During his staggering 28-year stint as the quiz show presenter, Jeremy Paxman has had more than a few memorable moments while grilling Britain’s brainiest students on the BBC‘s University Challenge. The journalist and author has been known to exclaim “what? No!” at students’ wrong answers during the quick-fire questions and when teams are taking too long to deliberate, he will urge them to hurry up by saying “come on, let’s have it please”. Express.co.uk delves into some of Paxman’s stand-out episodes.
UCL medical student, Tom Tyszczuk Smith, was ridiculed by Paxman for his answer when the university took on Bangor.
Paxman asked: “’The liberties of England and the Protestant religion I will maintain’. Which royal figure made that claim when he landed at Brixham, in Devon, in 1688?”
After a Bangor student answered incorrectly, Tyszczuk Smith chimed in with ‘William I’.
The now 72-year-old savagely recoiled at his answer, looking incredulous.
He said: “No! William I? No, I – I’m sorry, that’s the wrong answer. You know it’s very wrong – by about 600 years or so. Anyway, it’s William of Orange, of course, William III.”
Tyszczuk Smith repeatedly apologised, holding his hands up in shame.
In 2017, Balliol College, Oxford, took on Wolfson College, Cambridge, but Eric Monkman, a scholar at the latter, was dismissed by Paxman after fumbling his answer.
Paxman began to ask the two teams: “Traditionally regarded as a holy relic, the Iron Crown of Lombardy is housed…”
Cambridge’s Monkman then buzzed and interrupted, giving the answer “it’s housed in… Italy somewhere” before tailing off and apologising.
He then added: “I mean it’s the one they used to crown the king of Italy”.
Paxman was not the least bit impressed – staring at him before saying: “I’m afraid that is a completely useless answer.”
The Iron Crown is housed in Italy, in the Cathedral of Monza.
READ MORE: Jeremy Paxman quits University Challenge after 28 years
On another show, Glasgow University students were at a loss when it came to answering questions about Charles Dickens’ novels.
The team decided to take a risky tactic – which Paxman himself doubted – to answer ‘David Copperfield’ for every answer.
When they gave this as their third and final answer, Paxman, disgruntled, said: “No, it’s Little Dorrit. Everybody knows that!”
The former Newsnight presenter announced he was stepping down following his being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease last year.
His replacement is due to be announced later this week.
