In a shocking landslide victory over Exeter in last night’s episode of University Challenge, the University of Bristol team secured their place in the quarter-finals of this year’s series.
Following a flying start, and some falters by their Exeter counterparts, the Bristol team were ahead by over 100 points in the first ten minutes, ending up winning by a remarkable 290-35. Exeter, on the other hand, struggled to get going and ended with the lowest score of the series so far, and one of the lowest scores in the series since Bangor’s second round performance in the last series of the BBC show.
Presenter Amol Rajan sympathised with the Exeter team’s slow start, describing them as ‘so unlucky’ but conceding that they were beaten by an ‘outstanding team.’
Quizzers on the winning team were selected from 200 University of Bristol applicants who had to undergo a highly selective process including a 100-question paper and a practice episode of the show.
The Bristol contingent was captained by Kevin Flanagan, studying for a PhD in Artificial Intelligence, alongside Olivia Watts, studying for a PhD in Organic Chemistry, Bridie Rogers, studying Medicine, and Ted Warner studying for an MSci in Biology, alongside reserve member Nathaniel Joyce, also studying for an MSci in Biology.
Their strong performances in questions on plant structure, place names, and songs inspired by films, only seemed to falter once on celebrity cameos in video games.
Bristol’s victory has provoked emphatic reactions online.
‘Bristol has to win,’ said one commenter, on YouTube. ‘Literally none of the members are redundant they’re all KILLING it.’
‘I thought last week was a massacre,’ said another user. ‘This was an annihilation.’
This second win for the team comes off the back of their first landslide victory in August this year, where they won 325-80, one of the highest scores in the last 30 years of the series.
The team will now compete in the quarter finals – hopefully continuing to dominate their way to the trophy.
Will you be watching the quarter finals?
