December 2022

University Challenge announces line up for its twelfth festive series

Chaired by Jeremy Paxman and returning to BBC Two and iPlayer, Christmas University Challenge features 56 distinguished alumni from 14 universities hoping they've retained at least some of what their alma maters once taught them, as they compete for the coveted champions title.

Contestants on this year's show include BBC News presenter Reeta Chakrabarti, Welsh actress actor Sian Reese-Williams, stand-up comedian Ivo Graham, and gold medal-winning paracyclist Neil Fachie.

Each team will compete in one of seven first round matches, after which the four teams with the highest winning scores will face each other in two semi-finals. The winners of each of those ties will then face each other for the series crown.

Filmed at dock10 studios and produced by Lifted Entertainment, part of ITV Studios, the series begins on BBC Two on Monday 19 December at 8.30pm, with SOAS London going head to head with Balliol, Oxford in the first episode.

Peter Gwyn, Executive Producer, Lifted Entertainment, says: "Christmas University Challenge is back, with an intriguing mix of alumni contestants including broadcasters, scientists, authors and comedians. Viewers can look forward to testing themselves alongside our teams on a challenging mix of questions in this year's festive battle for the title of Christmas University Challenge champions."

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