mostly david ephgrave

Yesterday saw another quarter-final University Challenge that I missed because I was gigging. As with previous instances, I’m not prepared to let such a minor detail prevent me from covering the episode in an almost-live tweetathon (only without the live-ness or the use of Twitter). See below for my thought’s on last night’s show (which are best enjoyed when read whilst watching the programme on iPlayer, Betamax, a What the Butler Saw machine...or something like that). Edinburgh Vs. Birmingham (06:02:17) 8:00pm: Dale looks like he's wearing a Jim'll Fix it Medal.  8:01pm:: Of course Boyle's from Brighton. OF COURSE.  8:02pm: Sutherland would cut yer.  8:03pm: The Greenlees Grass of Home.  8:03pm: Sutherland remembers Lloyd-George first time around.  8:04pm: Rouse is Sutherland's murder accomplice.  8:05pm: Dale looks like he's competing in athletics.  8:05pm Edinbu...

There’s something frustratingly repetitive about University Challenge at the moment, when currently faced with so many returning teams. This is all well and good, but I like having new unhinged people to focus on; alternate speech impediments or questionable haircuts to assiduously mock. I know the show doesn’t bring out the best aspects of my character, in that I essentially don’t bother listening to the questions as they go by, instead focusing on the social awkwardness of that week’s contestants. I’m hardly one to talk - awkwardness is essentially a constant shadow to my life, but it can at least be put into perspective in comparison to some of the students who put themselves through something as unremittingly pressured as competing in the iconic long-running quiz show. See below for tonight’s Twitter ramblings; as per usual, I’m sorry for any insult I cause. Birmingham Vs. St Andrews (14.11.16) 8:04pm: Birmingham's Sutherland looks set to be tonight...

All that needed to be said about tonight’s University Challenge was summed up in my first tweet of the evening: “Well…Regan’s a twat.” Queen's - Belfast Vs. Birmingham (26.09.16) Admittedly, it wasn't very subtle, but then neither was Regan’s get-up. He chose to make his début on the show dressed as a gimp. To be fair, he’s not the first; there have been many unfortunately-garbed contestants on the programme before this evening’s episode and there’ll be many to come. He was just in the invidious position of being the most eye-catchingly attired of the night, though he brought this attention on himself and therefore only has himself to blame. Still, what right have I to judge? You should have seen how ridiculous I looked at his age; I went to my drama school's graduation ball as a First Year in a pair of black and grey stripy flares; I didn’t even have the era as an alibi: it was the Nineties, not the Sixties. Regan-bashing to on...