Performance poet Kate Fox captained a team of alumni from Loughborough University to a resounding win over a team from the University of Central Lancashire on Christmas University Challenge. 

Afterwards she said on Twitter: “I had a shower so I didn’t have to watch me on University Challenge then came back in and shouted at myself on telly for guessing a question I knew I didn’t know. Thanks for kind words. Surreal end to a surreal year. I don’t think I’d be very good at poker ...”

One watcher said on Twitter: “She’s such fun and with an encyclopaedic knowledge that even when she pretended that her answer was a wild guess she was invariably right.”

Observers reckoned Kate, a former regular on BBC Radio 4's Saturday Live,  upstaged quizmaster Jeremy Paxman at times during the show. She certainly didn’t know all the answers, at one point telling him: “We basically don’t know, and life is short, sorry.”

Also on her team were Naomi Dattani, Cait McClatchey, and cricketer Monty Panesar.

There was at least one poetry question - relating to Philip Larkin, and the Beatles's first LP - but sadly none on cricket, which might explain Monty Panesar's total silence, after introducing himself at the start of the show. Nevertheless, Loughborough won by 170 points to 60.

Footnote: Kate's Loughborough team were not so lucky in the semi-final, losing to Manchester University. 

You can watch the Christmas University Challenge match here 

Background: Fair pay for poets - Kate Fox issues rallying call 

Background: Write Out Loud interviews Kate Fox