One question he can’t answer! University Challenge viewers are left in hysterics as brainbox Warwick captain forgets his teammate’s NAME

  • Andrew Rout, a Maths student from Kent, offered the ‘TV highlight of the week’ during the first semi-final of University Challenge 
  • Asked teammate Burrell: ‘Am I okay to nominate you? What’s your surname?’
  • While Burrell burst into laughter, host Jeremy Paxman looked less than happy  
  • One viewer, @tylerdaisydog1 wrote of the exchange: ‘What’s your surname is the only question I got right tonight and that’s because I could see it.’ 

Perhaps it was the sheer pressure of a place in the final to play for, but there was one question that the captain of Warwick couldn’t fathom during the latest episode of University Challenge – his teammate’s name. 

Andrew Rout, a Maths student originally from Kent, offered the ‘TV highlight of the week’ according to one viewer after he appeared to completely misplace the name of his teammate Owen Burrell. 

While Burrell couldn’t stifle a sizeable laugh when he was asked ‘What’s your name, again?’ by Rout, the BBC2 show’s host, Jeremy Paxman, couldn’t raise even a smile, looking utterly unimpressed at the exchange.  

Who are you? Andrew Rout, a Maths student from Kent (pictured left), offered the ‘TV highlight of the week’ during the first semi-final of University Challenge when he appeared to forget his teammate Owen Burrell’s name

An unmoved Jeremy Paxman didn’t appear impressed by the exchange, which left Burrell laughing out loud, as he refused to look up and simply asked the next question

He didn’t find it funny…Rout and Burrell’s faces drop when they realise Paxman is unmoved by the funny moment

Poor memory aside, Rout was otherwise on top form and the match against Imperial College London ended with Warwick victorious – although with a margin of just 25 points – and destined for the show’s final in two weeks’ time. 

The comedy moment came with just minutes left on the clock, when Paxman put a  bonus question to Warwick. 

He asked: ‘Formally hunted for its dark fur, which member of the weasel family gives its name to the heraldic tincture representing the colour black?’ 

Burrell explained the answer to his captain, at which point Rout asked: ‘Am I okay to nominate you? What’s your surname?’

While it’s unclear whether the moment was simply Rout being mischievous rather than genuinely forgetful, it was quickly dubbed comedy gold by viewers.  

@Earth2Fleur wrote on Twitter: ‘Rout: knows pretty much everything but his teammates surname.’  

Poor memory aside, Rout was otherwise on top form and the match against Imperial College London ended with Warwick victorious

@TheVoidTLMB penned: ‘”What’s your surname?” Classic lol moment on #UniversityChallenge tonight.’   

@ahnecar added: ‘It is absurd how entertaining I found this. The quick glance at the name card really gets me Face with tears of joy No idea if it was a joke but thank you, Rout.’

Others suggested there was some irony in one of the cleverest competitors forgetting the easiest thing.   

@Jonnyev65 quipped: ‘#Warwick they don’t know everything #nerds’.

@tylerdaisydog1 wrote: ‘What’s your surname is the only question I got right tonight and that’s because I could see it.’

Warwick University will take on the winner of the second semi-final, which takes place next Monday, with the final in two weeks’ time.

University Challenge airs on BBC2 on Mondays at 8:30pm 

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