We don't want rematch, say losing quiz finalists

The losing finalists in this year's University Challenge today said they did not want a rematch despite claims a member of the winning team may have broken the rules as he was no longer a student.

The BBC have launched an investigation following reports that Sam Kay, who was part of the victorious Corpus Christi College, Oxford team, had already graduated and is now in full-time employment.

The Corpus Christi side triumphed over Manchester University by a margin of 275 to 190 to be crowned grand final winners of the BBC2 quiz show which was aired on Monday.

More than 5.3 million people, a record audience, tuned in to see the show which propelled brainbox Gail Trimble to stardom.

But allegations emerged today that Mr Kay graduated from the college with a first in Chemistry last June after early stages of the competition were filmed.

The Observer newspaper claim that Mr Kay then gained a full-time job with accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers in Reading from where he would travel to the Granada TV studios to join his teammates for filming in Manchester

Mr Kay told the newspaper: "I was a student when I applied to be on the show and on the day when we filmed the first two rounds, so I don't think I've done anything wrong."

However, Matthew Yeo, captain of the Manchester University team, said contrary to some reports they have no desire to convene a repeat of the final.

He said: "Reuben, Simon, Henry and I are firmly of the opinion that the best team won on the day and Corpus Christi College are deserving and worthy champions.

"We thoroughly enjoyed our University Challenge experience and would like to thank all those who supported us on our road to the final.

"Any decision about eligibility is a matter for the BBC but we hope any decision does not detract from what was a thrilling final won by a truly tremendous team."

The BBC are now investigating whether or not any rules have been broken.

A spokeswoman said: "We understand the allegations made and are taking the issue seriously.

"However we need time to investigate fully, so we will do so and report our findings early next week."

A spokeswoman for Oxford University said today: "Eligibility is a matter for the BBC and they are looking into it."

Much of the success of the Corpus Christi team had been down to Ms Trimble, who scored two-thirds of her team's 1,200 points before the final and has been described as the "best contestant ever".

Her vast knowledge, likened to an "intellectual blitzkrieg", stunned even host Jeremy Paxman.

She left it late in the final but scored 125 points in the last four minutes to secure the win.

Corpus Christi played five matches during the six-month competition, starting last Easter and culminating in the final, which was filmed two months ago.

It is the second time the Oxford college has won the competition, having also taken the title in 2005.

Founded in the early 16th century, it is one of Oxford's smaller colleges, with fewer than four hundred students.