University challenge

Somebody needs to tell him to slow down, before he says "your starter for ten"

OK, I’ve heard him speak. Oh dear, oh dear. I’m going to find that really hard to listen to, but I love University Challenge so perhaps I can mute him and just read the subtitles.

Callistemon All that seemed to bother J52 was the fact that the next pesneter is not female. My reply was limited to that.

My personal concern was that whoever replaced Jeremy Paxman would be someone whose own intelletual attainments were up to those of the contestants. With both Paxman and Gascoigne one had the feeling that if University challenge had been around in their university days, they would probably been good enough to be in their university's team.

The job needs gravitas and authority, and the majority of those suggested on this thread had neither gravitas, authority, nor presented as people of great erudition.

I saw the bookies bets on replacements for Paxman. It met all diversity requirements, including men and women, all of whom, met the three requirements that I thought necessary and included Amal Rajan. Very few were mentioned on GN, even though all were well known broadcasters.

Callistemon21

lemsip

Amol Rajan to be new host of University Challenge

oh dear, I don't like him!

He gabbles too fast to be a quizmaster

I must find a sample of his speech. It matters more than anything.

I think Amol will be a credible host for this iconic long-running competition.

M0nica

J52 You cannot have everything, At least Amal Rajan is not a white Anglo-saxon male.

All we need is someone who speaks clearly and distinctly, is pleasant but firm and can chivvy without harassing.

Someone who doesn't make it all about themselves as some of the other celebrities already mentioned tend to do.

J52 You cannot have everything, At least Amal Rajan is not a white Anglo-saxon male.

Richard Osman has ended his appearance on Pointless to have more time to write his books so he probably wouldn't want to do it, although he would be a good intelligent choice. Definitely not Vanessa Feltz, she would spend too much time talking over everyone else! Dan Snow would be a good choice.

Shame they couldn’t appoint a woman for a change.
Still it did take till the 1870s for women to get to Oxbridge. We’ll have to wait a few more decades till they host University Challenge.

It was always going to be a bbc man.

lemsip

*Amol Rajan to be new host of University Challenge*

oh dear, I don't like him!

He gabbles too fast to be a quizmaster

Saw him on Richard Osman’s House of Games. Thick as two short planks!

Amol Rajan to be new host of University Challenge

oh dear, I don't like him!

Let's hope they don't take it off later. It's one of the few remaining good programmes in a morass of dumbed down, short attention span stuff.

nanna8

Way past time- maybe someone a trifle less condescending next time ? I used to like Bamber.

Yes I liked Bamber too. So polite. “I’ll have to hurry you” as opposed to Paxman bawling “Come on”:
Do like Paxman though.

Ladyleftfieldlover

Vanessa Feltz - Cambridge educated etc., I think she would be perfect

No no not Vanessa. Undoubtedly clever but too loud and forever interrupting the people she’s talking to on the radio. No comedians either please. No Richard Osman either, too smug.
I’ve said who I’d like already but they won’t choose her.

Victoria Coren Mitchell would be an excellent quizmaster/woman I think.
She has the intellectual heft and is pleasant and authoritative manner.
But they won’t choose her of course, it’ll be somebody “popular” but unsuitable.
I’d also say Fiona Bruce but she’s already doing too much.

GrannyGravy13

Thank you for the names, I think either Mr. Monkman or Mr.Seagull would be good, they have both gone on to be presenters along with their experience of being a Contestant on UC.

IMO UC doesn’t need a famous name to carry it.

I'd have loved to have seen Bobbie Seagull present this, I remember him being on UC with his team and he was so natural and engaging. I'm not surprised he's more on TV now, seems to be a delightful young man.

Twitter has been full of Amol Rajan, and his dodgy connections.

Time for a woman - I’ll have a think!

Bijou

I don’t mind who takes over as long as they don’t axe the show.
What amazes me is the fact that the students often don’t know the answers to some of the easy general knowledge questions.

Bijou I’m often amazed by that too, though it does give me a boost when I can answer them!
I’m amazed that some of them can answer some of the questions where I can’t even make sense of what’s being asked.

I don’t mind who takes over as long as they don’t axe the show.
What amazes me is the fact that the students often don’t know the answers to some of the easy general knowledge questions.

Yes, great choice.

Reading all the comments there is only one thing that's certain, some people will love them and others will hate them. Or possibly, like me, they won't much mind either way.

Oh no!
We'll never hear the end of it if he doesn't enunciate properly!

Rajan has been on Radio 4 today programme for a year. He is popular, young, apparently quite clever, wants the job and just because I find his lazy, south London accent a bit hard on the ear...presumably he ticks their boxes.
Oh and he's easy on the eye.