Amol Rajan

2022 - 8 - 19

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Image courtesy of "Daily Mail"

Amol Rajan will devote his first University Challenge to his 'beloved ... (Daily Mail)

The 39-year-old, who was confirmed as Jeremy Paxman's replacement on Tuesday, was born to Hindu parents in Calcutta, India, and moved to London aged three.

Jeremy leaves a very big chair to fill but Amol's experience, expertise and sense of humour makes him the perfect fit for one of Britain's longest-running and toughest quiz shows. 'People talk of the morality of ambition, like it is a bad thing,' he has said. In 2006, he was a lowly researcher on ITV's The Wright Stuff. In May 2021 he made his first appearance on the Today programme. 'They offered it to him, he went back to the BBC and told them he had been approached. On top of which he has held the job of BBC media editor for six years, a position he will step down from when he takes up the University Challenge job. The BBC put together a financial and programme package to keep him. 'But no one from the BBC has spoken to me yet about taking over. Rajan will take up the role in autumn 2023, with Paxman to have one final season asking the questions on the quiz show. Varadarajan, as 'the cleverest man I've met, born into unconscionable poverty, who with his glorious wife (also one of 11 siblings) sacrificed everything to come to UK when I was 3, so that his kids may at least live a fuller, happier life than he did' Rajan is already among the broadcaster's best-paid staff. Rajan appeared on a celebrity series of University Challenge less than two years ago.

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Image courtesy of "The Irish Sun"

University Challenge question writer blasts new host Amol Rajan as ... (The Irish Sun)

A UNIVERSITY Challenge question writer has blasted new host Amol Rajan as a 'bad decision' by the BBC.Amol, 39, was confirmed as the new host of Unive.

Following the official announcement, she said: "Rajan isn’t who I’d been told. Offence is the price of free speech. She tweeted: "It’s hard to sit on this University Challenge thing. The BBC said at the time: "Amol made clear he was not taking a view on the subject of JK Rowling’s essay and acknowledged the severity of offence that some people had taken to what she’d written. He added that he "takes no view" on the issues the author raised, but added: "I do take an issue on abuse and trolling, and Rowling has achieved the inglorious honour of topping many a league table for those." A UNIVERSITY Challenge question writer has blasted new host Amol Rajan as a 'bad decision' by the BBC.

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Image courtesy of "Daily Express"

'Bad decision' University Challenge star hits out at Amol Rajan ... (Daily Express)

A UNIVERSITY CHALLENGE question writer has raised doubts over the appointment of new host Amol Rajan.

Amol added: "Offence is the price of free speech. Lilian Crawford, who wrote the famously tricky questions of the show, is unhappy with BBC bosses due to an article the new host wrote surrounding free speech. Lilian added: "It’s hard to sit on this University Challenge thing. If it’s who I believe it is, it’s a bad decision." "Comfort and safety is at the core - who hosts the show is part of that." One of the contributors to University Challenge has voiced their concern over the decision to hand the presenting duties of the show to Amol Rajan.

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Image courtesy of "Mirror.co.uk"

Who is Amol Rajan and when will he replace Jeremy Paxman as ... (Mirror.co.uk)

Amol Rajan has been named as the new host of quiz show University Challenge, taking over from Jeremy Paxman. Here's everything you need to know about BBC ...

He also worked as a presenter for The Wright Stuff in 2006-2007. Rajan, who was a former editor of The Independent, began his career as a food critic. Journalist Amol Rajan who will be taking over as host of University Challenged is married to Dr Charlotte Faircloth, an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Science, at University College London’s Institute of Education. He has also been a columnist for the Evening Standard. Who is Amol Rajan and what TV shows has he been on? He said his new role was a "dream come true", adding that he was aware he had "vast shoes to fill," taking over for the TV veteran.

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Image courtesy of "Asian Image"

Broadcaster Amol Rajan appointed new host of University Challenge (Asian Image)

Journalist and broadcaster Amol Rajan will take over from Jeremy Paxman as host of University Challenge from autumn 2023, the BBC has said.

“I am very conscious that in the late, great Bamber (Gascoigne), and that giant of British culture, Jeremy, I have vast shoes to fill. He will continue to be a presenter on the Today programme and will also continue the Amol Rajan Interviews show. Bamber Gascoigne launched the quiz in 1962.

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Image courtesy of "Varsity Online"

Another ex-Varsity editor to be new University Challenge host (Varsity Online)

The BBC can't seem to get enough of veteran Varsity hacks as it picks former editor, Amol Rajan, to be Jeremy Paxman's successor on University Challenge.

In order to maintain our editorial independence, our print newspaper and news website receives no funding from the University of Cambridge or its constituent Colleges. He went on to admit that he would have to earn Paxman’s “total authority behind the desk”. In the end, Durham beat Downing by 25 points in a close fought match. At 29, this made him one of the youngest people ever to edit a British national newspaper. Paxman hosted the quiz show since 1994 but announced earlier this [2005 edition](https://archive.varsity.co.uk/612.pdf) of Varsity’s Talent 100 included Rajan alongside other now-famous names such as Wes Streeting and Tim Stanley.

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Image courtesy of "Herald"

Who Is Amol Rajan Wife Charlotte Faircloth? British Journalist Three ... (Herald)

Rajan was the editor of The Independent until he joined the BBC in December 2016. Additionally, he has been a presenter on BBC Radio 4's Today since 2021.

The owner of The Independent, Evgeny Lebedev, appointed Rajan to the job in 2013 when he was 29. Rajan was the last print editor of the Independent before joining the BBC. He issued a public apology in 2021 for remarks he made in a 2012 article he wrote for The Independent, in which he called Prince Philip a “racist jester” and Prince Charles “a scientific illiterate”. [20] Prior to becoming editor of The Independent, Rajan was an adviser to Lebedev, the son of Alexander Lebedevmedia, for almost eighteen months.[4]. [16] Additionally, he has contributed to The Salisbury Review and written a Monday column for The London Evening Standard and The Independent on Sunday, respectively. Rajan says the latter journal “continues to publish some of the best writing in English on politics, history and culture today. Amol Rajan is rumored to take the place of Jeremy Paxman as the new University Challenge host. Rajan spent his gap year at the age of 18 working for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). He was a Hindu until the age of 15, when he transformed and became an atheist like his family. For one term in 2005, he served as editor of the student newspaper. The new host of University Challenge is an English columnist and host named Amol Rajan. Although his wife hasn’t given us her date of birth and appears to be in her mid-30s, the couple are only a few years apart in age.

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Image courtesy of "iNews"

Amol Rajan will be less 'magisterial' University Challenge host than ... (iNews)

Amol Rajan will be the 'students' friend' when he takes over University Challenge – but the BBC presenter's appointment has been criticised by a member of ...

They pay him so much that they have to find him stuff to do,” one insider complained to the Daily Mail. I can’t help but read this decision (hiring Rajan) as backlash to the work we did.” His pay soared to £330,000 last year and the broadcaster’s latest elevation rankles with some BBC staff. Tilling was “very sad” to learn of Paxman’s departure. It also features significantly more questions about women and queer people than ever before – much of which came from me. Jeremy brought his clout to it and own sense of humour.” “Afterwards, he didn’t seem very pleased. But friends believe Rajan is keen to entrench the move towards gender equality on the teams, which have been male-dominated since the programme’s 1961 debut and is determined to ensure the programme remains a “safe space” for trans and non-binary students. As a judge on the 2020 Russell Prize, Rajan defended Rowling and named her a winner for her essay, “Reasons for Speaking Out on Sex and Gender Issues”. Amol needs to bring his own unique personality. Jeremy’s was very different to Bamber Gascoigne, who was gentle and avuncular. [Rajan’s style ](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/the-princes-and-the-press-bbc1-review-amol-rajan-take-royals-thoughtful-well-sourced-1314435?ico=in-line_link)would be “learning alongside the contestants, being more impressed with what they know rather than being magisterial and top down.” [Roger Tilling](https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/university-challenge-latest-earpieces-perspex-screens-first-lockdown-episode-724625?ico=in-line_link), the University Challenge announcer for 25 years, said: “I think that’s right.

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