Bristol to take on Cardiff in first round of University Challenge

By Oliver Poyser, News Print Editor

The quiz show is considered one of the hardest in the country, with questions testing detailed knowledge in a broad range of subjects.

Even getting on air is difficult. Out of the 100 institutions who applied to compete in the contest, only 28 were accepted, the University of Bristol included.

Bristol selects its University Challenge team through a competitive three-stage process, run by the university’s Quiz Society. Prospective contestants start with a 100 question written test, before the top performers move onto buzzer-style questions, mirroring the format of the show.

After a final interview process, the Quiz Society’s committee and past Bristol contestants selected four members and a reserve to make up this year’s team.

This team consists of team members Lewys Jenkins (BSc Mathematics), Lois Connolly (BA Liberal Arts), Nathaniel Joyce (MSci Biology) and reserve member Madhu Kannan (MSci Psychology and Neuroscience).

Leading the quizzers is Team Captain Hugo Goodwill (Meng Aerospace Engineering), who said that ‘It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience to compete in University Challenge.’

‘As a huge fan of the show, it’s been an amazing opportunity to take part, especially as I tried out for the Bristol team three times before being successful in my final year of university.’

This year’s team is eager to showcase their knowledge and expertise, hoping to build on the momentum of last year’s nail-biting semi-final finish.

The University of Bristol team will appear on University Challenge on BBC Two at 8.30 pm on Monday, August 18.

Featured Image: University of Bristol