University Challenge defeats our brightest alumni

A special series of University Challenge saw Exeter alumni, rather than students, take up the gauntlet to fight the academic fight.

The shows, broadcast over Christmas, saw graduates and staff members from ten of the UK’s top universities compete with each other

Comedy writer John O’Farrell, Guardian feature writer John Crace, Dr Martin Crewe, Director of Barnardo’s and Professor Christine Allison from the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies waged a war of general knowledge against a team from Glasgow University.

However, Exeter Uni’s alumni team had to concede defeat after scoring a sturdy 125 points against Glasgow’s score of 155.

New College Oxford emerged triumphant in the overall competition, beating the University of East Anglia in the final.

Jeremy Paxman, University Challenge host, said Exeter’s score was “perfectly respectable”, while John Crace claimed it was “not my finest hour”.

The score is more affable when compared to the 2009 student team’s efforts – where Exeter earned just 15 points, the second lowest score of all time.