I love Paxo on University Challenge. I like his blend of sarcasm, wit and charm and his unfailing ability to be haughty and imperious without malice. And of course his impatience as he waits for an answer:
“Come on….it’s like watching paint dry”

Who would be a fitting replacement for Jezzer?

TJ – he’s always right

Alistair Camble? I reckon he’d replicate Paxmans whit quite well.

Keanu Reeves

Nah, not Clive Anderson, too keen to get a smart arse line in.

Alistair Campbell is a good shout.

TJ – he’s always right

The programme that would never end!!!

Huw Edwards
Eddy Mayer(sp?)

Jeremy Clarkson, surely.

Peter Allen (5LIVE Drive host – looking for work soon too I suspect)

Eddie Izzard

Simon Cowell

Another smug, sanctimonious twot 😀

John Lydon for being the polar opposite of a student.

Me.

I’m good at reading off a card.

And can always sneer at people when I’ve got the answer.

Trouble is, I didn’t got to Oxbridge. Oh well….

Rod Liddle.

John Lydon for being the polar opposite of a student

These days he sticks two fingers up at society by doing Butter adverts.

Jeremy Clarkson, surely.

Was my first thought. Needs to be someone who might actually know the answers though.

and how many polymaths can you name then cougar?

Dominik Diamond.

Paxman’s good but there’s too many times when he’s obviously not got the slightest idea what the answer is, but he’s still sneering at the teams for getting it wrong because he has it written on a bit of paper. Gets a bit old.

Its entertainment as much as a dry test of knowledge.

Paxman’s sneer is as to Anne Robinsons acid and wink or Clarkson’s rude hyperbole. It makes for TV with characters. Else we could have some kind of robot presenter instead 🙂

EDIT: although I like your dominik diamond. In a similar vein, how about Kate Adie?

Ian Hislop?

Alexander Armstrong?

Carol Vandergraff Vorderman?

Ann Widdecombe?

Carol Vandergraff Vorderman?

Please no, sick of the sight of her. Her face seems to be on 50% of the junk mail we get through the door.

Boris Johnson.

Boris.

I once got aroused watching Carol Vorderman on Countdown.

But it was only seven letters so I wouldn’t have won.

and how many polymaths can you name then cougar?

Da Vinci? I think he might be a bit old for it now though.

Point is, I think it needs to be someone who at least understands some of the questions. JC has the right delivery, but he’d get two questions in and go “what the bloody hell’s tungsten carbide drills” before going off on one about students.

Ex-newsreaders aren’t a bad punt.

No-one’s said Stephen Fry yet?

Though I now feel like I’ve said the obvious wrong answer on QI 😀

Paxman is irreplaceable.

Can’t we just have one programme without that bloody cleverclogs? (Fry)

+1 Hislop

Else we could have some kind of robot presenter instead

I am hooked on UC these days and enjoy Pax more here than on Newsnight. You need someone bright enough to pronounce some of the questions and know when an answer is half right. And the hand flick with the used cards takes time to master.

I am amending my vote to Lego Stephen Hawking.

Is that Nick Knowles?

Got it:

Good call.

Stephen Fry surely?

or Nick Clegg for being so popular with students 🙄

Bit of a curve ball here – Rory McGrath.
Sometimes funny, often stupidly immature, but furiously knowledgeable.

Or Henry Kelly Always thought he was a bit of a joke, but his years of presenting Goping 4 Gold must have taught him something – saw him in a celeb type quiz some years ago and was amazed at his general knowledge.

As an aside how well do the braniacs on here do on Universally Challenged? I was *forced* to watch Mastermind and play the Genus edition of Trivial Pursuit as a child, which left me mentally scarred and was no fun as I was a CHILD and knew none of the answers!

Now I’m a big boy I like to get my own back my whupping my parents’ intellectual butts by challenging them when UC and Only Connect are on.
Mind you they are getting on a bit and their powers of recall aren’t as sharp as they were.

My best ever was 14 correct answers. There were a few science / physiology / geograph questions though which are my strongest subjects.