University Challenge 2023 start date confirmed as new series comes to BBC Two

University Challenge is back for a brand new series for 2023 here’s all you need to know.

New host Amol Rajan takes over as quizmaster for the first time as the competition gets underway

Having aired since the 1960s, the show sees teams of four from Universities across the country go head to head in a general knowledge knockout tournament.

When does University Challenge’s new series start on TV?

University Challenge will begin its 2023 series on Monday, 17 July at 8:30PM on BBC Two.

Journalist and broadcaster Amol Rajan will make his debut as host after Jeremy Paxman stepped down as presenter in 2022 after 28 years at the helm.

Episodes from the latest competition will continue weekly on Mondays on BBC Two.

As well as watching on TV, you’ll be able to watch episodes online via the iPlayer.

How does University Challenge work?

The quiz competition features teams from universities across the UK and the colleges of the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.

Applications took place last year with teams needing to take part in a general trivia quiz in order to be selected.

The competition starts with 28 teams who will each go head-to-head with the winners making the final 16. The top four highest-scoring losing teams in the first round will face-off for the final two places in the last 16.

The top 16 teams will then go head-to-head to determine the remaining eight teams for the quarter finals where teams must win two matches in order to progress.

The top teams from the semi-finals will face off in the grand final for the title.

University Challenge’s current title holders are Imperial College London – who will triumph this year?

University Challenge first aired in 1961, hosted by Bamber Gascoigne on ITV until 1987. The show made a return to the BBC in 1994 with Jeremy Paxman, where it has aired ever since. Roger Tilling has provided the voice over for the show since 2001.