He just couldn’t match the brainpower of the Eggheads
Trainee barrister and social media hero Ted Loveday delighted fans yesterday when he resurrected his loveable primetime TV quiz show persona, this time on BBC2’s Eggheads.
For those of you who haven’t seen the show, here’s a quick rundown.
A team of challengers take on a team of ‘Eggheads’ — ultra-clever quizzers who know pretty much everything about everything — in a winner takes all intellectual battle.
It’s a bit like University Challenge in a way: really clever people versus other really clever people. It’s fitting, therefore, that yesterday’s challengers were a team of students and ex-students from the University of Cambridge, who had led their college to University Challenge victory in 2015.
Most recognisable of all the challengers is Loveday, who set the world alight last spring when he expertly navigated his team through the University Challenge minefield.
Remember this moment?
Things have been going from strength to strength for Loveday ever since his TV appearance.
Adoring fans aside, Loveday has also secured a renowned pupillage at Maitland Chambers. The top commercial set currently offers its pupils £60,000, though this has been recently upped to £65,000. This May, Loveday was crowned the country’s most influential law student by Legal Cheek readers, an accolade he was chuffed to receive.
Flattered, but I do NOT deserve this at all. Josh Hepple's had more of a positive influence than I can *dream* of! ? https://t.co/QJ8eu3EYBU
— Ted Loveday (@TedTalksUK) May 16, 2016
So would Loveday now be able to add ‘Eggheads champion’ to his — already very impressive — list of achievements?
Not this time around, unfortunately. Though Loveday and fellow members of team ‘Gonville and Quiz’ put up a tough fight, they just couldn’t match the freakish brainpower of their opponents.
The former University Challenge winners’ dream of yet another BBC quiz show victory came to a halt after a tense sudden death round between two fifths of Gonville and Quiz — Loveday included — and four of the Eggheads.
Loveday and friend Jeremy were unable to correctly identify where the designer of the Walt Disney concert hall was born (they said the USA, it was actually Canada), and that’s how it all ended.
Presenter Jeremy Vine commended the challengers, commenting:
You pushed [the Eggheads] very close indeed there.
Cool as a cucumber, Loveday took the defeat in his stride.
*spoiler* Big well done to the Eggheads. Close but no shame in the result. A real honour playing against such talented opponents! #Eggheads
— Ted Loveday (@TedTalksUK) July 21, 2016
He was, however, a little bit disappointed viewers didn’t appreciate his team’s “witty” name.
Surprised nobody is applauding our witty team name, Gonville and Quiz. Or groaning. Come on, acknowledge it at least? #eggheads
— Ted Loveday (@TedTalksUK) July 21, 2016
Anyone?