Episode 25 The Edge

APPLAUSE

Hello and welcome to The Edge, the show where you need brains and balls.

Today, our players will compete to roll down these big money cash lanes.

The nearer they roll to the edge, the more money they earn.

Stop the ball on their edge and they'll get thousands,

but go over and they get nothing.

Let's meet the players who today are going to push themselves to the edge.

APPLAUSE

I'm Emma from North London, I work for a local authority.

I'm very competitive,

and none of my friends and family will play games with me.

I'm Ross, I'm a customer relations team manager from Teesside,

and I used to live in America the five years.

I'm Natalie and I'm an alumni officer from Selby,

and I'm currently training for a ten-mile run.

I'm Jay from Basildon, I'm a construction site manager,

and I used to do a lot of tenpin bowling.

APPLAUSE Welcome to you all, and the very best of luck.

In a moment, you will each take to the lanes to roll for big money.

The ball you need is trapped in your podium.

I'm going to ask you some questions. Buzz in with a correct answer...

and you will bring your ball up towards you.

Once you've freed your ball,

you'll roll down the shortest lane available. The shorter the lane...

the bigger the edge and the better the odds of banking big money.

So, do well on these questions to give yourself the very best

advantage on the lanes. Three correct answers will release your ball.

-Is everyone ready?

-Yeah.

-Fingers on buzzers.

Eddie Redmayne won the 2015 Best Actor Oscar

for his portrayal of which scientist? BUZZER

-Ross.

-Stephen Hawking.

Correct.

The Flavian Amphitheatre in Rome is better known as what?

-BUZZER Emma.

-The Coliseum.

Correct.

Which Roald Dahl book was adapted into a stage musical

with songs by Tim Minchin... BUZZER

-And that is Natalie.

-Matilda.

-Correct.

In 2015, Steven Gerrard left Liverpool to join which club?

-BUZZER Ross.

-LA Galaxy.

Correct. Ross, you need one more correct answer to release your ball.

What type of fish pokes out of the pastry crust

of a traditional stargazy pie?

-BUZZER Emma.

-Salmon.

No, incorrect. It is pilchards.

You are frozen out for this question, Emma.

If I was performing an experiment using the element

with the chemical symbol O, which element would I be using?

-BUZZER Ross.

-Oxygen.

-Correct!

Congratulations, you are rolling first on the green lane.

APPLAUSE

-Well done, Ross.

-Thank you.

-That was very quickfire there.

Did that appeal to your general knowledge?

It did, yes, I knew most of the answers, so...

Yes, you did, and you were quick, you were quick off the buzzer.

How is your bowling?

I did well on this lane in practice,

but it is a completely different ball game when you are at...

when you're doing it live, so we will just see.

-What did you get in practice?

-I got a few on the edge.

-Did you?

-Yes.

-Are you going for the edge?

-Yes, why not?

OK, if you do hit the edge this time, Ross, it is worth...

£1,500.

APPLAUSE

You'll each have one roll to earn as much as you can,

and whoever earns the least is leaving us.

-So, Ross, you think you're going to go for the edge.

-Yes.

-Best of luck.

Let's roll.

'Good afternoon. First to challenge

'the green lane is Ross from Teesside.

'It's a bit of a lob.'

-It's a steady roll, it is a good roll.

-Oh.

And it has stopped on £1,100.

I'll take that.

APPLAUSE

-How do you feel?

-Yes, I'm happy with that, I think that will be

really tough for three other people to beat, so... Confident.

Strategically, you've positioned yourself well, Ross, you think?

-I think I do.

-Let's see, because three lanes are still up for grabs.

We've reset the podiums. Fingers on buzzers.

In 2013, which German-born model became a judge on America's...

BUZZER

-Emma.

-Heidi Klum.

-Correct.

Which word beginning with C

describes the distance around the edge of the circle?

-BUZZER Natalie.

-Circumference.

-Correct.

Which British seaside city features in the title of a 1938

Graham Greene novel?

No. It's Brighton.

Andouillette, bratwurst, and saveloy are all types of what foodstuff?

-BUZZER Emma.

-Sausage.

-Correct.

Emma, you need one more correct answer to release your ball.

In EastEnders, which actor plays the part of Ian Beale?

-BUZZER Jay.

-Adam Woodyatt.

Correct. In which country would you find the ancient Mayan city...

BUZZER Emma.

-Mexico.

-Correct, it is the Mayan city of Chichen Itza.

Congratulations, you are rolling next on the blue lane.

APPLAUSE

-So you've popped your specs on there, Emma.

-Yes.

-Are they vital to your technique?

-Yes, I can't see otherwise!

LAUGHTER

How did it go in rehearsal when you were having a go on the lanes?

This was my worst one.

Oh, OK, there's a psychological barrier there, is there,

-with the blue lane?

-Yes, well, it is worse because he's doing so well.

He did. He did a very good roll.

And to guarantee your place in the next round,

you'll need to roll £1,200 or more.

-OK.

-Of course there's always the edge to go for,

so where are you going for?

-I'm going for the edge.

-You're going for the edge.

-I think I have to.

-OK.

Good, confident, fighting talk. If you are ready, Emma, let's roll.

'Can super-competitive Emma beat Ross's mighty roll?'

-It is big.

-Oh!

It is fast.

It is too fast, it is over the edge,

and that roll scores you nothing.

-What went wrong there?

-Too fast.

-Yeah.

-I think I just wanted it too much.

-Really?

A little bit of exuberance, a bit of adrenaline flowing through you, Emma.

Yeah.

All hope is not lost, though, because we have only two lanes left,

and which ever one of you releases your ball next

will roll on the yellow lane, the other will be on the red lane.

Fingers on buzzers.

Which Radio 4 soap celebrated its 60th anniversary in...

-BUZZER Yes, Jay.

-The Archers.

Correct, it was The Archers who celebrated their anniversary in 2011.

Who wrote The Rocky Horror Show and went on to host...

-BUZZER Jay.

-Richard O'Brien.

That's correct, Richard O'Brien also went on to host The Crystal Maze.

One more correct answer and you release your ball.

What is the common name for the third set of molar teeth

found in some adults?

-BUZZER Jay.

-Wisdom.

And your wisdom has released your ball, correct!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Congratulations, you will be rolling next on the yellow lane. Natalie,

you've been left with the red lane.

APPLAUSE

Jay, welcome to the game, that was a late flurry of activity there,

-wasn't it?

-Nerves, I think.

To guarantee your place in the next round, Jay,

you only need to reach the cash zone.

-Is that doable?

-That's my tactic.

-Yeah?

-Absolutely.

-So you are not bothered where it goes?

No, just to get in there. As long as it isn't a zero.

-Are you ready?

-No.

-LAUGHTER

-Yes, yes.

-Best of luck, Jay. Let's roll.

'Jay is a fan of tenpin bowling.

'Let's put his skills to the test.'

It's a steady roll.

-It's not hard enough.

-Is it too steady?

GROANS

That roll scores you nothing.

Oh, Jay. And obviously Emma is smiling broadly there

because that is something of a reprieve for her.

We will be having a roll-off, at least a two-way roll-off,

-but, Natalie, you've been left with the red lane...

-Yes.

To guarantee your place in the next round,

all you've got to do is hit a cash zone.

Any one from 100 right the way up to the edge.

Where are you aiming for?

Anywhere, really, because it looks really, really far away from here.

So, just even if it is on the bottom, that would be great,

just to get me into the next round.

And how has your technique been going?

I did better on the longer lanes earlier,

I was a bit too gung-ho on the green one.

So this might play to my advantage, really.

Well, Natalie, you're there, you're in the game,

all you've got to do is hit a cash zone.

-If you are ready...

-Yep.

-..let's roll.

'Hit a cash zone and Natalie from Selby is through to the next round.

-'It sounds simple.'

-Looks a good weight.

Looks like... Oh, no.

GROANS

That scores you nothing.

So, at the end of the rolls, Ross has £1,100,

Emma has nothing,

Jay has nothing, and Natalie has nothing.

So, Ross, you are definitely through to the next round.

-Please go back to your podium.

-Thank you.

APPLAUSE

Emma, Jay, Natalie, to decide who stays and who goes,

we are going to have a roll-off.

You stay in your lanes, we've removed the cash values,

and no money will be earned on this roll.

You each roll once.

Whoever is furthest from their edge zone will be going out.

-Is that clear?

-Mm-hm.

Pick up your balls, please, and you will all roll on my command.

So, if you are ready...

In three, two, one, let's roll.

'We've got a busy roll-off here.

'All three hoping to bag a place in the next round.'

Oh, that looks big, Emma, but it could be the right thing to do.

Oh!

Well.

Natalie and Jay, you got closest to the edge,

you're through to the next round.

Please return to your podium.

APPLAUSE

Emma, if you had done that in your first roll,

you'd be standing at the podium now.

-Unfortunately, it just wasn't good enough there.

-Yes.

Well, I'm afraid, Emma, you're leaving here with nothing.

-Thanks so much for playing.

-Thank you.

-Goodbye.

APPLAUSE

Congratulations, Ross, Natalie, and Jay.

You are through to the next round.

Ross, you work with people moaning and complaining all the time.

Yes, I'm a complaints team manager for a bank, basically.

So the most irate customers usually end up with my team, and then

if they're even more irate, then they end up with me sometimes.

-You just pass them on if you're having a bad day.

-No, no.

It helps, though, because it is quite a lot of pressure

that they try and put you under, so it kind of helps in this situation.

Oh, you think your work is actually giving you a good head for

-this competitive environment?

-I think so, yes.

-Well, it is working so far.

Natalie, you're an alumni officer. Just explain what that is.

Basically, I do a lot of events organisation

for former pupils that have left my school now.

So I organise events all around the country, in various different

places, and just try get them all back together again.

-Any famous alumni?

-Our most famous is actually dead now.

-It is Guy Fawkes.

-Oh, OK. He's not coming to any parties, then.

-No.

-Especially around November. Don't invite him.

-He's off the guest list.

He was a blast, I hear, when he was at school. Jay. LAUGHTER

I think we saw a little bit of your tenpin bowling technique

on your second roll there. Is it helping you, do you think?

-Not at all.

-No?

-No.

-Totally different.

-Really?

-Yeah. I underestimated it.

Oh, so you thought that would be an advantage coming into today?

-No, it's no advantage whatsoever.

-You've got to retrain yourself.

-Yes.

OK, you did pretty well there, and you are here.

And the money that you've earned is added to your personal bank,

which means, Ross, you have £1,100,

Natalie and Jay, you have nothing.

But only one of you can reach today's final and play for the money you've

banked, which so far is just you, Ross, in terms of money banked.

It is Round Two.

And we are shutting down the shortest lane.

And now we are introducing danger zones.

Which means any of the cash

from £100 all the way to £1,300 could become a danger zone.

If that happens, its value drops to zero.

How many danger zones you face

depends on how well you do in the questions.

Release your ball first and not only will you take the shortest lane

with the biggest edge, but you'll have no danger zones.

This time, you will need to answer four questions correctly

to release your ball. So, fingers on buzzers.

In what month do we turn the clocks back an hour in the UK?

BUZZER

-Ross.

-October.

-Correct.

What is the name of the desert in which the city of Las Vegas...

-BUZZER is located in? Yes, Jay.

-Nevada.

Incorrect, Jay, I'm afraid, you are frozen out of the next question.

It was the Mojave Desert.

2014 marked how many years since the outbreak of the First World War?

-BUZZER Natalie.

-100.

-Correct.

The fraction one into 20 is the equivalent of what percentage?

BUZZER Ross.

-Five.

-Correct.

What is the name of the Pope who was inaugurated on March 19, 2013?

BUZZER

-Natalie.

-Francis.

Pope Francis, correct.

".aq" is the web address country code

belonging to which continent?

-BUZZER Jay.

-Asia.

Incorrect. It is Antarctica, you are frozen out.

If I was flying the famous Millennium Falcon,

which film franchise would I... BUZZER

-Natalie.

-Star Wars.

-Correct.

Natalie, you need one more correct answer to release your ball.

Which embroidery, approximately 70 metres long,

depicts the Norman conquest... BUZZER

-Natalie.

-The Bayeux Tapestry.

Correct, congratulations.

You're rolling first on the blue lane.

APPLAUSE

OK, well, your general knowledge has won you the biggest edge

and no danger zones.

-So you have a clear run at it.

-Yeah.

Looking at the edge there, it's a lot closer than the red.

-Are you going to go for it?

-I think I can go for it a bit more.

I just need to make sure I land on the money.

-Yeah, you came up short last time.

-I did, I came up way too short.

So what's your technique this time?

Just try not to overthink it, I think.

And be a bit more precise, hopefully.

Well, get your ball on the edge in this round, Natalie,

and it is worth...

£2,000.

APPLAUSE

You each have two rolls, which will be added together,

and whoever earns the least is leaving us.

So, give me a figure, then, Natalie, where are you hoping to land?

Somewhere round about 1,000 would be ideal for this round.

-That'd be nice. OK, Natalie, are you ready?

-Yes.

-Let's roll.

'Facing the blue lane, Natalie is aiming for a high score

'to put early pressure on the boys.'

It's quite big,

is it going to be too big? No.

And that roll scores you £1,000. APPLAUSE

-Natalie, you are a woman who means business.

-Yes!

You said you wanted 1,000.

-This is fantastic. You say you want something and you get it.

-Yeah.

-Pretty good. And you've still got another roll.

-Yes.

But first, there are two lanes left, and we've reset the podiums.

Whichever of you releases your ball next will roll in the yellow lane,

the other will be left with the red lane,

and you'll both be facing danger zones.

Fingers on buzzers.

Which TV sketch show featured the catchphrase,

"It's goodnight from me and goodnight..."

-Jay?

-Two Ronnies.

That's right. The Two Ronnies' catchphrase,

"It's goodnight from me, and it's goodnight from him."

What alcohol is usually used to make a traditional Moscow Mule cocktail?

-Ross?

-Vodka.

Correct.

The TV shows Life on Mars and Ashes To Ashes

are named after songs by which artist?

-Jay.

-David Bowie.

Correct.

On which course did the British Open Golf Championships

take place in July 2015?

-Jay.

-St Andrews.

Correct.

One more correct answer, Jay, and you'll release your ball next.

In 2006 Stephen Harper became prime minister of which country?

-Ross.

-Australia.

Incorrect, it's Canada.

You're frozen out of this next question.

So, just for you, Jay, you don't have to answer if you don't want to.

What term is normally used for a sphere bearing a map of the Earth?

-Jay.

-Globe.

Correct. APPLAUSE

And congratulations, you are rolling next on the yellow lane.

Ross, you're rolling on the red lane. APPLAUSE

Jay, you're familiar with the yellow lane now, aren't you?

Er... Not very familiar.

Well, I don't know.

You've had one disappointing experience

and one quite good experience.

-So, have you got the measure of this lane?

-Hopefully.

Well, Jay, you're going to be facing one danger zone,

and before you roll we need to find out where your danger zone will be.

It's moving up and down the lane

and it'll stop when you hit that button there. Good luck.

£700 has gone from your lane,

is replaced with zero.

-How are you feeling about that, Jay?

-Not good.

I wanted it a bit closer.

Does that mean you're going to have to be a bit more aggressive

-and go over 700, or are you going to...?

-I'm going to try.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-OK.

If you are ready, Jay, let's roll.

'Jay is not happy with his danger zone, but he's got to see past it.'

It looks like a good weight. Is it too much?

No, I think it's going to be good. I think it's going to be good.

It is. That's £850. APPLAUSE

-Relief?

-Yes. Very much so.

-Much better than last time.

Well, Ross, you're left with the red lane.

You've moved from green up here, which is now out of use,

-right down there to red.

-I know.

And that means you will face two danger zones.

So before you roll, we need to find out where those danger zones will be.

They're racing up and down the lane.

You have to press the button, and when you do they'll stop.

Good luck.

So, £850 and £650 have gone.

They are replaced with zero.

What are you thinking about where you've stopped?

It's a nightmare, because I was kind of aiming for the middle ground

because I am so far away.

The fact that there's two there, it's not good at all.

-So, you were going to be rolling to the middle?

-Yeah.

-And now you're going to have to avoid the middle.

-Yeah.

You're going to have to go above or below, so what are you thinking?

I'm going to have to try and beat...

Well, go for as much as possible

without falling over the edge, to be honest.

OK. Best of luck, Ross. If you are ready, let's roll.

'With double danger zones to dodge,

'Ross needs to try and roll with some accuracy.'

It's a big one. It's a big one.

It's not bad, it's not bad.

That's £550.

APPLAUSE

So, you didn't get over, but you were under,

so that's better, that's safer.

I thought it was going to go to that bottom zero, to be honest,

so I am just relieved to get something out of that.

-Slightly different technique this time.

-Yeah, definitely.

Is that the distance that has kind of made you a little bit

unsure about how you have to roll it?

To be honest, my roll wasn't good. I could tell as soon as I rolled it.

I thought it was going to be short, so...

OK, well, before everyone rolls again,

let's look at what you've earned so far.

Natalie, you are on £1,000,

Jay, you are on £850,

and Ross, you have £550.

APPLAUSE

-Natalie, you have the biggest amount in the bank.

-Yes.

You've done the best, but you are only guaranteed

to go through to the next round if you hit the edge.

It's making me slightly nervous.

I mean, I know I've got an advantage having the shorter lane,

but these guys can roll really well,

so yeah, it is putting the pressure on me, definitely.

Where are you aiming for?

-£1,000.

-Are you ready?

-Yes, I am.

-Good luck, Natalie, let's roll.

Thank you.

'Natalie's in the lead.

'She approaches and eyes up her target.'

It's big, it's big.

Is it going to the edge? Is it going to the edge?

£1,200, and we add that to your previous roll,

which gives you a total of £2,200.

APPLAUSE

It's not guaranteed, but it is a strong score,

-it puts you in a brilliant position, Natalie.

-Yes.

And you looked very worried for most of that roll.

I just daren't even look, really.

-How are you feeling right now?

-I feel...

-I feel much easier, yeah.

-Confident?

-Quietly confident.

OK, well, the danger zones remain where they are, so Jay,

your danger zone sits there right in the middle on £700.

-Where are you going to aim for this time?

-Hopefully 1,000, 1,100 area.

I'd like to think.

Only the edge can guarantee you go through to the next round

and put pressure on Ross.

-But that would increase Ross's anxiety, no doubt...

-Hopefully!

..if you got yourself right up there.

-OK, Jay, are you ready?

-Yes.

Let's roll.

'Jay needs to try and bring some consistency to his rolls.

'Can he hit the high figure he wants?'

It's a low roll.

-It's going slowly. Slowly.

-Oh, dear.

£400 added to your previous amount

gives you a total of £1,250. APPLAUSE

Well, it wasn't near the 1,000.

-It was safe-ish.

-A couple of zeros.

-Yeah.

You've obviously left Ross with something to do,

-but do you think it is doable for him?

-Yeah, he should be all right.

-Well, hopefully not. We'll see.

-In the nicest possible way! LAUGHTER

I know what you are saying, Jay. Well, let's see.

Ross, you still have two danger zones there.

£750 or more, avoiding that 850, of course, which is a danger zone,

would see you through.

-You've got to get over your first danger zone.

-Yeah.

And then, really, to be safe,

-you want to get over that second danger zone.

-Absolutely.

So what are you going for?

Just exactly what you said -

past both danger zones and safely through.

-After that, I don't mind.

-It's got to be big, then.

-Yeah, definitely.

OK, Ross. Are you ready?

-I am, yes.

-Let's roll.

'Ross has a challenge on his hands.

'He needs to aim high to stay in the game.'

It's big. Is it too big?

It looks good, it looks...

-Oh, wow!

-Yes!

Ross, well done! £900.

Added to your previous total, gives you £1,450.

-You did exactly what you said you had to do.

-Just.

And so, with the two rolls added together, Natalie, you have £2,200,

Ross, you have £1,450,

and Jay, you have £1,250,

which means Ross and Natalie, you are going through to the next round,

please return to your podium.

APPLAUSE

Unfortunately, Jay, you earned the least amount of money in that round,

so you're leaving here with nothing.

-And your tenpin bowling didn't really help you at all, did?

-Not at all.

We've loved having you here, Jay.

-I'm sorry you're going home with nothing.

-Thank you.

Thanks for playing. Goodbye.

APPLAUSE

Congratulations, Ross and Natalie, you are through to the next round.

Ross, what do you do in your spare time?

Well, when I have a weekend free to myself,

me and my boyfriend, we are both members of English Heritage,

so we just like to go and experience a lot of the old medieval history

and go to the castles when we can.

There's been a couple of questions about history,

I haven't known the answers,

so it hasn't done me much good so far.

-You haven't visited the right castles yet.

-No, no.

-Natalie, you are a fit lass, aren't you?

-I'm getting there, anyway.

You do a lot of running.

Yeah, I'm doing a lot of training at the minute.

I do a park run every Saturday, which is a 5K timed run, so that's

helping me build up my fitness for my ten-mile run that I'm doing.

And today you've been the most consistent

and successful roller, as well. I wonder if your fitness is paying off.

Maybe it's the kettle bells, on these arms.

-The guns are working well!

-Yeah!

OK, well, the money you've earned is added to your personal bank,

so, Ross, you now have £2,550 and Natalie, you have £2,200.

That money is safely banked for the final,

should you manage to get there.

Round Three.

And we're shutting down another lane.

In this round there's only one danger zone

and the player to release their ball first will control it

and can place it anywhere on their opponent's lane.

You'll need to answer five questions correctly to release your ball.

-Is everything clear?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Fingers on buzzers.

Which is the only US state whose name contains the letter J?

-New Jersey.

-Correct.

Which legendary British king supposedly gained the throne

when he pulled a sword from a stone?

-King Arthur.

-Correct.

If I performed the magic spell Lumos, from Harry Potter,

and it actually worked, what would my wand have produced?

-Light.

-Correct.

Who did Chris Evans replace as the regular presenter

of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show?

-Chris Moyles?

-No, that's incorrect. It was Terry Wogan.

You're frozen out of the next question.

Just for you, Ross - if I had three dozen eggs,

what number of eggs would I have?

-36.

-Correct.

You're back in the game, Natalie.

What is the floral emblem of Scotland?

-The thistle.

-Correct.

You need one more correct answer, Ross, to release your ball first.

Who sang the opening line in the original 1984 version

of Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas?

Bono?

No, incorrect. It was Paul Young.

You're frozen out of the next question.

A chance for you to get in the game, Natalie.

Which British politician became known as the Milk Snatcher

for abolishing free school milk?

-Margaret Thatcher.

-Correct.

You're back in the game, Ross.

In which country does the poetry form haiku originate?

-Japan.

-Correct.

And you've released your ball first. You'll be rolling on the yellow lane.

Natalie, you've been left with the red lane.

APPLAUSE

Get your ball on the edge in this round and it's worth...

£3,000!

AUDIENCE: Ooooh!

APPLAUSE

You have three rolls, which will be added together, and whoever

earns the most money in this round will go through to the final.

Ross, you're going to roll first.

And yet another new lane for you to have a go on. I know!

I'm a right lane-hopper!

What's the technique this time?

Well, considering the edge is 3,000, try and get as close as possible,

if not TO the edge.

-Allowing for a bit of a margin of error.

-OK. Are you ready?

-Yes.

-Best of luck.

-Thanks.

-Let's roll.

Ross favours the high lob.

-Big bounce!

-Oh, it's big! It's big!

But it looks good. It looks really good.

APPLAUSE It is! That earned you £1,200!

Well, it's not what I'd call a beautiful technique, Ross,

-but it's a successful technique, isn't it?

-Yeah, I've done OK.

I'm pretty happy with that.

I think that's the highest amount I've scored so far.

It is, and you always make me quite nervous

cos when the ball leaves your hand it looks like it might go anywhere,

but it always seems to find itself fairly high up the zones.

-It's all methodical.

-I'm sure. I'm sure there's huge technique

going on there behind it.

Well, you control a danger zone now

and you can put it anywhere you like on Natalie's lane

from 100 up to £1,300.

Where are you going to go?

Let's have a think... I think 950 would be a good place to start.

Any reason?

To beat me, she's going to have to do a really ambitious ball,

but if she does a banker, it would end up being a lot lower

because if she does it too fast

she'll end up with 900 and on the zero.

So, £950 is lost from your lane, Natalie.

So, Ross's thinking is that you won't go above 950

for fear of going over the edge.

He's kind of forced my hand now by landing 1,200. I've got to go high.

You're going over 950. You're looking for 1,000 up to the edge.

Let's see how you do. Best of luck, Natalie. Let's roll.

Natalie's proven she can hit four figures, but can she do it again?

Is it going to be too much?

Is it going over...

It's slowing down... AUDIENCE GROANS

Oh... AUDIENCE: Ohhhh!

That roll scores you nothing.

So, after the first roll, Ross, you have £1,200,

and Natalie, you have nothing.

Ross, you breathed a huge sigh of relief there

-when Natalie went over the edge.

-Yeah.

It gives me a lot of breathing space, that does.

-Your tactic worked, didn't it?

-Yeah.

I thought it was going to land on the edge for a while,

but luckily for me it went over.

But it's a tiny edge on the red lane. Your edge is a bit bigger.

Is it time for you to start going for the edge?

I've got a bit of breathing space,

so hopefully a very similar ball this time will get me there.

-If you do hit that edge, it's worth £3,000. Are you ready?

-I am.

Let's roll.

Ross is aiming for the edge this time.

Will his high lob take him there?

Oh, it's big...

Is it going to slow down?

AUDIENCE GROANS

Oh, no!

Well, that means if we add that to your previous roll

-you're still on £1,200. A bit too much that time.

-Definitely.

I threw away a really good chance there.

Too much oomph on it, I think, Ross,

and you've left things wide open now for Natalie. So you've got a choice.

Are you going to keep that danger zone where it is, on £950,

or are you going to move it?

I'm going to move it up to 1,100, please.

You're being quite tricky now, aren't you?

She has to beat that to level the score with me, so...

-If she wants to go ahead of you, she had to really take on the edge.

-Yeah.

Natalie, 1,100 is now removed from your lane and it's worth nothing.

-You didn't like that, did you?

-No!

It makes your task even more difficult.

It's certainly piling on the pressure, I think,

-to what is already a tricky task.

-So what are you going to do?

Well, I can't afford to be conservative -

I think it's all or nothing.

So just do my best for the edge, really.

Best of luck. Let's roll.

Natalie's last roll was just a little too strong.

She needs to pull back on this roll to bank some money.

It's a good weight.

You're into the cash zones.

£750! We add that to your previous total, giving you £750!

APPLAUSE

So, after the second roll, Ross,

you are on £1,200 and Natalie, you are on £750!

APPLAUSE

Well, the essence of this, Ross, is you've got to stay ahead of Natalie.

You've got to put pressure on her.

You're only £450 ahead at the moment. What are you thinking?

Just try my best to replicate the first one,

to put as much pressure on Natalie as possible.

-OK. Are you ready?

-Yeah.

-Let's roll.

Can Ross maintain the lead here?

He needs to replicate his first roll and reach the four figures.

It's big. Is it too big?

AUDIENCE GROANS

Oh...

We add that to what you've already earned

and your total is still £1,200.

I don't know what happened there.

Well, all is not lost - you're still ahead of Natalie by £450.

And you've got a decision to make.

Do you want to keep that danger zone where it is

or, based on what you've just rolled, are you thinking of moving it?

-On the 850, please.

-On the 850?

-Yes.

-Why 850?

Because it's in the middle of the zone where she can roll into,

so it'll put pressure on her either way

if she wants to go underneath or above that marker.

OK, so, Natalie, £850 is taken out.

That's worth nothing.

You need a roll of £500 to guarantee you go through to the next round.

-450 would put you level. There'd be a roll-off.

-OK.

And now 850 is out of the game. OK, well, you want to stay below it?

-No, I want to go above it.

-Above it?

-Yeah, definitely.

-Natalie, your final roll of this round. Are you ready?

-Yes, I am.

Let's roll.

It's all in Natalie's hands.

Ross knows he's in trouble.

Roll £500 or more and she's in the final.

It's a good weight.

It looks very good. It's not going to land there, is it?

It is! It's on the danger zone.

AUDIENCE GROANS

Oh, Natalie!

Well, of course, that means you score nothing and we add that

to your previous total which means you're still on £750.

The danger zone was moved to £850 and that is exactly where you landed.

I couldn't do that again if I tried!

No. It was tactically brilliant from you, it looks like, Ross.

If we have a little look at the three rolls added together,

Ross has earned £1,200, Natalie £750.

That means Ross, you take what you've earned to today's final.

Congratulations. And, please, make your way to the podium.

APPLAUSE

Natalie, you earned the least amount in that round there

so I'm afraid you're going to be leaving us with nothing today.

Thanks for playing. Goodbye.

APPLAUSE

Congratulations. You've made it through to the final, Ross,

where you're playing for all the money you've earned today.

A total of £3,750.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Not bad!

Not bad. Not bad at all, Ross.

What would you do with that?

It's always been a kind of dream of mine as a little kid

watching Japanese cartoons to go to Japan.

So I kind of want to go there,

do the five-star experience, which someone like me can't ever do.

Climb Mount Fuji, eat sushi in Tokyo. That kind of stuff.

And are you a big sushi fan here? Do you like Japanese food?

Well, I'm a vegetarian, but they do vegetarian sushi, so...

-Absolutely.

-And they do teppanyaki.

You were into Japanese cartoons as a kid?

Yeah, all the, you know...

Pokemon and Digimon and all that kind of stuff

that a boy likes at that age.

-Yeah, that sparked your interest?

-Definitely.

OK, well, let's see what we can do, Ross. It's the final.

We are shutting down one more lane.

It leaves only the red lane.

We've removed the cash values from that lane leaving only the edge,

which is now worth all the money you've earned today.

Stop your ball on the edge in the final and you'll win £3,750.

APPLAUSE

Go over the edge and you get nothing.

But you have a chance to make it easier for yourself

by answering some more questions.

Each correct answer increases the size of the edge.

The more questions you get right, the bigger the edge will be

and the easier your final roll.

You have 75 seconds to get as many right as you can.

-Everything clear?

-Yeah.

Let's put 75 seconds on the clock and your time will start

when I've read the first question. Best of luck.

Charles Babbage is best known for inventing an early version of what?

The Hobbit.

Computer.

Which ancient conqueror, the son of Philip of Macedon,

is known as "the Great"?

Pass.

Alexander.

What is the name of the famous statue at the summit of Mount Corcovardo?

Pass.

Christ the Redeemer.

If I were competing for the Stanley Cup, what sport would I be playing?

Golf?

Ice hockey.

Which American pop superstar released the album Rebel Heart in 2015?

Kesha?

Madonna.

Which Miliband brother lost the Labour leadership contest in 2010?

-David.

-Correct.

What vegetable is the "aloo"

in the dishes Bombay aloo and aloo gobi?

Spinach?

No, it's potato.

Published in 2015,

Go Set A Watchman is the sequel to which Harper Lee novel?

One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.

No, To Kill A Mockingbird.

What is the name of the club owner

played by Peter Kay in Phoenix Nights?

Pass.

Brian Potter.

What animal did the Bond villain Blofeld famously keep as a pet?

-Cat.

-Correct.

What primary colour does litmus paper turn when dipped in a strong acid?

-Purple?

-No, red.

If I were at the coronation of Elizabeth II,

what decade would it be?

The '40s?

No, '50s.

The pomelo is believed to be the ancestor

of which common citrus fruit?

Apple.

No, it's grapefruit.

Time is up, and you answered two questions correctly.

-You're shaking your head.

-Shocking.

Well, to see what that score has done to the edge,

let's take to the lanes for the final time.

APPLAUSE

Every one of your correct answers increases the size of your edge

so let's put in your two correct answers onto your lane.

One...

And two.

-So that's your edge. You've been on the red lane before.

-Yes.

It's a bigger edge than when you were there before.

It definitely is, yes.

Are you more confident of hitting it now that you've moved there?

Um, considering how small it looks from here,

it would take something a bit extra for me to hit it, I think.

It will, but you have a choice to make now.

You can roll for the full £3,750 with one ball

and one attempt to hit the edge, or you could take two balls.

That means you'll roll for half the money, £1,875.

Or you could take three balls,

three attempts to hit the edge, but £1,250.

That's what you take there. What are you thinking?

Um, well, considering how small the edge is and...

well, what I've just said about the bowling,

I think I'll stick with the three balls for £1,250, please.

OK, you're taking three balls and you're rolling for £1,250.

APPLAUSE

It's time to take on the edge. For £1,250, Ross, let's roll.

-It looks pretty good, but is it too big?

-Too much.

It's slowing down. It's slowing down nicely. Oh!

-I thought you had it there.

-I did.

-I thought you had it, Ross.

I knew it was too much at the beginning,

but I thought it would slow down at the end.

Well, you know what you've got to do now. How are you feeling inside?

I'm actually feeling OK.

That one was so close that if I just take a little bit off it,

I think I can get there.

Take a little bit of the excess energy and adrenaline away.

-A bit less anxiety.

-Good. We don't want any anxiety!

LAUGHTER

-Nice and chilled about this, Ross. OK? Are you ready?

-Yes.

For £1,250...

let's roll, Ross.

-Maybe...

-It's nowhere near enough.

Maybe not enough. It's into the cash zone, but nowhere near the edge.

AUDIENCE GROANS

-Somewhere in between, I think we need, don't we?

-Absolutely.

So, that wasn't enough. That was a long way off being enough.

-I'd say it was.

-So your first roll was better.

This one...a little bit too weak.

OK, we need a bit more welly, and thankfully, you have one more ball.

-Yes.

-This is your last chance now.

Ross, for the final time, for £1,250, let's roll.

-Is it going to be good enough?

-No!

Still going, but, no!

Oh, Ross!

APPLAUSE

Ah!

Oh, Ross!

I really felt for you there because that first one

-was so close to being brilliant.

-Yeah.

-And then...

It's just the fear, isn't it, of going over the edge?

I was just too cautious after the first roll,

which was a massive mistake, but... Oh, well!

You won't able to hit your final edge

so sadly you're going home empty-handed, Ross,

-but I hope you get to Japan one day.

-I'm sure I will.

Good luck with that. We'll be back next time

with more new contestants pushing themselves to the edge.

Why? Cos that's how we roll. Goodbye.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE