One might be forgiven for thinking that the only criteria for entering a team on University Challenge is high-level general knowledge. Instead, John Maier, a contestant in this year’s competition, has suggested that a team’s diversity is a key factor in the selection process. In a piece for the Times today, Maier wrote that “diversity was important” and “the programme aimed to ‘showcase’ the entire UK’s student population” in terms of race, gender identity and sexuality, among other factors.
Is there an ominous, hidden test peering at a team’s diversity credentials? UnHerd’s resident egghead asked the BBC press office if it could confirm whether there was a part of the selection process which assessed a team’s diversity. The response came back that “for over 60 years University Challenge has set out to reflect the UK’s student population and continues to do so. The latest series has continued that important tradition.” That settles that, then.
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SubscribeTV quiz shows are essentially entertainment vehicles.
That includes the supposedly “pure” ones like UC and Mastermind. To some extent they’ll reflect the fashions of the day. As a viewer I don’t really have a problem with that.