University Challenge, England’s longest running academic quiz show, is something many students keep a close eye on every year. This year has been particularly exciting, as Bristol’s own team has been breezing through the competition.
Bristol has come close, but never managed to claim the win, losing by just 35 points against Durham back in the 2023 final. The strength of this team may well just change that. Today at 8:30pm, they will compete in the show’s fourth quarter final match against the Open University, and students are hopeful about their prospects.
Tonight, four brilliant Bristol students take on the Open University in their first University Challenge quarterfinal! 🎓
— University of Bristol (@BristolUni) March 3, 2025
Good luck, team! We are all behind you 🙌
⏰ 8:30 PM
📱 @bbciplayer | 📺@bbctwo#UniversityChallenge pic.twitter.com/fjs8agWyAe
The team is made up of three graduate students and a medic, all who have displayed exceptional knowledge both inside and out of their subject area. The team are:
All of the were selected from 200 other students in a grueling process including a 100-question paper and a mock episode. Watching them, it’s no surprise that this group qualified for the TV-competition.
The Bristol contingent have been strong since their first match, where they beat Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, an incredible 325 points to 80. The team then secured their place in the quarter finals with a frankly absurd performance against Exeter, beating them 290 to 35.
Their brutal series of wins demonstrates that the team not only has impeccable knowledge, but an acute understanding of how to play the game.
“Playing along with University Challenge a lot you realise it’s not the same as a pub quiz,’ said Watts inconversation with The Bristol Post.‘So much of it is about speed on the buzzer and taking risks on what the rest of the question will be.”
The strength of this year’s team has quickly been picked up on on social media, with one viewer commenting that their performance against Exeter was ‘the UC version of a pummelling’ while another brought up the ‘thrashing’ of Gonville and Caius College in their debut performance. It’s safe to say that the 2024/25 Bristol team is strong.
There’s no doubt they will do us proud tonight, no matter the scoreboard, but here’s to hoping Bristol get the win!
Feature image courtesy of the BBC
You can tune into University Challenge at 8:30pm every Monday on BBC 2
Will you be watching?
