Jeremy Paxman is stepping down from his role as University Challenge presenter, after 29 years of hosting the popular game show.
Paxman’s nearly three-decade-long run as the BBC show’s quizmaster began with its revival in 1994, and comes to an end on Monday 29 May.
The 73-year-old veteran broadcaster first announced in August 2022 that he would be exiting the game show, which sees university and college students compete against each other.
Journalist and broadcaster Amol Rajan will take over as the programme’s third host. After its initial launch in 1962, University Challenge was presented by Bamber Gascoigne.
“I think I’ve been doing University Challenge for about 29 years, which is a very, very long time – too long really,” Paxman said last year. “I always think that if you’re scared of making a decision, do it.
“The University Challenge people have been brilliant but I do think that I ought to stop doing it. I will be sad to give it up, but no-one is indispensable,” Paxman said.
Parkinson’s disease is a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years, according to the NHS website.
During his time hosting the game show, Paxman quickly won fans over with his disapproving looks and argumentative demeanour, which led to him butting heads with several contestants across his 29-year reign.
Paxman’s final University Challenge episode airs tonight (Monday 29 May) at 8:30pm on BBC Two.
The show is expected to return this summer, welcoming a new batch of eager students ready to face a series of difficult questions in hopes of claiming the grand prize.
