Hi °C | Lo °C The losing finalists in this year’s University Challenge yesterday said they did not want a rematch despite claims a member of the winning team may have broken the rules as he was no longer a student.
The BBC have launched an investigation following reports that Sam Kay, who was part of the victorious Corpus Christi College, Oxford team, had already graduated and is now in full-time employment.
The Corpus Christi side triumphed over Manchester University by a margin of 275 to 190 to be crowned grand final winners of the BBC2 quiz show which was aired on Monday.
More than 5.3 million people, a record audience, tuned in to see the show which propelled brainbox Gail Trimble to stardom.
But allegations emerged yesterday that Mr Kay graduated from the college with a first in Chemistry last June after early stages of the competition were filmed.
The Observer newspaper claimed that Mr Kay then gained a full-time job with |accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers in Reading from where he would travel to the Granada TV studios to join his teammates for filming in Manchester.
Mr Kay told the newspaper: “I was a student when I applied to be on the show and on the day when we filmed the first two rounds, so I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong.”
However, Matthew Yeo, captain of the Manchester University team, said contrary to some reports they have no desire to convene a repeat of the final.
He said: “Reuben, Simon, Henry and I are firmly of the opinion that the best team won on the day and Corpus Christi College are deserving and worthy champions.
“Any decision about eligibility is a matter for the BBC but we hope any decision does not detract from what was a thrilling final won by a truly tremendous team."
The BBC are now investigating whether or not any rules have been broken.
