Overview
Series synopsis
University Challenge is a British talk television series that premiered on ITV1 on September 21, 1962. It stars Bamber Gascoigne, Jeremy Paxman, Amol Rajan and Roger Tilling.
Academic quiz show where teams of students from UK universities answer questions on all manner of subjects.
Premise
Academic quiz show where teams of students from UK universities answer questions on all manner of subjects.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Bamber Gascoigne as Self - Presenter
- Jeremy Paxman as Self - Presenter
- Amol Rajan as Self - Presenter
- Roger Tilling as Self - Narrator
- Eric Monkman as Self - Contestant
- Bobby Seagull as Self - Contestant
Guest cast
- Eric Monkman as Self - Contestant
- Bobby Seagull as Self - Contestant
Episodes
This series spans 20 seasons with 988 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 174 | December 28, 1992 | January 2, 2026 |
| Season 1 | 61 | September 21, 1962 | November 27, 1963 |
| Season 2 | 62 | December 3, 1963 | May 26, 1965 |
| Season 3 | 42 | August 25, 1965 | June 8, 1966 |
| Season 4 | 40 | September 7, 1966 | June 9, 1967 |
| Season 5 | 44 | September 27, 1967 | July 24, 1968 |
| Season 6 | 45 | August 2, 1968 | July 13, 1969 |
| Season 7 | 47 | July 20, 1969 | August 30, 1970 |
| Season 8 | 40 | October 25, 1970 | August 1, 1971 |
| Season 9 | 40 | October 17, 1971 | July 23, 1972 |
| Season 10 | 39 | October 25, 1972 | September 5, 1973 |
| Season 11 | 38 | October 31, 1973 | October 2, 1974 |
| Season 12 | 35 | December 2, 1974 | October 31, 1975 |
| Season 13 | 42 | November 7, 1975 | December 10, 1976 |
| Season 14 | 36 | December 17, 1976 | October 31, 1977 |
| Season 15 | 43 | November 7, 1977 | November 20, 1978 |
| Season 16 | 41 | November 27, 1978 | February 11, 1980 |
| Season 17 | 37 | February 18, 1980 | December 8, 1980 |
| Season 18 | 40 | December 15, 1980 | January 4, 1982 |
| Season 19 | 42 | December 14, 1981 | January 23, 1983 |
Season 0 preview
174 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pro-Celebrity Edition | December 28, 1992 |
| 2 |
Press Special: Tabloids v Broadsheets Jeremy Paxman introduces a special edition of the academic quiz. Tabloid journalists pit their wits against reporters from the broadsheets. |
January 1, 1999 |
| 3 |
Christmas 2011 - Episode 1 Christmas University Challenge is a series of matches featuring teams of distinguished graduates from ten universities. The University of York takes on the University of Manchester in a first-round match, with guests including broadcaster and political columnist Steve Richards and Urban Splash Chairman Tom Bloxham MBE. Jeremy Paxman asks the questions. |
December 19, 2011 |
Season 1 preview
61 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leeds v Reading | September 21, 1962 |
| 2 | Leeds v Exeter | September 28, 1962 |
| 3 | Leeds v Manchester | October 5, 1962 |
Season 2 preview
62 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Andrews v St Anne's, Oxford | December 3, 1963 |
| 2 | St Anne's, Oxford v Peterhouse, Cambridge | December 10, 1963 |
| 3 | Peterhouse, Cambridge v Christ Church, Oxford | December 17, 1963 |
Season 3 preview
42 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magdalene, Cambridge v Brasenose, Oxford | August 25, 1965 |
| 2 | Magdalene, Cambridge v York | September 1, 1965 |
| 3 | Magdalene, Cambridge v Balliol, Oxford | September 8, 1965 |
Season 4 preview
40 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Queen Elizabeth, London v Hertford, Oxford | September 7, 1966 |
| 2 | Episode 2 | September 14, 1966 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | September 21, 1966 |
Season 5 preview
44 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Peter's, Oxford v Sidney Sussex, Cambridge | September 27, 1967 |
| 2 | Episode 2 | October 4, 1967 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | October 11, 1967 |
Season 6 preview
45 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 | August 2, 1968 |
| 2 | Episode 2 | August 9, 1968 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | August 16, 1968 |
Season 7 preview
47 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 | July 20, 1969 |
| 2 | Episode 2 | July 27, 1969 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | August 3, 1969 |
Season 8 preview
40 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salford v St Hilda's, Oxford | October 25, 1970 |
| 2 | St Hilda's, Oxford v Royal Holloway, London | November 1, 1970 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | November 8, 1970 |
Season 9 preview
40 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 | October 17, 1971 |
| 2 | Episode 2 | October 24, 1971 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | October 31, 1971 |
Season 10 preview
39 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University, London v Glasgow | October 25, 1972 |
| 2 | Episode 2 | November 1, 1972 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | November 8, 1972 |
Season 11 preview
38 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keele v UEA | October 31, 1973 |
| 2 | UEA v Trinity, Oxford | November 7, 1973 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | November 21, 1973 |
Season 12 preview
35 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keble, Oxford v York | December 2, 1974 |
| 2 | Christmas Special: Trinity Cambridge, Students v Trinity, Cambridge dons | |
| 3 | Episode 3 | December 23, 1974 |
Season 13 preview
42 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keele v St Hugh's, Oxford | November 7, 1975 |
| 2 | Episode 2 | November 14, 1975 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | November 21, 1975 |
Season 14 preview
36 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 | December 17, 1976 |
| 2 | Episode 2 | December 24, 1976 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | December 31, 1976 |
Season 15 preview
43 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dundee v Aberystwyth | November 7, 1977 |
| 2 | Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford v Westfield, London | November 14, 1977 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | November 21, 1977 |
Season 16 preview
41 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Episode 1 | November 27, 1978 |
| 2 | Newcastle v Trinity Hall, Cambridge | December 4, 1978 |
| 3 | Episode 3 | December 11, 1978 |
Season 17 preview
37 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hull v Queens', Cambridge | February 18, 1980 |
| 2 | Queens', Cambridge v Keele | February 25, 1980 |
| 3 | Queens', Cambridge v Imperial. London | March 3, 1980 |
Season 18 preview
40 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corpus Christi, Oxford v Aberystwyth | December 15, 1980 |
| 2 | Aberystwyth v Magdalene, Cambridge | December 22, 1980 |
| 3 | Special: Merton, Oxford students v Merton, Oxford dons | December 29, 1980 |
Season 19 preview
42 episodes total
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corpus Christi, Cambridge v Essex | December 14, 1981 |
| 2 | Somerville, Oxford v Trinity Hall, Cambridge | December 21, 1981 |
| 3 | Open v Trinity Hall, Cambridge | January 10, 1982 |
Production
Genres
Talk
Country
GB
Original language
en
Release
| Original network/platform | ITV1 |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 21, 1962 |
| Last aired | April 20, 2026 |
| Status | continue |
| Schedule | Monday at 20:30:00 |