Since Eric Monkman charged onto University Challenge back in September in a whirlwind of enthusiasm and bellowed answers, his thousands of avid fans were certain he would be crowned the champion of the series.
But it was Joey Goldman and his Balliol College, Oxford team who stormed to victory in tonight’s nail-biting final, kicking Wolfson College, Cambridge into second place, winning 190 points to 140.
While Goldman and his team mates gave a brilliant performance, they were seemingly helped by Monkman’s stressed state, with the Canadian student repeatedly buzzing in early with incorrect answers.
“I’m so worried Monkman is cracking under the vast weight of pressure of the University Challenge final,” one fan wrote on Twitter.
“KEEP IT TOGETHER MONKMAN.”
The competition was tight for most of the episode, but a final push from Goldman, Pope, Potts and Lloyd cemented an Oxford win.
Goldman’s fans might not usually be as vocal as the #Monkmaniacs, but they were certainly out in force tonight to celebrate the 23-year-old’s victory:
But it seemed no-one was more pleased for the Balliol team than Monkman himself. Many viewers commented on the Canadian student’s gracious reaction to his loss:
And the fact that Monkman and his team mates failed to lift the University Challenge trophy certainly didn’t deter his league of fans praising him and his incredible run during the series:
Fans will now have to wait until August to see if next year’s series ever match this year’s fanatical fandoms, nail-bitingly close matches and ridiculously brainy contestants.