Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, University Challenge took a six-month hiatus from filming episodes. Recording resumed with the highest scoring losers play-offs, with contestants now separated by perspex screens and wearing ear-pieces to allow them to hear their teammates. The show also relaxed the rule that banned students from competing if they completed their degree during the recording of the series.[4][3]
The University of Manchester and three Oxford colleges – Merton, Balliol and Corpus Christi – all fielded reserves when filming resumed.[citation needed]
- Winning teams are highlighted in bold.
- Teams with green scores (winners) returned in the next round, while those with red scores (losers) were eliminated.
- Teams with orange scores had to win one more match to return in the next round.
- Teams with yellow scores indicate that two further matches had to be played and won (teams that lost their first quarter-final match).
- A score in italics indicates a match decided on a tie-breaker question.
Team 1 |
Score |
Team 2 |
Total |
Broadcast date
|
University of Glasgow
|
200
|
145
|
University of Exeter
|
345
|
13 July 2020
|
University of Leicester
|
125
|
180
|
Durham University
|
305
|
20 July 2020
|
Linacre College, Oxford
|
140
|
210
|
The Open University
|
350
|
27 July 2020
|
Imperial College London
|
155
|
190
|
University of Strathclyde
|
345
|
3 August 2020
|
University of Reading
|
50
|
295
|
Birkbeck, University of London
|
345
|
10 August 2020
|
Balliol College, Oxford
|
150
|
135
|
Clare College, Cambridge
|
285
|
17 August 2020
|
University of Bristol
|
135
|
175
|
Corpus Christi College, Oxford
|
310
|
24 August 2020
|
Darwin College, Cambridge
|
90
|
255
|
University of St Andrews
|
345
|
31 August 2020
|
University of York
|
100
|
170
|
King's College London
|
270
|
7 September 2020
|
Merton College, Oxford
|
210
|
40
|
Wolfson College, Cambridge
|
250
|
14 September 2020
|
Royal Academy of Music
|
50
|
220
|
St John's College, Cambridge
|
270
|
21 September 2020
|
University of Warwick
|
255
|
105
|
Wolfson College, Oxford
|
360
|
28 September 2020
|
University of Edinburgh
|
155
|
200
|
University of Manchester
|
355
|
5 October 2020
|
Magdalene College, Cambridge
|
170
|
130
|
University College, Oxford
|
300
|
12 October 2020
|
Highest scoring losers play-offs
edit
- The trophy and title were awarded to the Warwick team of Richard Pollard, George Braid, Andrew Rout, and Owain Burrell.[3]
- Simon Armitage, Poet Laureate and former Oxford Professor of Poetry, presented the trophy; he had captained a University of Manchester team in the Christmas series in 2016.[3]
Spin-off: Christmas Special 2020
edit
Each year, a Christmas special sequence is aired featuring distinguished alumni. Out of 7 first-round winners, the top 4 highest-scoring teams progress to the semi-finals. The teams consist of celebrities who represent their alma maters.
- Winning teams are highlighted in bold.
- Teams with green scores (winners) returned in the next round, while those with red scores (losers) were eliminated.
- Teams with grey scores won their match but did not achieve a high enough score to proceed to the next round.
- A score in italics indicates a match decided on a tie-breaker question.
Standings for the winners
edit
The winning The Courtauld Institute of Art team of Tim Marlow, Lavinia Greenlaw, Jacky Klein and Jeremy Deller beat the University of Manchester team of David Nott, Juliet Jacques, Ade Edmondson and Justin Edwards.