"University Challenge" - Starter for Ten! Quiz

Answer: Yes

Yes, despite the initial success of this innovative format, erratic broadcast scheduling by ITV (Independent Television) and somewhat increasingly stale presentation led to a decline in viewer ratings. Ergo in 1987, after 25 years on British TV screens, the show was pulled with no prospect of future revival.

However, the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) decided to adopt the show as their own and in 1994 'University Challenge' made a triumphant return. A nice fact is that the BBC waited to the day of the 32nd anniversary to undertake the long awaited relaunch (21st September).

Answer: College Bowl

The history of 'College Bowl' was rather turbulent in that it switched television stations and was eventually pulled off air in 1970 after eleven years on American television. 'College Bowl' was notably sponsored by General Electric on both NBC (National Broadcasting Company) and CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System).
Before 'College Bowl' hit the TV sets around the USA the game show was broadcast via radio from 1953, six years before the televisual inauguration.

Answer: Bamber Gascoigne

Bamber Gascoigne, the original 'University Challenge' presenter, somewhat followed the stereotype and portrayed the archaic image of a British university graduate. Bamber Gascoigne studied English literature at Magdalene College, Cambridge and despite his publications in English and historical fields his name is always recognised in the capacity of the hit TV show.

Interestingly and utterly idiosyncratic, Gascoigne used to ask for an Eccles cake before each broadcast!

Answer: True

The rules of 'University Challenge' state that both Oxford University and Cambridge University are allowed to enter up to five of their respective colleges. This is due to the two universities operating under a collegiate education system. By 2008, Oxford had won the competition fourteen times and Cambridge claimed victory in six different series.

Answer: 25

The scoring system is as follows: ten points for a correct starter question but a five point penalty if a contestant buzzes in and gives an incorrect answer before the host finishes reading the question. During this initial question team members may not confer which often prompts the host to shout "...you may not confer! One of you may buzz".

After a correct starter question the successful team of four players will be asked a set of three questions; each question has a common theme and will be worth five points.

The players are allowed to confer at this point, but, it is usual for the team captain to vocalise the answer. All in all a team can accumulate 25 points per set.

Answer: 2

As the show progresses the rate at which the questions are posed and answered increases to a point of absolute frenzy at the end; a gong relieves the tension as the final team scores are announced. Each show lasts for about thirty minutes and after ten minutes and twenty minutes there are picture rounds. Anything from logos and flags to maps and masterpieces could come up on the screen and as ever, it is the first to buzz in with the correct answer. As well as two picture rounds there is a music round at the halfway point whereby a piece of music, often classical, is played and the contestants have to guess either the name of the artist, name of the song or something else along those lines.

Answer: Stephen Fry

Stephen Fry was an actor, writer, comedian, TV personality and a great intellect. He and Hugh Laurie (actor who portrays the title character in 'House MD') co-wrote and co-starred in 'A Bit of Fry and Laurie' a successful British comedy.

John Simpson was a long serving foreign affairs editor for BBC News, Miriam Margoyles is best known for playing Prof. Sprout in 'Harry Potter' and David Starkey is a well known TV historian. These three all attended colleges within the University of Cambridge.

Answer: Lenin

Che Guevara, Trotsky and Marx are all related to the (far) left wing of politics and philosophy. Thus, only Lenin would be aligned with those three as Hitler, Franco and Mussolini were to the (far) right of the political and philosophical spectra.
The protest was over the fact that the universities of Oxford and Cambridge could enter more than one of their constituent colleges into the TV quiz competition. Their aim was to force the broadcast of the show to be axed, but, the powers that be decided to broadcast the episode and the rest is TV history!

Answer: Jeremy Paxman

Known for his blunt style of interviewing and persistent probing with politicians on such shows as 'Newsnight' and during the BBC's election coverage, Jeremy Paxman was installed as the second presenter of 'University Challenge' in 1994. He was well known for mocking the students when they got a question wrong which he considered easy. He also displayed an amusing lack of patience with 'ridiculous answers' but has been caught out on a few occasions. An amusing example was during a picture round when the sign for the National Trust was put up on screen. The logo is blatantly a picture of an Oak leaf, but, what makes the following exchange amusing is the pedantic semantics:

Paxman: 'For ten points, simply tell me what it is.'
Contestant: 'It's an oak leaf'
Paxman: 'Anyone can see it's an oak leaf! I was asking what it was!'
Contestant: 'You asked me what it was - You should have said: What is it for?, not, what is it?'
Paxman: 'It's a sign, signifying the National Trust. Actually on a point of pedantry you may be right, but there you are, bad luck!'

The contestant from New Hall, Cambridge was actually voted 'Woman of the Week' on 'Woman's Hour', a radio programme on BBC Radio 4.

(Information from UKGameshows)

Answer: Somerville College

Somerville College, a quaint 19th century establishment, pipped Imperial College, London to the post in the grand final of the 2002 series of 'University Challenge'. Somerville College retained its all female status until 1992.

Jesus College were victorious in 1985, Magdalen College were series champions in 1997 and 1998 and Christ Church took the title in 2008.