Amol Rajan has said that he has been “humbled” by talented University Challenge fans sampling a question about dance music in their own jungle remixes.
A clip of the presenter – who took over as the long-running BBC quiz show’s host from Jeremy Paxman last year – correcting a question about dance music went viral earlier this week thanks to his correction: “Can’t accept drum and bass. We need jungle I’m afraid.”
When Twitter/X user Nathan Filer encouraged fans to sample Rajan’s words in their own tracks, the internet obliged.
The replies to his tweet were flooded with original jungle and drum and bass remixes of the audio from the episode, with Rajan resharing his favourites to his social media page.
On Wednesday (10 January), Rajan reshared the original tweet and praised the “creative brilliance” of the budding DJs’ replies.
“This post has given rise to three days of creative brilliance across social media, which is so humbling,” the Today programme host tweeted. “It gives me particular joy because jungle and raving was a big part of my life for years. Thanks to all who have mixed the sample.”
He added: “PS: if you’re keen to find future sample material, or watch a superb quiz that’s been running for 60 years and features many of the most charming, clever, inspirational young people in Britain, please give #UniversityChallenge a try on @BBCiPlayer. Or Mondays 20.30 @BBCTwo.”
Over on Instagram, Rajan also shared his excitement after hearing that Goldie, the legendary DJ mentioned in the original University Challenge question, planned to produce his own version sampling the audio.
“OK it’s now going viral here on Insta and even the legendary @mrgoldie has said he’s going to sample it,” he wrote. “I was a jungle head before I was a quizmaster. My work here on Earth is done.”
The original clip was taken from the episode from 1 January, during which the University of Sheffield took on the University of Aberdeen.
During a bonus round, the Aberdeen team were asked by Rajan: “What name is given to the genre of dance music that developed in the UK in the early 1990s out of the rave scene and reggae sound system culture associated with acts such as A Guy Called Gerald and Goldie?”
While the team answered with drum and bass, Rajan responded: “Can’t accept drum and bass. We need jungle, I’m afraid.”
University Challenge airs Mondays at 8.30pm on BBC Two.
