right

and if it is, let's see how many people said that.

It's right.

It's a high score, 71.

Very well done, Brian and Adrian. After one question, you are up 1-0.

Yeah, very big score for Jeremy Paxman. I think Jeremy Vine scored...

-It doesn't really look much like him, does it?

-It doesn't.

I'm guessing that's why they chose it.

I think so, I think he would've scored more points.

Now, let's take a look at the rest of these.

B, I think one of the teams knew that, that's Emily Maitlis.

She would've scored you 7 points, it would have been a very good answer.

-I think you know C as well.

-Yeah, Kirsty Wark.

Kirsty Wark is right.

A few more points for her, she would've scored you 23.

And the best answer was the last answer.

In fact, it's a pointless answer.

And it's the wonderful Martha Kearney.

Very well done if you said Martha Kearney.

Thank you very much indeed, Richard. So, here comes your second question.

Rachel and Carol, you will get to go first

but you have to win it to stay in the game.

Best of luck. Here it comes, it concerns...

Shakespearean Deaths. Richard?

Yeah, we're going to show you five clues now to the

deaths of famous characters from Shakespeare.

We just need you to tell us the name of the character, please.

-Best of luck.

-Thanks very much indeed.

So, let's reveal our five Shakespearean deaths

and here they come.

I'll read those all one last time...

There we are, five Shakespearean deaths.

Rachel and Carol, you'll go first.

THEY CONFER QUIETLY

-OK.

-OK.

Stabbed by Hamlet when he is hiding behind the arras and it's Polonius.

Polonius.

Polonius say Rachel and Carol.

Now, Brian and Adrian, the rest of the board is all yours.

-We had that one as our first choice.

-Yes.

The top one's Julius Caesar and the bottom one's Juliet.

You thought C was...not sure.

Not sure but D's Desdemona.

-So, I think we'll go for that?

-Yeah, might as well.

OK, you're going to go for Desdemona.

So, we have Polonius versus Desdemona.

Rachel and Carol said Polonius.

Let's see if that's right

and if it is, let's see how many people said that.

It's right.

Good answer, 11, very well done. 11 for Polonius.

APPLAUSE

Brian and Adrian have said Desdemona,

killed by her husband Othello.

Let's see if that's right

and if it is, let's see how many people said Desdemona.

It's right.

33.

Well done, Rachel and Carol, that's what you needed to do,

you're back in the game. After two questions, it's 1-1.

Very nicely played there, Rachel and Carol.

You're right about the top and bottom ones,

neither of them would have saved you, though. Let's look at their scores.

Julius Caesar of course. He would have scored you...

67. How many people do you think knew the bottom one was Juliet?

Um, I would've thought in the...

late 70s.

-91.

-Oh, that's good.

-91.

That is good.

But the middle one would've won you the point. It's from King Lear.

-Cordelia.

-Cordelia is the answer, yeah, would've scored 4 points.

Terrific work if you said that at home.

Thanks very much indeed.

So, here comes your third question, the decider.

Whoever wins this goes through to the final and plays for the jackpot.

Best of luck to both pairs. It concerns...

Major League Baseball Players.

I'll tell you what, we don't muck about, do we?

It has been a terrific head-to-head, I have to say,

and from Shakespearean deaths to Major League baseball players.

We're going to show you the names of five Major League baseball

players now but we've removed alternate letters from their names.

Can you fill in the gaps?

OK, let's reveal our five Major League baseball players

and here they come.

We have got...

I'll read those all one last time.

So, Brian and Adrian, you will go first.

THEY CONFER QUIETLY

I have a...

I think that I might know one but I'm not confident

so this is going to come down to whether we take a risk and...

We'll go safe.

So, we're going to play safe

and this might be the wrong thing to do but if we say Babe Ruth.

You're going for Babe Ruth. OK, Babe Ruth say Brian and Adrian.

Rachel and Carol, the board is yours.

-Yeah, my mum knows the top one.

-I think it's Ty Cobb.

Ty Cobb. Ty Cobb say Rachel and Carol.

So, Brian and Adrian said Babe Ruth.

Let's see if that's right

and if it is, let's see how many people said Babe Ruth.

It's right.

28.

APPLAUSE

Rachel and Carol have gone for Ty Cobb.

Let's see if that's right

and if it is, let's see how many of our 100 people said that.

It's right!

Will it beat 28?

Yes, it will. Still going down.

Look at that, 3! Very well done indeed.

APPLAUSE

No arguing with that. Very well done, Rachel and Carol.

After three questions, you are through to the final 2-1.

That was a terrific head-to-head, wasn't it? Very, very well played.

Yeah, the first ever inductee in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Ty Cobb,

but a very low score for him.

-Was that the risk you were going to take?

-That was the risk.

-And would you have said Ty Cobb?

-Yes.

Now, let's fill in the rest, we'll leave the second one for the moment.

Em, Joe DiMaggio, of course, under Babe Ruth there.

He would've scored you...

17 points.

Right at the bottom there, Mickey Mantle,

he would've scored you 4.

And the second one, it's a pointless answer, one of the biggest

home-run hitters in baseball history - Harmon Killebrew.

Very well done if you said that, pointless answer.

Well, thanks very much indeed, Richard.

So, the pair leaving us at the end of the head-to-head,

I'm afraid, is Brian and Adrian.

Absolute star players throughout the show and then at the last,

they just shied away. Ty Cobb, you might've gone for.

Yes, we would've gone for it but we need to be braver.

Well, listen, the good news for us is we get to see you again cos

otherwise you would've gone through to the final

and that would have been it, just one Pointless,

so we're all winners in many ways, We'll look forward to that

but in the meanwhile, thanks very much for playing.

APPLAUSE

But for Rachel and Carol, it's now time for our Pointless final.

Congratulations, Rachel and Carol,

you've seen off all the competition and you have won our coveted

Pointless trophy so very, very well done.

You now have a chance to win our Pointless jackpot

and at the end of today's show, the jackpot stands at...

APPLAUSE

Well, what an exciting head-to-head that was.

You whipped it out from under our headteachers' noses there.

Now, as always, you get to choose your category for

this final round and you have four options to choose from.

Let's see what those four options are.

Literary Johns, I'm guessing that's the name not the...

What do you fancy?

-Literary Johns.

-All right.

Literary Johns, you are going to go for.

Literary Johns.

OK, you've got three options here, very, very best of luck.

We are looking for the title of any...

Both of those up to the beginning of January 2014.

RICHARD READS FINAL OPTION

So, any of the novels of John Irving or John Wyndham

-or any play of John Vanbrugh. Very, very best of luck.

-OK.

Now, as always,

you've got up to one minute to come up with three answers

and all you need to win that jackpot of £2,000 is for just

one of those answers to be pointless.

Now, remember the answers you provide can come from any of these

categories so you can spread them across the categories as you choose.

Are you ready?

-Yes.

-OK, let's put 60 seconds on the clock. Your time starts now.

-OK.

I don't know any of any of them.

Well, obviously, Day Of The Triffids, John Wyndham.

I think he did one called The Kraken Wakes.

-The what?

-The Kraken Wakes.

-The Kraken Wakes, that's fun.

-I'm not sure.

-Day Of The Triffids.

THEY TALK OVER EACH OTHER

-John Irving?

-No. Not one.

I was hoping for somebody a bit less...

And John Vanbrugh, no.

Just come up with a play's name.

-It'd be old, won't it?

-Will it?

-Mm-hm.

CAROL CHUCKLES

-No idea.

-Come on, Mum.

Ten seconds left.

-Just make something up.

-Yeah.

-That's fine.

-OK.

-The book you've read.

-Yeah.

OK, that's your time up.

-I now need three answers from you.

-Right.

-And will you say which category you're answering.

-OK.

John Wyndham novels first?

John Wyndham novels, I think

there's obviously The Day Of The Triffids and The Kraken Wakes.

-The Kraken Wakes.

-And, um...

..a John Vanbrugh play, The Directors,

but I don't think that's...

-The Directors.

-The Directors.

OK, now, of those three,

which is your best shot at a pointless answer?

-The Kraken Wakes.

-The Kraken Wakes. OK, we'll pop that last.

-Your least likely to be pointless.

-Oh, The Directors.

-The Directors.

OK, let's pop those up on the board in that order and here they are.

We've got...

Well, very best of luck. Your first answer was The Directors.

This was one you were slightly filling a place with,

a John Vanbrugh play, The Directors. Let's just find out.

I mean who knows? Maybe you've struck gold

and this will win that £2,000 jackpot for you.

If so, what would you do with that jackpot, Rachel?

Well, I'm actually going to give half of mine

to charity cos I can spend the rest on myself after that.

-OK, very good, good tactics.

-The Fishermen's Mission.

-The Fishermen's Mission.

-Yeah.

-Excellent.

Support the fishermen, they do a lot for us.

-Carol?

-I'm going to take a much-needed break.

A few days somewhere quiet.

-Very good indeed, take some John Wyndham novels with you.

-Yes.

-No, I don't think so.

-Very best of luck.

The Directors, is this a play by John Vanbrugh

and if it is, how many people said it?

If it's pointless, it'll win you that jackpot so for £2,000,

how many people said The Directors?

Oh.

That would have been a surprise, I think, if that had been right

but unfortunately not a pointless answer.

Only two more shots at today's jackpot.

Your next answer was The Day Of The Triffids, this a John Wyndham novel.

Again, it has to be pointless for you to win that jackpot

so for £2,000, let's see how many people said The Day Of The Triffids.

It's right.

Down it goes through the '30s, through the '20s.

25.

25 for The Day Of The Triffids.

APPLAUSE

That's probably the right sort of score for The Day Of The Triffids.

It's a very popular novel,

dramatised famously in the '80s at a time

when everyone watched telly so everyone probably remembers

that but your next answer, I think, is a really good one.

Let's find out, this is your one

and only remaining chance at winning that jackpot.

If it is right and if it is pointless,

you will leave here with £2,000.

Let's see if The Kraken Wakes was indeed a John Wyndham novel.

Let's see how many people said it. Is it pointless?

-It's right.

-Ooh, well done.

So, your first answer, The Directors,

was an incorrect answer.

Your second answer, The Day Of The Triffids, took you down to 25.

We've past 25 now with The Kraken Wakes.

-6!

-AUDIENCE GROANS

APPLAUSE

Well, very, very well done. That was a very tough category in the end.

I thought it might have been the gentlemen's at the Algonquin Hotel

but no, it was a different kind of literary John we were after.

Unfortunately, you didn't manage to find the all-important

pointless answer which means you don't win today's jackpot of £2,000.

That will rollover on to the next show.

But it's been fabulous having you on the show

and you played incredibly well and in recognition of that, you get

to take home a Pointless trophy each so you don't leave empty-handed.

APPLAUSE

Yeah, between you and I, I think

you probably picked the hardest category there out of the four

you were given other than Irish and Northern Irish sport.

That might have been difficult as well.

But let's take a look at the pointless

answers in the different categories. John Irving novels,

the big scorers for John Irving, The Cider House Rules,

A Prayer For Owen Meany, The World According To Garp

would all have scored you points.

Hotel New Hampshire as well. But all of these were pointless.

HE READS POINTLESS ANSWERS

There's two others. A Widow For One Year and The Water-Method Man.

That's all the pointless answers on that list.

Let's take a look at the John Wyndham novels.

HE READS POINTLESS ANSWERS

Two other answers there. The Curse Of The Burdens and The Secret People.

The Midwich Cuckoos was also a big scorer in that category.

And John Vanbrugh plays.

And you said The Directors, so you're halfway there with a lot of those.

You got the "The", that was perfect.

HE READS POINTLESS ANSWERS

You could have also had The Confederacy and Aesop.

Very, very well played

if you got a pointless answer on that category, a tough one today.

Thank you very much indeed, Richard.

Well, unfortunately, we do have to say goodbye to you, Rachel

and Carol, but it's been fabulous having you on the show.

-Thank you so much for playing, Rachel and Carol.

-Thanks.

-Thank you.

APPLAUSE

Well, sadly, Rachel and Carol didn't win our jackpot today which means

it rolls over onto the next show when we will be playing for £3,000.

APPLAUSE

Join us next time to see if somebody can win it.

-Meanwhile, it's goodbye from Richard.

-Goodbye.

And it's goodbye from me. Goodbye.

APPLAUSE