View Full Version : 'University Challenge' star divides opinion
The woman hailed as the cleverest ever contestant on University Challenge has reportedly divided public opinion.
Gail Trimble, the student captain of Oxford's Corpus Christi team, will tonight be shown in the grand final of the BBC Two general knowledge quiz show.
Host Jeremy Paxman described her team's 150-15 victory over Exeter University in a previous round as "more like a cull". Some viewers have backed the contestant, with one writing: "I am on the side of those who find it rather attractive and a welcome change to the bimbo culture that the reality TV curse has spawned."
However, the Daily Mail reports that the 26-year-old's general knowledge expertise has prompted a hostile response from some people. "Horse-toothed snob", "a hateful know-it-all" and an "annoying b**ch" are among comments that have been made about the Latin literature PHD student.
"She could easily win University Challenge on her own, but I get the feeling she may well celebrate alone as well," another blogger said.
Trimble described the comments as "a little bit hurtful", saying: "It's not nice reading unpleasant stuff about yourself. But they don't really know me, they have only seen a very specific thing on TV.
"University Challenge doesn't really test intelligence, just a lot of random facts. If you grow up interested in things, read a bit and are aware of what's going on in the world you pick up a lot of general knowledge."
Trimble and her teammates will face Manchester University in tonight's final.
According to The Sun, Gail was not able to answer these questions. Not that this matters imo, we can't all share the same interests and I certainly could not answer the questions she did on UC.
I got 5 out of 5 on that, pretty sure would have scored nothing on University Challenge!!!!
She was fab on UC last night - in the last 5 minutes she took her team from behind MU 190 to 275 or something (single handed).
One funny bit was when she interupted a question and gave the answer Pollyanna which was wrong - I though to myself that is who she reminds me of!
She is attractive, very smart and incredibly enthusiastic. At 26 you can still see the childlike curiosity in her.
I am a fan of UC - watch it every week, and I have to admit I found her a bit annoying - but that could be jealousy, I only answered about 20 -30 question in the whole show.
Gail has now been approached by a lads mag to do a large feature on her.
parkerman
24-02-2009, 09:51
Gail has now been approached by a lads mag to do a large feature on her.
With or without her clothes on? :hmm:
I think that her brother was approached on her behalf by Nuts magazine - he did not pass on her details.
I got more questions right on UC than I did on that stupid quiz in the Sun. Why do people get so jealous of someone who has a bit of intelligence.
Makes us feel inferior, that's why. And people with low self-confidence feel threatened by people like Gail, even if they don't know the person or would ever have anything to do with.
I got none of the question right in the sun.. like Gail I read the articule about that boy but couldn't remember his name... Intelligence is not just based on Celeb.. there is more to like than that...
di marco
24-02-2009, 22:45
i got 2 of the questions right in the sun. i dont watch university challenge (probably cos im too thick to answer any of the questions!) but ive read that she gave wrong answers when her teammates gave her the right answer cos she wouldnt believe they were right. dunno how true that is though and i dont hold an opinion on her either way seeing as ive never seen her on it
The winning captain on this year's series of University Challenge has been asked if she would pose for a "tasteful" shoot for Nuts, it has emerged.
Oxford student Gail Trimble, 26, has drawn media attention for her performance on the show.
She played a key role in getting Corpus Christi to the final of the programme, where they beat Manchester University by 275 points to 190.
Trimble told BBC Breakfast: "My brother received a Facebook message from Nuts yesterday morning saying 'Can we have your sister's email address - we want her to do a tasteful photoshoot?'
"So of course he sent them an answer saying, 'Seriously mate, would you give your sister's contact details to Nuts?'"
The Latin scholar said that she is glad people are saying positive rather than negative things about her appearance.
"But on the other hand it's really sad that they feel the necessity to say things about my appearance at all," she added.
The BBC is investigating claims that a member of this year's winning team on University Challenge was ineligible to take part.
Runners-up Manchester University are thought to have demanded the probe after alleging that Sam Kay, a member of the triumphant Corpus Christi College team, had already left university to work as an accountant when the final was recorded in November.
According to the Mail On Sunday, it is the first time the Jeremy Paxman-hosted quiz show has been the subject of "ringer" claims.
Kay said he does not believe he was in the wrong, explaining: "I was a student when I applied to be on the show and on the day we filmed the first two rounds, so I don't think I've done anything wrong."
A spokeswoman for the corporation said an investigation is underway. "We understand the allegations made and are taking the issue seriously. However, we need time to investigate fully, so we will report our findings early next week."
That's the answer he wanted! University Challenge brainbox Gail says yes to marriage proposal
She has been accused of being smug, sneering and even snobbish as she dazzled opponents with her general knowledge.
But University Challenge champion Gail Trimble has found the perfect answer to her critics by getting engaged to her boyfriend.
Trainee solicitor Tom West, 27, proposed to Ms Trimble on a Valentine's break in Paris before the pre-recorded final of the quiz show was broadcast.
Gail Trimble and Tom West got engaged on a Valentine's break in Paris
Ms Trimble, 26, led her team from Corpus Christi College, Oxford, to a 275-190 point victory over Manchester University in the final on Monday night.
The BBC is investigating claims that one team member, Sam Kay, was no longer a student when he took part in the final.
More...
BBC probes claims that winning University Challenge team 'included a ringer'
But much of the Corpus Christi team's success was down to Ms Trimble, who scored two-thirds of her team's 1,200 points before the final.
Her vast knowledge, likened to an 'intellectual blitzkrieg', stunned even host Jeremy Paxman.
Ms Trimble was surprised by the hostile reaction from some viewers, and she had never encountered such problems at school or university.
We are the champions! Gail Trimble and her three Corpus Christi team mates soak up their victory
'Suddenly there's this thing that involves being in the public eye, and I find all this reaction to me, and I'm sure this wouldn't be the case if I wasn't a woman.'
While some of the comments were negative, there were other viewers who focussed on how 'sexy' she was, even referring to her as 'hot lips Trimble'.
'It is nice when people are saying nice things about my appearance, and not nasty things, but it's sad that they feel it necessary to say things about my appearance at all,' she added.
Ms Trimble and Mr West have been together for five years.
He proposed at a romantic spot - the wooden Pont des Arts near Notre Dame.
Her fiancé's father, the Rev Tim West, told the Sunday Times: 'We are absolutely delighted for them. Gail and Tom are very private personalities and they wanted to keep this as their own private story.'
University quiz team disqualified
Corpus Christi had beaten Manchester University by 275 points to 190
The BBC has disqualified the latest University Challenge winning team for breaking the rules by using a contestant who was no longer a student.
The title has been transferred to the University of Manchester, the team beaten by Corpus Christi College, Oxford on the TV quiz last week.
By the time the final was filmed, team member Sam Kay was working as an accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Mr Kay has apologised and said "it was never my intention to mislead anyone."
A joint statement from the BBC and Granada said: "The University Challenge rules on student eligibility are that students taking part must be registered at their university or college for the duration of the recording of the series.
Our students entered University Challenge in good faith. The team had a wonderful run and we are, of course, disappointed to be losing the title
Corpus Christi spokesperson
"Whilst obviously not intending to, Corpus Christi broke this important rule when other universities and colleges taking part adhered to it.
"We therefore find ourselves in the regrettable position of having no choice but to disqualify Corpus Christi from the final. This means they forfeit their hard-fought title which now goes to the Manchester University team."
In the introductory part of the show, Mr Kay told viewers he was studying chemistry.
But PricewaterhouseCoopers told the BBC that Mr Kay was employed as a graduate accountant last September and is training to be a chartered accountant.
The final was filmed in November and Mr Kay was an important factor in the showdown, answering two "starters for 10" at a crucial point when his team was trailing.
According to newspaper reports, Mr Kay failed to get funding for a PhD and left the Oxford college after graduating last year.
Speaking after the decision he said: "I hugely regret not confirming my change of status to the University Challenge programme makers before the final rounds."
"I had honestly believed I was eligible as I had indicated my course dates when I applied."
Sam Kay said he honestly believed he was eligible to compete
The second placed Manchester team had said they had "no desire" for a rematch.
Team captain, Matthew Yeo, commented: "While we accept the decision of the University Challenge judges, we are saddened to have been awarded the trophy under such circumstances.
"As far as Simon, Henry, Reuben and I are concerned the final was a great experience and we believe Corpus Christi College were outstanding opponents."
A spokesperson from Corpus Christi college said: "Our students entered University Challenge in good faith. The team had a wonderful run and we are, of course, disappointed to be losing the title."
The final had already made headlines due to the performance of Corpus Christi's team captain Gail Trimble. The 26-year-old was nicknamed the "Human Google" after scoring two-thirds of her team's 1,200 points on the way to the final.
Ms Trimble was unavailable for comment, referring all calls to the university.
The captain of last year's winning University Challenge team said it was a "tragic" way for Manchester to win the contest.
Christchurch, Oxford, team leader Max Kaufman told the BBC: "I don't think anybody would really want to win under these circumstances.
"And I think given that there's no cash prize at stake and it is purely for the honour of the thing I feel it is rather a tragic way to win in the end."
Chloe O'brien
02-03-2009, 20:32
How did he think he was going to get away with lying about being a student.
The BBC faced more University Challenge controversy last night after it emerged that contestants on previous winning teams had also been ineligible.
Widespread evidence suggests there have been repeated instances of winning teams including contestants no longer at their colleges or universities.
The broadcaster this week stripped the title from Corpus Christi College - led by 'human Google' Gail Trimble - after it was revealed team-mate Sam Kay had graduated in June.
But last night it came to light that winning teams in 2004 and 2008 - both also Oxford colleges - as well as Imperial College, London's winning 2001 team had ineligible players.
Last year's winners, Christ Church, included Charles Markland - understood to have been a student at Balliol College when he appeared in the final.
It is also believed Freya McClements, who captained Magdalen College to victory in 2004, was at Trinity College, Dublin, when she won.She is now a journalist for the BBC in Northern Ireland.
Meanwhile, Siegfried Hodgson, a member of the Imperial College team that won in 2001, has revealed two of his team-mates were on one-year courses and had graduated by the time the final was filmed.
He said: 'We were completely up front about this with the production team and there was never any suggestion we broke any rules.'
Another contestant on this year's show revealed she had also left her university by the time the quarter-final was filmed.
She said: 'We were asked to ensure that we were available for all potential days of filming and thought no more about it.'
There is now widespread confusion about why the BBC decided to take such tough action against Mr Kay and his team-mates this year.
A BBC spokesman said: 'The BBC were not told about these alleged transgressions at the time and so was not in a position to do anything about them.
'The 2009 final had been broadcast a matter of days ago so we were in a position to enforce the rules as audiences would expect us to do.'
The BBC was also attacked by Mr Kay’s father, Michael.
He said: 'It seems petty. If they have rules they are prepared to enforce after the event, they should check them throughout the contest. Sam has not tried to cover anything up.'
Former presenter Bamber Gascoigne said: 'It’s a fiasco for the BBC, comparable to the one that engulfed the final of Celebrity Come Dancing.' (We believe the TV brainbox meant Strictly Come Dancing.)
Sam Kay, 22, has said he 'honestly' believed he was eligible as he indicated his course dates when he applied to take part in the quiz, hosted by Jeremy Paxman.
His father, from Frimley, Surrey, added: 'Sam wanted to do a PhD next year but his supervisor didn’t get funding, so he used his degree and took a good job instead.
'When he filmed the first two rounds he was a student, but in November when they filmed the quarter-final, semi-final and final he was not.'
The University Challenge title-holders are now Manchester University. Their captain, Tim Yeo, celebrated the victory last night... by attending a lecture on Anglo-Saxon literacy.
During later rounds, Mr Kay had claimed he was studying chemistry at Corpus Christi.
In reality, he graduated last June, after the first round of filming. He left Oxford after failing to find funding for his doctorate and found work as an accountant for PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
SUPERBOFFIN Gail Trimble and her Corpus Christi team have suffered another blow — after losing the quarter-finals of an Oxford University quiz.
Gail, 26 — dubbed the Human Google — helped her team to 55 points, but they lost to St John’s College, who scored 75 points.
Last week Corpus thought they had won University Challenge and were planning a cup double in the Oxford intercollegiate quiz.
But BBC chiefs disqualified them after it emerged a teammate was not a student.
Personally I think it is awful that Corpus were disqualified.
The show is filmed over two academic years - are they going to exclude all final year students who are going to graduate over the summer. And all full time MSc students who only do a year, and all final year PhD students.
Unfortunately they have made a huge mistake here - it is common sense that this has happened many, many times before.
The guy was a student for the first 2 rounds, then graduated and didn't get funding for a phd - so what!
I agree Trinity. You can't expect a graduate to stay at university for the sake of filming a tv show.
I don't see a problem with Corpus taking the title. The contestant was upfront with them from the start about his course dates, it's up to the BBC's researchers to check them out. If their researchers couldn't figure out that the guy wasn't at university then they should look for a new job.
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