The 50th series of University Challenge began on 13 July 2020 on BBC Two and ended on 5 April 2021. It was won by the University of Warwick for the institution's second title.

COVID-19 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.

The University of Manchester and three Oxford colleges – Merton, Balliol and Corpus Christi – all fielded reserves when filming resumed.

There were no debutant institutions in this series, with all institutions having appeared at least once previously. However this was only the second appearance of the Royal Academy of Music, having last been seen back in 1999.

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 Glasgow200145 University of Exeter 345 13 July 2020 University of Leicester180 Durham University 305 20 July 2020 Linacre College, Oxford140210 The Open University 350 27 July 2020 Imperial College London155190 University of Strathclyde 345 3 August 2020 University of Reading295 Birkbeck, University of London 345 10 August 2020 Balliol College, Oxford150 Clare College, Cambridge 285 17 August 2020 University of Bristol175 Corpus Christi College, Oxford 310 24 August 2020 Darwin College, Cambridge255 University of St Andrews 345 31 August 2020 University of York170 King's College London 270 7 September 2020 Merton College, Oxford210 Wolfson College, Cambridge 250 14 September 2020 Royal Academy of Music220 St John's College, Cambridge 270 21 September 2020 University of Warwick255 Wolfson College, Oxford 360 28 September 2020 University of Edinburgh155200 University of Manchester 355 5 October 2020 Magdalene College, Cambridge170 University College, Oxford 300 12 October 2020

Highest scoring losers play-offs Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date Imperial College London160 University of Exeter 315 19 October 2020 Linacre College, Oxford155 University of Edinburgh 280 26 October 2020

Second round Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date Imperial College London180 University of St Andrews 270 2 November 2020 University of Manchester135 University of Strathclyde 235 9 November 2020 Merton College, Oxford190 University of Warwick 280 16 November 2020 University of Edinburgh165 Durham University 310 23 November 2020 St John's College, Cambridge200 Balliol College, Oxford 355 30 November 2020 University of Glasgow175 King's College London 265 7 December 2020 Corpus Christi College, Oxford185 Magdalene College, Cambridge 300 14 December 2020 The Open University205 Birkbeck, University of London 300 4 January 2021

Quarterfinals Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date Magdalene College, Cambridge240140 Birkbeck, University of London 380 11 January 2021 Balliol College, Oxford14595 King's College London 240 18 January 2021 University of Strathclyde115155 Durham University 270 25 January 2021 Imperial College London120200 University of Warwick 320 1 February 2021 Magdalene College, Cambridge160200 University of Warwick 360 8 February 2021 King's College London265 Imperial College London 360 15 February 2021 Balliol College, Oxford17575 Durham University 250 22 February 2021 Birkbeck, University of London135 University of Strathclyde 240 1 March 2021 Imperial College London200 Durham University 300 8 March 2021 Magdalene College, Cambridge185 University of Strathclyde 310 15 March 2021

Semifinals Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date Imperial College London160 University of Warwick 295 22 March 2021 Magdalene College, Cambridge270 Balliol College, Oxford 320 29 March 2021

Final Team 1 Score Team 2 Total Broadcast date University of Warwick195 Magdalene College, Cambridge 335 5 April 2021

The trophy and title were awarded to the Warwick team of Richard Pollard, George Braid, Andrew Rout, and Owain Burrell. 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.

Spin-off: Christmas Special 2020

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 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 Nottingham University of Sheffield 215 24 December 2020 University of Central Lancashire170 Loughborough University 230 26 December 2020 Durham University Downing College, Cambridge 155 28 December 2020 New College, Oxford University of Reading 170 29 December 2020

Standings for the winners RankTeamTeam captainScore1St John's College, OxfordJohn Lanchester1802University of ManchesterAde Edmondson1753Loughborough UniversityKate Fox1704The Courtauld Institute of ArtJacky Klein1505University of NottinghamLevison Wood1456New College, OxfordLucy Cooke1107Durham UniversitySarah Keith-Lucas90

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

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.

References

External links University Challenge homepage Blanchflower Results Table