University Challenge: Bristol to face Durham in latest BBC quiz-show series - how to watch & who is competing?

University of Bristol will face-off against Durham University in Monday’s episode of University Challenge.

The established show first aired in 1962 on ITV but was taken over by the BBC in 1994. It is the longest serving academic quiz-show in the UK.

The new season is set to be the last for long-serving quizmaster Jeremy Paxman, who has hosted the show since it was revived by the BBC in 1994.

University of Bristol team captain, Tess Richardson said: “Jeremy Paxman is a bit of an icon so the whole experience was made even more special knowing our series will be his last.”

Amol Rajan will take-charge of presenting when the next series airs.

When can I watch University of Bristol in University Challenge?

University of Bristol will appear in the first round of University Challenge on Monday, August 29 at 8:30pm, on BBC Two.

Episodes from the latest competition will continue weekly on Mondays.

How can I watch the University of Bristol in the University Challenge? 

You can watch the first episode of University Challenge on BBC Two.

Follow the action or catch-up via the BBC Iplayer website.

Who will represent the University of Bristol in the University Challenge?

Tess Richardson will captain her team of Bristol brains in the 52nd season of University Challenge. The chemistry-wizz is an avid fan of University Challenge, having spent her time bingeing old episodes during lockdown.

She said:"I’ve always been a fan of the show and throughout lockdown found myself going through old episodes on YouTube with my flatmates, often watching multiple episodes a day. It was my flatmates that suggested I apply, so I did.”

The rest of the line up include:

• Tess Richardson, BSc Chemistry (Captain)
• Jacob McLaughlin, BSc Economics and Mathematics
• Alejandro Ortega, MSCi studying Physics and Philosophy
• Sam Kehler, Medicine
• Reserve Ted Warner, MSCi Biology

How did University of Bristol make it on to University Challenge?

Once teams have decided on their line-up, contestants typically take a test paper set by the producers and then have to display their knowledge in a lengthy interview session.

University of Bristol saw-off 97 other teams in order to appear on Paxmans final season.

Who has won the University Challenge?

The University of Manchester, Magdalen College, Oxford, and Imperial College London have all won the converted trophy four times.

Trinity College, Cambridge are not far behind with three wins whereas Durham, Sussex, the Open University, Sidney Sussex–Cambridge, Keble–Oxford, University–Oxford and Warwick have all tasted success twice.

How does University Challenge work? 

The competition stars teams from universities across the UK with the colleges of the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge also involved.

The show begins with 28 teams who will each go head-to-head for a chance to make it into the second round.

Four of the highest-scoring losing teams will battle it out for the final two places in the last 16.

The 16 teams will then face-off to determine which eight teams qualify for the quarter finals - where teams have to win two matches instead of one.

Winners from both semi-final fixtures will clash in the grand final for the title.

Who won the University Challenge 2021-22?

Imperial College London took home the converted prize defeating University of Reading in the final. This took the London universities title count to four.

University of Reading made history when they advanced to the quarter-final.