Christmas Special A Question of Sport

Good evening. This is our festive edition of A Question Of Sport.

Tonight, Matt is joined by two celebrity sports fans.

Would you please welcome Vernon Kay and Rachel Riley?

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

And teaming up with Tuffers tonight it's the Olympians.

It's Amy Williams and Iwan Thomas.

APPLAUSE

Tonight's show promises to be such fun.

Let's get things moving with Round One.

Everyone is playing in this game.

It's going to be a quickfire round so you'll only have a few seconds

to answer. I'm afraid you won't be able to write anything down, OK?

You will take it in turns to name a team that has played in

football's Premier League that begins with any of the letters

in Christmas.

So are we ready, Vernon?

I'm going to start with you.

-Chelsea.

-Amy?

Erm...

Come on, any football team.

Too late. Move on.

-Matt?

-Charlton Athletic.

Tuffers?

-Southampton.

-Rachel?

Manchester United.

-Iwan?

-Oh, I wanted Southampton.

-Sunderland.

-Back to Vernon.

-Reading.

-Amy?

-Arsenal.

-Oh, no.

-Matt?

-Man City.

-Nice.

-Phil?

-Tottenham.

-Rachel?

-Charlton Athletic.

-He said it. Iwan?

-Coventry.

-OK, Vernon?

-Ipswich.

-Amy?

Erm... Sunderland? No, we've had that.

No, we have to move on. Matt?

-Aston Villa.

-Phil?

-Arsenal.

-Been said. Rachel?

-Have we said Sunderland?

-Yes.

-Iwan?

-Come on, you go.

Hammers.

That was a joke.

WHISTLE BLOWS

We'll take that. We'll take that.

APPLAUSE

We couldn't allow Hammers and Arsenal

and Charlton were said twice, but at the end of the round,

Phil is on 5 but Matt is in front on 7.

APPLAUSE

In this round, we are going to find out

if you can tell who is telling the truth.

Matt, your team each have a card to read out.

Phil, your team need to pick out who you think is reading the truth.

-OK, Vernon, we are going to start with you.

-OK, here we go.

The term is...

-Frostee Rucker...

-OK.

-..named after his father DJ Frost,

Frostee is a defensive end for the Arizona Cardinals

in the National Football League, the NFL.

He was once quoted as saying that he hated Christmas growing up

because of the teasing about his name.

Then he got big,

really, really big and the jokes stopped.

Frosty rucker is a slang phrase

in New Zealand provincial rugby

for a player that consistently infringes at the breakdown.

Yes.

LAUGHTER

The term is thought to be named after former international...

Harry Frost who was a particularly frosty rucker...

LAUGHTER

-I had to be very careful how I said that.

-Yes, thank you.

-Merry Christmas. Yes.

-..in the early 20th century.

Frosty rucker is a term in curling referring to the technique

of powerfully sending a stone

to clear all other stones from the house.

A stone used in this way is known as a frosty rucker

and doesn't require the use of the curling brooms.

-So...

-Curling.

-Who do you think is telling the truth?

I've never heard that in curling. I think I might have heard of that.

There's a few in the house.

-He's going to throw a frosty rucker down.

-Vernon...

Vernon sounds the funniest,

but he could actually be the one that's true.

-That's what I'm thinking.

-What was he again?

He used to get teased because his name was Frostee Rucker.

I don't know but I'm guessing

the middle one with rugby and the ruck.

That makes sense. But then that could be a little curved ball.

Maybe like a double edged spin.

I don't think a frosty rucker is Rachel.

-No.

-I mean... What she said obviously.

I don't think frosty rucker, I've never heard that.

I think it's those bells.

I can't take me eyes off his bells there.

Luring me in. What do you fancy?

I'm going to go with the frosty Christmas theme

and go with Vernon.

What do you fancy?

I fancy Rachel, but we'll go Vernon.

LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE

So...sorry.

Hey, it's the BBC, you've got to be honest.

-I'll go Vernon.

-Did you...

I want it to be Vernon.

Come on then.

So, we are going to go Vernon.

So let's see who it was.

Here we go.

(It's not Dawson.)

(Please don't be Rachel.)

ALL: Yes!

Good work. Good work.

The roles are reversed now and the term is Santa Claus.

-OK, Amy, you're up.

-Oh, yeah.

OK, in biathlon events, competitors have support teams that follow them

over the course similar to the Tour de France.

The support crew carry spare skis, rifles,

clothing and refreshments all in a big sack.

Because of this they are known as Santa Claus.

-Santa Claus, FC Santa Claus are a team who play...

-Shut up.

FC Santa Claus are a team who play in the third tier

of football in Finland.

They play in red kit with white trim, obviously...

And they've got bells on their boots.

And their biggest success came in 1994

when they won the Midnattsolscupen -

or the Cup Of The Midnight Sun.

They play their home games in the capital of Lapland.

OK, Santa Claus...

Santa clause is the nickname given to the legislation

in world speedway regarding transfers between Scandinavian teams

and those that are in the UK.

Riders were coming in on short-term loans for matches in bad weather

because of their experience they had riding in cold conditions.

This has since been blocked by the Santa clause.

LAUGHTER

-So...

-A bit like the Bosman rule, then.

Yes, they just bring them in for bad weather.

They nail it and then they go back.

-Clause, the Santa clause.

-I like that one.

FC Santa Claus is so far fetched it's just ridiculous.

-But if it's in Lapland.

-That's why it's even more far-fetched.

-Amy?

Mine was the biathlon.

-The biathlon.

-Where they put all the gear in the sack.

-Oh, yes.

The support crew carry spare skis, rifles, clothing and refreshments

all in a big sack and because of this they are known

as Santa Claus.

-I like it.

-You like it?

-I like it.

In a biathlon, there's one guy running behind...

LAUGHTER

-..with a massive sack full of skis and things.

-He might have a sledge.

The more we take in these two, the more that one sounds real.

-Really?

-I think so.

-You like the speedway?

-I like the speedway.

It's the most sensible of the two.

FC Santa Claus. Right, so who did you play for at the weekend?

Yeah, I'm forward for FC Santa Claus.

There's only one Santa Claus!

LAUGHTER

One Santa Claus!

You're going home in a Santa sleigh.

Oh, I think, I think...

-I'm slightly leaning this way.

-Go for it.

One-nil to the Santa Claus...

Get your beard out for the lads!

LAUGHTER

Oh, no, it's going to be Santa Claus FC, isn't it?

Don't think so.

OK, we'll go with...

We'll go with the...

the Santa clause.

Speedway. You are going with Iwan.

OK, who was telling the truth?

-It can't be the football.

-It can't be.

It can't be the football.

It was.

# There's only one Santa Claus!

# One Santa Claus!

# There's only one Santa Claus!

That's so good.

-Play their home games in the capital of Lapland.

-Yes.

Who do they play?

-The three kings.

-LAUGHTER

No point there, which means

at the end of that round,

the teams are tied both on 7.

It's time for a Christmas disco now.

Whilst your captains will listen to some Christmas music,

you will have to choose three words to describe a sports star or team.

He will then have ten seconds to talk about that subject

and try and guess what you have said.

So Matt, you are going first in this one. So out you come.

Come on then, come on.

Keep it simple, Matt.

-Are you ready for your music?

-Oh, yeah.

Nice? Can you hear me, Matt?

All right, there, Matt?

Oh, yeah. OK, jolly good.

OK, while Matt is listening away, Rachel and Vernon,

-your topic is...

-I don't know who sang this.

-..Manchester United.

-What three words or phrases are you going to go for?

-That's easy.

-Old Trafford.

-Red.

-Red Devils.

-Champions.

-Alex Ferguson.

Ferguson is a good one.

While they're working out what to say,

let's listen to what Matt's listening to.

MUSIC: Step Into Christmas by Elton John

-Ryan Giggs or Fergie?

-Are we done?

-No.

-Yeah, yeah.

So, what have you decided on?

-We think he'll definitely say Old Trafford.

-OK, that's one.

-We think he'll definitely say red.

-OK.

-What was the other one?

-Sir Alex Ferguson.

-OK, those are locked in. We are ready.

OK, Daws, your subject is Manchester United.

Red Devils, Old Trafford, Alex Ferguson...

Yeah!

DRUMMING ON DESK

Yes!

Boom!

-Really?

-Yeah, three from three.

-Three from three. Unbelievable.

-You're all on the same wavelength.

-Happy days.

-That's a worry for Amy and Iwan.

-No, it's not. Come on.

-Up you come, Tuffers.

Come on, mate.

On you go, Tuffers.

# And they wish it could be Christmas every day... #

OK, team, your subject is Andy Murray.

Oh, crikey, OK. Scottish.

-Wimbledon.

-Yeah, it's got to be...

-MATT:

-He looks like he's changing a tyre at a Formula One race.

Let's see if his dancing matches the music.

MUSIC: I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday by Wizard

We've got to get inside that head.

I need your answers. OK.

-Scottish.

-Yeah.

-Scottish.

-Wimbledon.

-We're debating...

-Let's go with the obvious.

-Say tennis.

So Scottish, Wimbledon and tennis.

OK. Thank you. OK, Tuffers, here we go.

Welcome back, Tuffers.

OK, you've got ten seconds, your subject is Andy Murray.

Wimbledon, Olympics, doubles,

Judy Murray, Wimbledon,

tennis balls, tennis nets,

Olympics, US Open...

WHISTLE BLOWS

-Scottish.

-Scottish.

LAUGHTER

You got Wimbledon and tennis.

You got two, you got Wimbledon and tennis

but Scottish was the one that you just missed out on.

So, at the end of that round,

Phil is on 9, Matt's in front on 10.

As we have got Rachel on the show,

-we are going to test everybody's maths skills.

-What?

-Yeah!

-Sporting equations.

Phil, we are going to start with your team.

-No.

-I can't even add up two numbers. I am terrible at maths.

What, one and one?

-Just about three. Just about three.

-Come on, we can do this.

Make sure you write this down as you'll only have 30 seconds

-to work out the answer, OK?

-Gosh.

-Now listen.

I want the value of the pink ball in snooker, minus the number

of times Canada have hosted the Winter Olympics,

plus the number of players in a netball team

and then finally multiply all of that

by Matthew Pinsent's Olympic gold medals.

Your time starts now.

Right, pick six.

Six, six. How many Olympics?

-Six minus...

-How many Olympics?

-Two.

-Was there one before?

-Quickly.

Let's just say two.

Plus netball is...

-Netball's how many?

-How many's netball?

Seven? Six? Goal attack.

-Six.

-Is it?

-Oh, no.

-Times how many medals...

-Four.

He's got four golds.

I don't know the netball. Netball, hold on.

COUNTDOWN'S TIME UP JINGLE

-Time's up.

-I think it's seven.

-I think it is.

So, what's your answer?

You had 30 seconds. I need an answer.

Go on, keep going.

You can't start the clock again.

132!

-132 is our answer, Sue.

-What?

Talk us through how you got that.

-You're putting me under pressure.

-How did you get that?

You do get marks for working out.

OK, six for the pink ball in snooker.

I think they have done two Winter Olympics

but they've probably done more.

-So that's minus two, plus...

-Which is four.

-Plus players in netball.

-Which is seven.

-So that's how many?

-Four plus seven.

11.

Multiply by Matthew Pinsent's Olympic gold medals.

-How many did he get?

-He got four. So 44.

-44.

-And you said what?

-I can't remember.

-130...

-I thought it was...

Can we change our answer to 44?

You made an absolute state of that.

What was it? 52?

-44 was the answer.

-44.

-I wrote down 44.

-Why did you say 132?

-Because I thought it was the number of times.

-Oh, the Christmas spirit.

Well, that was close.

Right. Over we go.

Matt, since you have got Rachel on your team yours is a little trickier.

So, here we go.

The square root of South Korea's all times summer Olympic medal haul

multiplied by the circumference of a standard cricket ball in millimetres.

Your time starts now.

COUNTDOWN JINGLE PLAYS

I couldn't resist that.

I'm only joking. Here's your real one.

-I liked the faces as I was reading that.

-Is it 132?

I've never panicked as much.

Rachel was ready.

She was ready, she was going for it.

She has even drawn the square root symbol.

OK, this is your real one.

Are you ready?

The number of teams in the NFL, divided by the number

of Rugby World Cups Richie McCaw has played in,

plus David Beckham's shirt number at LA Galaxy,

minus Serena Williams' Grand Slam singles titles.

-Get in there.

-Your time starts now.

-PHIL:

-Good luck with that.

THEY CONFER

COUNTDOWN JINGLE PLAYS

31 minus...

Serena Williams.

It could be nearly 20.

It could be 21.

-21 is a nice round...

-Do you reckon?

Ten, isn't it?

COUNTDOWN'S TIME UP JINGLE

We're stuck on Serena Williams.

That is the tricky one.

What are you going to go for?

-We're going to say...

-That's as good as anything.

-..ten.

-OK. How did you get there?

-32 teams in the NFL.

-OK, Richie McCaw?

I'm going with four, because it was between three and five

and if you divide 32 by three or five it's a horrible number.

-That's true.

-But we've got the Riley, so we'll be all right.

-So we went with four for Richie McCaw.

-Becks' shirt number at LA?

-23, wasn't it?

-OK.

And then you had to go with Serena.

-We thought, "Well, it's high, it's a very high number."

-It is.

And ten's a nice round number.

We finished on 10, 21 possibly... Go on, then.

You're spot-on. CHEERING

Oh, yes!

Absolute beauty. Beautiful.

That's how you play A Question Of Sport.

We're not even sport stars! Oh!

Oh!

HE MIMICS COUNTDOWN JINGLE

How lucky was that?

At the end of that round,

Phil's on 9, Matt in front on 12.

APPLAUSE

It is Mystery Guest time. Time to catch up, Tuffers, for your team.

Both teams, you will need to identify the two sport stars re-enacting

some of their favourite Christmas songs.

Everyone ready? Watch closely.

# It's Christmas time

# There's no need to be afraid

# At Christmas time

# We let in light and we banish shade... #

# Baby, if you've got to go away

# Don't think I can take the pain

# Won't you stay another day? #

# Last Christmas I gave you my heart

# But the very next day you gave it away

# This year, to save me from tears

# Ill give it to someone special... #

# Can't make it all alone I've built my dreams around you

# The boys of the NYPD choir Still singing Galway Bay

# And the bells are ringing out for Christmas day... #

Oh, my gosh. I've got nothing.

-Was it the same two...all the way through?

-Yes.

-Just two people!

Write down your two answers.

I've got it, I've got it.

-I think I have it.

-It could still be her.

-Did he have a goatee?

-Or was that just a weird beard thing?

-A goatee.

-It's not him.

-Are you sure?

-I don't think it's him.

I don't think he's got the thing.

But he's that build and he's got nice teeth.

We're going on teeth over here.

I'm quite happy, quite happy to go with that.

OK, can you hold up your answers, please? Reveal your answers.

You've gone for Paula Radcliffe and Gary Lineker.

No, don't put that on there!

Oh, no, they've gone for the couple.

Gail Emms, Nathan Robertson, let's see who is right.

Gut instinct.

-Straight away.

-It's Gail Emms

and Anthony Ogogo.

No way!

We got one.

Anthony Ogogo, of course it is.

One point goes to Phil,

so a little closer at the end of the round.

Phil is on 10, Matt team's in front on 12.

We are ending the show with a sprint finish and, Phil,

as you are trailing, you're first,

but you'll need to bring one of your team-mates up with you.

-Who are you going to choose?

-You're good at guessing.

Amy, you're with me. Come on, Amy.

OK, Amy and Tuffers, up you come.

OK, Amy and Phil, you have to pull the cracker, find the word

and as there are two of you you have to act out the word.

Iwan, you have to do the guessing. Are you ready?

-Lovely.

-Here we go.

-Thanks, Emma.

-OK, your time starts now.

-Go.

Get the word, get the word. What is it? What is it?

-Tug-of-war.

-Shush.

LAUGHTER

Get the next one. Get the next one.

Get the thing. Here, here.

Oh!

-Synchronised swimming.

-Yes!

Come on. Quick! Quick!

Get it, get it.

Oh! Stand there like that.

Now, jump up.

-Rugby. Line-up.

-Yes!

I enjoyed that one.

Get it out. What is it? Oh!

-Bobsleigh.

-Yes!

-Come on, come on!

Next.

-Get it, get it.

-Quick.

-What is it?

-Oh!

Oh!

-Ice-skating, speed skating.

-No, no.

-Who did it? Who did it?

Torvill and Dean, Torvill and Dean.

Yes!

Get it. What is it? Oh!

You play football. I'm sitting here.

-I'm over here.

-Referee.

-I run on and we..

-I'm sitting on the bench.

-Substitute.

-Yes!

-Substitute.

Pull it with the elf. It's quicker.

Come on!

Badminton, tennis, table tennis.

Yes, table tennis.

-Oh!

-It's there, it's there.

Rugby, rugby...

High tackle, high tackle.

Sorry. It's there.

WHISTLE BLOWS

APPLAUSE

Bobsleigh.

Oh, panto horse.

Tuffers, I was impressed.

I was so impressed that you managed to manipulate every single,

single sporting item into the fact that you ended up behind Amy.

It was amazing. It was amazing.

-Well done.

-On that last one, Iwan guessed the pantomime horse.

It was tandem we were looking for. Tandem. Well done, the two of you.

And Iwan. You have scored 7 points.

Well done.

So, Matt, six you need to win. Who are you coming up with?

-I'm taking the person who is most keen and that's Rachel.

-OK.

Come on, Rach. Come on. Come on.

You can do this.

OK, take the first cracker. OK, your time starts now.

-Quick, quick, quick.

-Don't say the word.

-Judo, karate.

-Yes!

That could have got physical, that one. Quick, quick.

-Relay, relay.

-What are we doing here?

-What is this thing?

-Relay exchange. Baton exchange.

But we're doing it from this...

-Handover. Crossover.

-You're nearly...

-In rugby you do that.

-Something the ball. In netball.

-Throw?

-No.

-Toss.

-No.

-Pass. Yes!

-Where did it go?

-Is it in there?

-Quick.

-Oh!

-Oh!

-What's it called?

My hair, if it's not straight.

-Curl, curling.

-Yes!

Quick! Not yellow.

-Red card.

-Yes!

Come on, Rach!

Oh...

-Pass, volleyball.

-Yes!

Good stuff.

Quick, quick, quick.

-The guy...

-Big one!

-Rach, Rach!

-I don't know.

-Quarterback.

-Yes!

I should have done it the other way.

Quick.

Hug, hug. Scrum, scrum.

Tackle.

-Sumo wrestling!

-Yes!

Quick! Sumo wrestling.

-Badminton.

-Yes!

WHISTLE BLOWS

-Oh, very good.

-Surely, surely.

-Well done, team.

-Very well done.

Can we just do the sumo wrestling again?

You needed six to win.

You scored 8,

you are the winners of the Christmas Special!

It was a great contest but the sports fans won.

A big thank-you to all of our guests

and from everyone at A Question Of Sport

have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Goodbye from us all. Bye-bye.

APPLAUSE