University Challenge 2018–19

Series 48 of University Challenge began on 16 July 2018 on BBC Two.^[1]

The University of London Institute in Paris and Darwin College, Cambridge appeared for the first time in this series.

Results

• 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.

First round

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
University of Warwick	165	150	University of Exeter	315	16 July 2018
Emmanuel College, Cambridge	175	200	University of Glasgow	375	23 July 2018
Pembroke College, Oxford	75	230	Downing College, Cambridge	305	30 July 2018
School of Oriental and African Studies	90	260	Darwin College, Cambridge	350	13 August 2018
Clare College, Cambridge	160	150	Hertford College, Oxford	310	20 August 2018
University of Strathclyde	55	360	Durham University	415	27 August 2018
University of York	105	240	St Edmund Hall, Oxford	345	3 September 2018
University of Edinburgh	210	75	Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge	285	10 September 2018
University of Bristol	140	110	Queen's University Belfast	250	17 September 2018
University of London Institute in Paris	55	180	Goldsmiths, University of London	235	24 September 2018
St Peter's College, Oxford	225	50	Pembroke College, Cambridge	275	1 October 2018
University College London	180	145	King's College London	325	8 October 2018
University of East London	135	155	University of Manchester	290	22 October 2018
Keble College, Oxford	180	115	University of East Anglia	295	29 October 2018

Highest scoring losers play-offs

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
Emmanuel College, Cambridge	235	140	King's College London	375	5 November 2018
Hertford College, Oxford	215	165	University of Exeter	380	12 November 2018

Second round

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
St Peter's College, Oxford	120	195	Emmanuel College, Cambridge	315	19 November 2018
Hertford College, Oxford	115	185	University of Manchester	300	26 November 2018
University of Edinburgh	180	160	University College London	340	3 December 2018
Clare College, Cambridge	105	245	St Edmund Hall, Oxford	350	10 December 2018
Goldsmiths, University of London	125	135	University of Glasgow	260	17 December 2018
Durham University	200	100	Keble College, Oxford	300	7 January 2019
Downing College, Cambridge	120	205	Darwin College, Cambridge	325	14 January 2019
University of Warwick	125	190	University of Bristol	315	21 January 2019

Quarter-finals

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
University of Glasgow	110	170	Durham University	280	28 January 2019
Darwin College, Cambridge	105	115	University of Bristol	220	4 February 2019
University of Manchester	130	170	University of Edinburgh	300	11 February 2019
Emmanuel College, Cambridge	55	190	St Edmund Hall, Oxford	245	18 February 2019
Durham University	165	110	University of Edinburgh	275	25 February 2019
University of Glasgow	70	155	University of Manchester	225	4 March 2019
University of Bristol	130	150	St Edmund Hall, Oxford	280	11 March 2019
Darwin College, Cambridge	225	130	Emmanuel College, Cambridge	355	18 March 2019
University of Edinburgh	155	120	University of Bristol	275	25 March 2019
University of Manchester	120	195	Darwin College, Cambridge	315	1 April 2019

Semi-finals

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
Durham University	110	180	University of Edinburgh	290	8 April 2019
St Edmund Hall, Oxford	165	140	Darwin College, Cambridge	305	15 April 2019

Final

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
University of Edinburgh	155	140	St Edmund Hall, Oxford	295	22 April 2019

In what was the most closely contested final University Challenge had seen for the past decade, St Edmund Hall, Oxford had leads of 40 to -5 and 80 to 40 before Edinburgh fought back to take a commanding 125 to 70 lead with around seven minutes left. St Edmund Hall, however, mounted a comeback of their own and took a 5-point lead with under a minute remaining.

However, Robbie Campbell-Hewson correctly answered the difficult ensuing starter question, identifying that the first three letters of the birthplace of William Gladstone, Beryl Bainbridge and Wayne Rooney (LIV of Liverpool) equalled 54 when spelt using roman numerals, to give Edinburgh a 5 point lead of their own. Edinburgh then successfully answered two bonus questions and allowed the clock to run down sufficiently to snatch victory.

• The trophy and title were thus awarded to the Edinburgh team of Matt Booth, Marco Malusà, Max Fitz-James, and Robbie Campbell Hewson.
• The Edinburgh team were the only Scottish champions in the Paxman era and the first since 1983.
• The trophy was presented by Sebastian Faulks.

Spin-off: Christmas Special 2018

First round

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.

Team 1			Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
Brasenose College, Oxford	100	150	University of Bristol	250	24 December 2018
University of Westminster	130	100	University of East Anglia	230	25 December 2018
Pembroke College, Cambridge	85	150	King's College London	235	26 December 2018
St Catherine's College, Oxford	130	135	Peterhouse, Cambridge	265	27 December 2018
University of Exeter	110	85	University of Birmingham	195	28 December 2018
Sheffield University	90	115	University of Manchester	205	31 December 2018
University of Edinburgh	120	160	London School of Economics	280	1 January 2019

Standings for the winners

Rank	Team	Team captain	Score
1	London School of Economics	Ekow Eshun	160
2=	University of Bristol	Misha Glenny	150
	King's College London	Anita Anand
4	Peterhouse, Cambridge	Michael Howard	135
5	University of Westminster	Danny Wallace	130
6	University of Manchester	David Aaronovitch	115
7	University of Exeter	Paul Jackson	110

Semi-finals

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
University of Bristol	205	100	King's College London	305	2 January 2019
Peterhouse, Cambridge	215	60	London School of Economics	275	3 January 2019

Final

Team 1	Score		Team 2	Total	Broadcast date
University of Bristol	125	190	Peterhouse, Cambridge	315	4 January 2019

The winning Peterhouse, Cambridge team of Dan Mazer, Mark Horton, Michael Howard, and Michael Axworthy beat the University of Bristol and their team of Philip Ball, Laura Wade, Misha Glenny and Iain Stewart.