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University Challenge 2022–23

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The 52nd series of University Challenge began on 29 August 2022 on BBC Two.[1] A special programme commemorating the show's 60th anniversary was broadcast on the same night.[2]

This was the final series hosted by Jeremy Paxman, who then stood down from the role after 29 years.[3] From July 2023 onwards, Amol Rajan succeeded Paxman as host for the 53rd series of the long-running student quiz show.[4][5]

Paxman’s last-ever appearance as host aired on 29 May 2023 at the end of the series, when the University of Durham won their third title by defeating the University of Bristol in the final, which was coincidentally a rematch of the very first game back in August.

In this series, the universities of Coventry and Roehampton made their debut appearances, while Robert Gordon University made only their second appearance since 1994 in Jeremy Paxman's inaugural series.

Results

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  • Winning teams are highlighted in bold.
  • Teams with green scores (winners) returned in the next round, while those with red scores (losers) were eliminated (as it was impossible for them to be in the highest scoring losers).
  • Teams with orange scores had to win one more match to return in the next round.
  • Teams with yellow scores indicate that two further matches had to be played and won (teams that lost their first quarter-final match).
  • A score in italics indicates a match decided on a tie-breaker question.

First round

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
University of Bristol 185 195 Durham University 380 29 August 2022
The Open University 115 195 Newcastle University 310 5 September 2022
London School of Economics 110 175 University College, Oxford 285 12 September 2022
Coventry University 50 230 Cardiff University 280 19 September 2022
Cranfield University 110 155 Royal Holloway, University of London 265 26 September 2022
University of Glasgow 105 165 Queen's University Belfast 270 3 October 2022
Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge 120 140 University of St Andrews 260 10 October 2022
University of Sheffield 170 180 University College London 350 17 October 2022
Oriel College, Oxford 130 150 Christ's College, Cambridge 280 25 October 2022
Jesus College, Cambridge 225 105 St Catherine's College, Oxford 330 1 November 2022
Balliol College, Oxford 115 210 University of Southampton 325 8 November 2022
Bangor University 135 125 University of Nottingham 260 15 November 2022
Newnham College, Cambridge 160 175 The Courtauld Institute of Art 335 21 November 2022
Robert Gordon University 210 90 University of Roehampton 300 28 November 2022

Highest scoring losers play-offs

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
University of Sheffield 110 175 Newnham College, Cambridge 285 5 December 2022
University of Bristol 185 150 Oriel College, Oxford 335 12 December 2022

Second round

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
University of St Andrews 90 145 Royal Holloway, University of London 235 2 January 2023
Robert Gordon University 180 75 The Courtauld Institute of Art 255 9 January 2023
Newnham College, Cambridge 150 140 Cardiff University 290 16 January 2023
University of Bristol 205 90 Queen's University Belfast 295 23 January 2023
University College, Oxford 85 160 Jesus College, Cambridge 245 30 January 2023
University College London 180 170 Newcastle University 350 6 February 2023
Christ's College, Cambridge 90 175 University of Southampton 265 13 February 2023
Durham University 240 35 Bangor University 275 20 February 2023

Quarter-finals

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
University of Southampton 135 165 Durham University 300 27 February 2023
Royal Holloway, University of London 170 85 Robert Gordon University 255 6 March 2023
Newnham College, Cambridge 110 205 University of Bristol 315 13 March 2023
Jesus College, Cambridge 115 185 University College London 300 20 March 2023
Durham University 100 125 Royal Holloway, University of London 225 27 March 2023
University of Southampton 180 65 Robert Gordon University 245 3 April 2023
University of Bristol 205 70 University College London 275 10 April 2023
Newnham College, Cambridge 215 115 Jesus College, Cambridge 330 17 April 2023
Durham University 160 145 University College London 305 24 April 2023
Newnham College, Cambridge 120 135 University of Southampton 255 8 May 2023

Semi-finals

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
Royal Holloway, University of London 90 160 Durham University 250 15 May 2023
University of Bristol 200 70 University of Southampton 270 22 May 2023

This was the first time since the 2006-07 series that there were no Oxbridge teams in the semi-finals.

Final

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
Durham University 155 120 University of Bristol 275 29 May 2023
  • The trophy and title were awarded to the Durham team of Harry Scully, Chloe Margaux, Alex Radcliffe, and Bea Bennett, who beat the Bristol team of Sam Kehler, Jacob McLaughlin, Tess Richardson, and Alejandro Ortega.
  • The trophy was presented by Jung Chang.
  • This was the last regular series to be hosted by Jeremy Paxman after 29 years.

Spin-off: Christmas Special 2022

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First round

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Each year, a Christmas special sequence is aired featuring distinguished alumni. Out of 7 first-round winners, the top 4 highest-scoring teams progress to the semi-finals. The teams consist of celebrities who represent their alma maters. This was the last Christmas special to be hosted by Jeremy Paxman after 11 years.

  • Winning teams are highlighted in bold.
  • Teams with green scores (winners) returned in the next round, while those with red scores (losers) were eliminated.
  • Teams with grey scores won their match but did not achieve a high enough score to proceed to the next round.
  • A score in italics indicates a match decided on a tie-breaker question.
Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
SOAS University of London 75 155 Balliol College, Oxford 230 19 December 2022[6]
University College, Oxford 75 110 University of Glasgow 185 20 December 2022
Durham University 45 200 University of York 245 21 December 2022
Exeter College, Oxford 150 70 Queen Mary University of London 220 22 December 2022
University of Hull 135 35 University of the West of England 170 23 December 2022
University College London 85 115 University of Aberdeen 200 26 December 2022
University of Bristol 125 105 Cardiff University 230 27 December 2022

Standings for the winners

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Rank Team Team captain Score
1 University of York Tom Scott 200
2 Balliol College, Oxford Martin Edwards 155
3 Exeter College, Oxford Reeta Chakrabarti 150
4 University of Hull Sian Reese-Williams 135
5 University of Bristol Dominic Waghorn 125
6 University of Aberdeen Jon S. Baird 115
7 University of Glasgow Chris Brookmyre 110

Semi-finals

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
University of York 100 155 University of Hull 255 28 December 2022
Balliol College, Oxford 215 125 Exeter College, Oxford 340 29 December 2022

Final

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
University of Hull 70 165 Balliol College, Oxford 235 30 December 2022

The winning Balliol College, Oxford team consisted of Elizabeth Kiss, Andrew Copson, Martin Edwards and Martin O’Neill, who beat the University of Hull and their team of Katharine Norbury, James Graham[a], Sian Reese-Williams and Graeme Hall.

  1. ^ As the opening weekend of Graham's musical Tammy Faye clashed with the recording of the Final, Sarah Peverley took his place.

References

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  1. ^ "BBC Two - University Challenge, 2022/23, Episode 1". BBC Online. Retrieved 17 August 2022.
  2. ^ "TV: University Challenge at 60 - Saga".
  3. ^ "Jeremy Paxman to step down from University Challenge after 28 incredible years". BBC Press Office. Retrieved 16 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Amol Rajan announced as new University Challenge host".
  5. ^ "Amol Rajan to be new host of University Challenge". TheGuardian.com. 18 August 2022.
  6. ^ "University Challenge announces line up for its twelfth festive series". BBC Online. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
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