How 'anarchist' students got Manchester BANNED from University Challenge

With an impressive four victories under its belt, Manchester is the joint record holder for University Challenge champions.

University of Manchester brainiacs have sailed through the competition on a string of occasion to join the quiz's Hall of Fame alongside an Oxford college.

But, back in 1975, our city became famous for all the wrong reasons when a group of self-proclaimed 'anarchists' staged a protest during the show's recording.

The students had entered the competition with the sole purpose of 'wrecking the show', according to quizmaster Bamber Gascoigne, who passed away last week at the age of 87.

In fact, their protest caused such a scene that it is believed Granada Studios banned Manchester University from registering another team for several years.

In the BBC Radio 4 documentary 'Your Starter For Ten: 50 Years of University Challenge', two members of the team recalled how the revolt started.

Team captain Quentin Smith, the architect of the now infamous protest, said students were invited to put themselves forward for the team of four, which was then picked through an election.

One of those who stood was David Aaronovitch, now a well-known journalist, who was frustrated by the 'elitism' of University Challenge, which mostly featured teams from Oxbridge as their colleges were allowed to enter separate teams.

With an army of around 200 supporters, the Manchester team descended on Granada Studios in Quay Street to take on their opposition from Downing College, Cambridge.

Smith said the team knew that if they went too far, the show would never be broadcast, and their efforts would be wasted.

But they did have a plan.

"We decided that what we would do was not make any political speeches or attempt anything that would