University Challenge has returned to our screens this summer for its fiftieth series ever, with more whizz kids ready to take on Jeremy Paxman and the brightest students in Britain.
The hit quiz show originated in the 1960s but has gone on to have several reboots over the past six decades. The current series (S27 in this reboot) follows the same format as always, but welcomes brand new teams to the quiz floor.
So, with University Challenge back on, we thought it best to find out about the brand new season. Read on for an overview of University Challenge 2020/21 from teams to final dates.
University Challenge returns for 2020/21
The first episode of University Challenge series 5 aired on Monday, July 13th. Episodes will hold the 8.30 pm slot every Monday night on BBC Two, as always.
The competition is following the same format as previous years. This is starting with 28 teams. The 14 first round winners progress directly to the last 16. Then, the 4 highest-scoring losers from the first round play against each other for the final 2 spots in the competition.
In the second round, 8 matches are played. The 8 second round winners progress to the quarter-finals, where they playoff against one another. When each team has played each other, the team who has won the most quarter-finals matches progresses to the semi-finals. The semi-finals consist of 4 teams and 2 matches. Then, as expected, the final 2 teams playoff.
- SEE ALSO: Where is University Challenge filmed?
Meet the 2020/21 teams
So far, the confirmed teams taking part are…
- Glasgow
- Exeter
- Durham
- Leicester
- Linacre College, Oxford
- The Open University
- Imperial College
- University of Strathclyde
- University of Reading
- Birkbeck College, London
- Balliol College, Oxford
- Clare College, Cambridge
- University of Bristol
- Corpus Christi, Cambridge
- Darwin College, Cambridge
- University of St Andrews
- University of York
- King’s College, London
- Merton College, Oxford
- Wolfson College, Cambridge
When is the University Challenge 2020/21 final?
There are 37 episodes this season, which means we are anticipating the University Challenge 2020/21 final to air on Monday, March 22nd 2021.
The semi-finals will air the fortnight prior to the final. They will provisionally commence on Monday, March 8th 2021.
We will keep this page updated on University Challenge 2020/21 as the competition progresses.
WATCH UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE 2020 MONDAYS AT 8.30 PM ON BBC TWO
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