University Challenge sparks cheating row as Amol Rajan accepts 'wrong' answer

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It was all over the Edinburgh Festival, is it different than the Edinburgh Fringe?
It was all over the Edinburgh Festival, is it different than the Edinburgh Fringe?

UNIVERSITY Challenge is the latest show to land itself in hot water after viewers claimed host Amol Rajan accepted a wrong answer.

Amol, 40, took to the airwaves as he welcomed teams from Oxford Brookes and the Open University as they went head-to-head on the long-running BBC quiz show.

Amol Rajan has landed University Challenge in hot water eiqekiquhiddeprw
Amol Rajan has landed University Challenge in hot waterCredit: BBC
Teams of four from Oxford Brookes and The Open University went head-to-head
Teams of four from Oxford Brookes and The Open University went head-to-headCredit: BBC

During the first stage, teams of four from each university had to answer as many questions correctly as they could.

University Challenge viewers were left fuming when host Amol asked the students to answer a question on the arts.

Putting the question to the two teams, he asked: "In 1947, performances by eight theatre troops, who arrived uninvited to an invitation-only international festival, saw the start of which performing arts festival that takes part every August?"

Spectacular New Year fireworks light up London sky as huge crowds celebrate across UK for first time in three yearsSpectacular New Year fireworks light up London sky as huge crowds celebrate across UK for first time in three years

Manton from Oxford Brookes University managed to hit the buzzer first and answered: "Edinburgh Festival."

Amol allowed his answer and confirmed: "Yes, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, I can accept that."

The official name of the festival in Scotland is Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Fans took to X - formerly known as Twitter - as they gave different reasons for the apparent blunder.

One viewer explained: "Edinburgh Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe are two entirely different entities, that starter shouldn't have been allowed."

A second asked: "Are the Edinburgh Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe one and the same thing? I don't think so."

"Is the Fringe the Edinburgh Festival? Really?" enquired a third fan.

And a fourth added: "Oh... A generous giveaway on the Edinburgh Fringe answer there."

Later on in the show, Oxford Brookes were not given a point for another one of their answers over the word, 'Ciaus', because of mispronunciation.

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Despite an impressive score of 155, Oxford Brookes were beaten out by the Open University who managed to win a whopping 255 points.

Manton from Oxford Brookes seemingly gave the wrong answer to the question as it was accepted by the host
Manton from Oxford Brookes seemingly gave the wrong answer to the question as it was accepted by the hostCredit: BBC
Viewers took to social media in their droves as they were left fuming at the unfolding events
Viewers took to social media in their droves as they were left fuming at the unfolding eventsCredit: BBC

Joshua Rom

Scotland, Oxford, Edinburgh, University Challenge, Twitter, Festivals and Music Tours, BBC ONE, BBC, Amol Rajan

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