A look at the lives of some of the cast members from the BBC quiz show
11:34, 04 Jan 2026Updated 11:34, 04 Jan 2026
The original line-up of the Eggheads featured Chris Hughes, Daphne Fowler, CJ De Mooi, Kevin Ashman and Judith Keppel(Image: BBC)
Eggheads is a classic British game show that was popular with viewers during its 20-year run on television. The show ran from 2003 to 2023 and was first hosted by Dermot Murnaghan before he was replaced by Jeremy Vine.
The concept saw a group of five test their wits against some of Britain’s finest quizzers in the Eggheads. The players would compete against the Eggheads in head-to-head games on individual subjects to try and win their place in the final team round. Players would hope to defeat the quizzers in the last round to win the jackpot prize.
The show started on BBC in 2003 and it remained with the broadcaster up until 2020. It moved to Channel 5 in 2021 but a new episode hasn’t aired since 2023 as the show seems to have been sadly shelved.
Some of Britain’s finest quizzers made up the teams on the BBC show across its two-decade run. Names that featured on the Egghead team include CJ de Mooi, Daphne Fowler and Judith Keppel. We have taken a look at where they are now.
CJ de Mooi
Former Eggheads panelist CJ de Mooi(Image: Daily Mirror)
CJ de Mooi was part of the show’s original line-up. The 56-year-old had previously established his credentials as a quizzer on shows such as Fifteen to One and the Weakest Link. His first run as part of the Eggheads ended in 2012. But he returned to the show for two more years in 2014. CJ fell on hard times after his stint on the Eggheads and he opened up in a wide-ranging interview with our sister site, Wales Online, in 2019 revealing how a number of legal battles had left him on the verge of bankruptcy.
He said: “The only asset I have is my house and I was declared bankrupt last year. It’s been hell since then – I don’t have a bank account and I’m not allowed to do any business. I have had to beg and borrow. My husband works as a costume designer but he’s having to do everything because I can’t earn anything.
“If my house is saved my legal fees are going to be around £40,000 but there’s still a chance that, due to the bankruptcy, I could go to court and the house will be put up for sale to cover my debts. If that happens my husband and I will be homeless.”
In this same interview, Mr de Mooi also spoke about how he was extradited by Dutch police who wanted to question him in connection with the possible death of a drug addict said to have threatened him with a knife in Amsterdam. He appeared in a Lodnon court but the bid to extradite him was later dropped by the Dutch authorities.
Mr de Mooi was diagnosed with HIV in the late 1980s and feared the stress would take its toll on his health. He said: “I’ve been living with AIDS for 30 years but the agony of the last three years means I may not have many left. I’m outwardly healthy, still running and am staying positive I can get better.”
He used to be regularly active on public social media channels but appears to have scaled back his activity over recent years. On his profile on Backstage.com, Mr de Mooi is listed as an English actor who now lives in Australia. According to this profile, he starred in a film called The Renata Road in 2022 and is set to appear in a stage production of The Only Thing Worse You Could Have told Me in Brisbane later this year.
Chris Hughes
Chris Hughes died aged 77 last year(Image: BBC)
Chris was part of the original line-up on the Eggheads when the show debuted in 2003 and remained on the show for the next 20 years. However, it was confirmed last year he had sadly died aged 77.
A statement on the show’s X website read: “It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing of Eggheads great Chris Hughes.
“Chris joined the show in 2003 and over the next 20 years gave us not only brilliant answers but very many laughs and happy memories. He will be hugely missed by all his Eggheads family.”
Judith Keppel
Judith Keppel was the first winner of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire in 2000(Image: ITV)
Before she become part of the Eggheads line-up, Judith Keppel shot to stardom in the UK as the first-ever winner of Who Wants to be a Millionaire. The quizzer hails from aristocracy as she is a distant cousin of the Queen Consort, Camilla.
She joined Eggheads in 2003 and the now 83-year-old confirmed her retirement from quizzing in 2020. She said: “It’s been a real privilege to be an Egghead. I’ve loved every moment. Although I’ve decided to retire – a great relief since I’ll no longer have to read the sports pages of the newspapers! – I’ll still be watching my fellow Eggheads as they take on new teams of challengers each day.”
Daphne Fowler
The 86-year-old showed off her quizzing skills by triumphing on shows such as Fifteen To One and Brain of Britain before she joined Eggheads in 2003. Daphne was the oldest member of the team and retired in 2014.
She was forced to address death hoax rumours in 2020 as she told the Express: “One of my neighbours, Bob, rang the doorbell. Pete, my husband, answered to be told one of my other neighbours was upset to read on the internet I had died and was it true?
“”Bob was most relieved when I appeared to prove it was untrue – but it has been very upsetting, as you wonder what sort of weird person does this?
“I’m not on social media, preferring to protect my family’s privacy, but even then, whilst on Eggheads, fake ‘Daphnes’ appeared on Facebook and Twitter claiming to be me and writing all kind of nonsense about my daily life.”
Kevin Ashman
The 66-year-old showed off his incredible quizzing skills by winning Fifteen To One and Mastermind before he joined Eggheads. He was the only member of the team to have competed in every season of the BBC show after he joined in 2003.
Kevin remains a top quizzer to this day and made a surprise appearance on Who Wants to Be Millionaire as a contestant’s phone a friend in 2024. True to form, Kevin answered correctly and his friend landed £64,000.
Dave Rainford
Dave Rainford (right) sadly died in 2020
Dave Rainford landed a part on the quiz show following an appearance on Who Wants to be a Millionaire in 2015 where he walked away with £250,000.
He sadly died aged 51 in 2020 as host Jeremy Vine paid tribute. He said: “I’m very sad to hear that one of the Eggheads has died. Dave “Tremendous Knowledge” Rainford, famous for being banned from pub quiz machines in Manchester, was the best company after a recording: always fun and sociable. I never saw him angry or ungenerous, not once.”