# Christmas University Challenge

Christmas University Challenge is a British quiz programme which has aired on BBC Two since 19 December 2011. It is a spin-off from University Challenge that airs daily over the Christmas period, and features teams of noteworthy alumni from British universities competing in the same format as the parent show.
Amol Rajan replaced Jeremy Paxman as host from December 2023. The current holders are Durham University.

## Series
### Key

* Winning teams are highlighted in bold.
* Teams with green scores (winners) returned in the next round, while those with red scores (losers) were eliminated.
* Teams with orange scores won their match but did not achieve a high enough score to proceed to the next round.
* A score in italics indicates a match decided on a tie-breaker question.

### 2011 results

First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of York | 120 | 125 | University of Manchester | 245 | 19 December 2011 |
| Durham University | 60 | 135 | University of Edinburgh | 195 | 20 December 2011 |
| Magdalen College, Oxford | 130 | 85 | University College London | 215 | 21 December 2011 |
| University of Warwick | 225 | 50 | University of Sheffield | 275 | 22 December 2011 |
| Trinity College, Cambridge | 225 | 80 | University of St Andrews | 305 | 24 December 2011 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Edinburgh | 35 | 265 | University of Warwick | 300 | 25 December 2011 |
| Magdalen College, Oxford | 105 | 160 | Trinity College, Cambridge | 265 | 26 December 2011 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Warwick | 60 | 235 | Trinity College, Cambridge | 280 | 27 December 2011 |
The 2011 series was won by Trinity College, Cambridge whose team of Robin Bhattacharyya, Daisy Goodwin, John Lloyd, and Edward Stourton beat the University of Warwick's team of Vadim Jean, Daisy Christodoulou, Christian Wolmar and Carla Mendonça.

### 2012 results

First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Bristol | 135 | 140 | University of Leeds | 275 | 17 December 2012 |
| Newcastle University | 120 | 110 | Loughborough University | 230 | 18 December 2012 |
| New College, Oxford | 240 | 160 | London School of Economics | 400 | 19 December 2012 |
| University of Liverpool | 165 | 140 | Cardiff University | 305 | 20 December 2012 |
| Newnham College, Cambridge | 155 | 110 | University of Nottingham | 265 | 21 December 2012 |
| University of Exeter | 125 | 165 | University of Glasgow | 290 | 31 December 2012 |
| University of Birmingham | 115 | 195 | University of East Anglia | 310 | 1 January 2013 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| New College, Oxford | 220 | 125 | University of Liverpool | 345 | 2 January 2013 |
| University of Glasgow | 115 | 150 | University of East Anglia | 265 | 3 January 2013 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| New College, Oxford | 205 | 110 | University of East Anglia | 315 | 4 January 2013 |
The 2012 series was won by New College, Oxford whose team of Rachel Johnson, Patrick Gale, Kate Mosse and Yan Wong beat the University of East Anglia's team of John Boyne, Razia Iqbal, David Grossman and Charlie Higson.

### 2013 results

First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Reading | 85 | 185 | Emmanuel College, Cambridge | 270 | 20 December 2013 |
| University of Kent | 100 | 160 | Lancaster University | 260 | 21 December 2013 |
| Keele University | 140 | 95 | Aberystwyth University | 235 | 23 December 2013 |
| Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge | 255 | 65 | Christ Church, Oxford | 320 | 26 December 2013 |
| St Hugh's College, Oxford | 125 | 95 | University of Stirling | 220 | 27 December 2013 |
| University of Leicester | 125 | 60 | University of Sussex | 185 | 30 December 2013 |
| King's College London | 105 | 185 | University of Southampton | 290 | 31 December 2013 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Emmanuel College, Cambridge | 185 | 105 | University of Southampton | 290 | 1 January 2014 |
| Lancaster University | 145 | 180 | Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge | 325 | 2 January 2014 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Emmanuel College, Cambridge | 140 | 175 | Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge | 315 | 3 January 2014 |
The 2013 series was won by Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge whose team of Quentin Stafford-Fraser, Helen Castor, Mark Damazer and Lars Tharp beat Emmanuel College, Cambridge and their team of Hugo Rifkind, Mary-Ann Ochota, Simon Singh and Rory McGrath.

### 2014 results

First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford | 195 | 45 | University of Warwick | 240 | 20 December 2014 |
| University of Hull | 205 | 25 | Newcastle University | 230 | 23 December 2014 |
| King's College, Cambridge | 160 | 150 | Royal Holloway, University of London | 310 | 24 December 2014 |
| University of Edinburgh | 235 | 45 | University of Leeds | 280 | 25 December 2014 |
| Trinity Hall, Cambridge | 195 | 120 | Balliol College, Oxford | 315 | 26 December 2014 |
| University of York | 135 | 110 | University of Surrey | 245 | 29 December 2014 |
| Manchester Metropolitan University | 145 | 75 | Goldsmiths, University of London | 220 | 30 December 2014 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford | 145 | 175 | University of Hull | 320 | 31 December 2014 |
| University of Edinburgh | 135 | 165 | Trinity Hall, Cambridge | 300 | 1 January 2015 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Hull | 65 | 215 | Trinity Hall, Cambridge | 280 | 2 January 2015 |
The 2014 series was won by Trinity Hall, Cambridge whose team of Tom James, Emma Pooley, Adam Mars-Jones and Dan Starkey beat the University of Hull and their team of Rosie Millard, Malcolm Sinclair, Jenni Murray and Stan Cullimore.

### 2015 results

First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University College London | 155 | 80 | University of Birmingham | 235 | 20 December 2015 |
| Oriel College, Oxford | 135 | 140 | Trinity College, Cambridge | 275 | 21 December 2015 |
| University of Manchester | 195 | 35 | University of East Anglia | 230 | 22 December 2015 |
| Christ's College, Cambridge | 90 | 140 | University of Essex | 230 | 23 December 2015 |
| University of Exeter | 130 | 220 | Magdalen College, Oxford | 350 | 24 December 2015 |
| University of Aberdeen | 90 | 185 | University of Sheffield | 275 | 28 December 2015 |
| Durham University | 140 | 130 | London School of Economics | 270 | 29 December 2015 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Manchester | 105 | 160 | University of Sheffield | 265 | 30 December 2015 |
| University College London | 100 | 195 | Magdalen College, Oxford | 295 | 31 December 2015 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Sheffield | 60 | 230 | Magdalen College, Oxford | 290 | 1 January 2016 |
The 2015 series was won by Magdalen College, Oxford whose team of Robin Lane Fox, Heather Berlin, Louis Theroux and Matt Ridley beat the University of Sheffield and their team of Sid Lowe, Nicci Gerrard, Adam Hart and Ruth Reed.

### 2016 results

First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Manchester | 55 | 185 | St Anne's College, Oxford | 240 | 19 December 2016 |
| University of Kent | 245 | 35 | University of Sussex | 280 | 20 December 2016 |
| City, University of London | 145 | 35 | Newcastle University | 180 | 21 December 2016 |
| SOAS University of London | 85 | 175 | University of Leeds | 260 | 22 December 2016 |
| University of Edinburgh | 115 | 60 | St Catharine's College, Cambridge | 175 | 23 December 2016 |
| Magdalene College, Cambridge | 65 | 225 | St Hilda's College, Oxford | 290 | 25 December 2016 |
| University of Bristol | 70 | 75 | University of Nottingham | 145 | 26 December 2016 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Kent | 130 | 140 | University of Leeds | 270 | 27 December 2016 |
| St Anne's College, Oxford | 75 | 165 | St Hilda's College, Oxford | 240 | 28 December 2016 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Leeds | 55 | 160 | St Hilda's College, Oxford | 215 | 29 December 2016 |
The 2016 series was won by St Hilda's College, Oxford whose team of Fiona Caldicott, Daisy Dunn, Val McDermid and Adèle Geras beat the University of Leeds and their team of Louise Doughty, Gus Unger-Hamilton, Kamal Ahmed and Steve Bell.

### 2017 results

First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Durham University | 35 | 220 | Keble College, Oxford | 255 | 24 December 2017 |
| Selwyn College, Cambridge | 145 | 90 | University of St Andrews | 235 | 26 December 2017 |
| York University | 70 | 150 | University of Southampton | 220 | 27 December 2017 |
| University of Leicester | 45 | 175 | University College London | 220 | 28 December 2017 |
| St John's College, Cambridge | 155 | 40 | St Edmund Hall, Oxford | 195 | 29 December 2017 |
| Queen Mary University of London | 110 | 60 | Cardiff University | 170 | 1 January 2018 |
| Brunel University London | 45 | 155 | University of Reading | 200 | 2 January 2018 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Keble College, Oxford | 160 | 105 | St John's College, Cambridge | 265 | 3 January 2018 |
| University College London | 125 | 130 | University of Reading | 255 | 4 January 2018 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Keble College, Oxford | 240 | 0 | University of Reading | 240 | 5 January 2018 |
The 2017 series was won by Keble College, Oxford whose team of Paul Johnson, Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Katy Brand and Anne-Marie Imafidon beat the University of Reading and their team of Anna Machin, Martin Hughes-Games, Sophie Walker and Pippa Greenwood.

### 2018 results

First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Brasenose College, Oxford | 100 | 150 | University of Bristol | 250 | 24 December 2018 |
| University of Westminster | 130 | 100 | University of East Anglia | 230 | 25 December 2018 |
| Pembroke College, Cambridge | 85 | 150 | King's College London | 235 | 26 December 2018 |
| St Catherine's College, Oxford | 130 | 135 | Peterhouse, Cambridge | 265 | 27 December 2018 |
| University of Exeter | 110 | 85 | University of Birmingham | 195 | 28 December 2018 |
| University of Sheffield | 90 | 115 | University of Manchester | 205 | 31 December 2018 |
| University of Edinburgh | 120 | 160 | London School of Economics | 280 | 1 January 2019 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Bristol | 205 | 100 | King's College London | 305 | 2 January 2019 |
| Peterhouse, Cambridge | 215 | 60 | London School of Economics | 275 | 3 January 2019 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Bristol | 125 | 190 | Peterhouse, Cambridge | 315 | 4 January 2019 |
The 2018 series was won by Peterhouse, Cambridge whose team of Dan Mazer, Mark Horton, Michael Howard and Michael Axworthy beat the University of Bristol and their team of Philip Ball, Laura Wade, Misha Glenny and Iain Stewart.

### 2019 results

First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Leeds | 205 | 55 | Clare College, Cambridge | 260 | 23 December 2019 |
| Birmingham City University | 75 | 160 | Wadham College, Oxford | 235 | 24 December 2019 |
| Guildhall School of Music and Drama | 120 | 165 | University College London | 285 | 25 December 2019 |
| University of Liverpool | 75 | 150 | University of Hull | 225 | 26 December 2019 |
| Royal Holloway, University of London | 70 | 130 | University of Sussex | 200 | 27 December 2019 |
| Trinity Hall, Cambridge | 180 | 85 | St Peter's College, Oxford | 265 | 30 December 2019 |
| University of Warwick | 80 | 115 | Imperial College London | 195 | 31 December 2019 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Trinity Hall, Cambridge | 25 | 215 | Wadham College, Oxford | 240 | 1 January 2020 |
| University of Leeds | 205 | 45 | University College London | 250 | 2 January 2020 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Wadham College, Oxford | 130 | 235 | University of Leeds | 365 | 3 January 2020 |
The 2019 series was won by the University of Leeds whose team of Jonathan Clements, Henry Gee, Richard Coles and Timothy Allen beat Wadham College, Oxford and their team of Jonathan Freedland, Tom Solomon, Anne McElvoy and Roger Mosey.

### 2020 results

First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Christ's College, Cambridge | 50 | 180 | St John's College, Oxford | 230 | 21 December 2020 |
| University of Manchester | 175 | 30 | Queen's University Belfast | 205 | 22 December 2020 |
| The Courtauld Institute of Art | 150 | 100 | Goldsmiths, University of London | 250 | 23 December 2020 |
| University of Nottingham | 145 | 70 | University of Sheffield | 215 | 24 December 2020 |
| University of Central Lancashire | 60 | 170 | Loughborough University | 230 | 26 December 2020 |
| Durham University | 90 | 65 | Downing College, Cambridge | 155 | 28 December 2020 |
| New College, Oxford | 110 | 60 | University of Reading | 170 | 29 December 2020 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| St John's College, Oxford | 135 | 180 | The Courtauld Institute of Art | 315 | 30 December 2020 |
| University of Manchester | 140 | 70 | Loughborough University | 210 | 31 December 2020 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| The Courtauld Institute of Art | 150 | 90 | University of Manchester | 240 | 1 January 2021 |
The 2020 series was won by The Courtauld Institute of Art whose team of Tim Marlow, Lavinia Greenlaw, Jacky Klein and Jeremy Deller beat the University of Manchester and their team of David Nott, Juliet Jacques, Adrian Edmondson and Justin Edwards.

### 2021 results

First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Edinburgh | 160 | 125 | University of Leicester | 285 | 20 December 2021 |
| University of Winchester | 95 | 130 | University of Bradford | 225 | 21 December 2021 |
| University of Bristol | 95 | 125 | King's College, Cambridge | 220 | 22 December 2021 |
| London School of Economics | 75 | 130 | Hertford College, Oxford | 205 | 23 December 2021 |
| Corpus Christi College, Cambridge | 130 | 145 | St Anne's College, Oxford | 275 | 24 December 2021 |
| Birkbeck, University of London | 125 | 30 | University of Portsmouth | 155 | 27 December 2021 |
| University of Kent | 115 | 95 | Goldsmiths, University of London | 210 | 28 December 2021 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Edinburgh | 145 | 125 | University of Bradford | 270 | 29 December 2021 |
| Hertford College, Oxford | 155 | 95 | St Anne's College, Oxford | 250 | 30 December 2021 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Edinburgh | 235 | 95 | Hertford College, Oxford | 330 | 31 December 2021 |
The 2021 series was won by the University of Edinburgh whose team of Catherine Slessor, Thomasina Miers, Miles Jupp and Phil Swanson beat Hertford College, Oxford and their team of Soweto Kinch, Elizabeth Norton, Adam Fleming and Isabelle Westbury.

### 2022 results

First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| SOAS University of London | 75 | 155 | Balliol College, Oxford | 230 | 19 December 2022 |
| University College, Oxford | 75 | 110 | University of Glasgow | 195 | 20 December 2022 |
| Durham University | 45 | 200 | University of York | 245 | 21 December 2022 |
| Exeter College, Oxford | 150 | 70 | Queen Mary University of London | 220 | 22 December 2022 |
| University of Hull | 135 | 35 | University of the West of England | 170 | 23 December 2022 |
| University College London | 85 | 115 | University of Aberdeen | 200 | 26 December 2022 |
| University of Bristol | 125 | 105 | Cardiff University | 230 | 27 December 2022 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of York | 100 | 155 | University of Hull | 255 | 28 December 2022 |
| Balliol College, Oxford | 215 | 125 | Exeter College, Oxford | 340 | 29 December 2022 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Hull | 70 | 165 | Balliol College, Oxford | 235 | 30 December 2022 |
The 2022 series was won by Balliol College, Oxford whose team of Elizabeth Kiss, Andrew Copson, Martin Edwards and Martin O’Neill beat the University of Hull and their team of Katharine Norbury, James Graham, Sian Reese-Williams and Graeme Hall. This was the last Christmas special to be hosted by Jeremy Paxman after 11 years.
* ↑ As the opening weekend of Graham's musical Tammy Faye clashed with the recording of the Final, Sarah Peverley took his place.

### 2023 results

There were only six first-round matches due to one episode being removed. This was after complaints were received from two contestants who felt their accessibility requirements were not met during filming. Neither the contestants nor their institution have been named, other than being colleges of Oxford and Cambridge. The rest of the series was broadcast as normal.
First Round
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| King's College London | 155 | 120 | City, University of London | 275 | 18 December 2023 |
| Royal Holloway, University of London | 170 | 95 | University of East Anglia | 265 | 19 December 2023 |
| University of Dundee | 75 | 185 | Bangor University | 260 | 20 December 2023 |
| Corpus Christi College, Oxford | 265 | 80 | University of Edinburgh | 345 | 21 December 2023 |
| Imperial College London | 110 | 80 | University of Liverpool | 190 | 22 December 2023 |
| Middlesex University | 175 | 115 | University of Leeds | 290 | 26 December 2023 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Royal Holloway, University of London | 160 | 180 | Corpus Christi College, Oxford | 340 | 27 December 2023 |
| Bangor University | 85 | 195 | Middlesex University | 280 | 28 December 2023 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Corpus Christi College, Oxford | 80 | 175 | Middlesex University | 255 | 29 December 2023 |
The winning Middlesex University team consisted of David Heathcote, Lola Young, Heather Phillipson and David Hepworth, who beat Corpus Christi College, Oxford and their team of Francesca Happé, Michael Cockerell, Alex Bellos and Steve Waters.
* ↑ Originally Dan Renton Skinner was the team captain, but he was unable to make the recordings of the semi-finals/final, so Heather Phillipson took over as captain, and David Heathcote took his place as a team member.

### 2024 results

| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| University of Warwick | 35 | 265 | Durham University | 300 | 23 December 2024 |
| Worcester College, Oxford | 155 | 105 | University of Bristol | 260 | 24 December 2024 |
| Manchester Metropolitan University | 110 | 135 | University of Brighton | 245 | 26 December 2024 |
| Leeds Trinity University | 100 | 115 | University of Nottingham | 215 | 27 December 2024 |
| University of Southampton | 125 | 150 | Churchill College, Cambridge | 275 | 29 December 2024 |
| Emmanuel College, Cambridge | 95 | 175 | Queens' College, Cambridge | 270 | 30 December 2024 |
| University of St Andrews | 130 | 65 | London School of Economics | 195 | 31 December 2024 |
Semi-finals
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Durham University | 120 | 85 | Worcester College, Oxford | 205 | 1 January 2025 |
| Churchill College, Cambridge | 95 | 105 | Queens' College, Cambridge | 200 | 2 January 2025 |
Final
| Team 1 | Score | Score | Team 2 | Total | Broadcast date |
| Durham University | 125 | 120 | Queens' College, Cambridge | 245 | 3 January 2025 |
Snatching victory on the final starter-for-ten, the winning Durham University team consisted of Liz James, Tracey MacLeod, Carla Denyer, and Sophia Smith Galer, who beat the Queens' College, Cambridge team of John Zarnecki, Stephanie Merritt, Jenny Kleeman and Richard K. Morgan.