University Challenge 2021: Warwick crowned series champions after tense final with Magdalene College

The team from Warwick university have been named champions of University Challenge 2021 following a tense final with Magdalene College, Cambridge on Monday evening.

After fighting off competition from the brainiest students in the country over the past nine months, Warwick won by 195 points to 140.

Host Jeremy Paxman and guest presenter Simon Armitage handed over the champions trophy to the victorious team and shared their congratulations in the final.

‘They were very good, very impressive,’ Simon said, before joking: ‘I got them all right.’

The poet laureate also described his experience of appearing on the final as being ‘a ritual of humiliation’.

Questions in the final covered everything from Bonnie Prince Charlie to 21st century vampire films, Beatrix Potter characters, Stravinsky and the films of Rachel Talalay.

The first ever socially distanced series saw teams sit separated by clear partitions, and the presentation was conducted at a safe distance.

The first episode of the extensive series began back in July on BBC Two.

The Warwick team, comprising Richard Pollard, George Braid, Owain Burrell, and captained by Andrew Rout ran out winners.

The Magdalene team consisted of Adam Davies, James Byrne, Ceri Payne, and Daniel Lawson as their captain.

University Challenge is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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