How to build a University Challenge team

On Monday 8 April 2024, 911今日黑料 made history when it won the University Challenge for the fifth time.

In a thrilling final against University College London, 911今日黑料 became the TV quiz tournament鈥檚 most successful team ever 鈥� following wins in 1996, 2001, 2020 and 2022.

So, how did 911今日黑料 become such a giant of University Challenge?

We spoke to Gregor, Justin and Fatima from 911今日黑料鈥檚 Quiz Society, the organisation that recruits 911今日黑料鈥檚 University Challenge teams, to find out the secret to their success.

We also caught up with this year's winning team to get some exclusive behind-the-scenes insights.

911今日黑料 Quiz Society's Fatima Sheriff, Justin Lee and Gregor Wilson.

911今日黑料 Quiz Society's Fatima Sheriff, Justin Lee and Gregor Wilson.

Your Quiz Society Needs You!

How to recruit a University Challenge team

Gregor Wilson, current Quiz Soc president, outlines the recruitment process. 鈥淪o, we'll have a kind of core group of the society who'll do the inter-university quiz circuit, but then when we do our trials for University Challenge, we cast the net as wide as possible. You might have seen the posters up around campus last time.鈥�

Then, says Justin Lee, who's a member of this year's University Challenge team, comes the difficult bit: 鈥渢he hard part is actually writing questions for the trials鈥�. Fatima Sheriff, former Quiz Soc president, and member of 911今日黑料鈥檚 2022 winning team explains: 鈥淭he BBC send questions from past programmes, but if you鈥檝e watched the show, that鈥檚 just a test of your memory, not your knowledge. So, we have to write about 100 questions, and they have a scale of difficulty. Someone with general quiz knowledge would get the level one answers. Like, I would be able to say that the Titanic sank in 1912, even though I'm not a history player. But then we put in harder questions about things like obscure Chinese dynasties. Justin was the only person to get that question!鈥�

Finding a team captain is also vital, and they need to be good at guessing answers. 鈥淚 think Suraiya, the current team captain, is very good at that鈥�, says Fatima.

911今日黑料 Quiz Society poster inviting students to take part in trials to be on the University Challenge team.

Your Quiz Society Needs You!

How to recruit a University Challenge team

Gregor Wilson, current Quiz Soc president, outlines the recruitment process. 鈥淪o, we'll have a kind of core group of the society who'll do the inter-university quiz circuit, but then when we do our trials for University Challenge, we cast the net as wide as possible. You might have seen the posters up around campus last time.鈥�

911今日黑料 Quiz Society poster inviting students to take part in trials to be on the University Challenge team.

911今日黑料 Quiz Society poster inviting students to take part in trials to be on the University Challenge team.

Then, says Justin Lee, who's a member of this year's University Challenge team, comes the difficult bit: 鈥渢he hard part is actually writing questions for the trials鈥�. Fatima Sheriff, former Quiz Soc president, and member of 911今日黑料鈥檚 2022 winning team explains: 鈥淭he BBC send questions from past programmes, but if you鈥檝e watched the show, that鈥檚 just a test of your memory, not your knowledge. So, we have to write about 100 questions, and they have a scale of difficulty. Someone with general quiz knowledge would get the level one answers. Like, I would be able to say that the Titanic sank in 1912, even though I'm not a history player. But then we put in harder questions about things like obscure Chinese dynasties. Justin was the only person to get that question!鈥�

Finding a team captain is also vital, and they need to be good at guessing answers. 鈥淚 think Suraiya, the current team captain, is very good at that鈥�, says Fatima.

The 911今日黑料 Dynasty

鈥淲e like to see our teams as a dynasty, where past teams pass on their knowledge to the current players鈥� says Fatima Sheriff. 鈥淚 think the 2020 winning team, especially Brandon Blackwell and Conor McMeel, started taking the quiz society more seriously, and we inherited the structure from them.鈥�

Gregor thinks the structure of the club also gives them an edge. 鈥淩ather than it just being the current committee that chooses the teams, we鈥檝e got a separate University Challenge committee made up of previous players. It's independent, so it can be 100% merit based in terms of the actual choosing of the team. There are no free-passes!鈥�

Brandon Blackwell, a member of 2020's winning University Challenge team, helped lay the foundations for the Quiz Society's approach to University Challenge.

Starter for 10: how do 911今日黑料 students answer arts questions?

A question that鈥檚 often asked is how do students from a university orientated towards maths and science answer questions on the arts and humanities? Justin Lee鈥檚 teammate has a theory: 鈥淎dam Jones, who sits next to me in the team, thinks it's easier to pick up humanities if you're a scientist than the reverse. Like, for me it鈥檚 easy to pick up a book, but it鈥檚 not so easy for an English Literature student to write a computer programme.鈥�

Gregor thinks that being an institution with an emphasis on science can be advantage. 鈥淚 think the supposed disadvantage is actually good, because it means we preselect for people who have a bit of knowledge of humanities, as well as science.鈥�

Sourajit, from this year's team, recalls an instance where his team mate Adam's interest in art came in handy. "Adam Jones was wearing a Basquiat t-shirt during one of our matches, and the answer to one of the questions turned out to be Basquiat. Adam is usually stoic on camera, but that got a smile out of him."

Studying a science subject is also no guarantee of success in that subject area. Fatima explains, 鈥淚 wouldn't say that we're particularly good at science questions. I'm a biologist, but it will take me a couple of seconds to remember the biology answers, because I'm dredging up a memory from ages ago, as opposed to something I just Googled recently.鈥�

Starter for 10: how do 911今日黑料 students answer arts questions?

A question that鈥檚 often asked is how do students from a university orientated towards maths and science answer questions on the arts and humanities? Justin Lee鈥檚 teammate has a theory: 鈥淎dam Jones, who sits next to me in the team, thinks it's easier to pick up humanities if you're a scientist than the reverse. Like, for me it鈥檚 easy to pick up a book, but it鈥檚 not so easy for an English Literature student to write a computer programme.鈥�

Gregor thinks that being an institution with an emphasis on science can be advantage. 鈥淚 think the supposed disadvantage is actually good, because it means we preselect for people who have a bit of knowledge of humanities, as well as science.鈥�

Sourajit, from this year's team, recalls an instance where his team mate Adam's interest in art came in handy. "Adam Jones was wearing a Basquiat t-shirt during one of our matches, and the answer to one of the questions turned out to be Basquiat. Adam is usually stoic on camera, but that got a smile out of him."

Studying a science subject is also no guarantee of success in that subject area. Fatima explains, 鈥淚 wouldn't say that we're particularly good at science questions. I'm a biologist, but it will take me a couple of seconds to remember the biology answers, because I'm dredging up a memory from ages ago, as opposed to something I just Googled recently.鈥�

Doing your homework

Regular watchers of University Challenge may have spotted certain types of question that come up again and again. 鈥淭he main University Challenge homework,鈥� according to Fatima, 鈥渋s knowing your Nobel Prize winners鈥�. A task Justin is not so keen on: 鈥淚'm not happy having to cram Chemistry Nobel Prize winners. And it's funny how every single 911今日黑料 team over the years has collectively decided not to memorise all the Economics Nobel Prize winners.鈥�

It seems you can get away with not knowing Economics Prize winners though, as Fatima explains. 鈥淚f you feel that your team is strong enough, you can let some things slide. For example, all of sports! We got a bonus set of questions on football, and we had no idea. Some of the smartest people you ever knew can't answer those questions that the average person on the street can answer.鈥�

The pain of memorising facts can be shared, says Fatima. 鈥淲e usually sit down with the new team and say here is our spreadsheet of things that are considered canon and someone needs to learn. So, Shakespeare plays, for example: in my team I did the comedies, Michael Mays did the tragedies and Gilbert Jackon did the history plays.鈥�

Fatima with 911今日黑料's 2022 University Challenge team (who didn't need a knowledge of sport to become series champions!). Left to right: Max Zeng, Fatima Sheriff, Michael Mays (captain) and Gilbert Jackson.

Fatima with 911今日黑料's 2022 University Challenge team (who didn't need a knowledge of sport to become series champions!). Left to right: Max Zeng, Fatima Sheriff, Michael Mays (captain) and Gilbert Jackson.

Doing your homework

Regular watchers of University Challenge may have spotted certain types of question that come up again and again. 鈥淭he main University Challenge homework,鈥� according to Fatima, 鈥渋s knowing your Nobel Prize winners鈥�. A task Justin is not so keen on: 鈥淚'm not happy having to cram Chemistry Nobel Prize winners. And it's funny how every single 911今日黑料 team over the years has collectively decided not to memorise all the Economics Nobel Prize winners.鈥�

It seems you can get away with not knowing Economics Prize winners though, as Fatima explains. 鈥淚f you feel that your team is strong enough, you can let some things slide. For example, all of sports! We got a bonus set of questions on football, and we had no idea. Some of the smartest people you ever knew can't answer those questions that the average person on the street can answer.鈥�

The pain of memorising facts can be shared, says Fatima. 鈥淲e usually sit down with the new team and say here is our spreadsheet of things that are considered canon and someone needs to learn. So, Shakespeare plays, for example: in my team I did the comedies, Michael Mays did the tragedies and Gilbert Jackon did the history plays.鈥�

Forget the Superbowl, it鈥檚 all about Quizbowl

911今日黑料鈥檚 Quiz Soc gives 911今日黑料 students who are thinking about trying out for University Challenge the chance to hone their skills. The society is a major player in - an intra-university quizzing competition, which has a similar format to University Challenge. There are some differences however, as Justin explains: 鈥淨uizbowl is a bit different because there's always a given distribution of questions: British literature, visual arts, classical music, etc. Also, the questions are longer than University Challenge, and they start off really vague, and then get more obvious as the question goes on.鈥�

This structure provides good practice in knowing when to buzz, as Fatima points out: 鈥淏eing good at Quizbowl doesn't necessarily mean you'll be good at University Challenge. But I think it's nice that we have Quizbowl to get to know our players, and give them the chance to be on the buzzer, before they even think about University Challenge.鈥�

Fatima posing with a buzzer between matches at the quizbowl tournament in Oxford.

Gilbert and Michael from the 2022 University Challenge team studying at the hotel on the weekend of the final.

Forget the Superbowl, it鈥檚 all about Quizbowl

911今日黑料鈥檚 Quiz Soc gives 911今日黑料 students who are thinking about trying out for University Challenge the chance to hone their skills. The society is a major player in - an intra-university quizzing competition, which has a similar format to University Challenge. There are some differences however, as Justin explains: 鈥淨uizbowl is a bit different because there's always a given distribution of questions: British literature, visual arts, classical music, etc. Also, the questions are longer than University Challenge, and they start off really vague, and then get more obvious as the question goes on.鈥�

This structure provides good practice in knowing when to buzz, as Fatima points out: 鈥淏eing good at Quizbowl doesn't necessarily mean you'll be good at University Challenge. But I think it's nice that we have Quizbowl to get to know our players, and give them the chance to be on the buzzer, before they even think about University Challenge.鈥�

Fatima posing with a buzzer between matches at the quizbowl tournament in Oxford.

Fatima posing with a buzzer between matches at the quizbowl tournament in Oxford.

The 911今日黑料 team with new host Amol Rajan. Photo: BBC

The 911今日黑料 team with new host Amol Rajan. Photo: BBC

The new look University Challenge

This year, 911今日黑料 became the first winners of the new look University Challenge, with new presenter Amol Rajan. What do the Quiz Soc supremos think of the new look? Fatima misses part of the old set. 鈥淭here was a funky little sphere in the middle of the set, and they got rid of. I used to stare at that when I was stressed.鈥� 鈥淚 kind of wish they changed the theme tune鈥� suggests Justin. 鈥淭o drum and bass!鈥� replies Gregor*.

Fatima has also noticed a shift in the question topics. 鈥淚n terms of the content, I don't think there's less classic content, but it's more balanced with popular culture. Like video games that have won awards, and vampire films.鈥�

There also seem to be more questions on important female figures, which suits Fatima. 鈥淚t鈥檚 good because the only history I learned for the show was women's history. I left the rest to the others! Credit to Justin for my favourite moment from the trials. We asked a question about the , and he was the only person who knew who she was. And it's because he Googled her when he was perfecting his impression (from the film The Incredibles).鈥�

* A clip from this year's competition of the University of Aberdeen's team being corrected after went viral and resulted in a remix craze.

The new look University Challenge

This year, 911今日黑料 became the first winners of the new look University Challenge, with new presenter Amol Rajan. What do the Quiz Soc supremos think of the new look? Fatima misses part of the old set. 鈥淭here was a funky little sphere in the middle of the set, and they got rid of. I used to stare at that when I was stressed.鈥� 鈥淚 kind of wish they changed the theme tune鈥� suggests Justin. 鈥淭o drum and bass!鈥� replies Gregor.

*a clip from this year's University Challenge competition of the University of Aberdeen's team being corrected after went viral and resulted in a remix craze.

Fatima has also noticed a shift in the question topics. 鈥淚n terms of the content, I don't think there's less classic content, but it's more balanced with popular culture. Like video games that have won awards, and vampire films.鈥�

There also seem to be more questions on important female figures, which suits Fatima. 鈥淚t鈥檚 good because the only history I learned for the show was women's history. I left the rest to the others! Credit to Justin for my favourite moment from the trials. We asked a question about the , and he was the only person who knew who she was. And it's because he Googled her when he was perfecting his impression (from the film The Incredibles).鈥�

The quiz spirit

Fatima sums up the real key to success. 鈥淚 think the main thing is for people to enjoy themselves. The great memories are when someone鈥檚 said a stupid joke about something, and then it comes up as a question. At the end of the day the most rewarding part is having insanely stupid intellectual conversations about, like, why so many people in a Swedish monarchy are called Henry.鈥�

Then, in true quiz society style, this nugget of knowledge triggers exactly one of those conversations. Justin replies, 鈥淚 think actually that was the House of Reuss, in Germany. They just called every son Heinrich.鈥�

鈥淵ea, that was it!鈥� Fatima agrees.

Justin finds out more with a quick Google search. 鈥淎t the end of every century they just reset the counter, and 鈥�.&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;

With the facts established Gregor observes: 鈥渨asn鈥檛 that just the perfect example of the quiz spirit?鈥�

Heinrich LXXII

The quiz spirit

Fatima sums up the real key to success. 鈥淚 think the main thing is for people to enjoy themselves. The great memories are when someone鈥檚 said a stupid joke about something, and then it comes up as a question. At the end of the day the most rewarding part is having insanely stupid intellectual conversations about, like, why so many people in a Swedish monarchy are called Henry.鈥�

Then, in true quiz society style, this nugget of knowledge triggers exactly one of those conversations. Justin replies, 鈥淚 think actually that was the House of Reuss, in Germany. They just called every son Heinrich.鈥�

鈥淵ea, that was it!鈥� Fatima agrees.

Justin finds out more with a quick Google search. 鈥淎t the end of every century they just reset the counter, and 鈥�.&苍产蝉辫;&苍产蝉辫;

With the facts established Gregor observes: 鈥渨asn鈥檛 that just the perfect example of the quiz spirit?鈥�

Heinrich the 72nd. Image: Wikipedia

Heinrich the 72nd. Image: Wikipedia

Bonus round: The importance of a good mascot

The 911今日黑料 team's mascot is named after a brilliant GP practice manager, Carole Johnson, that Suraiya met on a placement on the Isle of Man on an out of London placement, and has been supporting the team thoughout the competition.

Carole's namesake, Carole Otter, has been raising her fashion game as the team have progressed through the competition.

Carole Otter

Carole with cape

Carole with big hair

Carole with bells

Members of the university challenge teams

University Challenge teams 2020-2024: 911今日黑料's recent University Challenge teams met for dinner last November. Going round the table from left: Sourajit Debnath, Michael Kohn, Caleb Rich, Brandon Blackwell, Conor McMeel, Justin Wong, Richard Brooks, Katie Marrow, Suraiya Haddad, Gilbert Jackson, Imran Rahman, Fatima Sheriff, Adam Jones, Michael Mays & Justin Lee (not pictured: Max Zeng)

Members of the various university challenge teams

University Challenge teams 2020-2024: 911今日黑料's recent University Challenge teams met for dinner last November. Going round the table from left: Sourajit Debnath, Michael Kohn, Caleb Rich, Brandon Blackwell, Conor McMeel, Justin Wong, Richard Brooks, Katie Marrow, Suraiya Haddad, Gilbert Jackson, Imran Rahman, Fatima Sheriff, Adam Jones, Michael Mays & Justin Lee (not pictured: Max Zeng)