University Challenge results, 2020-21

The 50th series began on 13 July 2020 on Mondays on BBC Two at 20:30, concluding with the final on 5 April 2021. The first rounds were filmed in March, prior to the coronavirus restrictions, with subsequent rounds having to wait until September when filming resumed with perspex screens installed between contestants who also wore earpieces to communicate with their teammates. As a result, the rules stating that contestants must be students at their university throughout filming were also relaxed.

First round
13/07/2020Glasgow200145Exeter
20/07/2020Leicester125180Durham
27/07/2020Linacre, Oxford140210Open
03/08/2020Imperial, London155190Strathclyde
10/08/2020Reading50295Birkbeck, London
17/08/2020Balliol, Oxford150135Clare, Cambridge
24/08/2020Bristol135175Corpus Christi, Oxford
31/08/2020Darwin, Cambridge90255St Andrews
07/09/2020York100170King's, London
14/09/2020Merton, Oxford21040Wolfson, Cambridge
21/09/2020Royal Academy of Music, London50220St John's, Cambridge
28/09/2020Warwick255105Wolfson, Oxford
05/10/2020Edinburgh155200Manchester
12/10/2020Magdalene, Cambridge170130University, Oxford
Highest-scoring losers
19/10/2020Imperial, London160155Exeter
26/10/2020Linacre, Oxford125155Edinburgh
Second round
02/11/2020Imperial, London18090St Andrews
09/11/2020Manchester100135Strathclyde
16/11/2020Merton, Oxford90190Warwick
23/11/2020Edinburgh145165Durham
30/11/2020St John's, Cambridge155200Balliol, Oxford
07/12/2020Glasgow90175King's, London
14/12/2020Corpus Christi, Oxford115185Magdalene, Cambridge
04/01/2021Open95205Birkbeck, London
Quarter-finals
11/01/2021Magdalene, Cambridge240140Birkbeck, London
18/01/2021Balliol, Oxford14595King's, London
25/01/2021Strathclyde115155Durham
01/02/2021Imperial, London120200Warwick
08/02/2021Magdalene, Cambridge160200Warwick
15/02/2021King's, London95265Imperial, London
22/02/2021Balliol, Oxford17575Durham
01/03/2021Birkbeck, London105135Strathclyde
08/03/2021Imperial, London200100Durham
15/03/2021Magdalene, Cambridge185125Strathclyde
Semi-finals
22/03/2021Imperial, London135160Warwick
29/03/2021Magdalene, Cambridge27050Balliol, Oxford
Final
05/04/2021Warwick195140Magdalene, Cambridge

This year's winners were Warwick University, their second series championship and 14 years after their first. The winning team were Richard Pollard (History & Politics), George Braid (Physics), Andrew Rout (Maths), Owain Burrell (English Literature). Their trophy was presented (at a distance!) by the Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage.

As ever, winners are in bold, highest-scoring losers in italics. Italicised scores indicate the result was decided by a tie-break.

External links
University Challenge turns into ‘Battle of the Jumpers’ as fans lavish praise on contestants’ fabulous knitwear (Metro)
Meet the new University Challenge team as they prepare for Paxman (University of Bristol)
University Challenge viewers despair as Cambridge's Wolfson College loses (Daily Mail)
Meet the Trinity team (Trinity College, Cambridge)
How do you make a Covid quiz? (The Independent)
A quartet of St John’s students take part in University Challenge (St John's College, Cambridge)
Behind the scenes with the Magdalene University Challenge Team (Magdalene College, Cambridge)
'No group hugs!': the University Challenge final (The Guardian)
Warwick team triumph in University Challenge final (BBC)
University Challenge 2021 Champions - BBC Midlands Today (YouTube)
Magdalene College runners-up in 50th University Challenge Final (Varsity)