University Challenge 2018–19

Series 48 of University Challenge began on 16 July 2018 on BBC Two.[1]

The University of London Institute in Paris and Darwin College, Cambridge appeared for the first time in this 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.
  • 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 Warwick 165 150 University of Exeter 315 16 July 2018
Emmanuel College, Cambridge 175 200 University of Glasgow 375 23 July 2018
Pembroke College, Oxford 75 230 Downing College, Cambridge 305 30 July 2018
School of Oriental and African Studies 90 260 Darwin College, Cambridge 350 13 August 2018
Clare College, Cambridge 160 150 Hertford College, Oxford 310 20 August 2018
University of Strathclyde 55 360 Durham University 415 27 August 2018
University of York 105 240 St Edmund Hall, Oxford 345 3 September 2018
University of Edinburgh 210 75 Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge 285 10 September 2018
University of Bristol 140 110 Queen's University Belfast 250 17 September 2018
University of London Institute in Paris 55 180 Goldsmiths, University of London 235 24 September 2018
St Peter's College, Oxford 225 50 Pembroke College, Cambridge 275 1 October 2018
University College London 180 145 King's College London 325 8 October 2018
University of East London 135 155 University of Manchester 290 22 October 2018
Keble College, Oxford 180 115 University of East Anglia 295 29 October 2018

Highest scoring losers play-offs

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
Emmanuel College, Cambridge 235 140 King's College London 375 5 November 2018
Hertford College, Oxford 215 165 University of Exeter 380 12 November 2018

Second round

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
St Peter's College, Oxford 120 195 Emmanuel College, Cambridge 315 19 November 2018
Hertford College, Oxford 115 185 University of Manchester 300 26 November 2018
University of Edinburgh 180 160 University College London 340 3 December 2018
Clare College, Cambridge 105 245 St Edmund Hall, Oxford 350 10 December 2018
Goldsmiths, University of London 125 135 University of Glasgow 260 17 December 2018
Durham University 200 100 Keble College, Oxford 300 7 January 2019
Downing College, Cambridge 120 205 Darwin College, Cambridge 325 14 January 2019
University of Warwick 125 190 University of Bristol 315 21 January 2019

Quarter-finals

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
University of Glasgow 110 170 Durham University 280 28 January 2019
Darwin College, Cambridge 105 115 University of Bristol 220 4 February 2019
University of Manchester 130 170 University of Edinburgh 300 11 February 2019
Emmanuel College, Cambridge 55 190 St Edmund Hall, Oxford 245 18 February 2019
Durham University 165 110 University of Edinburgh 275 25 February 2019
University of Glasgow 70 155 University of Manchester 225 4 March 2019
University of Bristol 130 150 St Edmund Hall, Oxford 280 11 March 2019
Darwin College, Cambridge 225 130 Emmanuel College, Cambridge 355 18 March 2019
University of Edinburgh 155 120 University of Bristol 275 25 March 2019
University of Manchester 120 195 Darwin College, Cambridge 315 1 April 2019

Semi-finals

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
Durham University 110 180 University of Edinburgh 290 8 April 2019
St Edmund Hall, Oxford 165 140 Darwin College, Cambridge 305 15 April 2019

Final

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
University of Edinburgh 155 140 St Edmund Hall, Oxford 295 22 April 2019

In what was the most closely contested final University Challenge had seen for the past decade, St Edmund Hall, Oxford had leads of 40 to -5 and 80 to 40 before Edinburgh fought back to take a commanding 125 to 70 lead with around seven minutes left. St Edmund Hall, however, mounted a comeback of their own and took a 5-point lead with under a minute remaining.

However, Robbie Campbell-Hewson correctly answered the difficult ensuing starter question, identifying that the first three letters of the birthplace of William Gladstone, Beryl Bainbridge and Wayne Rooney (LIV of Liverpool) equalled 54 when spelt using roman numerals, to give Edinburgh a 5 point lead of their own. Edinburgh then successfully answered two bonus questions and allowed the clock to run down sufficiently to snatch victory.

  • The trophy and title were thus awarded to the Edinburgh team of Matt Booth, Marco Malusà, Max Fitz-James, and Robbie Campbell Hewson.
  • The Edinburgh team were the only Scottish champions in the Paxman era and the first since 1983.
  • The trophy was presented by Sebastian Faulks.

Spin-off: Christmas Special 2018

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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.

  • 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 Team 2 Total Broadcast date
Brasenose College, Oxford 100 150 University of Bristol 250 24 December 2018
University of Westminster 130 100 University of East Anglia 230 25 December 2018
Pembroke College, Cambridge 85 150 King's College London 235 26 December 2018
St Catherine's College, Oxford 130 135 Peterhouse, Cambridge 265 27 December 2018
University of Exeter 110 85 University of Birmingham 195 28 December 2018
Sheffield University 90 115 University of Manchester 205 31 December 2018
University of Edinburgh 120 160 London School of Economics 280 1 January 2019

Standings for the winners

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Rank Team Team captain Score
1 London School of Economics Ekow Eshun 160
2= University of Bristol Misha Glenny 150
King's College London Anita Anand
4 Peterhouse, Cambridge Michael Howard 135
5 University of Westminster Danny Wallace 130
6 University of Manchester David Aaronovitch 115
7 University of Exeter Paul Jackson 110

Semi-finals

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
University of Bristol 205 100 King's College London 305 2 January 2019
Peterhouse, Cambridge 215 60 London School of Economics 275 3 January 2019

Final

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Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date
University of Bristol 125 190 Peterhouse, Cambridge 315 4 January 2019

The winning Peterhouse, Cambridge team of Dan Mazer, Mark Horton, Michael Howard, and Michael Axworthy beat the University of Bristol and their team of Philip Ball, Laura Wade, Misha Glenny and Iain Stewart.

References

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  1. ^ "University Challenge 2018-19". Radio Times. Retrieved 4 July 2018.
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