Jeremy Paxman is business as usual as he kicks off final series on University Challenge-Tori Brazier-Entertainment – Metro

Jeremy Paxman cracked on with the job at hand as his final series started (Picture: BBC)

Jeremy Paxman has kicked off his final series as presenter of University Challenge.

Having first started hosting the iconic BBC quiz programme in 1994, the 72-year-old is set to pack away his question cards for the final time at the end of the new series’ run next summer.

Paxman, who is being replaced by Amol Rajan, was business as usual as he introduced the first of 28 universities taking part this series.

Bristol and Durham took part in the first first round episode of University Challenge, with the series set to stretch weeks into 2023 and the end of the academic year, when this series’ victor will be crowned.

Paxman’s 29th series at the helm began as expected, with the presenter very much keeping business as usual as he introduced the show, its contestants and a brief reminder on the rules.

 Viewers were already preparing to bid goodbye to the long-standing host as the first episode began.

The presenter was the front of the well-oiled quizzing machine as his 29th season began (Picture: BBC)

Two prior competitor universities were in the hot seat (Picture: BBC)

‘37 weeks is a long lap of honour but Jeremy Paxman has earned it. He’s been a brilliant host (for TWENTY NINE YEARS) of University Challenge,’ commented one, adding: ‘Big shoes to fill.’

Another wrote: ‘I remember vividly going to watch a recording of University Challenge in Manchester while at University in 1994 when Jezza Paxman was quite a new presenter. We are now both considerably older.’

‘Oh it’s going to be so sad to hear Paxo’s name for the last time at the end of this series,’ lamented another fan.

A reasonably fair fight for the opening episode saw Bristol in the lead for the majority until Durham came from behind and snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with just seconds to spare, prompting a ‘You do like to live dangerously’ quip from Paxman.

Paxman congratulated Durham on their last-minute triumph (Picture: BBC)

With news of Paxman’s exit shared earlier this month, Kate Phillips, the BBC’s Director of Unscripted, commented: ‘Since the BBC revived University Challenge in 1994 Jeremy has been at the front and centre of the show’s success and is without doubt one of the world’s finest, and most formidable quizmasters.

‘We are hugely grateful to Jeremy for his dedication to the programme for an incredible 28 years, he will be much missed by us all and the show’s millions of viewers.’

University Challenge was originally launched in the 1960s, when it was helmed by Bamber Gascoigne for over two decades.

This year marks its 60th anniversary, as Britain’s longest-running TV quiz show.

In 1994, it was revived by the BBC, bringing Paxman is as the new quizmaster.

In May last year, it was announced that Paxman had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, as he revealed that his symptoms were ‘mild’ and he was receiving ‘excellent treatment’.

‘I can confirm I have recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease,’ he said in a statement released at the time.

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He added that he planned on continuing to broadcast and write ‘for as long as they’ll have me’.

Earlier this month, it was confirmed that Paxman was working on an ITV documentary about his journey with the condition, called Putting Up With Parkinson’s.

University Challenge continues next Monday at 8:30pm on BBC 2.

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