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Yes, Prime Minister Trivia Quiz

Twenty questions on one of the best British television comedies ever.

A multiple-choice quiz by linus_337. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
linus_337

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
157,539

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
20

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
14 / 20

Plays
1408

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 86 (19/20), Guest 202 (20/20), Guest 92 (16/20).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 20

1. Prime Minister Jim Hacker, idealistic but shrewd, was played to perfection by which great British comedy actor? Hint

Richard Briers

Paul Eddington

Peter Bowles

James Bolam

NEXT>

Question 2 of 20

2. The Cabinet Secretary, wily and highly intelligent, counteracted Hacker's "political will" with his "administrative won't". Who gave a masterly performance as Sir Humphrey Appleby? Hint

Paul Scofield

Nigel Hawthorne

Dennis Quilley

Donald Sinden

NEXT>

Question 3 of 20

3. Managing the delicate balancing act of keeping the peace, and being an ally to Jim Hacker and Humphrey Appleby, was Bernard Woolley. Which future star of "Heartbeat" played him? Hint

Geoffrey Hughes

Nick Berry

Bill Maynard

Derek Fowlds

NEXT>

Question 4 of 20

4. What was the name of Jim Hacker's wife? Hint

Teresa

Lucy

Annie

Holly

NEXT>

Question 5 of 20

5. What name did Hacker give to his plan to reintroduce conscription, thus solving the problems of defence and unemployment? Hint

The Big Idea

The Double Whammy

The Spiffing Scheme

The Grand Design

NEXT>

Question 6 of 20

6. In "The Ministerial Broadcast", what was Hacker asked to consider before his Prime Ministerial broadcast was filmed? Hint

A face lift

Growing a moustache

Wearing a wig

Some dental work

NEXT>

Question 7 of 20

7. In "The Smoke Screen" which minister proposes a plan to abolish smoking? Hint

The Minister for Education

The Minister for Sport

The Minister for Health

The Minister for Trade and Industry

NEXT>

Question 8 of 20

8. In "The Key", what is the name of Hacker's political adviser? Hint

Frank Weisel

Dorothy Wainwright

Diana Hoddinott

Ronnie Hazelhurst

NEXT>

Question 9 of 20

9. In "A Real Partnership", Bernard warns Sir Humphrey that Hacker is raising questions about a very important issue - which issue? Hint

The visit of the American president

Defence policy

The Civil Service pay claim

His media image

10. In "A Victory for Democracy", which island does Hacker save from invasion (and in the process, upset the Foreign Office and Sir Humphrey) by sending an airborne battallion for a "goodwill visit"? Hint

St Arthur's Island

St Luke's Island

St George's Island

St William's Island

NEXT>

Question 11 of 20

11. In "The Bishop's Gambit", which diocese has a vacancy for a bishop? Hint

Bury St Edmunds

Taunton

Truro

Bath and Wells

NEXT>

Question 12 of 20

12. In "One of Us", which former head of MI5 left a posthumous confession that he had been a Russian spy? Hint

Basil Corbett

Frank Weisel

Sir John Halstead

Sir Desmond Glazebrook

NEXT>

Question 13 of 20

13. In "Man Overboard", which minister resigns? Hint

The Foreign Secretary

The Health Secretary

The Employment Secretary

The Trade and Industry Secretary

NEXT>

Question 14 of 20

14. In "Official Secrets", who accidentally tells the press that Hacker tried to suppress the publication of then former Prime Minister's memoirs? Hint

Bernard

Jim himself

Sir Humphrey

Dorothy

NEXT>

Question 15 of 20

15. In "A Diplomatic Incident", what does the French President propose to present as a gift to the Queen? Hint

Some French chocolate

A gold watch

An apple tree

A puppy

NEXT>

Question 16 of 20

16. In "A Conflict of Interest", whom does Hacker appoint as the Governor of the Bank of England? Hint

Sir Humphrey

Desmond Glazebrook

Sir Arnold

Ron Jones

NEXT>

Question 17 of 20

17. In "Power to the People", which local council leader proposes the abolition of parliament, the courts and the monarchy? Hint

Joe Morgan

Agnes Moorhouse

Desmond Glazebrook

Derek Bradley

NEXT>

Question 18 of 20

18. In "A Patron of the Arts", what does Jim propose to do with the National Theatre? Hint

Vastly increase its grant

Demolish it

Vastly reduce its grant

Sell it

NEXT>

Question 19 of 20

19. In "The National Education Service", which language does Sir Humphrey speak, that Jim cannot understand? Hint

Esperanto

Latin

French

Afrikaans

NEXT>

Question 20 of 20

20. In "The Tangled Web", who gives an indiscreet radio interview? Hint

Dorothy

Jim

Sir Humphrey

Bernard

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Most Recent Scores

Apr 21 2024 : Guest 86: 19/20
Apr 10 2024 : Guest 202: 20/20
Apr 05 2024 : Guest 92: 16/20
Mar 30 2024 : jonnowales: 10/20
Mar 29 2024 : Guest 209: 18/20
Mar 05 2024 : Guest 82: 20/20
Feb 29 2024 : Guest 109: 10/20
Feb 26 2024 : Guest 46: 14/20
Feb 23 2024 : Guest 101: 20/20

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Prime Minister Jim Hacker, idealistic but shrewd, was played to perfection by which great British comedy actor?

Answer: Paul Eddington

The late, great Paul Eddington also played Jerry Leadbetter in "The Good Life", alongside Richard Briers. He sadly died in 1995, aged 68.

2. The Cabinet Secretary, wily and highly intelligent, counteracted Hacker's "political will" with his "administrative won't". Who gave a masterly performance as Sir Humphrey Appleby?

Answer: Nigel Hawthorne

The late Sir Nigel Hawthorne (he was knighted in 1999) died in 2001, aged 72. On the international stage, he is probably best remembered for his Oscar-nominated performance in "The Madness of King George".

3. Managing the delicate balancing act of keeping the peace, and being an ally to Jim Hacker and Humphrey Appleby, was Bernard Woolley. Which future star of "Heartbeat" played him?

Answer: Derek Fowlds

A former master of the puppet Basil Brush, Derek Fowlds was superb as Bernard and went on to play Oscar Blaketon in "Heartbeat".

4. What was the name of Jim Hacker's wife?

Answer: Annie

Annie Hacker was played by Diana Hoddinott. Lucy was the name of Jim's daughter.

5. What name did Hacker give to his plan to reintroduce conscription, thus solving the problems of defence and unemployment?

Answer: The Grand Design

"The Grand Design" was the title of this, the first ever episode of "Yes, Prime Minister".

6. In "The Ministerial Broadcast", what was Hacker asked to consider before his Prime Ministerial broadcast was filmed?

Answer: Some dental work

The director of the broadcast was played by John Wells, who played Margaret Thatcher's husband Denis in the play "Anyone for Denis?". "Yes Minister" and "Yes, Prime Minister" were Margaret Thatcher's favourite comedy programmes.

7. In "The Smoke Screen" which minister proposes a plan to abolish smoking?

Answer: The Minister for Health

The plan includes a total ban on advertising and progressive tax increases until a packet of 20 cigarettes costs the same as a bottle of whisky. Humphrey says that only "fanatics" like doctors would support it.

8. In "The Key", what is the name of Hacker's political adviser?

Answer: Dorothy Wainwright

Frank Weisel was Hacker's political adviser in the earlier episodes of "Yes Minister". Diana Hioddinott played Annie, Jim's wife. Ronnie Hazelhurst composed the music for the show.

9. In "A Real Partnership", Bernard warns Sir Humphrey that Hacker is raising questions about a very important issue - which issue?

Answer: The Civil Service pay claim

Humphrey takes the opportunity to discredit the author of the pay claim, his rival Sir Frank, and put forward his own proposal.

Answer: St George's Island

Jim and Bernard have to resort to consulting a globe to find out where St George's Island is.

11. In "The Bishop's Gambit", which diocese has a vacancy for a bishop?

Answer: Bury St Edmunds

This is possibly the best episode of the whole two series. Humphrey manages to get Jim to pick the Dean of Bailey College for the vacancy. Jim gets to take the credit for sending the Dean to intercede in the Middle East on behalf of a British nurse. Humphrey clears the path for himself to become Master of Bailey.

12. In "One of Us", which former head of MI5 left a posthumous confession that he had been a Russian spy?

Answer: Sir John Halstead

When rumours were circulating that Halstead was a spy, Humphrey led the internal inquiry that cleared him. "That's what internal inquiries are for - to find no evidence!"

13. In "Man Overboard", which minister resigns?

Answer: The Employment Secretary

The resignation is cunningly orchestrated by Sir Humphrey, who convinces a paranoid Jim that Dudley, the Employment Secretary, is plotting a leadership challenge. Humphrey does it to end Dudley's plan for defence relocations, but Hacker ploughs on with the plan regardless.

14. In "Official Secrets", who accidentally tells the press that Hacker tried to suppress the publication of then former Prime Minister's memoirs?

Answer: Bernard

Bernard gets ambushed by the press and gets trapped into saying things which he had not meant to say. By the time he says that he was speaking off the record, it's too late.

15. In "A Diplomatic Incident", what does the French President propose to present as a gift to the Queen?

Answer: A puppy

The French know that presenting a puppy would break the (then) quarantine law and that Hacker will have to refuse the gift. They plan to use the "affront" of the refusal as a bargaining chip to get their way over the Channel Tunnel, but Humphrey foils them.

16. In "A Conflict of Interest", whom does Hacker appoint as the Governor of the Bank of England?

Answer: Desmond Glazebrook

Only because Glazebrook will cover up a politically embarrassing financial scandal in the city.

17. In "Power to the People", which local council leader proposes the abolition of parliament, the courts and the monarchy?

Answer: Agnes Moorhouse

Agnes Moorhouse was played by Gwen Taylor. The combative verbal exchanges and eventual collusion between Agnes and Sir Humphrey are priceless.

18. In "A Patron of the Arts", what does Jim propose to do with the National Theatre?

Answer: Sell it

Jim manages to outmanoeuvre Sir Humphrey and the head of the National Theatre by threatening to sell the National Theatre, if Monks' speech introducing Jim at a banquet should include any anti-Government digs.

19. In "The National Education Service", which language does Sir Humphrey speak, that Jim cannot understand?

Answer: Latin

"Si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses - If you had kept your mouth shut, we may have thought you were clever".

20. In "The Tangled Web", who gives an indiscreet radio interview?

Answer: Sir Humphrey

Normally the epitome of discretion, Sir Humphrey gives an exceptionally dull interview (during which, in the best traditions of the Civil Service, he essentially says nothing), but then talks frankly to interviewer Ludovik Kennedy afterwards, not realising that the microphone is still on. This was the last of the 16 episodes of "Yes, Prime Minister", a classic of British comedy.

Source: Author linus_337

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor ladymacb29 before going online.
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