BBC show axed over disability row after blind contestant complained about ‘distressing’ experience
UNIVERSITY Challenge’s Christmas special has been axed amid complaints that producers failed to support disabled contestants.
The BBC and Lifted Entertainment, the ITV Studios production company behind the show, apologised and say the episode will no longer air.
It’s after a blind contestant on the BBC quiz show had a “distressing” experience while competing on behalf of their former universities.
They were told audio description support, which had been requested in advance, was not possible during a picture round that included a pie chart and maps.
Their teammate, who is neurodivergent, had been told they could not have subtitles in advance of the recording.
Although they both chose to go ahead with participating in the quiz, they admitted feeling “overwhelmed and overstimulated”.
“We were told that your captain will instead have to explain everything,” they told BBC News.
“It was distressing. I got in touch to say I’d prefer not to have the manifestation of my disability broadcast on network TV in the run-up to Christmas.”
University Challenge is hosted by Amol Rajan who replaced Jeremy Paxman earlier this year. It airs Mondays on BBC Two.
The channel has scrapped the Christmas episode and pledged to make the show more inclusive in future.