A PhD candidate and an aspiring educator are the first mother-son combo to debut on University Challenge together.
Rachel, age 53, and Louis Collier, age 26, both competed for University College London after auditioning for the quiz program during their overlap in studies.
Sam, Zita, and Rosa, in addition to Rachel’s husband, are also quizzers.
I’ve always like the program.
Louis, a holder of a postgraduate qualification in education, told The Times, “We grew up watching it very obsessively every week.”
The physics and mathematics instructor continued, ‘And I participated in a little University Challenge society at school.’
Rachel, who is also a teacher, described how she forwarded Louis the advertisement when the students’ union began picking its squad.
She stated, “Louis was initially apprehensive.”
But we responded, “Oh, come on, let’s do it, it’ll be a hoot.”
Rachel, 53, and Louis Collier, 26, both auditioned for University College London’s quiz program while their courses overlapped.
Rachel studied art history, while Louis studied Olympic history, poetry, and the Bible for their “grueling” preparation.
However, Rachel, who is pursuing a PhD in Classics part-time, suffers from stage fear.
Speaking of her appearance on the show, she stated, ‘I found the entire experience extremely nerve-wracking and somewhat of a distraction from my academic work, but the stress was more than compensated for by the pleasure of spending a great deal of time with Louis, who had flown the coop a few years prior.’
In contrast, her son regarded the experience as “unique,” “awesome,” “intense,” and “exhausting,” but ultimately rewarding.
UCL will now appear against Sheffield on October 17 on BBC2.
It follows the announcement that host Jeremy Paxman will step down after 28 years, ending his reign as the longest-serving current quizmaster on UK television.
It follows the announcement that Jeremy Paxman (pictured) will step down as host after 28 years, ending his reign as the longest-serving current UK television quizmaster.
In the fall of 2023, Amol Rajan will replace Paxman as the host of University Challenge.
Amol Rajan will succeed Paxman as host of University Challenge beginning in the fall of 2023.
Since its revival by the BBC in 1994, the 72-year-old, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease last year, has hosted the show.
His final episode will be filmed in the fall, and his final season will air on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer from Monday, August 29, until the summer of 2023.
The journalist and broadcaster remarked, “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed hosting this fantastic programme for nearly 29 years.”
I’ve had the good fortune to work with an incredible team and meet some of the brightest minds in the country. It inspires optimism for the future.
Mr. Paxman quit the BBC current affairs show Newsnight in June 2014 after 25 years as its host.
In May of the previous year, he disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.
After observing him on University Challenge during lockdown, he said his doctor got him checked for the incurable disease.
The veteran host stated he experienced frequent falls, including one that left him with “black eyes,” and admitted it was “extremely difficult to realize you’re not getting better.”