Politics

Kwasi Kwarteng once said 'f**k' twice on University Challenge

Kwasi Kwarteng once said 'f**k' twice on University Challenge
Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng admits tax cut on 45p rate was a 'massive …
BBC

Not many people can claim to have sworn on University Challenge – but Kwasi Kwarteng can.

Just like he swore he wouldn’t U-turn on his tax cuts for the rich, the Chancellor cursed not once but twice during an appearance on the long-running quiz series as a student.

Kwateng represented Trinity College Cambridge on the show back in 1995, where he was quizzed by host Jeremy Paxman.

He was 19 when he appeared on the programme and managed to swear twice in a moment which snuck past the censors.

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He was asked a question about a donkey on the programme, and he replied: “Oh f***, I've forgotten.”

kwasi kwarteng On University Challengewww.youtube.com


The mumbled response was not picked up and went out to the nation. He even swore a second time, saying “Of f***” again.

The comments were picked up in the press, with The Sun running a story about the moment with the caption: “Rudiversity Challenge.”

Footage from the episode also shows Kwarteng getting questions right about the The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles and science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke.

The Chancellor was a teenager when he appeared on the showUniversity Challenge


He helped his team progress through the rounds and eventually win in the grand final – and managed to avoid swearing again along the way.

Meanwhile, back in 2022, Kwarteng rowed back on the promise to abandon his plan to axe the 45p tax rate for top-earners.

The humiliating U-turn was followed minutes later by an announcement that public services face further cuts of up to £18bn a year.

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