University Challenge (New Zealand)

"University Challenge" was a long-running New Zealand television quiz show. The format was based on the British show of the same name, which was itself based on the American College Bowl. It was produced by Television New Zealand.

At its inception in 1976 it was hosted by University of Otago lecturer Richard Higham, but after the first series it gained Peter Sinclair as regular host; he continued in this capacity until the show's demise in 1989.

Format

As with the British show, "starter" questions were answered individually "on the buzzer", and are worth 10 points. The team answering a starter correctly got a set of "bonus" questions worth a potential fifteen points, over which they can confer. In the last few series, a "jackpot bonus" was also available once per game, signalled by a bell. In that, each part of the bonus was worth five points, but getting all three parts right doubled the value of the question to 30 points.

An incorrect interruption of a starter resulted in a five point penalty. The pace of questioning gradually increased through the show, becoming almost frantic in the last minute or so before the "gong" which signalled the end of the game. In the event of a tied score at the sound of the gong, a "sudden death" question was to be asked (although in practice this never occurred during the 14 years that the series was run). In this circumstance the first team to answer correctly would have been deemed the winner, with the process repeated until one or other of the teams answered correctly.

Teams consisted of four members, each representing a single New Zealand university. All six of the universities in New Zealand at the time competed (Auckland, Canterbury, Massey, Otago, Victoria and Waikato), along with a seventh team, representing Lincoln College (now Lincoln University).

The format of the series was seven first round matches, with each of the teams competing twice (having been randomly drawn against their opponents). Two semi-finals between the highest points-scorers followed, after which there was a final.

Winners

International shows

Two international series were held in 1986 and 1987 between the British and New Zealand champions of the previous year. The first of these was held in Dunedin, New Zealand (the venue for the filming of the New Zealand domestic series); the second was held in Manchester, England. Each of these was a best of three series. Both series resulted in a win to the British team.There was also a one-off match between the Australian and New Zealand champions in 1989 filmed immediately after the completion of the Australian filming in Hobart, Tasmania, resulting in an Australian win.

Results