University Challenge: search is on to find team to represent Leeds

Leeds University Union is on the hunt for the brightest and the best to represent Leeds in the long-running television quiz show University Challenge.

The popular series has been running since 1962, with the first-ever match being between Leeds and Reading. Leeds won that round and they went on to win until the quarter-finals where they were defeated by the University of Nottingham.

The game show aired on ITV until 1983 when the rights for the television show were bought by the BBC, where it currently airs.

Jeremy Paxman, who had hosted the show since 1994, presented his final show in April after revealing last year that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Amol Rajan, the Radio 4 Today programme presenter was announced as his replacement and the first series with Rajan as quizmaster began in July.

The game consists of several question rounds, including a picture round and a music round during each match. The questions are based on a wide range of topics, including history, literature, science, art, music, and current events.

Even though Leeds made it to the quarter-finals more than 60 years ago, it failed to achieve a single victory until 2019 when a team of celebrity Leeds alumni won the Christmas special. This made Leeds the first non-Oxbridge team to become the winner of the Christmas University Challenge.

The winning team was made up of Leeds alumni: Jonathan Clements, Henry Gee, Richard Coles and Tim Allen Bot-tom. The four of them told the Leeds Alumni Magazine they did not know each other before the competition but it worked out because it was “a really good group”
Tim stated. “That is what Leeds Uni is about though, a fun place where everyone hangs out”

A spokesperson for Leeds University Union said: “Every year, the University of Leeds enters a team of students, and we’re taking applications for our team now. Students from any course can enter, and you don’t need any previous game show experience!

Whether you are an undergraduate, postgraduate or a PhD student, we want to hear from you!

We’ll be shortlisting in a few week’s time and inviting candidates to a live audition round on campus.”

Bethan Corner, Leeds University Union’s Education Officer, told The Gryphon: “This year we are focused on getting more postgraduate students to join compared to last year! It’s also an open event and we have tickets so everyone can come along and support their friends or try and answer the questions, and maybe even get a drink!”

Applications close October 23.