Episode 69 Pointless

APPLAUSE AND CHEERING

Thank you! Hello. I'm Alexander Armstrong.

Welcome to Pointless, the show where the aim of the game is to score as few points as you can.

To do that, you need to come up with the answers no-one else could think of. Let's meet today's players.

First, we welcome Sarah and Mary.

Welcome. Sarah, how do you know each other?

We worked together at a hospital in Cornwall.

-Were you on the same ward?

-She was the boss!

-The boss? Was she a good boss?

-No.

-She's too bossy!

-Sarah!

She's a very good nurse, but she's a bossy one - which she should be, really!

-She should be?

-Yes.

-That's good. It's what you probably need.

-We sing in choirs together as well.

-Do you?

-What kind of music do you sing?

-We do barbershop, we do musicals,

we do religious music.

-We did a calendar!

-We did a calendar.

-Oh, no. I bet... Were you wearing any clothes?

We were wearing scarves in strategic positions.

-And I was wearing a heart in a strategic position.

-A big heart.

-A big heart.

-Anything you're particularly looking forward to coming up?

-Soaps would be nice.

-Soaps.

-No!

Listen, Sarah and Mary. You'll have to get your story straight!

Or maybe you just complement each other perfectly.

-Exactly.

-Exactly.

-It's lovely having you on the show. A warm welcome to you, Sarah and Mary.

Next we welcome Susie and Julie. Where are you from, Susie?

-We met at university and we were in the same class.

-What were you studying?

We did business. She came into the class late and the tutor put her next to me.

I couldn't get rid of her since!

-What do you do, Julie?

-I'm a tax inspector.

AUDIENCE: Ooh!

No, it's very important. We need tax inspectors.

We need tax inspectors - otherwise Sarah and Mary wouldn't get paid.

There we go.

-Susie, what do you do?

-I work for the Home Office.

-I used to be a customs officer but we merged.

-You merged.

-You're now Border Control?

-Border Force.

Border Force? Wow, that's a good name.

-Border Force.

-Border Force!

-It sounds like a film!

-Doesn't it just?

-Wow!

Julie, what do you hope will come up today?

I particularly like films. Hopefully zombie films, horror films.

-Hopefully zombie films!

-Zombie films are my speciality!

-Very good.

Susie and Julie, lovely having you on the show. Very best of luck.

Next, we welcome back Douglas and Niamh. You were on the show last time.

Everyone gets two chances to reach the final. This is your second chance.

-Remind us how you know each other.

-We met two and a half years ago back in Ireland.

Niamh lives in England so I moved over to England this year.

Niamh, what happened last time?

We crashed, we burned!

-It started off gloriously.

-It did. We had a pointless answer from Douglas.

-Yes.

-What do you hope will come up today, Niamh?

I don't know. Lookalikes? Douglas is pretty good. He looks like quite a few famous people.

-I can think of a few.

-I think you look like Sean Hughes with Micky Flanagan's hair!

-Exactly.

-That's it.

-There you go. Listen, Douglas, Niamh, welcome back. Nice to have you here.

Finally, Ben and Rob. How do you two know each other?

We're work colleagues - and friends, I suppose, as well.

-Oh.

-You could say that.

-Good job he got that in, Ben!

-Yeah.

What is that work that you do together, Rob?

We are journalists for a sports website.

-Wow! That's fun.

-It is fun. Sports magazine.

-That's great fun.

What particular sports do you cover?

Particularly football, tennis, I like. Horse-racing as well.

-Very good. Ben?

-I love motorbike racing. That's my passion.

-OK.

-So it would be quite embarrassing if sport came up and you didn't do brilliantly.

-That's the danger!

-That is the danger today, yes.

-OK.

What other areas are you interested in, Ben and Rob?

-Rob particularly loves his racehorse.

-Wow! How long have you had a racehorse?

-Just a few months. I own a fetlock, I think!

-Very good. We should get a horse.

We should. Do you get to ride it as well?

-That would be very, very foolish!

-I'm not buying a horse if I can't ride it!

You should be a jockey. I can see you as a jockey!

Tell you what, we'll get a horse and you can ride it.

I'm glad you said that. I think I'd be an amazing jockey.

You have the physique of a jockey. Amazing.

-Think how big the horse would have to be!

-Wow, imagine that horse!

-Wow.

-But you'd intimidate all the other riders in the Grand National if I turned up,

looking at everybody!

You'd break the weighing machine!

It would be hilarious. Very good.

Ben and Rob, a warm welcome to the show. Great to have you here.

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

Only one person left to introduce. He's got that look on his face like he knows something we don't.

Which, of course, he does - the questions and answers!

-It's my Pointless friend, Richard.

-Hiya!

Hi, everybody.

-How are you today?

-I'm very well.

-Excellent.

-It's show 401 today.

-Yes.

-Our last show, 400, was a cracker, wasn't it?

-It was.

-Dan and Toby were terrific.

-Really terrific.

-Some of the nicest contestants we've had.

They did brilliantly well. I suspect, as we move into our next 400,

today will be just as good.

Round Two is one of your favourite types of rounds.

-Is it?

-Something you always look forward to.

-Good. I'll look forward to that. Obviously.

Thanks, Richard. All our questions have been put to 100 people before the show.

In order to get to the final and have a chance to win our jackpot,

our contestants need to find the obscure answers our 100 people didn't get.

The fewer of the 100 who knew the answer, the fewer points you'll score.

Everyone is trying to find a pointless answer,

one that none of our 100 people gave.

Each time that happens, we'll add 250 quid to the jackpot.

Dan and Toby won the jackpot brilliantly last time,

so today's jackpot starts off at £1,000.

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

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

The pair with the highest score at the end of the round will be eliminated. Make sure it's not you.

Our first category today is...

Decide in your pairs who's going first and who second.

You go first.

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

OK. And our question concerns...

Actors and their countries of birth.

We'll show you the names of seven actors. You need to tell us the modern-day country

in which each was born, please.

As always, by country we mean a sovereign state that is a member of the UN.

An incorrect answer, don't forget, will score 100 points.

So 14 to have a go at at home. Good luck.

Thanks very much. Sarah and Mary, you all drew lots before the show

and today you go first.

We are looking for the country of birth of each of these actors.

On our first board, we have got...

I'll read those one last time.

There we are. Seven actors. We want the country of birth of the most obscure one you know. Sarah?

Right. I think I'll go for Cate Blanchett

and I think she is from New Zealand.

Cate Blanchett, New Zealand, says Sarah.

Let's see if that's right, and how many people knew it.

Oh, no!

Bad luck!

An incorrect answer, as it turns out. That scores the maximum of 100 points.

-Richard?

-Sorry, Sarah. We've seen people come back from that so often, so don't panic too much.

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

Julie, how does that board look to you?

I think I know quite a lot of them.

I am going to say Arnold Schwarzenegger -

-Austria.

-Austria, says Julie, for Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Is it right, and if so, how many people said Austria?

It's right. Well done.

Yes, absolutely right. Born in Austria.

They've just opened a museum in his childhood home.

The Museum of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

-Wow.

-You can see his original toilet!

I am going there! My goodness!

-Do you want me to book you a flight?

-Yeah, would you?

-For as soon as possible!

-Oh. All flights for the next four months are fully booked

due to the popularity of the Arnold Schwarzenegger toilet!

-That's annoying.

-Wow, what a shame!

I'll have to... I'll have to swim!

The Channel is full!

Oh. Oh, well.

I'll just look at some photographs of it, maybe.

-Wow!

-Look at that toilet!

WHISTLES

Imagine what he did on that!

Wow.

Thanks very much, Richard. Now, then. Niamh.

I had a risky one, and now I don't think I'm feeling risky today.

So I'll go for one of Douglas's favourite actresses.

Monica Bellucci. I'll say Italy.

It sounds right, doesn't it? Monica Bellucci, Italy, says Niamh.

Let's hope it's right. If so, how many people said it? Italy.

It's right.

Very well done. 39. Best score so far.

Yes, most famous for her appearances in the Matrix films

and in The Passion of the Christ. Monica Bellucci.

She's married to Vincent Cassel, I'm afraid, Douglas.

-Well. You never know.

-They split up a lot, don't they, showbiz couples.

-Yep.

-There's still hope.

-Well, there we go! Excellent.

Ben, you're the last person to have this board.

If you felt like it, you could talk us through it.

Now, Cate Blanchett, for some reason,

I fancy she is from down towards where my parents reside.

Possibly Australia, then.

Jean-Claude Van Damme,

there's a footballer called Jelle Van Damme,

a former Southampton left back. I reckon he could be Belgian.

I thought Halle Berry was from America.

Zsa Zsa Gabor,

for some reason I think that's Hungary.

So I'm going to go with Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hungary.

Zsa Zsa Gabor. Hungary. He is a sports reporter, isn't he?

He's got the cadences absolutely beautifully.

It's the first time we've heard Jelle Van Damme mentioned on Pointless.

-My pleasure.

-I remember him.

-Of course, yes.

-He was a bruiser.

-Mm.

-Yeah.

-Now, then. Zsa Zsa Gabor, Hungary, says Ben.

Is it right, and if so, how many people knew that answer? Hungary.

Well done. Absolutely right, Ben.

Down it goes. Still going down. 14. Brilliant.

Brilliant answer.

Terrific answer, Ben. You took us through some of the others as well. I think you chose the right one.

Cate Blanchett is from Australia.

That would have scored you 22.

Jean-Claude Van Damme, "the muscles from Brussels", is from Belgium. 37.

Halle Berry, no trick there, from America.

That scored 52.

The best answer on the board is Andy Garcia. Do you know where he was born?

-No.

-One point if you said Cuba.

Born in Havana.

-That would have been a terrific answer.

-There you go.

Thank you very much. Halfway through the round.

Let's take a look at our scores.

Ben and Rob, best score of the pass. Excellent answer from you, Ben.

14 is where you are, looking pretty strong at this stage.

Up to 39, Niamh and Douglas. 54, Julie and Susie.

And then, oh, I'm sorry, Sarah and Mary.

You are the high scorers on 100.

But anything might happen in the next pass.

Best of luck. We'll come back down the line now. Can the second players take their places at the podium?

OK, seven more actors on the board. Here they come.

We have got...

I'll read those one last time.

We are looking for the countries these actors were born in.

Rob, try and find the one the fewest of our 100 people knew.

You're on 14. The high scorers are Mary and Sarah on 100.

A score of 85 or less, Rob, sees you into the next round.

I think I know five of them.

But given the leeway I've got,

I'll take it fairly safe.

I'll go Penelope Cruz. She's from Spain.

Penelope Cruz, Spain, says Rob.

Let's see if it's right. Here's your red line, nice and high.

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

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

It's right, and you're through.

Not bad.

That takes your score up to 54.

Great answer. Penelope Cruz. She won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2009.

Married Javier Bardem in 2010.

She said in 1994 when she went to Hollywood,

she only knew how to say two things,

which were, "How are you?" and "I want to work with Johnny Depp."

-There we are.

-And she did, in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.

Now, then. Douglas. You're on 39. The high scorers are Mary and Sarah on 100,

-so a score of 60 will see you neatly into the next round.

-OK.

OK, I'll go for John Candy. And I'll go for Canada.

John Candy, Canada, says Douglas.

Here's your red line. Let's see if Canada gets you below that line for John Candy.

Is it right? How many people said Canada?

It is right.

And you're through to the next round. Very well done.

Down it goes! Look at that! John Candy, 13.

This is a very good score, Douglas.

Takes your total to 52.

Well played, Douglas. Born in Toronto.

Sadly died in 1994. It was a brilliant film, Trains, Planes and Automobiles.

Now, then. Susie.

The high scorers are still Mary and Sarah on 100. You're on 54.

So a score of 45 will see you through to the next round.

I think I'll have to go safe and go Joanna Lumley, UK.

Joanna Lumley, UK, says Susie.

Is the UK right for Joanna Lumley?

Is it a correct answer, and if so, how many people said it?

Oh, no! Not safe, Susie!

-Not safe at all!

-Dangerous.

-Bad!

-I'm afraid that's an incorrect answer that scores a maximum 100 points.

It takes your total up to 154 and throws Mary a necessary lifeline.

-Look at that. Richard?

-Sorry, Susie. I can see what you tried to do there,

-but that's thrown it wide open. I'll give you the correct answer later.

-Now, then, Mary.

The high scorers on 154 are Susie and Julie.

If you score 53 or less, you are in the game still.

I would think that Jean Dujardin was born in a French garden!

History doesn't relate, as far as I'm aware!

But I'm going to go for Joanna Lumley, India.

Joanna Lumley, India. There's your red line.

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

Let's find out. India, is that right for Joanna Lumley? If so, how many people said it?

It's right! Well done, Mary!

And you're through to the next round. Well done.

Down it goes to 20.

120 is your total.

Mary, you did what you had to do, there.

Well played, Mary, she was born in Srinagar, Joanna Lumley.

Good answer. Let's go through the rest of the board.

Do you want a go at some of these? Jet Li?

-China.

-Absolutely right. That scored 47.

-Jean Dujardin?

-France.

It is France.

He's the guy from The Artist. Scored 67 points.

-Omar Sharif?

-Egypt, I think.

-Egypt is absolutely right. Scored 15.

And the best answer on the board is Ursula Andress.

-If you had to hazard a guess?

-I have no idea.

Um, I...

Corsica!

No. Born in Switzerland.

One point. If you got that, it would have been a terrific answer.

Thanks, Richard. At the end of the first round, the losing pair with the highest score,

a very exciting close to the round,

Susie and Julie.

Oh, it was tough.

-It was.

-It was a tough board, that one.

We'll see you again next time, Susie and Julie.

We look forward to that. Meantime, thanks very much for playing. Great contestants.

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

There's only room for two pairs in our head-to-head round,

so we'll have to say goodbye to another pair at the end of this round.

Best of luck to all three pairs. Our category for Round Two is...

Words. Can you decide in your pairs who'll go first and who'll go second?

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

Let's find out what the question is.

We gave 100 people 100 seconds to name as many words ending in RENT.

R-E-N-T. Richard?

Any word which has its own entry in the Oxford Dictionary of English

that ends with the letters R-E-N-T.

As always, no hyphenated words, no proper nouns, anything like that.

We won't accept the word "rent" itself.

So any word in the Oxford Dictionary of English ending R-E-N-T.

Thanks very much. Now, then. Mary.

I can only think of one.

-Trent.

-OK. Trent is your answer.

Is it right, and if so, how many of our 100 people said Trent?

Oh, I feared that was the case, Mary.

That's an incorrect answer, which means you score the maximum 100 points. Sorry. Richard?

Sorry, Mary. When you said you only knew one, even that was over-estimating!

-I thought it was a river.

-It is a river. The River Trent. But that's a proper noun.

-Niamh?

-I'll go for abhorrent.

Abhorrent, says Niamh. Good answer. Is it right? How many people said it?

It's right.

19.

Well played, Niamh. "Repugnant. Inspiring loathing." Abhorrent.

Ben?

Oh, no. What's wrong? What's wrong?

I was dreading anything to do with words, literature, cos I've got a degree in English Lit

and I know I'm going to come up with something awful!

You didn't have to tell us all that! You'd have been fine!

You could have just stuck with sports presenter!

No, my friends at home. No, I'll get absolutely panned.

Can I just say, Ben looks like a Victorian boxer, doesn't he?

You're wearing the top. Look at that! Look at that!

-Yeah, he does.

-A pugilist.

-You could see him on a poster in an antiques shop.

-I can!

Sorry. You were saying, Ben. On you go.

OK. I'm going to go with...

..non-current.

Possibly.

Non-current.

Let's see if it's right and did anyone say non-current.

Oh, dear! I'm afraid that's "non-current" usage, Ben.

Inevitable.

That scores the maximum 100 points. Sorry. Richard?

Sorry, Ben, no such word, I'm afraid,

although "non-currant" is another word for a sultana!

Very good. We're halfway through the round. Let's look at the scores.

There are only two scores between the three.

Niamh and Douglas looking very good on a nice low score of 19.

Mary and Sarah, Ben and Rob, tied on 100.

So Rob and Sarah, it's a "word-off" between you.

Very, very best of luck to both of you.

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

Rob, we're looking for words ending in R-E-N-T.

You're the joint high-scorers on 100.

We need something truly dazzling.

Ben was close, I think, by one letter.

The word I was thinking of, concurrent.

Concurrent.

There you go, Ben. Concurrent. Sounds good to me. How many people said concurrent?

No red line as you're joint high-scorers. Just hope this goes down as far as it can. Concurrent.

It's right.

Very well done, indeed! Six for concurrent.

Takes your total up to 106.

That might be enough to keep you in the game. Well done, Rob.

Well played, Rob. You've given Sarah a problem.

Concurrent - "happening or existing at the same time".

Now, then. Douglas.

The high scorers are now Rob and Ben on 106.

You're on 19, so 86 or less sees you through.

OK. I'm not very good at words.

I'm going to go for "different".

"Different", says Douglas. Different.

Let's see how far different goes down the column.

It's right - and you're through.

Yes, all you needed to do, Douglas, thanks to Niamh's brilliant work.

Very well played as a pair.

Now, then.

It's words ending in RENT.

-Sarah, you have to score five or less to remain in the game.

-No pressure at all, then(!)

-Talk us through your thinking.

-I think it's undercurrent, but I don't know if that's one word or two.

And then there's...

pruru... pru...

..prulent. Prulent. What is it?

-Prudy?

-No, it's a mucky wound. It's purulent.

Purulent. We'll have that one!

Purulent. There might be a silent R in there!

In Cornwall, there's a silent R in it!

Let's see if it's right. If it is, let's see how far down it goes.

Oh, dear!

Oh, bad luck, Sarah!

I'm afraid that's an incorrect answer. Scores the maximum 100 points.

Takes your total up to a brilliant 200!

Purulent doesn't end RENT,

but I imagine it comes from your many years of experience in nursing.

It's something to do with pus coming out of it.

Purulent. Nice.

If your doctor says anything you have is purulent,

it's not a good day!

I will say, however, I will say in your defence,

that not only is undercurrent one word,

it's also a pointless answer!

-Oh, no!

-Oh, Sarah!

-It would have seen you through to the next round...

-Can we not shoot that bit again?

No, we can't do that because that would be purulent!

There are some other well-known words that would have seen you through.

Any of these would have scored you less than six.

If you'd said transparent, belligerent, grandparent,

that would have scored four points, indifferent, godparent, incoherent, would have scored two.

So some common words with very low scores.

Let's take a look at some pointless ones now.

Deferent, another word for deferential,

houseparent, a job at a boarding school,

incurrent, fluids going inwards,

excurrent also a pointless answer.

Irreverent is a pointless answer.

Occurrent, recurrent.

Also pointless, unapparent, undercurrent - how about that -

and vicegerent, also a pointless answer.

Very well done if you said any of those at home.

Thanks very much, Richard.

So at the end of our second round, the losing pair with the high score of 200, are Sarah and Mary.

Thank you very much. It's been lovely having you on the show.

But we'll see you again next time.

Looking forward to that already!

Thanks very much for playing, Sarah and Mary.

But for the remaining two pairs, things are about to get more exciting in the head-to-head.

Well done, Douglas and Niamh, Ben and Rob.

You're only one round away from the final

and a chance to play for our jackpot which currently stands at £1,000.

You're now going head-to-head.

The first pair to win two questions will play for that jackpot.

But the difference is, you're now allowed to confer.

Douglas and Niamh, you've done very well.

Some lovely answering from you in the show so far today.

Ben - phew!

You owe Rob one, I think!

-How are you feeling, Rob?

-We got out of jail there, I think.

You did very well. You can pool your resources from here on in.

So it'll all be fine. Very best of luck to both pairs. Let's play the head-to-head.

Here comes your first question.

And it concerns...

-UK sights, Richard.

-We'll show you five pictures of famous tourist attractions in the UK.

Can you name the most obscure of these, please?

Thanks, Richard. Let's reveal our five tourist attractions. We have got...

There we go.

Five tourist attractions from across the UK.

Douglas and Niamh, because you've played best so far, you get to go first.

-We're going to go for B.

-The Cutty Sark.

B, The Cutty Sark. B, The Cutty Sark say Douglas and Niamh.

Ben and Rob, talk us through the board.

We agree, I think that is Cutty Sark.

-E, not a clue.

-No.

-D is the bridge in Scotland.

-Forth railway bridge, yeah.

I think C is Portmeirion, but I'm not totally sure.

-But I think A. I fancy A.

-A is good.

Which is Jodrell Bank.

A - Jodrell Bank, say Ben and Rob.

So, Douglas and Niamh say The Cutty Sark.

Is it right, how many people said it?

It's right.

59 for The Cutty Sark.

Ben and Rob have said Jodrell Bank for A. Jodrell Bank for A.

Is it right, and if so, how many people said that?

Absolutely right.

And it wins it for you!

Very well done. Ben and Rob, after one question, you're up one-nil. Richard?

Well played, Ben and Rob. Very good answer. You took us through another couple.

C was Portmeirion.

It was a very low scorer. Scored nine points.

A terrific answer. Well done if you got that at home.

D is the Forth Bridge.

That's a bigger scorer, though.

And E is the Falkirk Wheel, a boat lift in Falkirk.

That would have scored 12 points.

The best answer on the board, Portmeirion.

Thanks very much, Richard. Here's your second question.

Douglas and Niamh, you have to win this to stay in the game. Best of luck.

It concerns...

Downing Street. Richard?

We'll give you five clues to facts about Downing Street.

That's Downing Street, London.

We need you to tell us the most obscure.

Let's reveal our five clues to facts about Downing Street. We have got...

I'll read those one last time.

There we are. Five clues to facts about Downing Street.

Ben and Rob, you go first this time.

OK, we'll say the thoroughfare from which cars enter Downing Street is The Mall.

The Mall, say Ben and Rob. OK,

Douglas and Niamh, the board is yours.

We'll go for the last one. Number 11.

Number 11, Downing Street.

OK. Ben and Rob have said The Mall.

The thoroughfare by which cars enter Downing Street.

Is it right, and if so, let's see how many people said The Mall.

Ooh!

Bad luck.

Now, Douglas and Niamh, you said 11, Downing Street.

All it has to be is correct at this stage. If it is, you've scored the point that keeps you in the game.

Number 11, Downing Street. Is it right?

Yes, it is. Very well done.

68 is what it scores.

It was right, so Douglas and Niamh, you're back in the game.

-After two questions, it's one-all. This is exciting.

-It'll be a cracker.

We're going all the way to the final question.

It's not The Mall, I'm afraid, it's Whitehall.

Whitehall is where you turn onto Downing Street. That scored 11 points.

First name of the diplomat - two points if you knew it was George Downing.

Animal depicted on the door knocker of Number 10? Do you know that?

-A lion, is it?

-It is a lion. Yes.

That would have scored 32.

And the name of the Number 10 cat since 2011?

-It used to be Humphrey, but is no longer.

-No longer Humphrey.

It's the best answer on the board. One point to anyone who said Larry.

Thanks very much, Richard. Very exciting indeed.

It's one apiece. Whoever wins this question goes into the final and plays for the jackpot.

Best of luck to both pairs. Here's the third question. It concerns...

-Richard?

-We'll show you the names of five US sitcoms

and the initials of the UK shows they were based on.

Name those UK shows, please. Good luck, both teams.

OK. Let's reveal our five US sitcoms. Here they come. We have got...

I'll read those all one last time.

Now, then. Douglas and Niamh, you go first this time.

OK.

We'll go for Sanford and Son. It's Steptoe and Son.

Sanford and Son - Steptoe and Son, say Douglas and Niamh.

Now, then. Ben and Rob. Talk us through the board.

-OK. Well The Rear Guard must be Dad's Army.

-That's Dad's Army.

BOAF, I'm not sure at all. Nothing's leaping out.

Neither is the bottom one.

But I'm pretty confident with Three's Company.

-Yeah.

-I think it's Man About the House.

Three's Company, Man About the House, say Ben and Rob.

Man About the House. So we have Steptoe and Son from Douglas and Niamh.

Let's see if it's right, and if so, how many of our 100 people said Steptoe and Son?

Absolutely right.

44 for Douglas and Niamh.

Ben and Rob have gone for Man About the House for Three's Company.

Let's see if that's right, and if it is, how many people said it?

It's absolutely right.

Is it going to beat 44?

Yes, it is. Look at that. Very well done indeed.

Down it goes to 15.

Ben and Rob, you are our finalists.

After three questions, you win two-one.

Well done. Richard?

Well played. Both successful shows.

Three's Company ran for eight series. And Sanford and Son ran for six.

Let's fill in the rest.

The Rear Guard, right, it was Dad's Army.

They just did a pilot of that. It never went to a series.

Now, the other two, All in the Family.

Do you know that one?

You'll kick yourself when I tell you.

-It's Till Death Us Do Part.

-Of course!

A remake of that. Archie Bunker instead of Alf Garnett.

And Stand By Your Man. It ran for one series.

It's tough with those initials, but everyone knows this sitcom.

-I can't think what it is.

-Birds of a Feather.

Oh, for heaven's sake!

That would have scored two points.

Well, thanks very much, Richard.

Well done, both pairs. Sadly, though, we have a losing pair

at the end of our head-to-head, Douglas and Niamh.

You've done so well today. Brilliant performance. Lovely low scores all the way through the show.

-Douglas and Niamh, thank you. It's been great having you on the show.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Brilliant contestants.

But for Ben and Rob, it's now time for our Pointless final.

Congratulations, Ben and Rob. You've fought off the competition

and won our coveted Pointless trophy.

You now have a chance to win our Pointless jackpot.

At the end of today's show, the jackpot stands at £1,000.

You've done very well, gents.

Very well indeed. Here you are in the final. Very well done.

To win the money, all you have to do is find a pointless answer.

We haven't had any pointless answers on the show today.

Just find one and you go home with that money.

First, choose a category. There are five options. We've had no sport today.

-You've got to be hoping.

-Come on.

-Best of luck. Your five options are...

We're not having country music, I'll tell you now!

Katie Price, ditto!

Actors. We survived actors in the first round.

-No.

-So we'll swerve that one, too.

Apart from Eric Pickles, I know nothing about the cabinet, so politicians is out.

Formula 1 it's got to be, hasn't it?

Motorhead.

Normally I prefer two wheels to four,

-but in this case, Formula 1.

-You'll waive that. OK.

-Yeah.

Formula 1 it is. Let's find out what the question is.

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

..as they could. Richard?

We're looking for the runners-up in any Formula 1 World Drivers Championship

from the first one in 1950 through to the 2011 season, please.

Anyone who's finished runner-up in the World Drivers Championship.

Best of luck, guys. We need first names and surnames.

We won't accept John Watson. He was officially listed as third even though he was joint second.

-But officially listed as third.

-Thanks, Richard.

You now have one minute to come up with three answers.

All you need to win £1,000 is for just one of those answers to be pointless.

-Are you ready?

-We are.

-Yeah.

-Let's put 60 seconds on the clock.

There they are. Your time starts now.

I was going to go for Watson, so we'll scrap that!

Coulthard, definitely. No doubt about that.

Stirling Moss is famous for it, but that's too obvious.

-Lewis Hamilton.

-Again, maybe too obvious.

Coulthard, definitely. I was thinking Alan Jones, the Australian.

I'm not totally sure.

-Gilles Villeneuve was another name that came to mind.

-OK.

But I'm not totally sure about that.

I'm thinking '80s. It was always Senna and Prost.

-Who was the other guy in the '80s?

-Piquet.

Piquet and the other guy from Brazil.

Fittipaldi and, um...

Going back further, you've got Surtees,

-you've got, um...

-Yeah.

-OK.

-Who's the other Brazilian guy?

-Fittipaldi...

-Patrese.

-Riccardo Patrese.

I don't think he was runner-up. Mansell, obviously, famously.

-Hill.

-Ten seconds left.

-Who shall we go with?

-I think Patrese.

You think Patrese?

-What was your first one? Coulthard.

-Coulthard.

-Patrese.

OK, time up.

We were looking for runners-up in the World Drivers Championship.

I now need your three answers.

-OK. We'll go with David Coulthard.

-David Coulthard.

-Let's go with Nelson Piquet.

-Nelson Piquet.

-Nelson Piquet.

And either Patrese, James or Fittipaldi.

Riccardo Patrese. You wanted that one.

-Patrese.

-Yes.

-Riccardo Patrese.

Of those three, which is your best shot at a pointless answer?

-I know Coulthard's right.

-Yeah.

-Coulthard is your best shot?

-I think it's right. The other two were gambles.

OK. We'll put Coulthard last. Who shall we put first?

-Patrese.

-It's a stab in the dark.

Patrese first. OK. Very good. Piquet in the middle.

Let's put this up on the board in that order. Here they are.

We have got...

We're looking for runners-up in the Formula 1 Drivers Championship.

Riccardo Patrese was your least confident answer.

You only need one pointless answer to win that jackpot of £1,000.

So let's see. For £1,000, how many people said Riccardo Patrese?

Is it right?

It's right.

It's right. OK. Let's see how far down Riccardo Patrese can take us.

It's down into the twenties. Into the teens.

Single figures. If this goes to zero you leave here with the jackpot!

Oh! One!

One!

Wow! What a start to your final round. One.

-That's very exciting indeed. But not a pointless answer.

-No.

-But a great answer.

-At least we got a right one.

Being sports journalists, if we hadn't got one right, it would be humiliating.

I've got the Lit question wrong already, so...

-We needed that. We needed that.

-OK.

Only two more chances to win today's jackpot.

What would you do with your £1,000, Ben, if you win?

I promised the parents I'd go and see them in Australia.

I've not been yet to visit. I'll be flying to Adelaide hopefully at Christmas.

-Rob, what would you do?

-I'm going on a charity trek to the Great Wall of China.

So that will go towards both funds and also equipment.

Brilliant. Very good. Two great ways of spending prize money.

Let's hope one of your answers wins it for you.

We want runners-up in the World Drivers Championship.

Let's hope nobody said your next answer, Nelson Piquet.

Again, this has to be pointless for you to win the jackpot.

So for £1,000, Nelson Piquet, is it right and how many people said it?

It's right again.

Riccardo Patrese took you all the way down to one.

Nelson Piquet. Can he take you down to pointless?

If he does, you leave with £1,000.

Down into single figures. Still going down...

Ooh! Three!

Worse!

-Going the wrong way!

-The wrong way.

-Three.

Tell you what, though. Another correct answer. That's fantastic.

Only one more chance to win today's jackpot.

Everything is now riding on David Coulthard.

Runners-up in the Formula 1 World Drivers Championship.

Your third and final answer. Your most confident answer.

For £1,000, this has to be pointless. It has to be correct.

David Coulthard. How many people said it?

Well, it's right.

Riccardo Patrese took us down to one.

Nelson Piquet down to three.

David Coulthard is taking us down into the teens.

Again, if he takes you to zero, you leave with £1,000.

-Oh, no! Four!

-The wrong way.

Bad luck, gents. Very unlucky. Three great answers there.

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

But you get to take home a Pointless trophy. Very well done.

-This is the bit you're not going to enjoy!

-Yes. Sorry, guys,

that minute goes very quickly.

If you'd had another minute, any other names you'd have thrown at us?

I was thinking of someone like Schumacher.

People might not have said Michael Schumacher.

No, Schumacher would have scored 15 points.

Fittipaldi, maybe.

Of the others you mentioned, Fittipaldi would have scored two points.

Either of the Villeneuves, Gilles or Jacques, both scored one point.

Alan Jones never finished second. He won it, and finished third twice.

Eddie Irvine would have scored one point, Michele Alboreto, one point.

Let's look at the pointless answers. There's some big names here.

Alberto Ascari, second in 1951.

Clay Regazzoni, the Swiss driver, second in 1974.

Didier Pironi, the Frenchman, 1982.

-Heinz-Harald Frentzen...

-Not Heinz-Harald Frentzen!

-Heinz-Harald Frentzen.

He actually finished third, then Schumacher was knocked off the results table

and he was promoted to second.

Jose Froilan Gonzalez from Argentina.

Mika Hakkinen in 2000 was a pointless answer.

Worth a punt. Ronnie Peterson, the Swedish driver, in '71 and '78, posthumously.

Tony Brooks, 1959.

And another posthumous second place Wolfgang Von Trips in 1961.

Very well done to anybody who got those at home. Very impressive.

Unfortunately, we have to say goodbye to you, Ben and Rob.

It's been fantastic having you on the show. You've been brilliant.

Great fun. Thanks very much for playing.

Ben and Rob didn't win our jackpot today so it rolls over to the next show

when we'll be playing for £2,000.

AUDIENCE: Wooo!

Join us to see if someone can win it.

-Meanwhile it's goodbye from Richard.

-Goodbye!

-And it's goodbye from me. Goodbye!