R2OK!

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6784

True,but could be interesting,perhaps,seeing how both teams tackle it. Very Happy

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6784

Obviously some time had gone by between last night's edition of University Challenge and last week's programme.

Jeremy Paxman's hair!!! Shocked

Doesn't look like he has seen the inside of a barbers this side of March.

Also noticeable were partitions between the teams - Only Connect have had them from the start of this series.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19293 Location: Cheshire

Yes didn't he look a mess! He was wearing glasses on the last couple of episodes.

They must have done the previous ones before lockdown. When it first came back I thought they must film them much further in advance that I thought but obviously not quite!

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6784

Will think of Bamber Gascoigne tonight watching University Challenge .

Sad to hear of his death last week. Sad

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19293 Location: Cheshire

Strangely I did to while watching Becky.

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

Ian Robinson · Posted: Thu Aug 18, 2022 11:48 pm Post subject:

Very disappointed with the choice of Amol Rajan as the new University Challenge presenter. With Paul O'Grady's enforced departure and now this I'm starting to think the BBC actively hate us all.

oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1167 Location: London

Firstly, I'm sorry to see Jeremy can't continue anymore. I noticed the signs in the last series. All the very best to him.

I know Samira Ahmed applied for UC and hoped she'd get it. She was pretty confident, too. I dare say it was cut and dried ages ago, with regard to Amol Rajan.
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life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19293 Location: Cheshire

I am too, and it seems BBC 'insiders', whoever they might be, are as well. Apparently he was poached by ITV but didn't go so they now have to find him something to do........

A dreadful choice IMHO. I don't find him easy to understand at times, he talks too fast. In fact I often 'switch off' from anything he reports on but I haven't seen much of him of late........???

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

Ian Robinson · Posted: Fri Aug 19, 2022 9:31 am Post subject:

Angela W · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 7180 Location: North Yorkshire

I think he is a poor choice, he sounds flippant and sloppy on the Today programme. Some of the phrases he uses makes my o/h cringe!
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Pirate Johnnie Walker played my request on 11 April 2009

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19293 Location: Cheshire

The latest series is back tonight followed at 9pm with a 60 year special.

It's repeated Friday night at 11.05pm I think which will help with our recording schedule tonight!

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6784

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19293 Location: Cheshire

Yes it was a good one last night! Of late I've often thought the first few have been a bit flat, with teams appearing a bit nervous perhaps.

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1167 Location: London

The 60 year special was pretty special, too. Watching Jeremy in his pomp was bitter sweet. There's no chance of Amol Rajan flilling his boots.
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life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6784

Jeremy recorded his last University Challenge on the 15th October according to this programme - Paxman: Putting Up With Parkinson's.

Recorded it a while ago and just got round to watching it. He was his well known cantankerous self as he visited different places to find out more about Parkinson's.

He found out he had it in what was an usual way! He was walking his dog one day when he fell over and had to go to hospital. The doctor who attended him said he thought he had Parkinson's and explained that he watched Jeremy on UC and that his face had the 'Parkinson's mask'

He made a visit to Ozzy Osbourne who has Parkinson's - we didn't see him but he talked with Sharon.

He did some ballet dancing (sat down) and went bowling. He has since joined a bowling club.

An astonishing part of the programme was when he visited Manchester University and met a woman who can smell Parkinson's on people.

All in all an interesting and informative programme

https://www.itv.com/hub/paxman-putting-up-with-parkinsons/10a2082a0001

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6784

With no great fanfare - more than likely at his own request - Jeremy left University Challenge. ☹️☹️

Ian Robinson · Posted: Wed May 31, 2023 11:59 pm Post subject:

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19293 Location: Cheshire

I'll probably give it a go but not holding out much hope.

I did wonder how they would do the presentation given Jeremy's health issues.

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6784

I'm with Helen on this - I will probably give it a go but am really not keen on Amol Rajan.

The presentation was a bit of an odd affair this year. Yung Chang came on and delivered a nice little speech, then the winning captain was called up to receive the trophy.

It is usually presented by the guest but he just picked it up himself. 🙂

FleetingEileenM · Joined: 30 Mar 2010 Posts: 5742 Location: Hampshire

I agree about the odd moment when the winning captain picked up the trophy instead of waiting for it to be presented to him.

I too am not keen on Jeremy's replacement but I'll give it a go I suppose.

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19293 Location: Cheshire

The new series of University Challenge kicks off tomorrow BBC 2 at 8.30pm!

It always signals a change in the seasons for me somehow.

I wonder how it will all work out with the new presenter and from what I've read a completely new set. I'm guessing it will take a little while to get used to, but it will be good have a Monday night routine even if I do record it and often start watching about 10 mins late!

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

becky sharp · Joined: 01 Dec 2008 Posts: 6784

Such a good, first contest last night that the focus on Rajan was somewhat diminished for me.

He rattles along at a faster pace than Jeremy - could have been because he reads the questions off a monitor rather than cards.

The Telegraph said...

University Challenge, review: Amol Rajan reins in the smug to ensure the quiz is the star.

The review that follows in not at all bad so goodness knows what it would have been like if they really didn't like him!

I've watched this programme for so many years that I will probably continue unless Rajan dials up the 'smug'

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/0/university-challenge-amol-rajan-review/

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19293 Location: Cheshire

I found it a bit hard going to be honest Becky. His voice doesn't project enough for you to understand some of the questions (the long and complicated ones of which there were a fair few last night) and of course he speaks too fast. It's not the volume of his voice just that I don't think it carries well enough. I never liked listening to him on the news either.

I felt it was a good first round though, as in the past few years I felt the teams were a bit flat for the first few weeks and the scores were often quite low.

We'll see how it goes, I doubt they'll make any changes as they will have been recorded a good while ago., OH not impressed so he probably will read the paper or his tablet while it's on. I'll stick with it for now but not the show it was for me.

Glad the screens between the players have at long last gone!

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005

Angela W · Joined: 11 Dec 2006 Posts: 7180 Location: North Yorkshire

I can't put up with Amol Rajan so will give it a miss. Someone like Stuart Maconie would have been better. He takes part in an afternoon radio quiz programme, but I guess he wouldn't fit in with the way the BBC is going.
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Pirate Johnnie Walker played my request on 11 April 2009

oldraver · Joined: 18 Dec 2006 Posts: 1167 Location: London

I couldn't help thinking that this wasn't the first show in the new series, but a cherry picked one, because of the close game, to get more people to accept the new UC.

Nobody could match Paxo and I do think that Samira Ahmed should have got the gig. As well as deserving the job, it would have been more acceptable to go the whole hog and have a woman picking up the reins.

I struggled to keep up with Amol's yakking, so if I do watch from time to time, I'll put the subbys on.
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life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans

Helen May · Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 19293 Location: Cheshire

You could well be right Raver, I'd never thought that this 'first episode' could have been the 5th or 6th. As I said above I always think the series needs a few episodes to get going. We'll see what happens tomorrow.

H
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88 - 91 FM this is Radio 2 from the BBC!

I said it live on air in the studio with Jeremy Vine on 10/3/2005