Christmas University Challenge is a British quiz programme which has aired on BBC Two since 19 December 2011. It is a spin-off from University Challenge and airs daily over the Christmas period. It features teams of noteworthy alumni from British universities competing in the same format as the parent show.
Amol Rajan replaced Jeremy Paxman as host from December 2023. The current holders are Durham University.
Series overview
Series results Key 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 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.
2011 results
First Round Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of York125 University of Manchester 245 19 December 2011 Durham University135 University of Edinburgh 195 20 December 2011 Magdalen College, Oxford130 University College London 215 21 December 2011 University of Warwick225 University of Sheffield 275 22 December 2011 Trinity College, Cambridge225 University of St Andrews 305 24 December 2011
Semi-finals Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of Edinburgh265 University of Warwick 300 25 December 2011 Magdalen College, Oxford160 Trinity College, Cambridge 265 26 December 2011
Final Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of Warwick 235 Trinity College, Cambridge 280 27 December 2011
The 2011 series was won by Trinity College, Cambridge whose team of Robin Bhattacharyya, Daisy Goodwin, John Lloyd, and Edward Stourton beat the University of Warwick's team of Vadim Jean, Daisy Christodoulou, Christian Wolmar and Carla Mendonça.
2012 results
First Round Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of Bristol140 University of Leeds 275 17 December 2012 Newcastle University120 Loughborough University 230 18 December 2012 New College, Oxford240 London School of Economics 400 19 December 2012 University of Liverpool165 Cardiff University 305 20 December 2012 Newnham College, Cambridge155 University of Nottingham 265 21 December 2012 University of Exeter165 University of Glasgow 290 31 December 2012 University of Birmingham195 University of East Anglia 310 1 January 2013
Semi-finals Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date New College, Oxford220 University of Liverpool 345 2 January 2013 University of Glasgow150 University of East Anglia 265 3 January 2013
Final Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date New College, Oxford205 University of East Anglia 315 4 January 2013
The 2012 series was won by New College, Oxford whose team of Rachel Johnson, Patrick Gale, Kate Mosse and Yan Wong beat the University of East Anglia's team of John Boyne, Razia Iqbal, David Grossman and Charlie Higson.
2013 results
First Round Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of Reading185 Emmanuel College, Cambridge 270 20 December 2013 University of Kent160 Lancaster University 260 21 December 2013 Keele University140 Aberystwyth University 235 23 December 2013 Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge255 Christ Church, Oxford 320 26 December 2013 St Hugh's College, Oxford125 University of Stirling 220 27 December 2013 University of Leicester125 University of Sussex 185 30 December 2013 King's College London185 University of Southampton 290 31 December 2013
Semi-finals Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date Emmanuel College, Cambridge185 University of Southampton 290 1 January 2014 Lancaster University180 Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge 325 2 January 2014
Final Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date Emmanuel College, Cambridge175 Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge 315 3 January 2014
The 2013 series was won by Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge whose team of Quentin Stafford-Fraser, Helen Castor, Mark Damazer and Lars Tharp beat Emmanuel College, Cambridge and their team of Hugo Rifkind, Mary-Ann Ochota, Simon Singh and Rory McGrath.
2014 results First Round Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford195 University of Warwick 240 20 December 2014 University of Hull205 Newcastle University 230 23 December 2014 King's College, Cambridge160 Royal Holloway, University of London 310 24 December 2014 University of Edinburgh235 University of Leeds 280 25 December 2014 Trinity Hall, Cambridge195 Balliol College, Oxford 315 26 December 2014 University of York135 University of Surrey 245 29 December 2014 Manchester Metropolitan University145 Goldsmiths, University of London 220 30 December 2014
Semi-finals Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford175 University of Hull 320 31 December 2014 University of Edinburgh165 Trinity Hall, Cambridge 300 1 January 2015
Final Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of Hull 215 Trinity Hall, Cambridge 280 2 January 2015
The 2014 series was won by Trinity Hall, Cambridge whose team of Tom James, Emma Pooley, Adam Mars-Jones and Dan Starkey beat the University of Hull and their team of Rosie Millard, Malcolm Sinclair, Jenni Murray and Stan Cullimore.
2015 results First Round Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University College London155 University of Birmingham 235 20 December 2015 Oriel College, Oxford140 Trinity College, Cambridge 275 21 December 2015 University of Manchester195 University of East Anglia 230 22 December 2015 Christ's College, Cambridge140 University of Essex 230 23 December 2015 University of Exeter220 Magdalen College, Oxford 350 24 December 2015 University of Aberdeen185 University of Sheffield 275 28 December 2015 Durham University140 London School of Economics 270 29 December 2015
Semi-finals Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of Manchester160 University of Sheffield 265 30 December 2015 University College London195 Magdalen College, Oxford 295 31 December 2015
Final Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of Sheffield 230 Magdalen College, Oxford 290 1 January 2016
The 2015 series was won by Magdalen College, Oxford whose team of Robin Lane Fox, Heather Berlin, Louis Theroux and Matt Ridley beat the University of Sheffield and their team of Sid Lowe, Nicci Gerrard, Adam Hart and Ruth Reed.
2016 results
First Round Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of Manchester185 St Anne's College, Oxford 240 19 December 2016 University of Kent245 University of Sussex 280 20 December 2016 City, University of London145 Newcastle University 180 21 December 2016 SOAS University of London175 University of Leeds 260 22 December 2016 University of Edinburgh115 St Catharine's College, Cambridge 175 23 December 2016 Magdalene College, Cambridge225 St Hilda's College, Oxford 290 25 December 2016 University of Bristol75 University of Nottingham 145 26 December 2016
Semi-finals Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of Kent140 University of Leeds 270 27 December 2016 St Anne's College, Oxford165 St Hilda's College, Oxford 240 28 December 2016
Final Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of Leeds 160 St Hilda's College, Oxford 215 29 December 2016
The 2016 series was won by St Hilda's College, Oxford whose team of Fiona Caldicott, Daisy Dunn, Val McDermid and Adèle Geras beat the University of Leeds and their team of Louise Doughty, Gus Unger-Hamilton, Kamal Ahmed and Steve Bell.
2017 results
First Round Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date Durham University220 Keble College, Oxford 255 24 December 2017 Selwyn College, Cambridge145 University of St Andrews 235 26 December 2017 York University150 University of Southampton 220 27 December 2017 University of Leicester175 University College London 220 28 December 2017 St John's College, Cambridge155 St Edmund Hall, Oxford 195 29 December 2017 Queen Mary University of London110 Cardiff University 170 1 January 2018 Brunel University London155 University of Reading 200 2 January 2018
Semi-finals Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date Keble College, Oxford160 St John's College, Cambridge 265 3 January 2018University College London130University of Reading2554 January 2018
Final Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast dateKeble College, Oxford240University of Reading 2405 January 2018
The 2017 series was won by Keble College, Oxford whose team of Paul Johnson, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Katy Brand and Anne-Marie Imafidon beat the University of Reading and their team of Anna Machin, Martin Hughes-Games, Sophie Walker and Pippa Greenwood.
2018 results
First Round Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date Brasenose College, Oxford150 University of Bristol 250 24 December 2018 University of Westminster130 University of East Anglia 230 25 December 2018 Pembroke College, Cambridge150 King's College London 235 26 December 2018 St Catherine's College, Oxford135 Peterhouse, Cambridge 265 27 December 2018 University of Exeter110 University of Birmingham 195 28 December 2018 University of Sheffield115 University of Manchester 205 31 December 2018 University of Edinburgh160 London School of Economics 280 1 January 2019
Semi-finals Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of Bristol205 King's College London 305 2 January 2019 Peterhouse, Cambridge215 London School of Economics 275 3 January 2019
Final Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of Bristol190 Peterhouse, Cambridge 315 4 January 2019
The 2018 series was won by Peterhouse, Cambridge whose 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.
2019 results
First Round Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of Leeds205 Clare College, Cambridge 260 23 December 2019 Birmingham City University160 Wadham College, Oxford235 24 December 2019 Guildhall School of Music and Drama165 University College London 285 25 December 2019 University of Liverpool150 University of Hull 225 26 December 2019 Royal Holloway, University of London130 University of Sussex 200 27 December 2019 Trinity Hall, Cambridge180 St Peter's College, Oxford 265 30 December 2019 University of Warwick115 Imperial College London 195 31 December 2019
Semi-finals Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date Trinity Hall, Cambridge215 Wadham College, Oxford 240 1 January 2020 University of Leeds205 University College London 250 2 January 2020
Final Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date Wadham College, Oxford235 University of Leeds 365 3 January 2020
The 2019 series was won by the University of Leeds whose team of Jonathan Clements, Henry Gee, Richard Coles and Timothy Allen beat Wadham College, Oxford and their team of Jonathan Freedland, Tom Solomon, Anne McElvoy and Roger Mosey.
2020 results First Round Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date Christ's College, Cambridge180 St John's College, Oxford 230 21 December 2020 University of Manchester175 Queen's University Belfast 205 22 December 2020 The Courtauld Institute of Art150 Goldsmiths, University of London 250 23 December 2020 University of Nottingham145 University of Sheffield 215 24 December 2020 University of Central Lancashire170 Loughborough University 230 26 December 2020 Durham University 90 Downing College, Cambridge 155 28 December 2020 New College, Oxford110 University of Reading 170 29 December 2020
Semi-finals Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date St John's College, Oxford180 The Courtauld Institute of Art 315 30 December 2020 University of Manchester140 Loughborough University 210 31 December 2020
Final Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date The Courtauld Institute of Art150 University of Manchester 240 1 January 2021