University Challenge
BBC2/BBC iPlayer
Their cities may be locked in a centuries-old rivalry, but on University Challenge last night a Barry White-impersonating student from Glasgow rushed to the aid of Edinburgh in its half-hour of need.
Edinburgh has qualified for the UK’s longest-running quiz show more times than any other single institution, said host Amol Rajan. Yet it has only won once, in 2019. The University of Leeds were determined to keep it that way in the latest of the competition’s first-round matches.
Representing Leeds were: Finn Thompson from London, studying law; Ingrid Banerjee Marvin, Stoke-on-Trent, doing a PhD in the experiences of marginalised football fans; Alex Tan, captain, from Colchester, computer science; and Jayan Patel, Leicester, working on a masters in mechatronics and robotics.
Appearing for Edinburgh were David Aiton from Glasgow, reading maths; Jess Mellor, west Yorkshire, history; Greg Myles, captain, from Monifieth, near Dundee, studying for a PhD in biomedical engineering; and Caitlin Self, from Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, politics.
Captain Greg Myles put Edinburgh on the scoreboard with a starter for ten on weather phenomena. A trio of correct answers to bonus questions on film soundtracks followed, cementing a solid start for one of Scotland’s four ancient universities.
Myles was back for more with a starter on the Aztecs, but Aiton, from Glasgow, took a gamble on algorithms and lost, costing Edinburgh five points. The moustachioed maths student smiled by way of an apology to his teammates, but the damage was done.
At the eight-minute mark, Patel broke Leeds’ duck with a starter on gearing, making the score Leeds 20 to Edinburgh’s 55.
Aiton made amends with answers on Dadaism and The League of Gentlemen, extending Edinburgh’s lead to 80.
Leeds (Johnson) went wrong on gravitational theory, allowing Aiton (Edinburgh) to swoop with the right answer. “Well done,” said Rajan in the University Challenge equivalent of the Great British Bake Off’s Hollywood Handshake.
Read more
Mellor (Edinburgh) was fastest on the buzzer in the popular music round, and as the contest passed the halfway mark Leeds was trailing Edinburgh 35 points to 125.
Rajan was ready with another starter. “According to the US chief justice Earl Warren, what in civilised life floats in a sea of ethics? In Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe, it is the true embodiment of everything that is excellent, and Jonathan Swift compared it to cobwebs which may catch small flies but let wasps and hornets break through?”
“Dreams,” said Johnson (Leeds). Wrong.
“Love,” tried Aiton (Glasgow) in a deep, growly tone.
“Said in your best Barry White voice,” said Rajan, referring to the American singer-songwriter nicknamed the "Walrus of Love”.
Alas, it didn’t help. The correct answer was “the law”.
Edinburgh hit a lull, allowing Leeds to quietly build its score. With four minutes to go it was Leeds 100 and Edinburgh 140. Could the alma mater of BBC Breakfast’s Naga Munchetty steal Edinburgh’s lunch?
Patel (Leeds) added 15 to the score. Johnson (Leeds) punched the air after bagging a crucial starter on winners of the English Football League Cup, but the team failed to follow up with bonuses on British birds.
Still, Leeds was now on 125, just 15 behind Edinburgh. Mellor answered a question on Jo jo Rabbit, with Aiton helping on the bonuses to take Edinburgh to 155.
Myles (Edinburgh, captain) finished as he started with correct answers on Père Lachaise cemetery and genes, and as the gong struck the final score was Edinburgh 175, Leeds 125.
Commiserating with Leeds, Rajan said: “You guys pulled off the most extraordinary comeback. I did wonder about five minutes in if you had all gone to sleep. You were at 40 points for ages.”
Turning to the Scottish university, he said: “Edinburgh, you guys know how to make things a bit dicey, don’t you? That was stressful. While they were coming back you completely slept for ten minutes.”
Edinburgh is the last Scottish university in the contest after last week’s defeat of St Andrews by Cardiff.
Next week: The LSE v Leicester.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here