Danann Kilburn (2021) captains Oriel’s team, which also includes Theodore Sharkey (2020), Thomas Armstrong (2023), Samin Taseen (2021) and Tajei Puthucheary (2023).

To qualify for the competition, the team undertook a series of general knowledge quizzes and an interview. A recent English finalist, Kilburn described hearing the news they had qualified as “nerve-wracking but pretty cool,” adding, “especially with such a great team on board.”

Armstrong recalled feeling that the team’s interview for the show “went reasonably well” but added: “I didn’t particularly expect us to get on the show”. He is now starting his second year of a History and Politics degree.

Oriel has won the iconic British television quiz show only once before, after beating the University of Birmingham in 1966. They came second in 1999 and 2000 — the latter time after losing to a team from Durham.