University Challenge: Corpus Christi Disqualified For Cheating

I really can't believe this, it just keeps going! I didn't think this was what was meant by "Keep It Looping". What started out as a photograph of a TV set has now mushroomed into a full blown scandal! Gail Trimble and her team have been stripped of their University Challenge 2009 Winners title because one of them wasn't a student! Sam Kay(pictured) had left college and become a graduate accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers by the time the final was filmed in November, therefore breaking the main rule of the TV program. So what do you think of that then!

I had heard that the BBC where investigating the situation yesterday, on Christina's blog, where I casually stated that I thought disqualification would be the fairest option rather than a rematch. Little did I know that thats what they'd do! Thanks to The Shape for the heads-up. I think it's all very sad really, for both teams. Corpus Christi for obvious reasons will feel gutted but I can't see Manchester' feeling too good about winning by default either.

While fair is fair and the rules are the rules, I believe that this only came to light directly because of the negative interest surrounding Gail Trimble. If no such interest was there I highly doubt anyone would have went to the effort of checking out everyones back story. The fact that the final was filmed in November and it was not highlighted until now is very interesting. If it were known before now, the fairest thing would have been to disqualify them then and re-shoot an alternative final.

Sad really; no winners; and worst of all, Trimble haters will now feel vindicated.

Winners don't use drugs.... or accountants.

[BBC story]