‘Oh f**k’: Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng swore twice back when he was on University Challenge

Newly-appointed chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng appeared on University Challenge back in 1995.

Representing Trinity College, Cambridge, Kwarteng played a key role in his side’s eventual victory in the competition.

But it wasn’t the fledgling Tory’s intellect that made the headlines. No, Kwasi Kwarteng dropped the F-Bomb on TV…twice.

Jeremy Paxman asked contestants the following question: “Who wrote the book Travels With My Donkey?”

The future chancellor promptly buzzed in before descending into panic.

“Oh fuck, I’ve forgotten,” Kwarteng said. He though long and hard before once again saying, “Oh, fuck!”

The new chancellor back in the day

The BBC didn’t seem to clock Kwarteng’s potty mouth antics, meaning that his muttered profanities snuck into the show.

Commenting on his outburst, Kwarteng told Varsity: “I knew it, I just couldn’t remember it.”

The Cambridge student paper wasn’t the only place to pick up the story. The Sun ran an article with the headline “Rudiversity Challenge”.

As a child, Kwarteng was a pupil at Eton before winning a scholarship to study at Harvard. His University Challenge cameo took place when he was pursuing a PhD in economic history.

Other famous faces have appeared on University Challenge over the years including Jenny Ryan from The Chase, Steven Fry and Miriam Margolyes.

University Challenge airs on Monday nights at 8.30pm. You can catch up on all episodes here.

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