Christmas University Challenge

Since 2011 there has been an annual "Christmas University Challenge" series over the Christmas period. The shows comprise famous alumni and academic staff of various universities in a slightly more light-hearted version of the student series.

Years

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 

 

19th-27th December 2011
York120125Manchester
Durham60135Edinburgh
Magdalen, Oxford13085University, London
Warwick22550Sheffield
Trinity, Cambridge22580St Andrews
Semi-finals
Edinburgh35265Warwick
Magdalen, Oxford105160Trinity, Cambridge
Final
Warwick60235Trinity, Cambridge

For Christmas 2011, a short series with ten teams of famous alumni competing, with the four highest-scoring winners advancing to the semi-finals. The teams were:
York: Chris Dye, Zoe Lyons, Steve Richards, Richard Hollingham
Manchester: Tom Bloxham, Liv Boeree, Waldemar Januszczak, Steve Hewlett
Durham: Caroline Atkins, James Wilby, Richard Adams, Minette Walters
Edinburgh: Kirsty McCabe, David Steel, Sally Magnusson, George McGavin
Magdalen, Oxford: Luke Johnson, Sarah Healey, Alan Hollinghurst, Harry Mount
University, London: Lucy Jones, Trevor Lock, Fiona Armstrong, Michael White
Warwick: Vadim Jean, Daisy Christodoulou, Christian Wolmar, Carla Mendonca
Sheffield: Graham Stringer, Fay Simpson, George Ergatoudis, Stuart Palmer
Trinity, Cambridge: Robin Bhattacharyya, Daisy Goodwin, John Lloyd, Edward Stourton
St Andrews: Crispin Bonham-Carter, James Blitz, Hazel Irvine, Barney White-Spunner


17th December 2012 - 4th January 2013
Bristol135140Leeds
Newcastle120110Loughborough
New, Oxford240160LSE
Liverpool165140Cardiff
Newnham, Cambridge155110Nottingham
Exeter125165Glasgow
Birmingham115195UEA
Semi-finals
New, Oxford220125Liverpool
Glasgow115150UEA
Final
New, Oxford205110UEA

The 2012 series of Christmas University Challenge comprised fourteen teams of famous alumni and academic staff of various universities, with the four highest-scoring winners progressing to the semi-finals. The teams were:
Bristol: Steve Leonard, Ruth Lea, Tony Juniper, Tim Corrie
Leeds: David Adam, Libby Wiener, Alistair McGowan, Jay Rayner
Newcastle: Tristan Gooley, Peter Gibbs, Heather McGregor, Tony Wadsworth
Loughborough: John Schofield, Lawrie Sanchez, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Nigel Wood
New, Oxford: Rachel Johnson, Patrick Gale, Kate Mosse, Yan Wong
LSE: Tim Lott, Jackie Ballard, Loyd Grossman, Meghnad Desai
Liverpool: Maurice McGinty, Frank Duckworth, Stephen Bayley, Frances Crook
Cardiff: Phillip Cashian, Jean Lambert, Bill Turnbull, Richard Sambrook
Newnham, Cambridge: Diane Abbott, Frances Wood, Rosemary Leonard, Deborah Chancellor
Nottingham: John Timpson, Mike Dilger, Oliver James, Brian Moore
Exeter: Martin Crewe, Christine Allison, John O'Farrell, John Crace
Glasgow: Harry Burns, Susan Calman, Neil Oliver, Lynn Faulds Wood
Birmingham: Barry Cockcroft, Jed Mercurio, Anna Soubry, Henry Chapman
UEA: John Boyne, Razia Iqbal, David Grossman, Charlie Higson


20th December 2013 - 3rd January 2014
Reading85185Emmanuel, Cambridge
Kent100160Lancaster
Keele14095Aberystwyth
Gonville and Caius, Cambridge25565Christ Church, Oxford
St Hugh's, Oxford12595Stirling
Leicester12560Sussex
King's, London105185Southampton
Semi-finals
Emmanuel, Cambridge185105Southampton
Lancaster145180Gonville and Caius, Cambridge
Final
Emmanuel, Cambridge140175Gonville and Caius, Cambridge

The 2013 series of Christmas University Challenge saw fourteen teams of famous alumni of various universities, and the four highest-scoring winners progressed to the semi-finals.
Reading: Cornelia Parker, John Simpson, Joan Smith, Jay Wynne
Emmanuel, Cambridge: Hugo Rifkind, Mary Ann Ochota, Simon Singh, Rory McGrath
Kent: Rebecca Lenkiewicz, James Wong, Fi Glover, Robert Wade
Lancaster: Brian Clegg, Ranvir Singh, Roger Ashton-Griffiths, Matthew Fort
Keele: Francis Beckett, Maggie Atkinson, Ian Moncrieff, Steve Jackson
Aberystwyth: Dan Jarvis, Elfyn Llywd, Timothy Brain, Chris Leek
Gonville and Caius, Cambridge: Quentin Stafford-Fraser, Helen Castor, Mark Damazer, Lars Tharp
Christ Church, Oxford: Michael Dobbs, Adam Boulton, Andrew Graham-Dixon, Mehdi Hasan
St Hugh's, Oxford: Liz Forgan, Alex Hibbert, Suzy Klein, Rowan Pelling
Stirling: John McLellan, Muffy Calder, Paul Lewis, Richard Lochhead
Leicester: Heather Couper, Nigel Henbest, Sue Cook, Natalie Bennett
Sussex: Rob Bonnet, Alice Arnold, Simon Fanshawe, Claudia Hammond
King's, London: Arthur Butt, Susan Hill, Rory Bremner, Anne Ashworth
Southampton: Jason Cowley, Claire Tyler, Stefan Buczacki, Matthew Taylor


20th December 2014 - 3rd January 2015
Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford19545Warwick
Hull20525Newcastle
King's, Cambridge160150Royal Holloway, London
Edinburgh23545Leeds
Trinity Hall, Cambridge195120Balliol, Oxford
York135110Surrey
Manchester Metropolitan14575Goldsmith's
Semi-finals
Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford145175Hull
Edinburgh135165Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Final
Hull65215Trinity Hall, Cambridge

The 2014 series of Christmas University Challenge again saw fourteen teams of distinguished alumni do battle, with the four highest-scoring winners progressing to the semi-finals.
Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford: Michelle Paver, Philip Hensher, Cathy Newman, Samuel West
Warwick: Bob Kerslake, Jonathan Coe, Simon Calder, Simon Bailey
Hull: Rosie Millard, Malcolm Sinclair, Jenni Murray, Stan Cullimore
Newcastle: John Yorke, Giles Fraser, Kate Adie, Alastair Reynolds
King's, Cambridge: David Walker, Martin Bell, Noreena Hertz, Thomas Ades
Royal Holloway, London: Norman Baker, Valerie Vaz, Francis Wheen, Tori James
Edinburgh: Judith Miller, Allan Little, Philippa Gregory, Quentin Cooper
Leeds: David Baulcombe, Jacqui Oatley, James Mates, Julian Dutton
Trinity Hall, Cambridge: Tom James, Emma Pooley, Adam Mars-Jones, Dan Starkey
Balliol, Oxford: Ewan Birney, Charlotte Higgins, Alan Beith, Roger Cohen
York: Philip Lawson, Helen Geake, Michael Dixon, Adam Hart-Davis
Surrey: Michael Price, Susan Blackmore, Jim Al-Khalili, Odaline de la Martinez
Manchester Metropolitan: Eddie Morland, John Thomson, Bernard Hill, Gordon Taylor
Goldsmith's: Fiona Ray, Neil Innes, Corrie Corfield, Shazia Mirza


20th December 2015 - 1st January 2016
University, London15580Birmingham
Oriel, Oxford135140Trinity, Cambridge
Manchester19535UEA
Christ's, Cambridge90140Essex
Exeter130220Magdalen, Oxford
Aberdeen90185Sheffield
Durham140130LSE
Semi-finals
Manchester105160Sheffield
University, London100195Magdalen, Oxford
Final
Sheffield60230Magdalen, Oxford

The 2015 series of Christmas University Challenge again saw fourteen teams of distinguished alumni compete, with the four highest-scoring winners progressing to the semi-finals.
University, London: Vivienne Parry, Adam Rutherford, Lynne Truss, Tom Dyckhoff
Birmingham: Emma Darwin, Joanna Gosling, John Hammond, Pamela Relph
Oriel, Oxford: John Nunn, Camilla Wright, Jon Bentley, Peter Harness
Trinity, Cambridge: Timothy Gowers, Zoe Heron, Faisal Islam, Bee Wilson
Manchester: Lucy Porter, Jesse Armstrong, Christine Burns, Robert Rinder
UEA: Andy Stanford-Clark, Erica Wagner, Caroline Flint, Tim Bentinck
Christ's, Cambridge: Kieran West, Nina Gold, Natalie Haynes, James Reynolds
Essex: Richard Bartle, Rupert Maas, Dotun Adebayo, Nick Dear
Exeter: George Stiles, Hannah Kendall, Nick Baker, Barnaby Edwards
Magdalen, Oxford: Robin Lane Fox, Heather Berlin, Louis Theroux, Matt Ridley
Aberdeen: Richard Klein, Nicky Campbell, Ian Boyd, Kezia Dugdale
Sheffield: Sid Lowe, Nicci Gerrard, Adam Hart, Ruth Reed
Durham: Richard Ovenden, Tim Willcox, Monica Grady, Tim Smit
LSE: Bob Neill, Justin Webb, Martin Lewis, James O'Brien


19th - 29th December 2016
Manchester55185St Anne's, Oxford
Kent24535Sussex
City, London14535Newcastle
School of Oriental & African Studies85175Leeds
Edinburgh11560St Catharine's, Cambridge
Magdalene, Cambridge65225St Hilda's, Oxford
Bristol7075Nottingham
Semi-finals
Kent130140Leeds
St Anne's, Oxford75165St Hilda's, Oxford
Final
Leeds55160St Hilda's, Oxford

The 2016 series of Christmas University Challenge repeated its now well-established format, with the four highest-scoring winners progressing to the semi-finals.
Manchester: Philip Craven, Sarfraz Manzoor, Simon Armitage, Erica McAlister
St Anne's, Oxford: Rebecca Morelle, Janina Ramirez, Mary Archer, Jacky Rowland
Kent: Jeremy Wade, Shiulie Ghosh, Paul Ross, Jamie Angus
Sussex: Timothy O'Shea, Hattie Hayridge, Dermot Murnaghan, Alex Bailin
City, London: Ramita Navai, Brendan Barber, Samira Ahmed, Tiff Needell
Newcastle: Charlie Webster, Wilko Johnson, Helen Scales, Neil Astley,
School of Oriental & African Studies: David Warren, Gus Casely-Hayford, Dom Joly, Minna Salami
Leeds: Louise Doughty, Gus Unger-Hamilton, Kamal Ahmed, Steve Bell
Edinburgh: Steve Jones, Hermione Cockburn, Rachael Stirling, Helen Pidd
St Catharine's, Cambridge: Peter Wothers, Joanne Harris, Matthew Price, Ivana Gavric
Magdalene, Cambridge: Stefan Wolff, Clemency Burton-Hill, Chris Lintott, Mike Newell
St Hilda's, Oxford: Fiona Caldicott, Daisy Dunn, Val McDermid, Adele Geras
Bristol: Miranda Krestovnikoff, Kate Quilton, Will Hutton, Julie Myerson
Nottingham: David Florence, Nick Miller, Chris Hawkins, Frances Spalding


24th December 2017 - 5th January 2018
Durham35220Keble, Oxford
Selwyn, Cambridge14590St Andrews
York70150Southampton
Leicester45175University, London
St John's, Cambridge15540St Edmund Hall, Oxford
Queen Mary, London11060Cardiff
Brunel45155Reading
Semi-finals
Keble, Oxford160105St John's, Cambridge
University, London125130Reading
Final
Keble, Oxford2400Reading

Once again, the four highest-scoring teams progressed to the semi-finals.

Durham: Alexander Talbot-Rice, Caroline Foster, Nick Mohammed, Rod Clements
Keble, Oxford: Paul Johnson, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Katy Brand, Anne-Marie Imafidon
Selwyn, Cambridge: Sophie Wilson, Robin French, David Wilson, Viv Groskop
St Andrews: Michael Hulse, Alistair Moffat, Brian Taylor, Andrew Crumey
York: Catherine West, Tom Service, Kevin Maguire, Simon Webb
Southampton: Simon Evans, Daniel Sandford, John Wilson, Claire Foges
Leicester: Geoff Palmer, Danielle Brown, Pete Lawrence, Adele Parks
University, London: Jeremy Bowen, Julian Baggini, Jane Dacre, Jessica Curry
St John's, Cambridge: Frederick Raphael, Laura Bates, Giles Foden, Jamie Bamber
St Edmund Hall, Oxford: Richard Gozney, Dan Abnett, Emma Kennedy, Anna Botting
Queen Mary, London: Marcus Chown, Bruce Dickinson, Adrian Chiles, Ching-He Huang
Cardiff: Laura McAllister, Nicole Cooke, Laura Trevelyan, Rhys Jones
Brunel: Tony James, Iwan Thomas, Eniola Aluko, Shini Somara
Reading: Anna Machin, Martin Hughes-Games, Sophie Walker, Pippa Greenwood


24th December 2018 - 4th January 2019
Brasenose, Oxford100150Bristol
Westminster130100UEA
Pembroke, Cambridge85150King's, London
St Catherine's, Oxford130135Peterhouse, Cambridge
Exeter11085Birmingham
Sheffield90115Manchester
Edinburgh120160LSE
Semi-finals
Bristol205100King's, London
Peterhouse, Cambridge21560LSE
Final
Bristol125190Peterhouse, Cambridge

The four highest-scoring winning teams progressed to the semi-finals.

Brasenose, Oxford: Andrea Brand, Tim Harford, Jessie Burton, Kate Bliss
Bristol: Philip Ball, Laura Wade, Misha Glenny, Iain Stewart
Westminster: Stuart Roy Clarke, Torsten Schmiedeknecht, Danny Wallace, Sophie Scott
UEA: Zeb Soanes, Vicki Pepperdine, Arthur Smith, Darren Bett
Pembroke, Cambridge: Dan Jones, Cath Bishop, Rick Edwards, Emma Johnson
King's, London: Zoe Laughlin, Angela Saini, Anita Anand, Anne Dudley
St Catherine's, Oxford: Susie Boyt, Michael Billington, Peter Knowles, Tim Webber
Peterhouse, Cambridge: Dan Mazer, Mark Horton, Michael Howard, Michael Axworthy
Exeter: Jon Kay, Deborah Ashby, Paul Jackson, Jessica Swale
Birmingham: Nicola Spence, Lizo Mzimba, Chris Addison, Nigel Lindsay
Sheffield: Bryony Page, David Blunkett, Paul Mason, Liz Watts
Manchester: Simon Brodkin, David Edgar, David Aaronovitch, Matt Allwright
Edinburgh: JJ Chalmers, Joanna Cherry, Mitch Benn, Gavin Francis
LSE: Jagjit S. Chadha, Maya Jaggi, Ekow Eshun, Simon Garfield


23rd December 2019 - 3rd January 2020
Leeds20555Clare, Cambridge
Birmingham City75160Wadham, Oxford
Guildhall School of Music & Drama120165University, London
Liverpool75150Hull
Royal Holloway, London70130Sussex
Trinity Hall, Cambridge18085St Peter's, Oxford
Warwick80115Imperial, London
Semi-finals
Trinity Hall, Cambridge25215Wadham, Oxford
Leeds20545University, London
Final
Wadham, Oxford130235Leeds

The four highest-scoring winning teams progressed to the semi-finals.

Birmingham City: Bunny Guinness, Carole Boyd, Ian Skelly, Jim Crace
Clare, Cambridge: Elin Manahan Thomas, Marcel Theroux, Amanda Spielman, Allison Pearson
Guildhall School of Music & Drama: Catherine Bott, Bob Barrett, Monica Dolan, Charles Edwards
Hull: Matthew Halsall, Tracy Borman, Lucy Beaumont, Joanna Nadin
Imperial, London: Judith Hackitt, Kenan Malik, Brendan Walker, Martin Bland
Leeds: Jonathan Clements, Henry Gee, Richard Coles, Tim Allen
Liverpool: Emma Jane Unsworth, Roger Bolton, Anna Maxwell Martin, Beverley Hunt
Royal Holloway, London: Jackie Hunter, Emma Bridgewater, Fern Riddell, Lucy Hughes-Hallett
St Peter's, Oxford: Gordon Corera, Felicity Cloake, Afua Hirsch, Paul Ayers
Sussex: Mark D'Arcy, Zoe Strimpel, Kim Newman, Perdita Barran
Trinity Hall, Cambridge: Philip Dawid, Sophie Winkleman, Laura Mangan, Tony Palmer
University, London: Pen Hadow, Poppy Sebag-Montefiore, Maryam Moshiri, Hugh Griffiths
Wadham, Oxford: Jonathan Freedland, Tom Solomon, Anne McElvoy, Roger Mosey
Warwick: Liam Halligan, Tom Goodman-Hill, Ritula Shah, Jonathan Bell


21st December 2020 - 1st January 2021
Christ's, Cambridge50180St John's, Oxford
Manchester17530Queen's, Belfast
Courtauld Institute of Art, London150100Goldsmith's, London
Nottingham14570Sheffield
Central Lancashire60170Loughborough
Durham9065Downing, Cambridge
New, Oxford11060Reading
Semi-finals
St John's, Oxford135180Courtauld Institute of Art, London
Manchester14070Loughborough
Final
Courtauld Institute of Art, London15090Manchester

The four highest-scoring winning teams progressed to the semi-finals.

Central Lancashire: Richard Frediani, Richard Askam, Kate Pankhurst, Mark Tattersall
Christ's, Cambridge: Lachlan Goudie, Sathnam Sanghera, Steve Palmer, Helen Mort
Courtauld Institute of Art, London: Tim Marlow, Lavinia Greenlaw, Jeremy Deller, Jacky Klein
Downing, Cambridge: Amol Rajan, Professor Sir John Pendry, Dharshini David, Louise Dean
Durham: Sarah Keith-Lucas, Ed Gamble, Hugh Pearman, Rebecca Smethurst
Goldsmith's, London: Dave Myers, David Dibosa, Helen Cross, Rachel Cowgill
Loughborough: Kate Fox, Monty Panesar, Caitlin McClatchey, Naomi Dattani
Manchester: Adrian Edmondson, Justin Edwards, Juliet Jacques, David Nott
New, Oxford: Lucy Cooke, Christopher Hampton, Michael Crick, Charlotte Mendelson
Nottingham: Levison Wood, Colin Matthews, Melanie Hopkins, Helen Roy
Queen's, Belfast: Kate Devlin, Alan Jones, Miriam Gamble, Alan Finlayson
Reading: Stephen Smith, Paul Barnes, Rhianna Dhillon, Amoret Whitaker
Sheffield: Val Gibson, Kylie Pentelow, Professor Claire McGourlay, Michael Deacon
St John's, Oxford: John Lanchester, Paul Franklin, Usha Goswami, Simon Jack


20th December 2021 - 31st December 2021
Edinburgh160125Leicester
Winchester95130Bradford
Bristol95125King's, Cambridge
LSE75130Hertford, Oxford
Corpus Christi, Cambridge130145St Anne's, Oxford
Birkbeck, London12530Portsmouth
Kent11595Goldsmith's, London
Semi-finals
Edinburgh145125Bradford
Hertford, Oxford15595St Anne's, Oxford
Final
Edinburgh23595Hertford, Oxford

The four highest-scoring winning teams progressed to the semi-finals.

Birkbeck, London: Shabnam Nasimi, Simon Ings, Jolyon Maugham, Eliane Glaser
Bradford: Anthony Finkelstein, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, Martin Roberts, David Cowling
Bristol: Lucrezia Millarini, Camilla Pang, Aasmah Mir, Mark Ravenhill
Corpus Christi, Cambridge: Hazel Moore, Helen Oyeyemi, Robert McCrum, Philippe Sands
Edinburgh: Catherine Slessor, Thomasina Miers, Miles Jupp, Phil Swanson
Goldsmith's, London: Laura Coryton, Mark Wallinger, Sarah Gillespie, Simon Toyne
Hertford, Oxford: Soweto Kinch, Adam Fleming, Elizabeth Norton, Isabelle Westbury
Kent: Jackie Clune, Yolanda Brown, Peter White, Judith Blake
King's, Cambridge: Mike Braddick, Tom Shakespeare, Shahidha Bari, Kate Whitley
Leicester: Dallas Campbell, Sian Lloyd, Andrew Shepherd, Jeffrey Boakye
LSE: Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, Fatima Manji, Robert Elms, Oliver Cook
Portsmouth: Poppy Jaman, Tayo Oguntonade, Nira Chamberlain, Christine Helen Foyer
St Anne's, Oxford: Sarah Gristwood, Roma Agrawal, John Robins, Adam Parsons
Winchester: Nicole Farley, Mike Bushell, Shappi Khorsandi, Dirk Maggs


19th December 2022 - 30th December 2022
School of Oriental & African Studies75155Balliol, Oxford
University, Oxford75110Glasgow
Durham45200York
Exeter, Oxford15070Queen Mary, London
Hull13535UWE
University, London85115Aberdeen
Bristol125105Cardiff
Semi-finals
York100155Hull
Balliol, Oxford215125Exeter, Oxford
Final
Hull70165Balliol, Oxford

The four highest-scoring winning teams progressed to the semi-finals.

Aberdeen: Margaret McCartney, Neil Fachie, Jon Baird, Loma Dawson
Balliol, Oxford: Elizabeth Kiss, Andrew Copson, Martin Edwards, Martin O'Neill
Bristol: Nigel Marven, Georgie Twigg, Dominic Waghorn, Nizar Ibrahim
Cardiff: Rachel Burden, Heather Knight, Adam Price, Dan Saladino
Durham: Gillian Foulger, Simon Parson, Chris Terrill, Emma Chapman
Exeter, Oxford: Alex Watson, Sanchia Berg, Reeta Chakrabarti, Andy Anson
Glasgow: Helen Smith, Alana Vincent, Chris Brookmyre, Tamara Galloway
Hull: Katharine Norbury, James Graham, Sian Reese-Williams, Graeme Hall; (James Graham was replaced by Sarah Peverley in the final)
Queen Mary, London: Nighat Arif, Lynsey Hanley, Lucy Siegle, George Parker
School of Oriental & African Studies: Alys Tomlinson, Sanjoy Bhattacharya, Emma Dabiri, Sherelle Jacobs
University, London: Jess French, Ken Follett, Ria Lina, Susan Collins
University, Oxford: Sophie Solomon, Owen Jones, Paul Gambaccini, Ivo Graham
UWE: Ita O’Brien, Rebecca Salter, Victoria Gill, Seyi Rhodes
York: Vanessa Kind, David Conn, Tom Scott, Sophie Woodward


18th December 2023 - 29th December 2023
King's, London155120City, London
Royal Holloway, London17095UEA
Dundee75185Bangor
Corpus Christi, Oxford26580Edinburgh
Imperial, London11080Liverpool
Middlesex175115Leeds
Semi-finals
Royal Holloway, London160180Corpus Christi, Oxford
Bangor85195Middlesex
Final
Corpus Christi, Oxford80175Middlesex

Bangor: Juno Dawson, David Neal, Andy Clements, Hywel Williams
City, London: Zing Tsjeng, Joe Crowley, Martha Spurrier, Sebastian Payne
Corpus Christi, Oxford: Michael Cockerell, Alex Bellos, Francesca Happe, Steve Waters
Dundee: Holly Hamilton, Susan Philipsz, Saleyha Ahsan, Keith Harris
Edinburgh: Ruth Davidson, Olly Smith, Freddy McConnell, Malcom Fraser
Imperial, London: Helen Arney, Mark Silcox, Anjana Ahuja, Susannah Maidment
King's, London: Lucy Powell, Ayshah Tull, Chibundu Onuzo, Ali Ansari
Leeds: Claire Cashmore, Kunle Barker, Kenton Cool, Mike Begon
Royal Holloway, London: Joby Talbot, Tahmima Anam, Kayo Chingonyi, Liz Sayce
Liverpool: Ian Ritchie, Joyce Tyldesley, Ann Limb, Jim Woodcock
Middlesex: Lola Young, David Hepworth, Heather Phillipson, Dan Skinner; (Dan Skinner was replaced by David Heathcote in semi-finals and final)
UEA: Bendor Grosvenor, Mohammed Hanif, James Scudamore, Karen Duff