The University of Warwick has reached the final of BBC Two’s University Challenge, one of the UK’s most prestigious – and fiercely contested – quiz competitions.

Twenty-eight universities from across the UK took part in this year’s series, and Warwick is now one of the final two.

The team is captained by Mathematics student Oscar Siddle, joined by Ananya Govindarajan (Engineering), Thomas Hart (Mathematics), and Benjamin Watson (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics).

This marks the University’s third appearance in a University Challenge final. On both previous occasions – in 2007 and 2021 – Warwick went on to win the trophy, setting the bar high for this year’s team.

Oscar Siddle, Team Captain, said: “It’s been a great experience – hanging out with the other teams backstage, getting to see the ins and outs of television production, and entertaining our semi-serious long list of acquired superstitions. Hopefully everyone’s as excited for the final as we were to play it.”

They will now take on Christ’s College, Cambridge in the final on Monday 12 May on BBC Two at 8:30pm.

Warwick’s University Challenge journey

The team made an impressive start to the series, defeating the University of East Anglia 275–125 in the first round. In round two, they triumphed over Oriel College, Oxford 215–110, and then beat Queen’s University Belfast 215–95 in their first quarterfinal.

But the journey hasn’t been all smooth sailing with their second quarterfinal against Christ’s College Cambridge proving tougher. At one stage they trailed by 150 points – but a determined late push narrowed the final score to 155–205.

In their final quarterfinal match, Warwick bounced back with a 220–125 win over University College London, securing their place in the semi-final facing Darwin College, Cambridge. A nail-biting finish saw Warwick clinch a brilliant victory in the last three minutes to book their place in the final – a rematch against Christ’s Cambridge.

This is the second series to be hosted by journalist and broadcaster Amol Rajan, following Jeremy Paxman’s retirement in 2023.

To see how Warwick fares in the final, tune in to BBC Two at 8.30pm on Monday 12 May or catch up on BBC iPlayer.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

The team is available for interview opportunities, contact: Stevie Connoll – Media & Communications Officer

stevie.connoll@warwick.ac.uk / +44 (0)7824 540791