Exeter College students take part in University Challenge

Four students from Exeter College will feature on BBC Two’s much-loved quiz show, University Challenge, which began its latest series on Monday 12 August.  

University Challenge, which first aired in 1962 and has seen 1,792 episodes filmed, is broadcasting its 54th series this year. Exeter College has appeared on the show multiple times, but while a team of Exeter alumni performed admirably in a special Christmas edition of University Challenge in 2022, this will be the first time Exeter has been represented in the student competition since 2008.  

The team, made up of team captain Schuyler Colfax (2023, Williams), Daniyal Vemuri (2023, PPE), Benjamin Gray (2022, Mathematics), Edie Allden (2022, Biochemistry) and reserve team member Sarita Williams (2020, English and French), filmed the episode in April. Edie Allden said of her experience: 

“Being on University Challenge was a great experience. We were the first non-alumni team to represent Exeter in years, so it was very exciting to finally bring us back onto the screen. The experience established great connections between a group of students who perhaps wouldn’t have met or formed close ties otherwise. None of us do the same subject, most of us are in different years, and Schuyler, our team captain, represents our ties with Williams College.” 

Exeter College’s episode will air on Monday 14 October at 8:30 PM on BBC2 and then will be available to watch in the UK on BBC iPlayer.  

Good luck to the whole team and Floreat Exon!

Exeter College students with University Challenge presenter Amol Rajan.