Episode 43 Pointless

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Thank you. I'm Alexander Armstrong and a warm welcome to Pointless,

where popular answers mean nothing and obscure answers mean everything. Let's meet today's players.

Well, we welcome back Carron and Glen. You're our first pair. You were on the show last time.

Everyone gets two chances. Remind us how you did.

We crashed out in the first round. By the time it had come back,

there just wasn't anything left on the board that we could give that would have seen us through.

-You were snookered. Stymied. Is that a word?

-Yeah.

You were stymied. Carron, what are you hoping might come up?

Films, I think. Films.

I like cooking. Yeah, anything like that, really.

-Very, very best of luck. I'm pretty sure we'll see a lot more of you this time.

-I hope so.

Next we welcome Sophie and Adam. How do you two know each other?

We became friends at secondary school and despite going to different universities, we've stayed friends.

What do you so in your spare time? We know you're students. What are you studying?

I'm doing medicine at the moment, so I don't have much spare time.

-Indeed. What year are you in?

-Third year now.

-Busier and busier. Adam, how about you?

I do marketing at the moment and did electrical engineering.

It's great to have you here. Next we welcome Stephen and Gary.

This is your second chance to reach our final. Remind us what happened on the last show.

We went out in the second round. It was a very popular subject, films.

-And every team was strong on it.

-You just happened to be the highest scorers.

Not my strongest subject. I got an answer that wasn't good enough,

but Gary did get a pointless answer. Hopefully we'll get a couple more.

-And add money to our jackpot. The very best of luck. Great to have you here.

-Thank you.

Finally, John and Roger. How do you know each other?

Well, long story, but 14 years ago I started a quiz night.

I was quiz master in a brand new pub in Lincoln.

And John was one of the first teams to sit and listen to me, somewhat badly, I suppose.

-You remain the quiz master?

-Yes.

-Quiz master to quiz master, do you remember any of the things you ask people?

-No.

-No. Nor do I.

-What do you do, John?

-I'm a Health and Safety officer.

-I am so pleased. Finally, we have got Health and Safety in.

-It's about time.

Not until now have we had someone sensible here.

What do you make of those steps next to you, John?

-I'm glad you said that.

-Very best of luck. Great to have you here.

We'll find out more about all of you. There's only one person left.

He lives by the mantra, "If it's unusual or obscure, tell me more." He's my Pointless friend, Richard.

Hiya.

Hello.

Hello there.

-Very best of the afternoon to you, sir.

-Show 153. A very special show.

Very. What's it looking like?

-The most important thing - biggest jackpot ever on Pointless.

-AUDIENCE "Oooh"

Our biggest ever jackpot today. We've got two returning pairs.

I think they're two very strong pairs, actually. Both were unlucky.

-And two new pairs as well. Somebody might well be walking home with quite a lot of money.

-Wow.

-Which would be fantastic.

-It would. Maybe it will happen this afternoon.

We put all our questions to 100 people, but we are after the obscure answers they didn't get.

Everyone is trying to find a pointless answer that no one gave.

Each time that happens, we will add £250 to the jackpot.

Nobody won the jackpot last time, so we add another £1,000 to that.

So today's jackpot starts off at a record-breaking...£13,250.

Oh!

Right, let's play Pointless.

In the first round, each of you must give me one answer and you cannot confer.

Whichever team has the highest score will be eliminated. Be very careful it's not you.

An incorrect answers will score the maximum of 100 points. OK, our first category is...

TV soaps.

Can you all decide who is going to go first and who goes second?

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

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

We gave 100 people 100 seconds

to name as many characters in EastEnders' live episode as they could. Richard?

Any named and credited character who was in the first live episode of EastEnders in February, 2010.

Character names, not actors' names.

We'll take previous names if you have them, but we want first names and surnames, please.

Carron and Glen, you drew lots and today you get to go first.

Carron, crucial question. Are you an EastEnders' viewer?

No, I don't watch it at all.

OK, what's the most obscure and likely character you can think to have been in that live episode?

I'm going to have to go with... Pauline Fowler.

Pauline Fowler. Let's see if it's right and, if it is, how many people said Pauline Fowler.

Oh, dear. Unfortunately, it's an incorrect answer.

That means you score the maximum of 100 points.

-Richard?

-Yeah, a very long-running character, but left the show in 2006.

-Oh, well.

-Now, Sophie, are you an EastEnders viewer?

Very much not, I'm afraid. So I'll probably go for likely

rather than obscure, but... Fingers crossed.

-Dot Cotton.

-You're going to go Dot Cotton.

Let's see if that's correct and how many people said it.

It's right!

17!

-Well done, Sophie. Dot Cotton, a correct answer, scores you 17. Richard?

-Well played.

It's turning into, "Which EastEnders characters can you remember?"

-Stephen, does that smile mean you watch it?

-No.

I've plucked a few names out. I'll go with Max Branning.

-Max Branning.

-Yeah.

OK, you're hoping to score as few points as possible.

Let's see if it is correct and how many people said it.

It's right!

It's right, Stephen.

Down it goes to 18.

Very good answer.

If it was a guess, extremely fortuitous guess. Scores you 18.

Well played, Stephen.

Quite a big score because he had a very major role in that episode, Max Branning.

Now then, Roger. We come to you. Remember,

we're looking for characters in the live EastEnders episode.

-I'll go for an easy one. Hopefully, it will be there. Phil Mitchell.

-Phil Mitchell.

Is it right and how many people said it?

Well done, Roger. A correct answer.

24.

That'll do.

-24 points for Phil Mitchell.

-Played by Steve McFadden.

He's been there since 1990. One of the most popular characters.

OK, let's take a look at the scores. On 17, Sophie and Adam.

The very best answer. Just ahead of them on 18, Stephen and Gary. Very good.

Up a tiny bit, Roger and John, on 24.

And then way, way, way out front, bad luck, Carron.

Glenn, you have got to hope somebody else gets an incorrect answer and you need a low one.

Can the second players please take their places at the podium?

We are looking for characters who featured in the live episode of EastEnders in 2010. John...

-Do you watch EastEnders?

-Em, not recently, no.

-You didn't watch the live episode?

-Used to.

-The live episode! The landmark EastEnders.

Did you watch it even to see people forget their lines?

-Jack Branning.

-Jack Branning. OK, we've had Max Branning.

You're putting forward Jack Branning. Here's your red line. If you get below that,

you are through to the next round. Let's see if it's right and how many people said Jack Branning.

Well done. It's right.

And you are through to the next round.

13!

Very well done. Our lowest score so far.

-That takes you to 37. Richard?

-Yeah, well played. Played by Scott Maslen, who was on Strictly Come Dancing.

He was one of the actors who fluffed his lines.

OK.

Characters in the live EastEnders episode.

It was a benchmark, something like their 1,000th episode or something, wasn't it?

-Their 25th anniversary.

-Listen, when we do our 25th anniversary of Pointless,

-there will be different presenters...

-Well, there will be a different presenter.

David Mitchell. Or I like Ben Miller. Oh, he's good.

-He's very funny, isn't he?

-Yeah.

-He's quick, and bright.

-He's charismatic and charming.

-He is, isn't he?

-Why didn't you get him?

-Like we could afford Ben Miller!

Ah...

You're crazy.

Now then, Gary,

-EastEnders?

-I probably watch it more than I should, yes.

-That's a very honest answer.

It's time to play safe. I hope this is reasonably safe.

-I'll go for Roxy Mitchell.

-Roxy Mitchell. Stephen thinks that's good. Here is your red line.

If you can get below that red line you are through to the next round.

Is it right and, if it is, how many people said it?

It's right! And you're through.

Very well done. Lovely low score. Roxy Mitchell scores you 10

and takes your total up to 28.

-Richard?

-Very well played, Gary. Best answer so far. Shows the advantage of watching EastEnders!

OK, now then, Adam. We're looking for characters who featured in the live EastEnders episode.

I don't think I've ever seen an episode of EastEnders.

You could have sung that, as far as Glen is concerned!

I'll take a surname that's already been said and change the first name and hope it's a family member.

Is it a name out of thin air?

-I'm going to go with Ben Mitchell.

-There's the red line. If Ben Mitchell exists and is correct

and takes you below that red line, you are through.

Let's see if it's right and how many people said it.

Oh, it's right! Very well done, Adam. Look at that.

Smashing through the red line.

Right, and a pointless to boot!

That adds £250 to today's jackpot, taking the total up to £13,500.

And it scores you nothing, leaving your score at 17.

-Richard...

-Very well done, Adam. Been played by four different actors. Joshua Pascoe, currently.

It's very bad news for Glen and Carron, though. I suspect Glen seems to know his...

-He knows his EastEnders, I think.

-I just tend to know a lot,

but it's not serving me well, is it?

-Once again.

-It's the wrong partner.

AUDIENCE GASPS

I don't know. Glen, stymied though you might be,

what about leaving in a blaze of Pointless glory?

Let's go with...Tamwar Masood.

Tamwar Masood.

If this is pointless, I will be so impressed.

Let's see if it's right and how many people said it.

It IS right, Glen.

It is right.

Down it goes into single figures. Down to pointless!

Down to pointless!

It adds £250 to today's jackpot,

taking the total up to £13,750.

It scores you nothing and prompted you to give the most evil laugh I've ever seen.

-Tamwar Masood, Richard.

-Very good. Played by Himesh Patel.

There's a load of pointless answers. Adam's given us Ben Mitchell.

Chelsea Fox was pointless, Christian Clarke, John Partridge's character,

Heather Trott pointless, Leon Small, Minty Peterson played by Cliff Parisi,

there's two more Masoods - Syed and Zainab Masood, and Tiffany Dean.

Well done if you said those. Let's look at the most popular answers that most of our people gave.

There's a big, big shock at the top.

Third place is Peggy Mitchell, Roger has already said Phil Mitchell. That was second.

But there is an absolute revelation at number one.

EASTENDERS DRUMS

Stacey Slater. Stacey Slater, 28.

Wow.

Thanks very much, Richard.

So the losing pair with the highest score...

Glen and Carron. You'll have to have a long discussion about this, then never mention it again.

-We'll just never talk again.

-Oh, Glen, come now, come now,

-No.

-I'm very sorry to say goodbye. You were excellent contestants.

Thank you so much for playing. Well done.

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

Only two pairs can make it through to the Head to Head, so one leaves after this round.

Our category for Round Two this afternoon is...Geography.

Can you all decide who goes first and who's going to go second?

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

OK, our Round Two question concerns...

Capital cities and their countries.

We'll show a list of capital cities. We asked 100 people to tell us of which country they are the capital.

-Richard?

-Six capitals on each pass. You just tell us the country.

The more obscure ones will score fewer points. An incorrect answer will score you 100 points.

Plenty of people at home are good on capitals. See how many you can get.

Very good. So we are looking for the country of which each of these cities is the capital.

And we have got...

HE READS THE LIST

I'll read those one more time.

So there are the cities.

You, Sophie, now need to find the most obscure country of which one is the capital.

What are you thinking?

I think I am going to go with Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia.

Malaysia you are saying. As always, we are trying to find the most obscure answer there

that the fewest people said. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Is it right and how many people said it?

It's right.

38.

Not bad. Richard, Kuala Lumpur.

Well done, Sophie. Safe start. I'm looking forward to Adam making up a country and it being pointless.

Thanks very much. Stephen, there are the cities.

-How good are you on your capitals?

-Poor. Not very good. Geography's not my best subject.

I think I'll go for Phnom Penh.

And I think it's...

North Vietnam.

Phnom Penh. And you are saying North Vietnam.

What do you think, Gary?

I think it might be wrong.

LAUGHTER

Let's find out. Phnom Penh. Is that the capital of North Vietnam and, if it is, how many knew that?

Bad luck, Stephen. Bad luck. That is an incorrect answer.

-You score the maximum of 100 points. Richard?

-Sorry, Stephen.

The good news is Gary was right - you are wrong. I won't give you the answer in case Roger wants a go.

We are looking for the countries of which these cities are the capitals.

OK, Roger, you're the last to go, so if you like you can talk us through everything on it.

Phnom Penh, I think he was nearly right. It's North Korea.

But I'm not 100% certain. It could be South. So I'll go to Vienna, Austria.

Vienna, Austria, you are going to say. There it is.

A nice, safe option

after Stephen's high score. OK, Vienna, Austria.

Is that right and how many people said it?

There we are - it's right.

73.

It doesn't matter, though. It's lower than 100. 73 for Vienna, Austria.

Very big score. Could keep Stephen and Gary in the game. Phnom Penh is actually Cambodia.

It would have scored 19 points. Another very big score was Kingston, surprisingly.

The capital of Jamaica. It would have scored 78 points.

-Riga. Alexander?

-I've been there. Latvia.

Very popular for stag weekends. It's got more going for it than that. And Doha,

the capital of Qatar. It would have scored you 16.

OK, we're halfway through the round.

Well, 38, Sophie.

Who'd have thought that would be the lowest score in this round?

Then we go up to 73, Roger and John. Gary and Stephen are the high scorers on 100.

You'll have to answer as cleverly as you can, Gary.

OK, can the second players take their places at the podium?

OK, we're going to put six more capital cities on the board and here they are.

HE READS THE LIST

I'll read those one more time.

We are looking for the country of which these are the capital.

You want the ones the fewest of our 100 people knew. John?

Right...

I'm going to go for...

Tehran. Capital of Iran.

Tehran, capital of Iran.

There's your red line. If Tehran gets you below that red line, you are through to the next round.

Let's see if Tehran is indeed the capital of Iran and if it is, let's see how many people said it.

Down it comes.

55.

Very newsworthy capital, which is probably why it scores so high.

That takes your total up to 128.

-Richard?

-Yeah, another pretty big score. The pressure on Gary to get his team through to the next round.

Absolutely. OK, then, Gary.

We are looking for the countries of which these cities are the capitals.

John and Roger are on 128.

If you can score 27 or less with this answer,

you are through to the head-to-head and we will be saying goodbye to John and Roger.

What do you think?

There's one obscure one up there and I'm just not confident enough to go for that one.

I will go for Sofia and hopefully, it's Bulgaria.

Sofia, Bulgaria. Here's your red line.

If Sofia is indeed the capital of Bulgaria and gets you below that red line,

you are through to the head-to-head.

Let's see if that's right and if it is, how many people said Sofia, Bulgaria.

It's right. Very well done, Gary.

Down it comes.

Oh!

APPLAUSE

37, that scores you, taking your total up to 137.

Is that good enough?

-Richard?

-Yeah, a lot of big scores in this round.

People do know their capitals. But the door just slightly ajar in case Adam gets a wrong answer.

Adam, you are on 38. The highest scorers are Gary and Stephen on 137.

If you can score 98 or less, you are through to the head-to-head.

98 or less. Talk us through the board.

I'm pretty certain on three of the four,

so I'll resist the temptation to go for a low score and go for something safe, or hope it's safe.

Talk us through the ones you've got there.

I think Canberra is Australia, I think Kabul is Iraq,

but I'll go for Prague being the Czech Republic.

Prague, Czech Republic, you say.

Let's see if that's right and if it is, let's see how many people said Prague, Czech Republic. Good luck.

Yeah, well done, it's right

and you are through to the head-to-head. Down it comes.

36.

-APPLAUSE

-Taking your total up to 74.

-Richard?

-Well played, Adam. What was the risky one you were thinking of, Gary?

-It was Kampala.

-But I was only going to guess at what it might be.

-What would you have gone for?

-I was thinking it might be Uganda.

-You'd have been in the next round if you had said Uganda.

Unlucky. Best answer on the board. Uganda, 12 points it would have scored you.

You have to trust your gut instinct sometimes. Kabul is not Iraq. It's Afghanistan.

46 points. And Canberra, a very high scorer - Australia, of course.

83 points.

Unlucky, guys.

Thanks, Richard. At the end of Round 2, the losing pair with the highest score is Stephen and Gary - 137.

Pretty close though between you and John and Roger.

-Oh, Kampala!

-I know.

It was one I wasn't totally confident on and we needed to get less than 100.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Cheers.

-Thanks so much for playing. Great contestants.

APPLAUSE

But for the remaining two pairs, things get even more exciting now as we enter the head-to-head.

Well done, Sophie and Adam, John and Roger. You are through to the head-to-head.

Only one pair can make it through to today's final and play for the jackpot which stands

at a whopping £13,750.

APPLAUSE

You now go head to head on the best of three questions.

For each question, each pair gives me just one answer and you are now allowed to confer.

Come up with an answer that scores less than the other pair and you will win that question.

The pair who get the best of three will be playing for today's jackpot. Let's play Pointless.

OK, here is your first question.

We gave 100 people 100 seconds

to name as many post-war Labour Chancellors as they could.

Post-war Labour Chancellors. Richard?

Yeah, any Labour MP or peer who has been Chancellor of the Exchequer

from after the 1945 General Election through to the start of 2011.

There are eight names on the list. See how many you can get at home.

Sophie and Adam, you've played best throughout the show so far, so you go first.

We are looking for post-war Labour Chancellors.

WHISPERING

OK, Sophie and Adam, have we reached a consensus?

Yeah. I think we're going to play it safe and go with Alistair Darling.

John and Roger, you can now discuss out loud.

-We're going back a bit further in time.

-We're a bit older than them.

-Yeah. A lot older in fact.

-We're going to go for Denis Healey.

-Denis Healey.

OK, we have Alistair Darling and Denis Healey. Sophie and Adam,

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

APPLAUSE

A surprisingly low score there for Alistair Darling - 21.

Denis Healey, John and Roger have said.

-How do you think he's going to perform against 21 from Alistair Darling?

-We'll see.

I think we probably will. Let's see if that's right and if it is, how many people said Denis Healey.

Yeah, it's right.

Through it goes. Very well done indeed, down to 5.

APPLAUSE

Very good.

5 beats 21. John and Roger, you are ahead after our first question, one-nil. Richard?

Well played, John and Roger.

Denis Healey, appointed by Wilson, but was James Callaghan's Chancellor throughout the end of the '70s.

Hugh Gaitskell, appointed by Attlee, a pointless answer. Well done if you said Gaitskell at home.

Hugh Dalton, 1 point, resigned for leaking budget secrets.

Stafford Cripps with 2. Roy Jenkins, 3, was one of Wilson's Chancellors.

As was James Callaghan. He went on to lead the party. He got 5. There's Denis Healey with 5.

Alistair Darling, Gordon Brown's Chancellor, 21.

And Gordon Brown on 51 was Tony Blair's Chancellor.

Thanks very much, Richard. Here is your second question.

Sophie and Adam, you must win this question to stay in the game and play for that jackpot of £13,750.

John and Roger, if you win this question, you are through to the final.

OK, here it comes. We gave 100 people 100 seconds

to name as many Steven Spielberg films of the 1980s as they could.

We're looking for any full-length feature film made for cinema release

for which Steven Spielberg received a directing credit between January 1st, 1980, and December 31st, 1989.

We're looking for any of the seven films that Steven Spielberg received a directing credit for in the 1980s.

OK, John and Roger, you go first this time.

Hmm... We're not sure whether it's in the '80s,

but one of my favourite films of ever, and I hope it's him that's done it, it's ET.

You're going to say ET, your favourite film of ever.

Of ever.

Sophie and Adam, you can now talk out loud. ET has gone.

Well, in that case, I think we're left with Indiana Jones films.

-And we'll go with Indiana Jones...

-The later one is probably better.

And The Temple Of Doom?

-Temple Of Doom.

-Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom.

I'm so sorry it wasn't Sophie saying that because she'd have said "Indi-AH-na Jones".

Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom. We have ET from John and Roger.

We have from Sophie and Adam Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom.

John and Roger, ET: The Extra-Terrestrial.

Let's see if Steven Spielberg did direct that in the 1980s and if he did, how many people said it.

There we are, of course. It's right.

Oh, but it's a...

APPLAUSE

It's a safe answer, but it's definitely correct.

Sophie and Adam...

Yours sounds good. Is it right?

Did Steven Spielberg direct Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom?

Only one way to find out.

Let's see if it's right and if it is, how many people said Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom.

It's right.

It's right and it beats 57.

It's still going down. Still going down... 4.

APPLAUSE

That's a great answer, Sophie and Adam.

You did exactly what you had to do.

After two questions, you are both equal, one point apiece.

-Richard?

-Yeah, very well played. ET, far and away the biggest answer.

Let's take a look at all the films on the list.

Empire Of The Sun,

Christian Bale played the boy in that, the JG Ballard book.

Always with Richard Dreyfuss and Holly Hunter also scored 3.

There's the Indiana Jones movies - Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom

and Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade which was 1989.

Both scored 4. The Color Purple on 6, Raiders Of The Lost Ark on 8 and there's ET on 57.

Thanks very much, Richard. OK, well, that makes this third question all the more exciting.

Whoever wins this question is through to the final

and will be playing for that £13,750 jackpot. Good luck, both pairs.

We gave 100 people 100 seconds

to name as many chess pieces that can move diagonally as they could.

Chess pieces that can move diagonally. Richard?

Yeah, we're looking for any chess piece that can move diagonally from a stationary position.

Sophie and Adam, you go first this time.

We're going to go with "pawn".

-Pawn.

-Yes.

-Not always the answer to everything.

LAUGHTER

But that is what you are going to go with in this instance.

John and Roger, what are you going to go for? You can talk out loud.

-Most people know the bishop.

-King.

-We'll go for the king.

-You're going to go for the king.

So we have pawn and we have king. In the order they were given, Sophie and Adam said "pawn",

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

Very well done.

It's right.

Down it goes... 40.

APPLAUSE

-What do you think, Sophie and Adam? 40?

-It will be close.

-Very close.

-That's quite high.

-It is quite high.

-Higher than I was expecting.

John and Roger, you said "king". Let's see if it's right and if it is, how many people said "king".

Good luck.

It's right.

-APPLAUSE

-54.

So after three questions,

a very, very close-fought head-to-head, Sophie and Adam are through to the final 2-1.

-Richard?

-Great head-to-head. Well played, everybody. "Pawn" was the best answer up there.

-Was it?

-Yeah.

Let's take a look at all four.

OK, thanks, Richard. So the losing pair at the end of the head-to-head, I'm afraid it's John and Roger.

-Never mind.

-Well, three great answers from you there.

-Did you know those other Steven Spielberg films, that he directed all of those?

-Vaguely.

The trouble is, it's not good enough when the pressure's on.

-We will see you again next time.

-Thank you.

-When hopefully you'll make it through to the final.

-Thanks very much for playing. You've been great contestants.

-Thank you. APPLAUSE

For Sophie and Adam, it's time for our Pointless final and the chance to win our jackpot of £13,750.

Congratulations, Sophie and Adam. You've seen off the competition and won our coveted Pointless trophy.

APPLAUSE

You now have a chance to win our Pointless jackpot.

At the end of today's show, the jackpot stands, should you need to be reminded,

at £13,750.

APPLAUSE

The rules are very simple. To win that money, you just have to find a pointless answer

that none of our 100 people could think of. We've had two pointless answers today.

You only need to find one more to go home with that money. First, you've got to choose a category from:

I'm leaning towards Literature.

-You're leaning towards Literature?

-I'm not sure.

-Um...

-Literature?

-Are you sure? No?

-We'll go for...

Shall we go for Hollywood Legends? Do you know more about that?

I don't know much about either, so...

-Shall we go with Literature? I could probably pull one out of the bag. I'll make one up.

-Sure?

-Yeah.

-OK, we're going to go for Literature.

-Literature?

-Yeah.

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

What would you like it to be?

-Preferably about Harry Potter or something.

-Harry Potter would be good.

It might be. You never know. Here we go. Good luck.

We gave 100 people 100 seconds

to name as many Booker Prize-winning novels as they could.

-Richard?

-We're looking for the title of any novel that's won the Booker Prize since its inception in 1969

all the way through to and including the 2010 award.

The one thing we won't accept is the Lost Booker, the 1970 thing that they gave out recently.

But any novel that has won the Booker Prize.

In years where it's been given to more than one, we'll accept either of those answers.

Thanks very much. You have up to one minute to come up with three answers.

All you need to win that £13,750 is for just one of those answers to be pointless.

Your 60 seconds start now.

OK, I'm very sorry, Adam.

I might as well leave.

-I know one.

-You know one? That's better than me.

-The Life Of Pi.

-The Life Of Pi.

-I do know that.

-Um... But that's probably quite popular.

-Yeah.

-Other than that, I'm very stuck, I'm afraid.

-Yeah, same.

Um...

Um...

I...really, really don't know any.

Um...

I think... There's a book that my mum was really a big fan of and tried to make me read -

something called Number Devil. It's all about maths.

Don't think it won the Booker Prize, but we can say it anyway.

It had some award. That's two.

I know Amis won one,

but I only know London Fields by him.

-We could say that.

-Yes.

-OK, we have three books. I know one of them won the Booker Prize.

-Cool. All right.

OK, you're happy with that?

-No.

-We're going to have to be.

OK, we were looking for Booker Prize-winners. I now need your three answers.

-OK, we're going to go for The Life Of Pi.

-Life Of Pi.

-The Number Devil.

-The Number Devil.

-And London Fields.

-And London Fields.

Of those three, which do you think is your most likely shot at a pointless answer?

-Life Of Pi is the only one I know that won the Booker Prize.

-We'll put that last.

-I don't think...

-We don't think the other two are Booker Prize-winners.

Of the remaining two, which is your least likely?

-The Number Devil.

-The Number Devil.

-It won some award, but I don't know which one.

OK, let's put them up on the board in that order and here we go.

OK, we were looking for Booker Prize-winners. You said this was your least confident answer.

You only have to find one pointless, remember, to win that jackpot of £13,750.

OK, let's see, The Number Devil...

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

Oh, bad luck.

Bad luck. As you guessed, that is an incorrect answer.

So I'm afraid not a pointless answer. You only have two more chances to win today's jackpot.

£13,750. Shall we just think about that for a second? What would you do with that?

Well, it's slipping out of our reach quickly.

-Mind you, Ben Mitchell swam into your head at the last minute.

-Indeed.

-As if just...

-If only it was EastEnders characters now.

-I know. We'd be sorted.

Who's to say London Fields or Life Of Pi isn't going to win you that jackpot?

London Fields is your next answer. We're looking for winners of the Booker Prize.

London Fields. This has to be pointless for you to win that jackpot of £13,750.

Let's see if London Fields is right and if it is, how many people said London Fields. Very, very good luck.

Hmm...

Bad luck, an incorrect answer. Which means you only have one more chance to win today's jackpot.

OK, your last answer, the one that you know won the Booker Prize.

When I say "know"...

-This was the answer you had the most faith in to be pointless.

-Yes.

It has to be right and go all the way down to zero for you to win that jackpot of £13,750.

Let's see if Life Of Pi did indeed win the Booker Prize and if it did,

let's see how many people said Life Of Pi.

Well, it's right. It's right, it did win the Booker Prize.

This now has to go all the way down to zero. We don't know what our 100 people know about the Booker Prize.

Down it goes...

Ohh!

APPLAUSE

-Never mind.

-Never mind.

But for the memories of two people,

you would be leaving with £13,750.

Oh, I'm so sorry. Unfortunately, you didn't find that all-important pointless answer,

so I'm afraid you don't win today's jackpot of £13,750 which rolls over on to the next show,

-but you were fantastic contestants and you do take home our Pointless trophy.

-Thank you for having us.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

-Richard?

-Unlucky, Sophie and Adam. There were so many pointless answers as well.

There are only 44 answers overall and 37 of them are pointless.

The only novels that got any points - Life Of Pi, Remains Of The Day, Midnight's Children,

Wolf Hall, The Blind Assassin, Paddy Clarke Ha Ha Ha and Vernon God Little.

If you said anything apart from those, you got a pointless answer.

Here are a few of them - Ian McEwan's Amsterdam, Anita Brookner's Hotel Du Lac,

Schindler's Ark, the book on which Schindler's List was based - Thomas Keneally.

The Inheritance Of Loss, Iris Murdoch's The Sea, The Sea and The White Tiger.

All of those were pointless. Very, very bad luck. You played very well throughout.

-Unfortunately, we do have to say goodbye to you, Sophie and Adam, but thank you for playing.

-Thank you.

APPLAUSE

Nobody has won our jackpot today, which means it rolls over on to the next show

when we will be playing for - wait for this - £14,750.

APPLAUSE

-Join us then to see if someone can win it. It's goodbye from Richard.

-Goodbye.

-And it's goodbye from me.

Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd 2011

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