University
Challenge Reunited
University Challenge celebrates its 40th anniversary in September
2002. Over the years, the show has played host to some of the country’s
finest university brains - but where are they now?
University
Challenge Reunited (begins Monday March 25, BBC TWO) not only reunites
former winning teams with each other, but pits them against other
series title winners, to play for the ultimate brainbox accolade
- Champion of Champions.
University
Challenge series champions span the decades. The first champions
(University of Leicester, Class of '62) are now in their sixties
whilst the most recent winners (Somerville College Oxford, 2002
- seen winning their title on BBC
TWO last night) could just about be their grandchildren.
What
happened to those champions from the Bamber Gascoigne years? Did
they go on to become leaders of nations or did they wind up as perpetual
students? Is the younger generation of scholars really up to the
standard of their predecessors or has British culture irredeemably
dumbed down?
University
Challenge Reunited, with its then and now contrast, will provide
a snapshot of some of the brightest people of successive generations,
and how their lives and careers developed after their 15 minutes
of fame. The series will explore the strengths and weaknesses of
different age groups, as the random draw of team against team will
inevitably throw up clashes between the most recent winners and
the veteran champions.
Naturally,
all the teams will have to face the irascible Jeremy Paxman who
will be asking the questions. The younger teams all have first hand
knowledge of his helpful encouragement and gentle cajoling - but
the veterans may find the experience particularly bracing…
Peter
Gwynn, Series Producer, says: "For this special series, we
have invited back some of the most memorable teams ever to take
part in University Challenge to compete for the title Champion of
Champions. Each match will be preceded by archive material of their
past performances so we’ll really get to know each team’s
history, their strengths and weaknesses and what happened to them
in the years since their triumph."
University
Challenge Reunited is a Granada Production for BBC TWO.
Notes
to Editors
University
Challenge Reunited consists of 30 previous University Challenge
finalists competing over 15 first round matches. There will then
be the quarter final and semi-final stages and of course the grand
final determining which team is the Champion of Champions.
The
first fixtures for the new series are as follows:
| Monday
25 March |
Imperial
College, London (1995) v Merton College, Oxford (1981) |
| Monday
1 April |
Bradford
(1980) v Lancaster (runners up 1980) |
| Monday
8 April |
Trinity
College, Cambridge (1994) v New College Oxford (1964) |
| Monday
15 April |
Somerville
College, Oxford (2002) v Leicester (1962) |
| Monday
22 April |
Sidney
Sussex, Cambridge (1972) v University College, Oxford (1973) |
| Monday
29 April |
Sussex
(1968) v Imperial College, London (2001) |
|
