University Challenge 2017 final: Eric Monkman’s Wolfson Cambridge team takes on Balliol Oxford

Prepare for an intense Oxbridge battle as the series comes to a close
Fan favourite: Eric Monkman is heading up the University Challenge final
BBC
Ben Travis10 April 2017

It’s the moment that University Challenge fans everywhere – and there are a lot of them – have been waiting for.

The 2017 series is coming to a close with a heated Oxbridge battle.

The final is pitting Wolfson College, Cambridge against Balliol College, Oxford – and only one will emerge the winner.

But while audiences might be rooting for one team over the other, it’s one particular contestant who’ll be getting the most attention.

Monkman triumphant on University Challenge

Throughout the series, viewers have been sharing their admiration for Eric Monkman on Twitter – the ‘intense’ Wolfson student who has taken the role of team captain.

​Monkman, who hails from Oakville, Canada is studying for an MA in Economics and has become well-loved for his animated reactions to questions, and jaw-locked facial expression.

The hype intensified to the point where the 29 year-old contestant spoke out about the supposed ‘Monkmania’.

“I don’t really understand it. Maybe it’s because I don’t play as if I’m on television,” he said.

“I certainly don’t think of myself as any object of desire. I assume people are being ironic, not serious. I think they’re just trying to be funny.”

Oscar Powell's facial expressions on University Challenge

1/5

While the Balliol College team might not have a ‘celebrity’ on their side, they are a force to be reckoned with – racking up a huge 215 points in the brutally difficult semi-finals against Edinburgh.

Asking the questions with his usual sharpness will be Jeremy Paxman.

Tune in to find out whether Oxford or Cambridge can nab the top spot – although there’s a strong chance you’ll mainly be watching for a certain pair of devastating eyebrows.

BBC Two, 8pm

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in