Eggheads (TV series)


Eggheads is a British quiz show from the BBC. It was first broadcast in 2003 chaired by Dermot Murnaghan. In 2008 Jeremy Vine became joint chair, and subsequently sole chair. In each episode, a team of five quiz and game show champions is challenged by a team of five contestants for prize money.
The most prize money that has been won is £75,000, in 2007. Some teams have been reduced to one contestant for the final round, but have still beaten five Eggheads. Occasionally, one remaining Egghead will beat five challengers. Only once have the Eggheads lost four games in succession and only four times has a team of all five challengers won the final round.
Occasional teams of celebrities challenge the Eggheads in short series, with their own rolling prize fund.
The show has resulted in three spinoff series: Are You an Egghead?, Revenge of the Egghead and Make Me an Egghead.

Hosts

The show began in 2003 with Dermot Murnaghan as the presenter. From 2008, Jeremy Vine presented when Murnaghan was hosting the spinoff series. After the spin-off show finished, Murnaghan and Vine continued to host the series on a rotational basis, with Murnaghan typically hosting the first half of each series and Vine taking over for the second half. From series 16 Vine became the sole presenter.

Format

Rounds

The show is played in five rounds. The first four rounds each focus on one subject category while the final round tests general knowledge. In the first four rounds, the challengers choose a member of their own team to play, and an Egghead against whom they wish to compete. The players for that round then leave the studio to go into the "Question Room". The challenger is given the choice of going first or second. Both players are asked in turn three multiple-choice questions. If there is no winner, the round goes into sudden death with no choices given for answers.
The player who wins each round earns a place in the final round, while the losing players are eliminated from the game.
The general knowledge round is then played the same way as the previous rounds but challengers, if more than one remains, can confer. If they win they take the prize money; if the Eggheads win, the prize money is increased by £1,000 for the next quiz.

Subjects

There are nine possible subjects for the first rounds. They are:
Music and Film & Television were introduced in Autumn 2008 through a split of the Entertainment category. Subjects can appear in any order, although at least one of Sport, Music or Film & Television will appear in every episode.

"Eggheads"

In the first eight series, the team consisted of only five Eggheads who each appeared in every episode and did not rotate. At the end of 2008, a sixth Egghead was added and appearances rotated. From series 15, five of eight possible Eggheads appear each episode, and later in 2016, two brand-new Eggheads joined the panel after a spin-off series entitled Make Me an Egghead.

Current Eggheads

This chart displays when each presenter and Egghead was active. The black bars denote the start of each series.

Teams who have defeated the Eggheads

The highest amount any team has won to beat the Eggheads is £75,000 in 2007 by a team of Oxford Brookes University students, Beer Today, Gone Tomorrow.
Team nameEpisodePrize moneyCumulative Notes
Unicorn InnSeries 1, Episode 13£13,000
Folically ChallengedSeries 1, Episode 15£2,000
Unlikely LadsSeries 1, Episode 21£6,000£21,000
Streatham MassiveSeries 2, Episode 11£20,000
SpaghettiSeries 2, Episode 30£19,000£60,000
The Rotor HeadsSeries 3, Episode 21£21,000£81,000
DensaSeries 4, Episode 11£20,000
Wapping Black SheepSeries 4, Episode 14£3,000£104,000
Radio Ga GaSeries 5, Episode 6£17,000£121,000
Second ClassSeries 6, Episode 3£37,000
Mancunian CandidatesSeries 6, Episode 10£7,000
Russell's RaidersSeries 6, Episode 14£4,000£169,000
West YorkiesSeries 7, Episode 18£29,000
Seville ServantsSeries 7, Episode 19£1,000£199,000#1 Eggheads lose twice in a row
Beer today, Gone tomorrowSeries 8, Episode 14£75,000Biggest win on the show so far
Preston QuizmastersSeries 8, Episode 17£3,000
Museum of London/Museum in Docklands teamSeries 8, Episode 50£33,000
TaxidermistsSeries 8, Episode 51£1,000#2 Eggheads lose twice in a row
Blue VibeSeries 8, Episode 63£12,000
Beer and SkittlesSeries 8, Episode 68£5,000£328,000
Weakly PlayersSeries 9, Episode 15£27,000
Sean and the SheepSeries 9, Episode 35£20,000
Tap HeadsSeries 9, Episode 48£13,000
The Rat PackSeries 9, Episode 54£5,000Eggheads lose to a single opponent for the first time
Lads Wot LunchSeries 9, Episode 65£12,000
South Wales WarriorsSeries 9, Episode 70£5,000
Loser's CornerSeries 9, Episode 76£6,000
Meet your WaterlooSeries 9, Episode 83£7,000#2 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
Flexi FunkstersSeries 9, Episode 99£16,000#3 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
Cubbington PlayersSeries 9, Episode 112£13,000
Act OneSeries 9, Episode 120£8,000Final team to play the original set of 5 Eggheads
Bere HeadsSeries 9, Episode 145£25,000
The Abbey RevellersSeries 9, Episode 146£1,000#3 Eggheads lose twice in a row
The Bald & The BeautifulSeries 9, Episode 152£6,000
Eclectic MixSeries 9, Episode 159£7,000£499,000
The Oxford ImpsSeries 10, Episode 2£3,000
Chummie BrummiesSeries 10, Episode 31£29,000
One Sense LessSeries 10, Episode 54£23,000
The Midweek MaraudersSeries 10, Episode 64£10,000
Beached BoysSeries 10, Episode 66£2,000
Sally WarboysSeries 10, Episode 69£3,000
The Hanging GaleSeries 10, Episode 82£13,000
The CartoonistsSeries 10, Episode 91£9,000First team with all five challengers to win the final round against single Egghead
Insight RadioSeries 10, Episode 92£1,000#4 Eggheads lose twice in a row & #4 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
Ocean's FiveSeries 10, Episode 93£1,000#1 Eggheads lose three times in a row
Bognor Regis + 2Series 10, Episode 94£1,000#1 Eggheads lose four times in a row
The EggitorsSeries 10, Episode 98£4,000
Pembroke GlobetrottersSeries 10, Episode 115£17,000
PRS PlusSeries 10, Episode 121£6,000£621,000
The Wise OwlsSeries 11, Episode 3£37,000
Work I.T. OutSeries 11, Episode 5£2,000
ShabbaSeries 11, Episode 35£30,000#5 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
The Black & White StripesSeries 11, Episode 52£17,000
Loiners by ProxySeries 11, Episode 57£5,000
The Middleton MoonrakersSeries 11, Episode 58£1,000#7 Eggheads lose twice in a row
Scrum 5Series 11, Episode 72£14,000
Comedy of ErrorsSeries 11, Episode 75£3,000#6 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
Glamorgan PoppiesSeries 11, Episode 86£11,000
The Apple TurnoversSeries 11, Episode 93£7,000
Get It With LettersSeries 11, Episode 122£29,000
ChessboxersSeries 11, Episode 124£2,000
The Flying DoctorsSeries 11, Episode 130£6,000#7 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
Lancashire HotpotsSeries 11, Episode 141£11,000#8 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
Bar 5Series 11, Episode 157£16,000£812,000
Living by NumbersSeries 12, Episode 6£9,000
Culture VulturesSeries 12, Episode 24£18,000
Who Cares WinsSeries 12, Episode 38£14,000
The Internal MarketeersSeries 12, Episode 63£25,000
Chad AcadSeries 12, Episode 66£3,000
Cornish MonkeysSeries 12, Episode 72£6,000
Millennium MarvelsSeries 12, Episode 84£12,000
Loose ConnectionSeries 12, Episode 85£1,000#8 Eggheads lose twice in a row
She Who Must Be ObeyedSeries 12, Episode 91£6,000
The TramlinesSeries 12, Episode 96£5,000
The Lions' DenSeries 12, Episode 97£1,000#9 Eggheads lose twice in a row
5 A DaySeries 12, Episode 124£27,000
Blackpool RockersSeries 12, Episode 141£17,000
The Five MarketeersSeries 12, Episode 145£4,000#9 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
The BrocketeersSeries 12, Episode 149£4,000£964,000
The Royal HarmonicsSeries 13, Episode 12£23,000
DobbinSeries 13, Episode 19£7,000
Shelford 5Series 13, Episode 22£3,000
The WonderyearsSeries 13, Episode 30£8,000Over £1,000,000 has now been paid out in prize money since show first started
Phoenix NightsSeries 13, Episode 37£7,000
The Bell BoysSeries 13, Episode 38£1,000#10 Eggheads lose twice in a row
A Tale of Two FamiliesSeries 13, Episode 41£3,000
Bucks QuizSeries 13, Episode 44£3,000
The Melting PotSeries 13, Episode 47£3,000
Lightning Can Strike TwiceSeries 13, Episode 53£6,000#10 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
The Family ConnectionSeries 13, Episode 65£12,000
Dad's ArmySeries 13, Episode 83£18,000#11 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
The Hole in the Wall GangSeries 13, Episode 85£2,000
UNOSSeries 13, Episode 89£4,000
The Quad RunnersSeries 13, Episode 118£29,000#12 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
Handel with CareSeries 13, Episode 120£2,000
Team ScotiaSeries 13, Episode 136£16,000£1,111,000
Two and a Half TandemsSeries 14, Episode 22£26,000
Bright SparksSeries 14, Episode 33£11,000
StreetwiseSeries 14, Episode 49£16,000
The Business MenSeries 14, Episode 90£41,0002nd highest amount won by a challenging team. #13 Eggheads lose to a single opponent. 100th team to defeat the Eggheads.
The Crooked SpiresSeries 14, Episode 95£5,000
The ClevelandersSeries 14, Episode 106£11,000
Beer Run QuizzersSeries 14, Episode 108£2,000
Doctors' NotesSeries 14, Episode 113£5,000
Business BellesSeries 14, Episode 119£6,000
No DirectionSeries 14, Episode 130£11,000#14 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
Neither Big Nor CleverSeries 14, Episode 134£4,000
The Sensational Alex Fairley BandSeries 14, Episode 136£2,000#2 Eggheads get first 2 questions wrong in the final round. Has happened once before in Series 11, Episode 154.
Rambling BadgersSeries 14, Episode 139£3,000£1,254,000
Green GiantsSeries 15, Episode 12£13,000#2 All five challengers win the final round against a single Egghead
The AmnesiacsSeries 15, Episode 17£5,000
The Hound DogsSeries 15, Episode 20£3,000
Cardigan CarnageSeries 15, Episode 22£2,000
The SoroptimistsSeries 15, Episode 31£9,000
Collegiate QuizzersSeries 15, Episode 44£13,000
StumpedSeries 15, Episode 53£9,000
Burns Baby BurnsSeries 15, Episode 55£2,000
Meat BingoSeries 15, Episode 69£14,000
Team 42Series 15, Episode 70£1,000#11 Eggheads lose twice in a row
Cave AgedSeries 15, Episode 77£7,000
ShipmatesSeries 15, Episode 81£4,000£1,336,000
QuizzicalSeries 16, Episode 6£25,000
The CourtiersSeries 16, Episode 19£13,000
Five DiamondsSeries 16, Episode 30£11,000
Capita OvorumSeries 16, Episode 31£1,000#12 Eggheads lose twice in a row
Golden GirlsSeries 16, Episode 36£5,000
The Baked Bean TinSeries 16, Episode 46£10,000
Washy PosseSeries 16, Episode 49£3,000
Ducking and DivingSeries 16, Episode 57£8,000
The LumberjacksSeries 16, Episode 59£2,000
Words in ActionSeries 16, Episode 75£16,000
Bob's BuddiesSeries 16, Episode 91£16,000£1,446,000
A Clearer HeadSeries 17, Episode 20£29,000
The WestendersSeries 17, Episode 29£9,000
Hayling HackersSeries 17, Episode 34£5,000#15 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
LudophilesSeries 17, Episode 37£3,000
The Simms RoadersSeries 17, Episode 48£11,000
The Criminal ElementSeries 17, Episode 62£14,000Team consisting of crime writers Val McDermid, Mark Billingham, Chris Brookmyre, Martyn Waites & Doug Johnstone
We Quiz You NotSeries 17, Episode 70£8,000#16 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
Acorn AntiquesSeries 17, Episode 85£15,000#17 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
He is Heavy, He's my FatherSeries 17, Episode 95£10,000£1,550,000#18 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
Rambling AwaySeries 18, Episode 2£7,000
Harwell and the DekatronsSeries 18, Episode 6£4,000
Peter's GriffinSeries 18, Episode 10£4,000
Soft BoiledSeries 18, Episode 15£5,000#19 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
2Morrows' PeopleSeries 18, Episode 33£18,000
T'Villidge FowkSeries 18, Episode 39£6,000
Abide With UsSeries 18, Episode 40£1,000#13 Eggheads lose twice in a row
Top SpinnersSeries 18, Episode 43£3,000#20 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
Queen Bee's CsSeries 18, Episode 61£18,000150th team to defeat the Eggheads
CabbiesSeries 18, Episode 62£1,000£1,617,000#14 Eggheads lose twice in a row & #3 Eggheads get first 2 questions wrong in the final round
Old DorksSeries 19, Episode 3£26,000
Knights TemplemanSeries 19, Episode 8£5,000
The BarrycudasSeries 19, Episode 14£6,000
All SaintsSeries 19, Episode 36£22,000
Compulsory Mantis ShrimpSeries 19, Episode 38£2,000
Burnley is BabylonSeries 19, Episode 42£4,000
Tasselled WobbegongsSeries 19, Episode 52£10,000
The Great GrandsonsSeries 19, Episode 69£17,000
Gli ItalianiSeries 19, Episode 70£1,000#15 Eggheads lose twice in a row
Suspicious Looking SausagesSeries 19, Episode 73£3,000
PerciesSeries 19, Episode 86£13,000£1,726,000
Doing it for the CraicSeries 20, Episode 13£22,000
Give us a T!Series 20, Episode 20£7,000#21 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
Pat's PeopleSeries 20, Episode 24£4,000#3 All five challengers win the final round against a single Egghead
Team 4x4Series 20, Episode 50£26,000
EclectionSeries 20, Episode 58£8,000#22 Eggheads lose to a single opponent
Always GameSeries 20, Episode 70£12,000
Shotley Open SpacersSeries 20, Episode 81£11,000#4 All five challengers win the final round against a single Egghead
Grout ExpectationsSeries 20, Episode 91£10,000
The Stockport HattersSeries 20, Episode 95£4,000£1,830,000
Think Outside the BoxSeries 21, Episode 3£3,000
Phil's Phab PhiveSeries 21, Episode 16£13,000
The Gomersal WestendersSeries 21, Episode 21£5,000

Transmissions

Regular editions

Celebrity editions

Spin-offs

''Are You an Egghead?''

On 20 October 2008, a spin-off called Are You an Egghead? debuted on BBC Two. The first series was won by Barry Simmons and lasted between 20 October to 2 December 2008 while the second series was won by Pat Gibson and lasted between 12 October to 23 November 2009.

''Revenge of the Egghead''

On 24 February 2014, a new spin-off series of Eggheads was launched called Revenge of the Egghead. It was presented by Jeremy Vine and saw the return of CJ de Mooi, who left Eggheads in 2012. In each episode, de Mooi faced a team of five contestants hoping to win thousands of pounds. The series ran for a 6-week period, between 24 February and 4 April 2014. Lisa Thiel appeared on the show as part of a winning team before becoming an Egghead herself shortly afterwards.

Main game

Each contestant, in turn, is asked a general knowledge question. If their answer is right, £200 is added to the prize fund but if their answer is wrong and de Mooi knows their answer is wrong, he presses a red button in front of him to answer the same question. If he gets it wrong and the contestant gets it right, an additional £100 is added to the prize fund. If he gets it right, the contestant is asked a multiple-choice question by de Mooi. If they get it right, gameplay continues as normal but if they get it wrong, they lose one of their two lives. If a contestant loses both of their lives, they are out of the game. When time runs out, the surviving players move on to the final round, along with the total number of lives remaining for all players, for a chance to win an equal share of the prize fund.

Final round

The final round starts out with de Mooi answering ten general knowledge questions. The number of questions he gets right becomes the target that the team has to beat. The team can confer on every question. Every wrong answer means that the team loses one of their lives and if they lose all of their lives, they leave with nothing but if they beat the target, they win an equal share of the prize fund.

''Make Me an Egghead''

A 25-part spin-off series ran from 22 August to 23 September 2016, with the search for two new members for the Eggheads line-up: one male, one female. The series was won by Steve Cooke and Beth Webster.