The 53rd series of the quiz show University Challenge began on 17 July 2023 on BBC Two,[1] and ended with the final on 8 April 2024,[2] when Imperial College London triumphed for a record-breaking fifth time.
[8][13] The 53rd series began on 17 July 2023 and aired on BBC Two in the Monday 8:30 p.m. timeslot,[8][4] following the quiz shows Mastermind and Only Connect.
[21] The winning Middlesex University team consisted of David Heathcote, David Hepworth, Heather Phillipson, Dan Renton Skinner and Lola Young,[a] who beat Corpus Christi College, Oxford and their team of Francesca Happé, Michael Cockerell, Alex Bellos and Steve Waters.
[22] In a five-star review, Sean O'Grady of The Independent praised that Rajan appeared to enjoy presenting and to be knowledgeable but not arrogant.
[11] Mark Lawson of The Guardian also gave it three stars, saying that Rajan "has shown how seriously he takes the role by significantly adapting his presenting style to this new challenge".
[4] In contrast, James Delingpole of The Spectator criticised the subject matter of questions, including climate change, supranational unions and "gender and diversity" artists.
[28] Melanie McDonagh of The Spectator praised Rajan's outfit but believed the slate screen from which he read prompts was inferior to question cards, reducing eye contact with contestants.
[29] By the end of the series, according to i's Nick Hilton, Rajan had become popular among fans and successfully established a new style for the programme.
[10] In January 2024, Rajan rejected an answer about dance music genres with the words: "I can't accept drum'n'bass – we need jungle, I'm afraid".
[32] Misinformation on social media alleged that one team's octopus mascot and one contestant's coloured jacket were antisemitic or pro-Palestinian references to the Israel–Hamas war that began in October 2023.