In other anger . . . university challenge

Couldn't agree more. Ridiculous. But then I spent a fair wodge of my childhood deliberately not answering questions in class so I didn't get hassle for it later.

Dreadful, isn't it, especially as she seems so very unsmug. I find it quite exhilarating watching her, as it is watching anyone do something they are brilliant at.

It's a disgrace. I know this is a gross generalisation, but I loathe the tendency of the British public to support underdogs and insult and malign those who are really skilful or excel. Whatever happened to celebrating excellence?

Remember dont be too funny, dont be too pretty, dont be too clever.☹️ Bloody silly and frustrating.

This is one of the things that annoys me so much about this country, why is the fact that she is incredibly intelligent a reason for ridicule? As for the fact that she couldn't answer the questions put to her by the Sun...well, I only got the Chelsea manager one right, why? because I couldn't give a toss about the other things!

I can't wait to watch the final tonight, it should be a good show

Same here Hazel, I used to get dreadful end of year reports from school about how I refused to participate in class discussions, which always my parents angry. Having seen how the boys that did volunteer answers were ostracised, I took the decision early on not to ruin my own school-days.

? I managed 2/5 on the sun test. I think all that proved is that the sun are very good at setting biased general knowledge quizes.

So depressing. More so was the 'quiz' concocked by The Sun - is that really what the UK's general population's general knowledge is based around, Big Brother and Chelsea FC?

I'm surprised people are so ready to show such blantant jealousy and do it so proudly.

Hmmm. I suspect that what is going on here is the meeja making what they perceive as a better story out of her. So "Cleverest ever University Challenge contestant" isn't going to sell as many papers as "University Challenge contestant becomes figure of hate".

I'm an avid fan of University Challenge, and can't wait for the final tonight. I'm also very admiring of anyone who can answer that number of questions (my H and I usually compete to see who can answer the most, I think we've only ever managed about 10 in a whole programme!). However, I have to admit that that contestant did seem somewhat smug. It was nothing to do with her ability or her looks - more just how she projected herself and some of her mannerisms after answering a question correctly.

I still can't understand the vitriol from some of those commenting (or the author) but I can't say I warmed to her personally either. But I think that is my perception - and is not based on her intelligence or otherwise.

She was on Woman's Hour today, and cheerfully admitted that she knows nothing about sport, Biology or popular culture ? She sounds like what she is - very, very bright and from a certain background. Which, as was then pointed out in a discussion, is always going to lead to trouble as we have a national sport of picking on swots.

It's depressing but not surprising. I think lots of very bright children try not to show it at school because it's such a prevalent form of bullying, and one that's not necessarily picked up by staff. Children gifted in other ways, by being on the football team for example, are praised and lauded by their peers as well as by the school. I've told this story before, but one of the low points of my teaching career was the day we gave out certificates to a Maths team who had done exceptionally well in a regional competition and they were booed by a lot of the rest of the year group. Led by the football team, might I add, who were themselves used to coming up in assembly to get certificates to rounds of applause and cheers.

Actually I did find her a touch smug, it was the was the way she kept flicking her hair, you know, in a smug way. she also had a bit of a belm smile.

The hair thing came across to me as nerves/embarrassment rather than smugness. So many people on that show have a funny little tic when they get a question right, such as taking a sip of water- I think people rarely know what to do with themselves when they feel they've done well so end up automatically water sipping/hair flicking/seat wiggling etc.

It actually wouldn't bother me if she was a bit smug. Why shouldn't she be proud?

I agree with KN, why shouldn't she be proud of her achievement?

I also wonder whether the reaction to her intelligence would be the same if she were male?

What utterly horrible comments. I missed last week's semi final, but remember her from the early rounds. She is very, very good. I think she's fabulous and an excellent role model for any young girls watching.

I only knew one in the Sun quiz, and that was the Brits question.

Love The Sun's questions - yes, clearly they're really important areas of general knowledge. ?

I mean, fancy not being able to name some stupid 13 year old who should have stuck to wanking? ?

This is the absolutely fundamental difference between Britain and America - they celebrate achievement, we denigrate it.

And I suspect this is at least part of the reason why they tend to do better than us in a vast range of fields from technology to entertainment.

Is it me or has she been exceptionally quiet so far tonight...

She did seem a bit smug to me but I think a lot of the captains on always do

Yes, she was quiet to start with, but I think she may have just won it for them....

To reply to original post, this makes me sooooo angry; I couldn't answer a single one of those Sun questions. Am I dim?

Going off on a slight tangent....I love how excited the guy calling out their names gets!!!

CORPUS CHRISTI TRIMBLE!!!!!! ?

Never mind her, I fell somewhat in lust with the dark boy from CC ?

<monica> I knooooooooooow, could he fit any more letters into a second??<monica>

I could only answer 1 of the Suns questions and to be honest my responses were similar to those of Gails..